Danny Gokey's "My Best Days Are Ahead Of Me"

The second runner-up of 'American Idol' season 8 Danny Gokey has released his first ever music video last Tuesday in support his upcoming debut single "My Best Days Are Ahead of Me" off Gokey's forthcoming RCA debut album "My Best Days" which is aimed for March 2 U.S. release. It replaces song "It's Only" which was previously unveiled prior to the single, I posted on November 10, 2009.
Clearly excited about all of his 2010 projects, Gokey told fans "Good morning! If you haven't seen it yet you can still check out my new music video. I hope it helps make your day go better... I'm so happy." Gokey is singing the song in an abandoned warehouse in the video. "I love this song for what it stands for," so said Gokey when commenting on the track. "I don't live in the past. I live in the 'now'... in the future... and in the dreams that I have. I know that my best days really are ahead of me."
The song shares those songs' sense of self-awareness and the result is a believable, earnest effort that's bland and entirely forgettable. In fact, the song finds Gokey stripped of everything but his clean-cut, positive image. However, the most glaring omission from the song is its lack of narrative, the backbone of country music that pulls listeners from beginning to end. Save its dreadful bridge, the only image Gokey paints is one of glowing candles on a birthday's cake, leaving only a string of vaguely uplifting clichés like "age ain't nothing but a number" in its wake.
The 29-year-old's soulful voice and incredible outlook on life, despite the sudden loss of his young wife, moved everyone who heard his voice and his story. Gokey was the darling of American Idol's Season 8, finishing third but leaving with a dedicated fan base who fell in love with the worship leader with his heart on his sleeve. After Idol, he's launched a career into the country/pop music genre.
Gokey is at a crossroads, both literally and lyrically. Like other reality show finalists, he must find his niche in an over-saturated market without alienating the fans he picked up through the television airwaves. And while he was originally billed as a contemporary Christian singer with a built-in inspirational message, he is attempting to channel that momentum into the country music world Carrie Underwood, Bucky Covington, Josh Gracin, Kellie Pickler and Kristy Lee Cook have each made their own, to varying degrees of success. The video will be added to the GAC Top 20 Country Countdown voting ballot today, starting about 10 am ET.