Chris Cohen

The third solo album from The Curtains frontman and ex-Deerhoof guitarist Chris Cohen. 10 tracks of lofi psych/folk rock/pop that explore intergenerational tensions (his parents divorced during the making of this album) and memories from a childhood immersed in the music industry (his parents are a Broadway actress and an A&R executive). Cohen is something of a prodigy—he learned to play drums at age 3 and recorded multi-instrumental original songs on overdubbed four-track tapes as a kid. This latest effort is a real treat—the instrumentation is varied and creative and the songwriting is top-notch. Even if you’re not generally a fan of singer-songwriter material I suggest you give this one a try. All tracks FCC Clean. Start with 4, 2, 7, 3, 10 RIYL: Cass McCombs, Drugdealer, Martin Courtney, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie “Prince” Billy

1. (3:39) Gentle, strummy, confessional, smeared with nostalgia
*2. (3:26) Groovy and layered with skippy percussion. 70’s jazz fusion vibes—very reminiscent of Hejira-era Joni Mitchell
*3. (3:18) Jangly, poppy lead single, lyrics about childhood memories of his father
*4. (2:44) Strong bassline, excellent varied melodies, great guitar solo
5. (6:01) Slow, plodding psychedelic rock with plenty of wah-wah pedal and deep, resonating percussion
6. (4:01) Mind-tempo psych rock, chipper staccato stacked guitar/piano chords, and an extended soulful electric guitar solo
*7. (2:22) Bongos and other stuttering percussion, smooth vocals, and phasered guitars, swirled to loungy laid-back perfection
8. (2:52) Acoustic guitar and piano driven ballad, punctuated by spazzy clarinet embellishments
9. (2:23) Bouncy lo-fi psych rock with standout guitar work
*10. (3:53) Ultrasleek 70’s studio rock vibes with jazz and progrock flavor