Cobra Starship - While The City Sleeps, We Rule The Streets

OK, cut to the chase, the song everyone is familiar with and is buzzing around heads like a rabid thought, is track eight ‘Bring It (Snakes On A Plane)’ yeah, it’s from the movie. A grandstand intro leads into the hip hop/rock and pop conjoining anthem containing echoing yelps, funky hip-hop verses and provocative female backing. A slow drum and bass led outro akin to the slow stopping of a heart, lends a serious edge to the amphibian coaxing cockiness.  This makes the soundtrack as potent as, well a snake on crack. Now that this is out of the way, the remaining ten tracks are worthy of attention and the slow ode beginning of ‘Being From Jersey Means Never Having To Say Sorry’, is an offering that Leonard Cohen would swap his room at the Chelsea Hotel for. This is juxtaposed with the free spirited, ‘Send My Love To The Dancefloor (Hey Mister DJ)’ that stands at the lighter and hipper end of the emo scale. It is certain to raise an agreeing frown from Fall Out Boy fans, as they are currently sharing a stage with Patrick Stump and company.

Cobra Starship is the baby of ex-Midtown lead man, Gabe Saporta, who makes full use of bassist Ryland Blackington (Ivy League), as he provides the churning grind to the explorative pop-out of  ‘The Church of Hot Addiction.’. Electro slides, vocal soaring and a range of backing that outshines even The Flaming lips combines to make this album bold, daring and provocative. It is like introducing emo kids to the hip hoppers in a kebab shop. The swooning ‘The Ballad of Big Poppa And Diamond Girl’, has lush, almost Eurovision backing and instrumental cushions to accompany the R N B touching vocal lead. Showing that the broadness knows no bounds and that da Cobra are determined to test hip-hop and rock fans to the hilt of their musical boundaries. Could this be the end of scenes? The conglomeration of so many genres into a catchy and fresh collection is something that could and should take off big-time. Cobra Starship have created the platform for this to happen from.

David Adair

*****************
Click here to leave your comments on the Message Board
(NB: The message board opens in a new window so please disable your pop-up blocker to view)
*****************