Cobra Starship - Hot Mess
Review by Jack Foley
COBRA Starship’s new album, Hot Mess, is a strange affair: part rock-pop, part electro-rock and sometimes really good fun… it’s nevertheless fails to measure up as a completely satisfying experience.
Having broken through thanks in no small part to the success of their Bring It (Snakes On A Plane) track, which established them as a new rock act, the band now appear to want to remodel themselves as the rock equivalent of Lady Gaga. Hence, there’s a greater emphasis on electro-sleaze and synthed up dance numbers on this album.
For a Fueled by Ramen act, this may come as a surprise. But they do seem to know what they’re doing and the album has been greeted by largely enthusiastic reviews in the States.
Much of this is due to their ability to mix sexy, fun lyrics with pumped up rock and electro. They know how to craft a catchy chorus, have a keen sense of melody throughout and a strong singer in appealing frontman Gabe Saporta. They’re also not afraid of coming over all cheesy at times.
On the downside, Hot Mess is a wholly commercial album that doesn’t take nearly enough risks. It can also become a little too non-descript in places, with album filler tracks like Wet Hot American Summer and You’re Not In on The Joke pretty generic, workmanlike offerings that find the band caught between their rock roots and their newfound mainstream aspirations.
When they get it right, however, they are often quite appealing and catchy as hell. The disco stomp of Good Girls Go Bad is a masculine Lady Gaga equivalent that boasts one hell of a cool chorus, some vocoder laced lyrics and sassy backing vocals from Gossip Girl‘s Leighton Meester.
Fold Your Hands Child, meanwhile, packs plenty of vocal harmonising, handclap beats and another appealing chorus, while title track and current single Hot Mess repeats the disco-strut formula to winning success. It’s a riot of energy and a great party anthem.
Living In The Sky With Diamonds, meanwhile, is an ode to teenage angst that is even cheeky enough to soundcheck Hall & Oates’ Maneater before going its own way with the euphoric chorus.
Final track The World Will Never Do brings things to a close by incorporating a throbbing organ groove and coming over all urban and rap-orientated… as if to underline Cobra Starship’s desire to continue to surprise and keep things mixed up.
The result is never more than a guilty pleasure good-time listen; but it’s a mostly appealing journey nonetheless.
Download picks: Good Girls Go Bad, Hot Mess, Fold Your Hands Child, The World Will Never Do
Track listing: