David Cook, “David Cook” (RCA) Last season’s “American Idol” champ follows his win with this rocked-out debut album. Cook co-wrote nine of the 13 songs on the record, and he even worked with Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave) on the lead single, “Light On.”
Nickelback, “Dark Horse” (Roadrunner) Rock music’s most polarizing act is back. Nickelback, like Celine Dion, hails from Canada. Also like Dion, it drives fans to the extreme ends of the spectrum. Followers of mainstream FM rock love the act and its big riffs; others find it talentless. On this release, the band worked with superproducer Mutt Lange to move forward.
Il Divo, “The Promise” (Sony) Whether you call it popera or pop-opera or opera for suburbanites, the subgenre that spins operatic music into a pop melody is gaining steam. Il Divo is one of its biggest voices, having sold more than 20 albums worldwide. With “The Promise,” the group again reinterprets famous songs in its own, highly produced style. Ricardo Baca
