Cobra Starship ~ Nightshades

So, it’s no secret that Cobra and I have had a falling out and they have pretty much become the reason I hate everything all the time (if you have no idea what I’m talking about, click here or here and then come back).

Against my better judgement I bought the new album as a “Congrats for getting bitches out of your life” present. Little did I know it was going to be more of a punishment than a reward.

None of the album really feels like Cobra Starship. It feels like the pop music machine got a hold of them and rang all of the talent and cheekiness that was Cobra Starship into a bucket and tossed it out the window like yesterday’s bath water. It has been replaced by awful, over produced melodies and lyrics to match.

At least two songs are very clear rip offs of songs that have already hit it big. I won’t go into the details about “You Make Me Feel…” because I already have gone through it once and just thinking about it makes me want to vomit.

What I can talk about is “#1nite.” I dare you to listen to it and not have a familiar taste in your mouth. I will give you the answer. The song is a mash between Usher’s “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” and Chris Brown’s “Forever.” On top of making me scratch my head for ten minutes trying to figure out what this sounded like the lyrics are awful. “I got one hand up, the other on you.” Come on, you can do better than that.

By far the worst song of the whole damn mess is “Disaster Boy.” This is the sad, sorry excuse for a chorus:

Yeah every girl has given up
But I’m the one who’ll stand by you
Can’t you feel my heartbeat
Listen up
Disaster boy I’m dialling you
Don’t you pin your heart on my sleeve
Don’t you pin your heart on my sleeve

It is only made worse by the fact that Vicky-T can’t sing. I don’t mean to be harsh, she kicks ass in almost every other way but she just shouldn’t sing lead. To really feel how bad this song is, just go listen to it, I guarantee you won’t make it through the whole thing (If you do, let me know, and I will personally send you a hand drawn picture of what ever you want).

The only redeeming song, mind you it doesn’t make up for the rest of the crap, is “Fool Like Me.” It has a fifties feel and some really great lyrics, “I’m sorry that I hit your dog with my bike, but he still got three legs, he gonna be just fine.” It is the only song that keeps up with their witty, cheeky reputation.

Once I waded through all the crap there is a glimmer of hope for Cobra still. Gabe’s voice is getting better all the time. It is crystal clear and he hits the notes perfectly. They need to go back to locking themselves in cabins on the mountains, and not let Kara DioGuardi get a hold of them again.

Christofer Drew Can Do Anything

This is the picture of Julie's boy friend Joe, Me, Chris and Julie. Good Day!

On the bus home from class, my Zune was like “You want to listen to this 12 minute long interview with Christofer Drew.” And although I wasn’t in the mood for talking, I gave in and it was actually really interesting.

Drew is even more talented than I first thought. The interview was included on Melody, what Drew describes as a “Deluxe Digital Collection”, a three track treat that was put out before the release of his new full length album Harmony.

The interview was conducted in studio by Butch Vig the producer of Harmony, Garbage drummer and producer of one of my personal favorite albums Nirvana’s Nevermind.

In the interview Drew talks about how Harmony is coming together and what he thinks it will  mean to the fans.

“This last record it just kinda hit me. I kinda figured out what my fans want from me,” said Drew. “I wanna give that to them but at the same time I wanna keep growing and not limit myself to that. I just wanted to capture the sound that they want and say what I wanted to say.”

When I first listened to Harmony, I didn’t give two thoughts to how it was made or the instruments Drew used on it. In the interview he talks in detail about how he plays the piano on the record even though he had never considered himself good at it.

“I’m not the best piano player but whenever I’m under the pressure,” said Drew, “Somehow this intuition comes out and I can play. The pressure helps me.” He also plays the organ on the album even though he had never played it before.

Among his influences are Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and the Beach Boys. These have never been more evident than on the new album. It’s classic and pure at heart. It really does feel like he has found the greatest balance between what he wants to say and the music he sets it to.

I have been a fan of Never Shout Never since 2008 when my best friend and roommate played his EPs over and over. The funny thing is that I always had to ask, “Who is this again??” Now I can’t get his songs out of my head.

I am extremely affected by his music and that effect depends on the day. Some days I can be perfectly fine, turn on a NSN song and have to stop listening  because tears are in my eyes. It’s kinda like it’s soooo good that it hurts and I just can’t take it. Then there are other days when I play one of his songs and life gets a little less hard. I cannot put my finger on what it is about his music that has such opposite and intense effects on me, but I like it.

I have seen NSN in concert once and at Warped Tour once. Both were some of the greatest experiences in my musical life (minus getting spit on at Warped Tour).

I learned timing really is everything when my best friend and I arrived late to a NSN concert and who was walking towards us but Christofer himself. After an internal “Is that him. That’s him. No that’s not him” battle, he nonchalantly said hi and I professed my love for his music and asked for a picture. This is the convo that followed.

“Yes, but you have to promise me you will do something for me,” Drew said.

“Ok. What do you want?” I said

“I want you to promise me that you will tell all the people in that line,” said Drew, pointing at the long line of people waiting to get into the concert, “That I love them all.”

“Will do,” I said.

“You are the only people that I have taken a picture with,” Drew said. “You guys are really something special. Also I like that,” Drew said, in reference to the bag I was carrying which featured the late Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain.

We hugged and said our goodbyes and as I walked over to the crowd that was now gawking at my friend and I and said,  “Christofer wants you to know that he loves every single one of you.”

Which was answered by a bunch of fan girls screaming, “I’m so jealous.”

I just thought it should be known that even if all the little girls are screaming for his cute face, there is a very talented man behind the coon-skin cap, the hair and the sweet smile. Also, he smells good.