With mixed influences from shoegaze to alternative rock, slowcore, and garage-indie rock the Strawberry Cough sound was created. Based in Utah, the band has been playing live for quite some time before they decided to record their debut single “My Song 19”. It started as a slow song but progressed with help from producer and songwriter Denney Fuller into the rocking tune we will be reviewing today.
“My Song 19” hits differently than anything I’ve listened to for a while, Strawberry Cough succeeded in creating an old school garage rock “and a little grungy” sound with a modern touch that made it their very own. The song starts with a groovy bass and drums intro that’s followed by a crunchy energetic riff that’ll get you directly in the zone. The groovy basslines, rocking guitar licks and crispy, sharp guitar tune are some of this song’s best features, they all work together delivering a perfectly fitting mood and sound. That energetic riff leads us to an interesting verse that was executed creatively, the vocals were divided into two parts, the 1st is accompanied by crowd backing vocals that I believe would make a cool moment when played live while the 2nd is a slightly aggressive one. They both match the lyrics and translate its emotions while providing some diversity giving the verse different textures and dynamics. A rocking guitar bridge will hit you once the verse is over, it has a nice melody that created a rest point before getting into the engaging, singalong chorus that’s also -as well as the 1st part of the verse- designed to be played live and create a bonding moment with the fans. After the 2nd chorus, you’ll be introduced briefly to Strawberry Cough’s mellow side by an interlude around min 1:50, it helped slow things down, added some sense of psychedelia to the mix, and prepared for what’s next but, I would’ve liked-from my humble POV- if they did the transition in a smoother way because I felt like the dynamics were suddenly dropped at that point before it was picked again by the main riff. “My Song 19” ends on a high note with an old school rocking solo that leads us to the outro and from there, putting the song on repeat.
“My Song 19” is a complex tune made in the most simple way and that made it interesting and enjoyable. Strawberry Cough succeeded in merging their influences with the modern sounds and vibes that surround them creating their own signature. With their significant use of diverse vocal delivery and melodies mixed with super groovy basslines and cool guitar licks thrown here and there I believe they have a lot to offer and looking forward to seeing where they’ll go from here. Cheers!
