By: David Cook
Genre: Pop/Rock
Format: Deluxe Edition CD
# of Tracks: 15
Release: September 2015
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
Review by Track
#1 Heartbeat: This is a slow building song with beautiful lyrics and the backing vocals are brilliant. There are also some tolling clocks (like a heartbeat) in portions that I absolutely loved.
"And when the moment's dead and gone, with every star I'm wishing on, with every right and every wrong, the lonely nights that take us on. For all the stones I've ever thrown, another break against the bone. Close my eyes, I'm not alone."
#2 Criminals: Criminals has an edgier feel, particularly in the beginning. It has an almost predatory vibe and a great beat that makes it a really nice dance song.
"Let's break out of this prison cell. We'll create stories the world will tell their children. In time we'll be forgiven."
#3 Broken Windows: A nice, catchy, somewhat edgy song about more than just broken glass. It's about not giving up on a crumbling relationship when the earth quakes of life come along.
"I'm trying to see you through these broken windows."
#4 Laying Me Low: This one was released as a single a while ago. It's a song about falling for the wrong person or at the wrong time and not being able to stop yourself from continuing to fall for them. No matter what they do you just keep following them. But it's not dark like many songs with similar subject matter. It's upbeat and fun.
"I fall apart when I'm with you. I cry when I kiss you."
#5 Better Than Me: This song is more of a ballad than any of the previous tracks. The singer is putting his soul out there for you to see, telling you to go and be better than he could have ever been. It's kind of like a confession where the singer is saying "here are the mistakes I made and the failures I've had" so he's tell you to take his mistakes and learn from them.
"All the hot lights and the famous streets. It's just the first step in forgetting me. Go be better than me."
#6 Carry You: Starting with the beeps of what sounds like a medical monitor this calls to mind a hospital. It feels like he's singing to a patient (someone that he loves) and will carry through the pain and trial of treatment. He's saying don't give up because I'm not giving up on you, no matter what happens.
"When the sun won't come around and your world keeps washing out, I won't let this love fall down, I'll carry you."
#7 From Here To Zero: The song starts with a catchy line and higher, softer notes. This is quite possibly my favorite of the album. It's just such a sweet, loving song. It's about holding onto the person you love no matter what. And giving yourself entirely to that person. It's about taking care of each other, no matter what happens.
"Till the clocks run out. Till the sun breaks down. I'll be all the love you need. Till the stars turn cold, I'll never let you go from here to zero."
#8 Kiss And Tell: With a more electronic vibe, Kiss and Tell weaves together Cook's beautiful lyrics with a more techno feel. It's about thinking you have it all and finding out that it was all a dream.
"Now we're facing the flood and it's rising fast. We keep holding our breath till we both collapse."
#9 Wait For Me: Another older track that was previously released as a single. A solid song about falling short and messing up again and again and asking for forgiveness. Another favorite.
"Will you wait for me?"
#10 I'm Gonna Love You: A song about staying in love through time. Through all the pain, trials, and angry fights his love is never going to end. It's beautiful.
"Every crime that love commits, brings me right back here to this."
#11 Wicked Game: This song brings to mind a stage performance. It feels like it should be sung while people are dancing, maybe some form of musical or just an interpretive dance. It's really haunting and beautiful. The song was originally written and performed by Chris Isaak. Both are beautifully done and this version adds a new element to the loved song, using more of a piano base than guitar. It's a nice touch.
"What a wicked game you played, to make me feel this way. What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you."
#12 Home Movies: The song starts with the sounds from a film reel, playing over all those old movies. It's about all those moments caught on tape and how you feel now looking back. It's about chasing your past, looking back at all you've done. Definitely a song to reminisce over the past.
"Chasing ghosts in a hotel parking lot. Round and round til the stars go out. Never knowing that the best we'd ever get was in the here and now."
Bonus Tracks For Deluxe Version
#13 Where Do We Go: Ever feel like you're just chasing yourself in circles? Yep. We all do. This song is about figuring out where to go to break that cycle.
"With every step that we're taking to the brink, we're cutting ties like a puppet from a string. So whether we're lost or found. Where do we go?"
#14 Firing Squad: I love the name of this song. And the song itself is pretty great too. It's all about acting for yourself and what you believe, not just going with the orders you've been following for so long.
"You covered our eyes in blindfolds. The light always finds it's way back in. So go and raise your rifles and fire."
#15 But You Won't: The cycle of life and love playing through, everything that feels old but new all at once. It's about the heartbreak of being left behind and knowing that they could come back for you but never will. The song plays through years, comparing the feelings from year to year.
"Now here we are. Face to face again. And you're telling me you still can see us making this thing work. That you still believe we could find our way home. But we won't."
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