Rolling Stone Top Singles Review of LO
Joined: Sep 2008
La Verne, CA
Sunday, October 5, 2008 - 13:43
Rolling Stone Top Singles Review of LO
I received Issue #31 in yesterday's mail. Here is the review:
Light On
(3 stars)
'For the American Idol's power ballad on Red Bull, co-writer Chris Cornell- whose own "Billy Jean" cover served as a model for Cook's victory performance- tosses some "Black Hole Sun"- style arpeggios under the verses. Cook summons all of his throaty passion, turning out a performance Simon might call "commercially viable." ' -C.G.
Comments for this Forum Topic
I hate followers and critics! I didn't like the review. It wasn't equal to me to how good the song was.
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-Thank you to Angelsky0179
I think it's a fair review. Hopefully it'll get better once the album is out!!
Meh, sounds about right. Not that I hate or anything, just "not feelin it, dawg."
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3 stars?
Better than two!
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Thanks for the XM call in #, I've been listening forever waiting for LO to no avail and now I know why. I will be calling every 30 minutes or so, please everyone else call 866-553-2020. and those in the Tulsa area please call KMOD 918-460-5663!!
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All in all, a good review. Here's hoping that it contributes to sales and rock airplay.
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FolkFan aka CrossWordsRock on TWoP
everything good from RS...short, brief...to the point...its all good, though!! :] ♥
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WN#2471
Btw, the Red Bull reference to me means the song is vigorous, and filled with testosterone. Hah.
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Pinoy fans represent!
For Rolling Stone, that is high praise. Great! I'm so happy for David Cook that the first single has been well received. I just wish I could hear it more on the radio. I don't understand why it isn't being played more. I put this on another one of the forums, but wanted to put it here as well. 20 on 20 the XM station that plays the hits doesn't even have it on the top 50 list from which online voters can request it. There is a toll free number that we can call to request it. I was hoping maybe some of the DC fans here would make a call and ask for it so that they will start playing it. The number is 866 553-2020.
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A Cookie Fan Forever, Shari
As someone once said, "I'll take it."
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Pinoy fans represent!
Rolling Stone rating legend:
5 stars = classic
4 stars= excellent
3 stars= good
2 stars = fair
1 star = poor
In the same sidebar review, Light On shares the column with Kanye West 3 1/2 stars, Nickelback 2 1/2 stars, The Killers 3 1/2 stars, and itself, as a 3 star.
Based on the information in the entire music section, the 3 star rating is actually very good. I think they are hesitant to give a brand new song from an unproved singer the kind of ratings they are giving The Pretenders, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Otis Redding and the Clash from the same page.
They gave Tom Morello from Rage Against The Machine's project a 3 as well.
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Bonnie BS , dubbed "Miss Bonnie"
proud practicing word nerd
"Your words, they hide behind your age; My words, they sing you this song. . .
One step over to step/ You're wise beyond your eyes." Balance, Axium
that's a fairly decent review
All right for "throaty passion" - exactly, dudes!!! WE LOVE THAT PASSION!!!!!! (wipes sweat off browe.)
I'll take it. Like the Red Bull comment.
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~Jane Austen Loving Word Nerd #2919~
"So hold me to the light, and watch me fade to white and burn away."
~Axuim, "Just in Case"
Of course RS has to sit on the fence. They don't want to risk giving an obviously positive this early in the game. There were enough positive hints in there though. So like others said, I'll take it!
Not bad coming from RS!
I'll be really interested to see what they say about the album.
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SarahBeth
SF's Partner in Crime
And hence the Chicago 9 were born. Sparked by Dreamertash's imagination, bonded by individual personalities and solidified with the love for a man and his music.
Heh! In otherwords RS thinks LO is a big fat radio hit. Yay!
That Chris Cornell reference will be a constant theme when critiquing LO over the next few weeks and will go a long ways................all the way to the grammys! That RS review is why RCA chose to lead off with a single written by a known quanitity who has a solid cred. and not with something Cook himself wrote. Those singles will come later.
That's seriously probably the best review you'll get for Cookie at this point from Rolling Stone, LOL. They tend to be a bit snobby against Idol contestants at first, so the fact that the single wasn't completely panned is progress. You notice the Chris Cornell reference, the fact that Cornell wrote it probably also helped prevent DC from being savaged...
that's not too bad at coming from RS..they can be very harsh.I can remember them giving Bon Jovi lots of bad write ups and they have been around forever..so considering that this is DC first official single,I think that review was ok!
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WN#3379
Well, at least RS didn't totally pan the song. As others have noted it's a mediocre rating and likely won't influence fence sitters one way or the other to give this song a listen.
LO is definitely a 5-star hit for most of us, but I will take a 3 out of 5 from Rolling Stone and be happy with it! First, you know that their gut instinct would be to diss it b/c of the AI connection -- that stigma that an AI pop star could only be a rocker "wanna-be". Of course, all anyone has to do is watch just one youtube video of DC performing "Billie Jean" in concert to know that he is Rock with a capital R all the way! Once LO starts getting more radio play, the pop label (what's wrong with you iTunes?) should fall away. If the album is anywhere close to what we all imagine it to be, I believe that Rolling Stone will stand up and recognize David's talent. Afterall, their original interview after his win showed an openess toward him that I hadn't expected.
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WordNerd #1346 aka browneyedwoman at AI, WNhome, & PB
I think these critics are being followers instead of leaders. After 7 seasons of AI many in the music business have become snobs about the winners and turn their nose at them, not because they don't like their material, but because they are on the bandwagon of skeptics with everyone else. Cook, never has anything come easy to him. I always see him as the "dark horse", as Paula said that one night. However, watch out because he comes from behind and surprises the hell out of everyone. Light on is a good song, whether one likes it or not, and he does his voice sounds great. A few weeks down the line, these critics will be on the Cook bandwagon.
I agree-not bad--short, but not bad! Patti
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pweller7~Patti
(piper5)
Actually, not bad coming from Rolling Stone. Sounds like a fence sitter, but we'll take it.
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"A naked light, a fire to keep me warm
Try to leave a light on when I'm gone
Even in the daylight, shine on..."
Celina~lolabelle1~wn#2623
Thanks I see. Yeah I knew what Red Bull was. I see on Red Bull. I thought maybe it was on a Red Bull commercial lol.
Well, it is a so so reveiw, but not too bad. At least it's commerciably viable. lol
Just your typical snotty, snobby critics tone. They don't have to do much. Just listen and comment.
Might as well try to have some impact.
Wow, some people just don't get this song.
It's a classic rock ballad with a powerful message and beautifully done.
David gives us his gorgeous full throttle voice which reaches down into our very soul.
I think it's stellar!
There that's my review!
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Fanatic Cookhead,
~ Vicki ~
Talk about walking the line in the middle of the road ... though C.G. does appear to be at least looking right, if not quite committing to it. *lol* The reviewer comes across to me as being somewhat indecisive, but needing to be responsive to a deadline.
"...whose own "Billy Jean" cover served as a model for Cook's victory performance ... Um, huh? *sighs, shakes head and lol*
Anyway, a 3 from RollingStone ... as many have already said, we'll take it!
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FoolsApril64
CLICK HERE for Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
That was a pretty good review, but brief.
I guess they mean it's energetic...
Sounds like a middle of the road, hate to respect AI but will-type review. I think it's good.
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wn#518
What do they reference Red Bull?
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Red Bull is a super caffeinated energy drink. So I'm guessing that when they say it is a power ballad on Red Bull that they are indicating that it is super-charged.
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Jai_S (aka InDreams, LettingGo)
I suspect Red Bull = energy drink = power ballad.
It's not a diss, it's not a ringing endorsement. Not bad for a first single.
What do they reference Red Bull?
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Fanatic Cookhead,
~ Vicki ~
Funny, I thought it was them that didn't like Light On. Must have read that part wrong from the site I read it. Anyway, I liked the song from the first time I've heard it. I'm sure it'll pick up on the charts once the music video comes out.
3 out of 5 for a first release (I'm not counting TOML) is not bad at all. They are going to be cautious with their praise in the beginning. No one wants to be out in left field. This is the kind of review that might intrigue some readers unfamiliar with David's work.
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Jai_S (aka InDreams, LettingGo)
It was a good but not overly enthusiastic review. As someone who was not thrilled at first, but has come to love it, I don't think the lukewarm reviews will have much of an effect on the success of the song.
The other thing is that it would make any critic seem like a star-struck fan to overly praise it. They call it commercially viable which means they think it will be a hit. At this point begrudging respect is OK by me.
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The best revenge is massive success. ~Frank Sinatra
Seems like a pretty neutral review to me...which makes sense given the overall rating.
And last I checked, David's "victory" performance was TOML. Dude's off by about 10 weeks. lol
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"If I could have a super power, I'd like the ability to...fly...so I can, you know?...soar...with...the birds."
Not a bad review .... guess we will just have to take it.
Given the source, I'll most certainly take it and smile. That ain't bad.
RollingStone.com rates their reviews out of 5 stars. So I would imagine this would be true to the magazine as well.
3 out of 5. Not bad. I certainly don't see anything negative in the review. So, I'm happy with it!
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~Renee
Gee, that was brief
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