Just a quick one for this Friday afternoon.
After I wrapped up yesterday’s post on Soft Kill’s “Trying Not to Die,” it occurred to me that I haven’t covered a couple of the “touchstone” acts I made comparison to. So I figured I’d try rectifying that oversight with today’s pick, titled “Whatever You Want,” from L.A.’s own synth-driven post-punk outfit Cold Showers.
This one’s been around for awhile, hailing from their 2015 sophomore effort “Matter of Choice.” Surprisingly, it was never released as a single, not that that’s a sign of quality. But I do think it deserves the status of being front and center, alongside any other that spans their 11-plus years.
“Whatever You Want” has a simmering anthemic quality, a low rumble and roar of clamorous guitars and rolling basslines. From new wave to nu-gaze, it fuses ’80s aural alternatives to ’90s sizzle and sear shoegaze. It’s pace is measured and steady, repetitive yet engaging, melodic and hypnotic. And it just sounds good.
I actually first heard “Whatever You Want” back in ’17, when Cold Showers opened for the classic ’80s act Modern English at the Regent Theatre in DTLA. At the time, I had no idea who they were, but I found them to be pretty solid for an opener. And then I heard this track, which transcended all of that, and immediately resonated with me.
I managed to capture the latter half of the track, once I realized how much I liked it.
Cold Showers perform “Whatever You Want” at the Regent Theatre on 03.23.17.
Considering it’s age, I’m surprised it looks and sounds as decent as it does. And it definitely makes me want to revisit Cold Showers’ live performance, once this next phase of the Covid saga subsides … and of course, they choose to return to the L.A. stages.
I’m guessing they will at some point. The SoCal fourpiece released their third album in May of ’19, and managed to squeeze in a handful of tour dates, all the way up until April of last year, before things went sideways and shutdown. A few months after that, they released a five track live EP, recorded on 07.13.19 for KXLU and Part Time Punks, almost as if it was meant to hold us over until live shows could resume. So, yeah …
Here’s the Spotify embed for Cold Showers’ “Whatever You Want,” as well as a link to that live EP, which also includes a warm and snazzy version of the aforementioned and featured track.
Enjoy!
“Whatever You Want” from the 2015 album “Matter of Choice.”
Cold Showers’ live EP “07.13.19,” recorded for KXLU and Part Time Punks, and released in July of 2020.
