So the time has finally come, the tour is over and around the World David Cook fans waiting (im)patiently for some sign of the new recordings.

And then like a flash an email ‘The name of David Cook’s debut single will be – Light On’ I pondered this, the name; it sounded almost religious, but more importantly, UN David Cook.

But I was excited to hear what would be, excited to see what the ‘New, and Signed’ Cook would produce.

One thing I knew before I had even heard ‘Light On’ was that the sound would be better (now don’t go confusing ‘sound’ with ‘musicality.’) The sound production will be better than his pre-idol music, you plough thousands of dollars into a song, and the end product will be cleaner, I just hoped it wouldn’t sound to over-produced (think Cher’s ‘Believe’ as a perfect example.)

‘Light On’ by David Cook:

First listen; I was surprised, neither pleasantly or regretfully, just surprised. It was so far from what I expected, I felt as though I had heard the song before. It didn’t pick me up and slap me in the face, metaphorically. David had always had such individuality that within seconds of hearing his pre-idol stuff, I could recognise it as David, he had his own style and it defined him.

Now I expected a change, who wouldn’t, when an artist goes from unsigned to signed there will always be a shift in genres, to make the artist ‘sellable.’

By the second listen I realised; I don’t like the introduction, it sounds like eighties rock, it sounds old. The piano, plonky chords seem pointless. Then hit’s in the lyrics and within seconds David’s trademark ‘screech’ which can work perfectly in certain situations, but not mid verse. The guitar, in places, especially in the bridge reminds me of The Darkness…Lots of slow high notes put into a melody, sounds old. The lyrics are simple, too simple for a ‘Word-Nerd’ but just right for people to remember them, and be able to sing along.

Third listen, a good eight hours later; The format on the song is perfect, verse chorus, middle eight, bridge, big ending, but I would have expected David to mix it up a bit, as throughout ‘Idol’ one thing he did show was his ability to ‘arrange music.’

And after a good ten hearings of the song; this song has everything a good song should have, powerful, yet simple lyrics, the catchy chorus, the ‘hook’ of the song. It is simple; it is commercial, yet perfect for what it is meant to be.

It isn’t supposed to be some ‘Jazz-Fusion’ masterpiece, some Mozart melody. It is what it should be, a good attempt at a ‘Pop Song.’

David Cook’s ‘Light On’ is growing on me.