Cold Showers: Local Band We Love

“Goth is great, Goth is good”…so I pray.

Awhile back, I wrote a piece for the blog about how Ministry’s “Everyday is Halloween” is a perfect pop song. Since I’m being honest I might as well tell you I also think that of Christian Death’s “Romeo’s Distress” and Joy Division’s “These Days.”

I’ll knifefight you on this if you want, but seriously the only difference between a great Goth track and Buddy Holly’s “Rave On” is a replacement of “Whoa, it’s You” Romantic bliss with “Woe is me” Death obsession. Take away all the black everything and affectation, and a good Goth cut strikes a chord literally (and figuratively) because it’s alienation is relatable and plays by the same sonic aesthetic rules as a love song.

A really good example of this dynamic is LA’s Cold Showers, whose dark and lovely brand new full length “Love & Regret” is out today.

Just in time too, as tonight they’re playing the Check Yo’ Ponytail party in Echo Park. Their sound is well-crafted, catchy, brooding stuff that echoes The Sound and Chameleons at their most black bubblegummy. For a taste of Cold Showers, they’ve offered up a track for free, called “BC,” which borrows it’s treeline from The Cure’s “A Forest” (a very good call on their part.)

Cold Showers – “BC” by Life or Death PR

And they’ve also offered up a mixtape that they put together for Check Yo’ Ponytail as a free download as well. Good for the fall. Great for tonight.

COLD SHOWERS – Check Yo Ponytail Mixtape by Check Yo Ponytail