COBRA STARSHIP
WE RULES THE STREETS"
I’m still a firm believer that Midtown’s Forget What You Know is one of the best rock records of the last 20 years. And if you’re scratching your head, wondering and pondering to yourself at my proclamation and to also surely wikipedia’ing who the fuck Midtown is, it would appear to me that I may in fact be the only one who believes this reviews opening statement. Nevertheless, after the untimely demise of Midtown its frontman Gabe Saporta set off into the mountains for a session of soul-searching with intentions to craft together a collection of songs that would be able to bring new life to a dying party. And now, under the moniker of Cobra Starship, Mr. Saporta has done just that with the record entitled While the City Sleeps, We Rule the Streets where he shouts from afar to pull up your dance pants, put on your tapping shoes, strike up the band, pull your partner close to you and let the music decide the night.
“Being From Jersey Means Never Having to Say you’re Sorry” kicks off the album by serenading your speakers, steady and slowly, scratchy and somber as Saporta talks about success and how one can be enwrapped with in it while dying a slow death. If this were a movie this would be the point where we meet our young protagonist, a beloved loser, pining over the girl of his dreams, and too preparing for the high school dance. Cut to the gymnasium, blue tuxedo, charismatic smirk, hair slicked back. He spots her from afar and she’s dangerously beautiful. He takes steps towards her, there face to face; she lets out a smile as our bashful hero spouts out a muffled request to hit the dancefloor, she obliges. “Send My Love To The Dancefloor I'll See You In Hell (Hey Mister DJ)” becomes the anthem to the newly introduced couples first dance. The track in of itself is a sparring definition of a dance hymn. It’s the type of song, where you want to have your lady close to you, hips engaged, and both knowing that this moment on the dancefloor is complete bliss.
“The Church Of Hot Addiction” is a song that would have our hero and his lady, rushing over to a nearby motel. Underage and naughty, both ready to take the leap. They’ve known each other for years; both loved each other from afar, and both experiencing the initial confrontation of love. The song is truly naughty and filthy, not in all contexts of the words, but within its dirty guitar licks and Saporta proclaiming that he is the “drug you cannot deny”, its fucking body in motion coolness. “The Kids Are All Fucked Up” would have our fictional movie protagonist and his newly non-virginal female counterpart, waking up from the blissful night of past and realizing the beauty of their love, and knowing that when together they rule the streets. The song is a soothing ballad.
“It's Warmer In The Basement” is a killer track, it’s dangerous and poetic. Within the confines of our fiction movie, this would be the point where our hero sees his love making out with the captain of the football team. Emotions overflow. He thought what they had was love, but in the end all she wanted to do was see him cry, a danger she is. “Keep It Simple” is a song that will have its hook inserted into your brain as you walk down the street. It’s a catchy dance track that would find our hero not giving up on his pseudo-love as he throws down Lloyd Dobler devotional antics. Making her realize that what she is feeling inside is okay, to not deny it, that its love, a Romeo and Juliet level of love.
“It's Amateur Night at the Appollo Creed” is the counterpart to church of hot addiction as it too is naughty and dirty in its rhythmic punch. As Saporta asks to “speed it up” our hero spouts out lines and his love eats them all up until they share a reunited kiss atop a hill with the moon cascading over them. “Bring It (Snakes on a Place)” becomes the couples reunion jam, fireworks and snakes galore. I really don’t have to say much about this song as everybody who has fallen victim to the greatness of the Sam Jackson epic know the songs greatness. “The Ballad of Big Poppa and Diamond Girl” is about the Notorious B.I.G. and Lil’ Kim, and perhaps the most chill song on the album. It’s a relaxing song that finds Saporta dropping a verse in Spanish to utter delight. In this reviews fictional movie this would be the moment where our burgeoning couple take a dip into sexual seconds.
“Pop Punk Is Sooooo '05” is summed up in its title as Saporta talks about the scene and the money hungry labels. What starts off with a typical pop-punk guitar riff soon turns into rock anthem with a fucking killer piano break down that brings chills as the music suddenly stops and then quickly rocks into the closing chorus. “You Can't Be Missed If You Never Go Away” is a swirling song of potent thoughts where Saporta talks about a lost love. It’s a fantastic closer, powerful even. And within this reviews sordid fictional movie this would be the part where many years have past and we find out that the two have broken up when they sought it to be difficult to engage in a long distance relationship at their respective colleges. Flash foreword several more years, our hero is an old man, never married and living in a quiet suburb. He’s reading his mail, a piece of paper falls from his hand as the words he had just read brings tears to his eyes. A sense of lost overwhelms him. The letter pertains to a funeral where his presence has been requested. Fade to black.
If you have made it this far, I would like to apologize for my non-ability to write short and to the point reviews and also for making you read a senseless cinematic metaphor for each song. So, to end this review I will say that the Cobra Starship album is wrapped with an arsenal of angular guitars, synth-beats, and an overall slick production that begs you, pleads to you to run down to your basement, dig out your 80s paraphernalia, and then make your way into the city knowing damn well that you look good and dancing in the streets is all that matters. Catchy hooks, hip vibrations, constant smiling, brooding bravado, and tongue nicely placed in cheek. This is a fun album, and that’s really what music should be all about.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home