When we last heard from Jake Cook, he was releasing discordant pop anthems under the name Seal Pup and prepping the release of a new LP. Now, nearly a year later, he’s decided to retire the moniker and record under his birth name. As for that album he was working on, the long-simmering Death is Free, well, that’s been scrapped too. For Cook, the change was a long time coming. In his mind, the best way forward was to leave all things Seal Pup behind.

“I wanted to start going by my own name a few years ago but then Jeff Rosenstock did it and I didn’t want people to think I was jacking his style,” says Cook. “I started going by Seal Pup in 2016 and it’s truly one of the worst names ever. However, I did put out three great albums that I’m very proud of. Now I’m finally ready to represent my real name of birth with the best music I’ve ever made.”

With that bit of background in mind, we can view Cook’s new single “Heart Rate” as a kind of statement piece. Put simply, it’s a song that asks the listener to embrace mental discipline and the virtues of hard work. “People talk too much / And put the boots on not enough,” he sings soulfully over softly ringing piano chords. What follows is one of Cook’s catchiest and most straightforward pop offerings. Led by a bouncy backbeat, the track’s spiky rhythms almost dare you not to smile and get your groove on. But what appears to be an anthem for workout and wellness culture ends in darkness and doubt. As the closing refrain fades in a wave of feedback and shuffling drums, it’s clear the speaker has given in to their anxiety and laziness. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to find motivation; sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is keep your heart rate up.

Listen below.

“Heart Rate” is the first single from Cook’s upcoming full-length album J E R K S, which will be out sometime in 2022.

Jake Cook will perform on Fri., March 18 at Mike Stasny’s Studio in Underground Atlanta. Further details TBA.

More Info
Web: jakecookaudio.com
Bandcamp: jakecook1.bandcamp.com
Instagram: @jakecookaudio