"I've got a key to the lock in your head"
It was a sad day when I learned that Cog essentially broke up, and while I will continue to the mourn the loss (reminds me of other sad demises that came around the same time too - RIP Isis and Oceansize!), at least I can take comfort in the fact that I will always have their past output to enjoy forever more. As I recall, I got into Cog through http://toolshed.down.net when someone recommended their pair of Just Visiting EPs. They were streaming on a website somewhere and I fell in love fairly instantaneously. It was very different from other things I was listening to at the time, and each song was stuck in my head for days. Once that happened, I knew I had to delve further. This was just the tip of the iceberg, for when I heard The New Normal, it was an album that stuck with me. As such, I had it on constant rotation for months afterwards. And as you can see, I still take it out frequently.
Cog is a trio made up of brothers Flynn (vocals, guitar) and Luke Gower (bass, backing vocals), with Lucius Borich on drums. Hailing from Bondi, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, these 3 guys seemingly make something from nothing. You picture them in a garage, or a simple room, or even just out in a parking lot on a quiet street. Not that the production is shabby, it's just real, it sounds like it's just them and their instruments. Nothing too fancy, they're just making good music. They've carved out their own sound, and they wear it well.
When I heard this album, as I mentioned, it was unlike any of the music I was listening to at the time. It certainly has a rock/metal vibe about it, additionally it gives the listener a sense of something visceral. Though now it brought a sort of progressiveness to the sound I was used to hearing, while still remaining catchy. However, don't let 'catchy' scare you off. This is not generic rock music, where each song sounds like the last. While I'll admit it may not be the high point of complex songs, it is still special in its own right. The band has stated that they are influenced/inspired by bands such as Tool, Isis, Deftones, Nina Simone, Bob Marley, and Helmet. You may hear these influences in their music, but Cog is no direct copy of any of these big names.
With the lyrics of The New Normal, Flynn draws on what I would consider a general dissatisfaction with society and authority. Most of the time the references are not overt, nothing specific is ever mentioned, but they are still obvious. In fact, the whole album is a sort of "protest commentary" (this however, is nothing compared to the lyrics on their sophomore album Sharing Space). I appreciate The New Normal's lyrics because you know what Gower is talking about, but you can take your own meanings from them in addition to the obvious ones. For me, this is important in an album's longevity: the lyrics should still make you feel something no matter what mood you're in.
For me, this album was an instant classic. It is like a good beer, great the first time you drink it and still great years later (I feel like I am often comparing albums to food and alcohol...). It may not offer a lot of hidden gems that you don't hear the first listen, but it's solid from start to finish. This isn't a pretentious album, it's honest and full of energy. It does flow well in order from the opening track 'Real Life' to the closing, 10-minute song 'Naming the Elephant', but it's possible to pick and choose songs without feeling as if you are disturbing the order. Cog are special too, in that they can write catchier 3-4 minute songs that rock, as well as being able to write 8-10 minute songs that can grab you and keep you there.
I'll lament the loss of this wonderful band, but I'm still glad for every minute I have with The New Normal.
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