When he reinvented Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby" as a dirge, David Cook became the most imaginative American Idol talent to date. But working with his heroes (Our Lady Peace's Raine Maida, Chris Cornell) and Norwegian song doctors Espionage on his Rob Cavallo-produced debut, he leans on his husky howl rather than out-of-the-box songwriting. The Johnny Rzez­nik-assisted opener "Declaration" sets the tone — guitars, lots of 'em — and "Light On" has its Soundgarden-like charms, but without the right hook, "Life on the Moon" and "I Did It for You" come off like assembly-line active rock.