Wesley Cook

We’ve Been Here Before Is The Local Self-Taught Guitarist’s New Album

originally published November 30, 2005

It’s no secret that among contemporary musical genres, the one of acoustic-guitar-playing singer-songwriter is the hardest in which to distinguish oneself. Local artist Wesley Cook certainly has his work cut out for him, but has already made a solid entry into this often-bland world of copyists and caricature.

Cook, an Athens resident and recent graduate of the University of Georgia with a linguistics degree, spent the first 17 years of his life outside of the United States, from his birth in Germany to his graduating from high school in Korea. After a few fitful months studying classical guitar as a boy, he gave up the instrument for several years, until finally picking it up again and teaching himself to play.

“I didn’t learn anything from my lessons when I was a kid. I hated it,” Cook says. “I still can’t read music and I don’t know anything about theory and I don’t even know [the names of the chords].”

The now self-taught Cook relates that his method is pretty much the same as the majority of musicians in the Athens music scene. “Mostly what I do is listen to a piece of music I like, in any style, and just copy it by ear,” he says, “then gain an instinct for playing a certain way to make a certain sound, and that’s how I learned to play, pretty much. I’ve also had friends tell me where to put my fingers and I just remembered what does what on the guitar.”

Cook’s honesty is refreshing, especially when one considers that musicians, like most folks, are more than willing to take credit for knowing more than they actually do.

What Cook may lack in pure theory, however, he makes up for in soul. When listening to his new album We’ve Been Here Before, it’s difficult to tell he’s never formally studied the guitar. His hands deftly pluck out intricate melodies and rhythms. His often-understated music exhibits tenderness, sincere vulnerability and lyrical distinctiveness.

On first listen, one might make comparisons to artists as diverse as Nick Drake, John Martyn, Antonin Carlos Jobim and Bert Jansch.

For his part, Cook says, “Well, I have no idea who I sound like… that’s up to the listener. I’d like to think that I sound like me, but everything is related to something. A lot of the musicians I’ve spent years admiring and being moved by lyrically are John Lennon, Simon & Garfunkel, Dave Matthews and Leonard Cohen. But I also like to push myself with guitar, as well as lyrically. A lot of my guitar idols, like Paco de Lucia, Al di Meola, Eric Clapton and Ricky Skaggs, motivate and move me to grow and expand as a guitar player, both in expression and complexity.”

Lyrically, Cook treads familiar territory for the genre (anger, love, loss, etc.); however, he is much more of a storyteller than a diarist.

“Very little in my songs is from personal experience,” he says. “Many people ask me that question. Everybody has experiences that deal with love, loss, excitement, uncertainty, etc., but no two people will be affected in the same way. I really like things like that, but then, I also like fun, life-affirming and borderline silly things.”

As with the work of any artist, some of Cook’s songs aren’t as immediately attractive as others. However, the bulk of Cook’s tunes are a welcome treat to hear. His strengths are most evident when concentrating on the slower, softer numbers, rather than the faster, more percussive ones. In a town full of songwriters, it’s always nice to find new songwriters that stand apart. And in a genre that so often gives credence to half-baked, half-written drivel, Wesley Cook certainly raises the standard.

Gordon Lamb

WHO

Shut-Ups, Russian Spy Camera, Wesley Cook

WHERE

Tasty World

WHEN

Thursday, December 1

HOW MUCH

$5

Gordon Lamb

WHO

Shut-Ups, Russian Spy Camera, Wesley Cook

WHERE

Tasty World

WHEN

Thursday, December 1

HOW MUCH

$5