I went to my itunes player and created a playlist with Analog Heart and DCTA (David Cook The Album), then listened to the songs on shuffle. I wanted to see how the old and new songs compared to one another, as if they were all put in one big giant album.
To be quite honest, the only ones that really, really stood out from the mix as being out of place are Light On and Time of My Life. Light On seems much more commercial than anything else David as done, including the rest of his new album. And Time of My Life is much sweeter, much cheesier than anything else he's done as well. Not to say I don't like those two songs - I actually really, really love them (yes, even the Magic Rainbow! It makes me smile), but I feel they don't really mix in with the rest of the songs. It's not too surprising, really, seeing as David was not involved in the writing of those. Curiously, Come Back To Me was another song that David had no hands in writing, but it feels more like "him" than Light On and Time of My Life, somehow.
Both albums have the same beautiful vocals from David. There are a few more bells and whistles in DCTA than in AH, and I could do without them, but all in all it really is not that bad. Both albums feature those typical glory notse, growly voice, softer, deeper voice... But one big difference on DCTA is that David explores even more his vocal capacities and talents. We find on the new album some really low tones, velvety whispers, gorgeous falsettos, straight up gravely rock voice and plain, unaffected tones, all of which are absent from AH. It also seems that David has perfected his vocal techniques for the new album. His voice is more on point, clearer, more elaborate. Could be due to the mixing and producing, but I suspect David worked on his voice in the last year and has discovered some new found talents. And I for one couldn't be happier! I absolutely adore all sides of David's voice.
I feel that there are a few new songs that carry the "THAT is David Cook!" stamps - Declaration, Mr. Sensitive, Lie, Avalanche, A Daily AntheM, Breath Tonight and Kiss On The Neck. All of them remind me of AH, except for Kiss On The Neck, which is totally reminiscent of the kind of music he did with Axium and even MWK. Lie is another "The Truth", full of passion, hurt, raw feelings that just need to come out. I feel so much on this one. I have not gotten as much into Permanent as some out there, and it is a conscious choice. That song is so full of angst, anger, raw emotions, sadness and I fear that if I let myself get into it I'll just completely loose it. So this might be another The Truth in the making for me. Or rather this is reminiscent of "AC" from DC's Axium days.
I've read many places that people are complaining about so many mid-tempo songs on the new album. I am not all that surprised. Yes, sure, David is a rocker, and he loves the gritty, raw power of his rock vocals and the electric guitar and all that. Analog is not all fast tempo rock songs, nor are his previous albums with Axium. So I am not really surprised he's got lots of mid-tempo songs on his new album. But I was happy to see the faster tempo, more rock based songs such as Bar-ba-sol, and Declaration and Heroes, A Daily AntheM even to an extend. They just plain ROCK!!!
A note on the music - I can really hear Neal's influence all over this album. There are a few songs that remind me of MWK, others of AH. Knowing how involved Neal was in those albums, it only makes sense that I can hear him on DCTA. Also, the production and mix is much better on DCTA - not that AH was bad.... Whoever did it did a great, great job. But the better studio and better equipment can be heard in the production on DCTA, and that is a huge plus. Although I have to be honest and say that I love this raw aspect of AH - I wouldn't want that album to be re-recorded in a better studio and better produced. It would take away so much for me.
So to me, this new album really is David Cook, much more than the first single Light On led us to believe. I cannot for the life of me say which album I prefer - I love them both for different reasons. One thing is for sure, those new songs ARE David Cook. I love all the songs, old and new!
Since Idol, Neufeld has gone on to share stages with Matthew Good, Stabilo, The Trews and even joined Lukas Rossi of Rock Star Supernova on an acoustic Canadian tour. This November Neufeld will take to the stage once again performing at the free Great West Life Spirit of Christmas celebration at Trinity Western University in Langley.
