Missed opportunity, waiting in line, and life brutally speeding by while you lie awake disheveled in the middle of the night. Minutes and hours lost to minutia. I don’t know what to say. What will she say? I just can’t speak the language and I don’t know the “code”. The fevered feelings of frustration and trepidation are running rampant on the new 7” by Cosines. A sophisticated silver bullet constructed of clever and devious musical hooks that cling to you, like a pair of Calvins on Brooke Shields. A two-song affair highlighting the different dimensions of composition that breathe within these new-wave art rockers.
“Commuter Love” is a full-bodied buzz of glam with a punky pulse. The lead track revs itself with a Bolanesque riff that rides slightly off the rails with a sparse synth accompaniment. The sleek repetitions of melody and chord crunch accentuate the painful parting of one’s nightlife for the responsibilities of day-job survival. The drag of growing old never grows old. A totally worthy A-Side that has enough angst, musical muscle, and self-awareness to give modern indie-rock bands a run for their money.
The follow up track “Disclosed Stories” sounds like a psychedelic melding of Pete Shelley and The Lightning Seeds. Pop with just enough bite to keep the grooves surfy and the undercurrent raw. A pining for something more out of a relationship that never lends itself to more than just intimate conversation. Conundrums and uncertainty provide guaranteed anxiety in our daily lives. Unfortunately, glib solutions and psychobabble never provide us with insight or resolution. This nice slice of British Invasion tainted pop does what a great song should do, it offers a realistic observation. As a whole, this nice shot in the arm of edgy pop reminds me of those cool gems you would hear on the early Enigma Variations compilations. This single comes courtesy of the UK’s Fika Recordings label, which I might add, takes 7” artwork to a completely new level. -Kevin McGovern
COSINES
FIKA Recordings
FEAR AND LOATHING IN LONG BEACH OFFICIAL SITE
