By Jen Connors

Two and a half years after making his post-American Idol debut, David Cook is making his way back onto the music scene with his sophomore effort, This Loud Morning. Since winning Idol’s seventh season in 2008 he has been touring and recording almost nonstop. Besides a cover of “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” used as this year’s exit song on the show that made him a star, this is the first set of new material he has released since his major-label debut.
Sticking with the same rock influences present on his previous record, the album boasts several radio-ready tunes. Likely second single “Take Me As I Am” is standard individuality fare, but paired with Cook’s vocals it soars, adding a level of depth to the lyrics, “we can take tonight, make it last forever.” Lead single “The Last Goodbye” is a perfect kiss-off, accompanied by a powerful baseline, roaring guitar and deep lyrics. Cook co-wrote every song on the album, which also features powerhouse songwriters David Hodges (who wrote for artists such as Evanescence and Kelly Clarkson), Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic, Adele, Gavin DeGraw and Hilary Duff) and Claude Kelly (Britney Spears, Jay Sean, Jessi J). “This Is Not For You” and “Let Me Fall For You,” available on the deluxe edition, are reminiscent of material on his self-titled debut but manage to be unique and different from their predecessors.
This album will probably be faced with critics as reviews start coming out, but in terms of a sophomore album by an Idol alum, this definitely ranks in the top five. Tracks I would absolutely recommend downloading? “We Believe,” my personal favorite from the album, and lead track “Circadian.”