Review: Cool Living - Adult Contemporary
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| Label: I.Corrupt Records/etc. |
You might not know by now, but COOL LIVING is your new favourite Emo-band.
With their debut album the three-piece out of Mainz put together a perfect Midwest/Indie-Emo record that brings the nostalgia big time, while maintaining a lightfootedness that's not to be learned. The fact that they hail from Germany immediately put me back in the big time for German Emo-bands, the time of PALE, ONE MAN AND HIS DROID or AMBROSE. There are some similarities there. When COOL LIVING get more up-beat ("Strike a new Chord", "Grand Theft Nothing") they clearly remind me of the enthusiasm PALE or even the ROLLERGIRLS (yeah, they were around a decade later) called their own. In the overall picture, COOL LIVING are softer, more calmed and more melancholic than the mentioned bands, leaning on some classics of the genre, like SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE, TEXAS IS THE REASON or JIMMY EAT WORLD. Somehow they smoothly combine this introverted Midwest-Emo-approach with the more out-going, catchy approach of some Indie-Rock. They mix things up a lot, with long songs and short songs, fast pieces and slow pieces, moody tracks and tracks full of punch-y hooks.
Dishing out all those references is a bit silly though, cause the one thing that makes "Adult Contemporary" a special record is the charisma COOL LIVING pour over all their songs. The vocals stick out in no-time! Just listen to the opener "Chip" and its wonderful back-and-forth, intertwining vocal delivery by Finz & Julius. "Book Club" is another shining example in this regard, the song as a whole is a masterpiece anyway. I love the passion and intensity of the singers as well as the chemistry of the two. They're feeling this like fuck.
Another plus are the lyrics. COOL LIVNG hit a solid balance between to-the-point/heartfelt and imaginative/metaphorical. Lines like "My body ends where your body begins" (from "On Tiptoe") or "If you had my body, you would understand. Am I a boy or a girl?" (from "Book Club") hit in the middle of the heart, while on the other hand there's enough wording there to surprise you or keep you guessing. At time's it's pretty abstract and seemingly absurd, but this, the clash of simple vs. more complex, the clash of "I feel it right away" vs. "...gotta think about it" is what gives "Adult Contemporary" even more depth and character.
"Adult Contemporary" is an exceptional debut record and a must-have for everyone into this kind of style. Get the album at the following labels:
Fresh Outbreak Records
I.Corrupt Records
Konglomerat Kollektiv
Sad React Records
Saltamarges
Shalosh Cult
Unlock Yourself Records
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