One thing I love about split albums is that there’s more often than not one band on it that is new to me. I’ve discovered some really great bands or albums because a band I love introduced me to another band through a split record. Case in point: Remedy. I just loved their split with ESC Life earlier this year. To my surprise Remedy released their second album just one month before the split EP. You think that’s Cool? That’s correct in two ways…
With that in mind it should be no surprise that the album in general follows the same lines as the two songs on the split record. This is a translation of indie rock of the past to the present day. Let’s explore a bit. As on the split Dinosaur Jr. is a very important source of inspiration. But there’s more. “Emilla Falotti” has a bit more punky vibe. Therapy? is a name that comes to mind listening to that track. “Yung Neill” contains some influences of, you’d never guess this one, Neil Young. The band toys around a bit with guitar effects on “Leonardo De Capo II” which creates a little bit of a post punk atmosphere. By allowing all these different influences in their sound the band creates the necessary tension to keep you interested as a listener.
The best songs on this album are the one-two stomp of “Apart” and “She” in the middle of the album. “Apart” makes me long for late-summer longboarding sessions. Listening to this laid back song I’m transported to picturesque, deserted roads on the countryside. I can almost feel the evening sun and the wind on my face when listening to this song. Even the long and strange solo on the end works for me. It's very powerful and it strikes just the right chord with me. “She” speeds things up again and is bit of a stomper that works out really well despite the quirky lyrics dealing with the death of a dog. Unfortunately the two songs that follow are the missers of this album. “Plumpe Theatralik” lacks the qualities of earlier songs. It’s simply not catchy enough. It’s nice and upbeat but feels more like a b-side. If you’re a Beatles fan you might appreciate the “I Am The Walrus” reference though. “Kiss Of Life” suffers from strange time changes that don’t seem to fit as they interrupt the flow of the song.
The production is again top-notch. Not strange considering the band used the same producer and studio. Hell I’d expect it’s recorded in the same session as the two songs on the split with ESC Life. All in all Cool is a pretty cool album. Check this out if you’re into 90’s indie rock.
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