Cobra Skulls
Agitations
Fat Wreck Chords
2011
I must be honest it took me a long time to discover the Cobra Skulls having missed the first EP "Draw Mohammad" and the first Full Length "Sitting Army" when they first surfaced on respected independent record labels...and for such a stupid reason! I was put off by 1) The slightly cheesy name of the band which still makes me cringe every time I answer the "What are you listening to?" question and 2) The fact that they put Cobra in every single song title on these first releases. While I respect Red Scare industries for choosing bold and exciting bands in the past these facts alone made me (wrongly) write them off as a gimmicky joke band for a good year or so. How wrong I was! These first releases plus "American Rubicon", released on Side One Dummy, combine the gruff vocals of Against me!, the punk guitar rhythms of The Clash (yes I know that's an overused comparison but bear with me) and the bass lines of some sort of Demi God (yes bassist and vocalist Devin Peralta is that good.) “Agitations” is their first release for independent giant Fat Wreck Chords and as a result one of the most hotly anticipated albums of the year. Below is a track by track break down of what to expect:
Six Degrees: This song is the Skulls announcing their intentions right from the off with a barnstormer of a track. Distorted punk guitars and Devin Peralta’s masterfully rapido bass playing is soon accompanied by strained vocals that veer close to the edge of a desperate shout. A rollicking start from the Skulls.
Iron Lung: More of a standard punk number with a poppier edge that showcases the possibilities Peralta has in his vocal range to construct catchy melodies. Musically it’s your standard three chord punk affair with pounding rhythms and power-chords. A very good song that zips by in just 1 minute and 42 seconds.
Now You Know: A fast, thrashy and melodic punk song that is standard Skulls. The song should be a favourite with fans for name dropping seminal British pop-punk troupe The Buzzcocks in order for Peralta to vent insecurities; ‘Have you fallen in love with someone you shouldn’t have/Is that what you’re trying to say to me?’
The Mess: The song starts with a slow meandering guitar that builds to a spiky riff. The song is once again melodic and has a fine sing-along chorus.
On and On: Peralta sings; ‘So what if I don’t want to hold on any longer/Just because it doesn’t kill us it doesn’t make us stronger.’ Themes of separation, ennui, depression and apathy belie the upbeat tone of the music to great effect.
All Drive: A fast song built around a memorable riff that reminds me of Tiger Army for no reason that I can fathom. One of my personal favourite songs on the album.
Drones: The song starts with a sedate bass-line before the band unleashes a punishingly fast punk song that punches you in the face (in a good way) for 1 minute and 23 seconds. The lyrics are a rousing call to arms to workers urging them to stand up against capitalism and corporate greed. Peralta singing ‘Don’t be a drone’ near the songs climax sends a clear enough message.
The Mockery: The song starts with just Peralta’s vocals and an acoustic guitar before the band crashes in to up both the tempo and the decibel level. The lyrics express a strong distaste for mercenaries and private contractors that are taking advantage of the situations in the Middle East. As the late, great George Carlin once quipped; “Hey Joe, you don’t wanna get your head cut off? Stay the fuck in Oklahoma!!”
Solastalgia: The song bemoans humanities apathetic attitude towards the problem of global warming, what Peralta refers to here as ‘Eco Paralysis.’ He observes; ‘I look into the atmosphere ashamed with every breath I take/I’m beleaguered with indifference with an eye on all the mess we make/At the same time quick to herald how we harness what Gia will provide/But the effect is not benign!’ The Skulls have never been afraid to wear their socially conscious attitudes on their sleeves and for that they should be highly commended.
Minimum: This song is fast and loud punk rock executed very well. The strained vocals of “Six Degrees” make a return here.
Hiding: More of the same here in that it’s standard Skulls. This is a song that pounds away at a million bpm and clocks in at just 1 minute and 46 seconds.
Running Out: This song isn’t my favourite musically in that it never really gets going and there is an absence of a strong melodic hook. The lyrics describe a perceived over zealousness by the police and suggest that they may be coming up with creative excuses to throw people behind bars in order to fulfil their quotas.
Believe: The Skulls find a perfect way to finish a stellar third effort by throwing in a sedate acoustic number with a sing-along chorus and upbeat lyrics. Peralta triumphantly sings (quite probably with a huge smile on his face); ‘I’ll enjoy this while I know I can!’ So will we sir!
Verdict: Overall this record showcases a more back to basics approach from the Cobra Skulls. “Agitations” is a record of tremendous energy, fervour and guile that breezes past in under 30 minutes. The set contains some of Cobra Skulls best work to date but does leave out some of the more intriguing elements of previous records. The reggae rhythms are totally absent as is the mixing of Spanish and English lyrics that they utilized on “Sitting Army” and “American Rubicon” to great effect. This isn’t a growing up, more of a regression if anything, but like I said what they lack in experimentation this time round they more than make up for by taking a barnstorming blood and thunder approach. It becomes interesting when taken in conjunction with the Skulls’ previous work precisely because it isn’t particularly so. But boy does it rock like a motherfucker!
Score: 9/10
BadIdeaDan for MLM
Fat Wreck Chords
2011
I must be honest it took me a long time to discover the Cobra Skulls having missed the first EP "Draw Mohammad" and the first Full Length "Sitting Army" when they first surfaced on respected independent record labels...and for such a stupid reason! I was put off by 1) The slightly cheesy name of the band which still makes me cringe every time I answer the "What are you listening to?" question and 2) The fact that they put Cobra in every single song title on these first releases. While I respect Red Scare industries for choosing bold and exciting bands in the past these facts alone made me (wrongly) write them off as a gimmicky joke band for a good year or so. How wrong I was! These first releases plus "American Rubicon", released on Side One Dummy, combine the gruff vocals of Against me!, the punk guitar rhythms of The Clash (yes I know that's an overused comparison but bear with me) and the bass lines of some sort of Demi God (yes bassist and vocalist Devin Peralta is that good.) “Agitations” is their first release for independent giant Fat Wreck Chords and as a result one of the most hotly anticipated albums of the year. Below is a track by track break down of what to expect:
Six Degrees: This song is the Skulls announcing their intentions right from the off with a barnstormer of a track. Distorted punk guitars and Devin Peralta’s masterfully rapido bass playing is soon accompanied by strained vocals that veer close to the edge of a desperate shout. A rollicking start from the Skulls.
Iron Lung: More of a standard punk number with a poppier edge that showcases the possibilities Peralta has in his vocal range to construct catchy melodies. Musically it’s your standard three chord punk affair with pounding rhythms and power-chords. A very good song that zips by in just 1 minute and 42 seconds.
Now You Know: A fast, thrashy and melodic punk song that is standard Skulls. The song should be a favourite with fans for name dropping seminal British pop-punk troupe The Buzzcocks in order for Peralta to vent insecurities; ‘Have you fallen in love with someone you shouldn’t have/Is that what you’re trying to say to me?’
The Mess: The song starts with a slow meandering guitar that builds to a spiky riff. The song is once again melodic and has a fine sing-along chorus.
On and On: Peralta sings; ‘So what if I don’t want to hold on any longer/Just because it doesn’t kill us it doesn’t make us stronger.’ Themes of separation, ennui, depression and apathy belie the upbeat tone of the music to great effect.
All Drive: A fast song built around a memorable riff that reminds me of Tiger Army for no reason that I can fathom. One of my personal favourite songs on the album.
Drones: The song starts with a sedate bass-line before the band unleashes a punishingly fast punk song that punches you in the face (in a good way) for 1 minute and 23 seconds. The lyrics are a rousing call to arms to workers urging them to stand up against capitalism and corporate greed. Peralta singing ‘Don’t be a drone’ near the songs climax sends a clear enough message.
The Mockery: The song starts with just Peralta’s vocals and an acoustic guitar before the band crashes in to up both the tempo and the decibel level. The lyrics express a strong distaste for mercenaries and private contractors that are taking advantage of the situations in the Middle East. As the late, great George Carlin once quipped; “Hey Joe, you don’t wanna get your head cut off? Stay the fuck in Oklahoma!!”
Solastalgia: The song bemoans humanities apathetic attitude towards the problem of global warming, what Peralta refers to here as ‘Eco Paralysis.’ He observes; ‘I look into the atmosphere ashamed with every breath I take/I’m beleaguered with indifference with an eye on all the mess we make/At the same time quick to herald how we harness what Gia will provide/But the effect is not benign!’ The Skulls have never been afraid to wear their socially conscious attitudes on their sleeves and for that they should be highly commended.
Minimum: This song is fast and loud punk rock executed very well. The strained vocals of “Six Degrees” make a return here.
Hiding: More of the same here in that it’s standard Skulls. This is a song that pounds away at a million bpm and clocks in at just 1 minute and 46 seconds.
Running Out: This song isn’t my favourite musically in that it never really gets going and there is an absence of a strong melodic hook. The lyrics describe a perceived over zealousness by the police and suggest that they may be coming up with creative excuses to throw people behind bars in order to fulfil their quotas.
Believe: The Skulls find a perfect way to finish a stellar third effort by throwing in a sedate acoustic number with a sing-along chorus and upbeat lyrics. Peralta triumphantly sings (quite probably with a huge smile on his face); ‘I’ll enjoy this while I know I can!’ So will we sir!
Verdict: Overall this record showcases a more back to basics approach from the Cobra Skulls. “Agitations” is a record of tremendous energy, fervour and guile that breezes past in under 30 minutes. The set contains some of Cobra Skulls best work to date but does leave out some of the more intriguing elements of previous records. The reggae rhythms are totally absent as is the mixing of Spanish and English lyrics that they utilized on “Sitting Army” and “American Rubicon” to great effect. This isn’t a growing up, more of a regression if anything, but like I said what they lack in experimentation this time round they more than make up for by taking a barnstorming blood and thunder approach. It becomes interesting when taken in conjunction with the Skulls’ previous work precisely because it isn’t particularly so. But boy does it rock like a motherfucker!
Score: 9/10
BadIdeaDan for MLM