This is the debut album from Welsh rock band James and the Cold Gun.
Containing an ex-member of Holding Absence, James and the Cold Gun are high energy and addictive. Their charismatic rock music has a strong presence and well-formed personality, and the music oozes confidence and dazzling style.
So, mix together garage rock, a 90s feel from alternative rock, and a punk influence, and you’ll have a rough starting point for James and the Cold Gun’s moreish sound. Essentially, this is 39 minutes of rock ‘n’ roll fun that’s honest and authentic.
In feel, and when thinking of pure visceral energy and whirlwind catchiness, (especially on some songs in particular), James and the Cold Gun remind me of Every Time I Die, only from a garage rock perspective rather than a hardcore one. Despite this, and also the band’s surface resemblance to, (in my head at least), a number of forgotten 90s rock/indie/punk bands, James and the Cold Gun are very much their own beast, one that’s catchy, infectious, and packed with riotous, glorious hooks.
There is more to James and the Cold Gun than simply raucous energetic mayhem though. Although the energy levels are more or less constantly apparent, that doesn’t mean that this album is one-dimensional. Across these eleven songs we get treated to a range of different paces, moods, and feelings, making for a well-rounded album of well-crafted rock music. There’s nuance and subtlety when it’s called for, and the band are clearly talented when it comes to their songwriting. A track like the acoustic-based Through the Same Lens is just one such example, (which brings to mind Temple of the Dog as one of the 90s references alluded to above). And, as mentioned previously, the amount of hooks on this record is obscene.
James and the Cold Gun is an effortlessly enjoyable album from a band that are brimming with talent and character. If you’re a fan of quality, enjoyable, hook-filled high-octane rock music, then look no further than this.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 