Cobalt - "Gin"

I'm a little behind on this one. "Gin" was released back in March of '09 to pretty much great reviews across the board. They had been a band that had been in my periphery for some time, but I had never really taken the time to give them a good listen (so many bands, so little time, you know how it goes). That changed after reading a handful of year-end lists which once again showered Cobalt with praise and seeing Cobalt's singer, Phil McSorley on Fox News (see video below). I found him to be a pretty bright guy on the program and the small snippet of music they played made me eager to seek out "Gin".

My initial reaction to "Gin" is pretty rare these days. I hit play and a hear a loose riff played. I'm digging it just fine, waiting for the song to kick in. It does and I'm liking what I hear. All of the instruments seem at odds with each other. Then everything instantly tightens up and I'm absolutely smitten (I mean, um, brutally smitten).

Cobalt know how to keep it simple and loose and then bring it all back together in a fury of drums, buzzing guitars, and blackened screams. I can't think of being this instantly blown away by a band in a long time. There's just something really special going on within the confines of this album. I saw an Interview with Phil McSorley and I think this bit sums up some of the intense emotion coming from the speakers:

Nearly every song has a reference to liquor…is there any specific reason for that?
Eater of Birds was a very introspective piece about total loss and depression. It was a very bleak time in my life. Erik and I worked from different angles on this. I was secluded in a town where I knew no one and stayed in my one bedroom apartment by myself for a very long time reflecting and pushing myself to the edge of a very real breakdown. With Gin you can feel and experience the natural outlash that occurs after so much self hatred and seclusion. Gin in its simplest definition is an album about excess; fucking, hallucinations, animal behavior, fighting and of course ritualized alcohol intake. The album is meant to edify the spirit in man that seeks to consume and take and feel absolutely nothing. Alcohol was a major factor in our forward movement as mammals and beasts, and it is accurately reflected in the lyrics and aura of Gin.

(from an interview @ Basement Galaxy read the entire interview here)

I was driving home after a long day of meetings this evening. I started playing "Arsonry". I turned the volume up. Then, I felt the need to turn it up again. And again. And again. Before 60 seconds of the song had past the speakers in my Volvo were turning the music into a distorted, almost unrecognizable version of itself. My ears began to hurt. It didn't matter, I just needed to listen to it that way, in that moment. I guess it was my little way of being excessive. This record really is something special I highly encourage anyone who hasn't listened to it to give it a spin.

Visit Cobalt here.

Red Eye interview:

"Gin":