Cobra Starship

A couple of weeks ago, Fall Out Boy, after a few days of teasing, released their new single, “Centuries”:

MASSIVE is the only word I can think of to describe this song. I don’t even know how many times I’ve listened to this since it came out.

Since they’re still riding high from last year’s Save Rock & Roll, they didn’t need to make a “comeback”, but if they did…this would have been the perfect song to start with. It’s a natural progression from SRAR while still being new/different enough that it’s not just a regurgitation of a previous single. Plus, Patrick Stump’s range is incredible – every time you think he’s sung as high as he can, he comes out with something like this.

About a week or so before FOB’s new song, Cobra Starship finally released new music for the first time since 2011’s Night Shades, with a radio-ready single, “Never Been in Love Before”:

I’ve been anxiously waiting for new Cobra music – unlike FOB, they never officially announced a hiatus, but the lack of music seemed to indicate that they weren’t doing anything. I have to admit, I wasn’t a huge fan of Night Shades and was really hoping for something more in the vein of 2009’s Hot Mess, or – ideally, in a perfect world – 2007’s Viva la Cobra.

I don’t love this single. It sounds like generic pop song and, if I hadn’t known going in who it was, I would not have recognized Gabe Saporta’s voice. I’m all for bands trying new sounds and I completely understand being influenced by other bands but this single, to me, doesn’t even have a Cobra vibe. All in all, a little disappointing. I’ve only listened to it 3, maybe 4 times, and each time I feel a little sad. I desperately wanted to like it, but I just can’t.

I’d like to start the first Music Monday of 2014 with a statement: ¡Viva La Cobra! was – and always will be – my favourite Cobra Starship album.

Ryland, Nate (who isn’t actually short, it’s just because everyone else is 6’+), Gabe, Victoria, and Alex.

Cobra Starship formed back in 2005-6 after Gabe Saporta left Midtown (who, by the way, are a great band on their own. I’ll talk about them on a different day). The first single released under the Cobra Starship name was featured on the Snakes on a Planes soundtrack, and was aptly titled: “Bring It (Snakes On A Plane)”:

One of my favourite videos of all time, the song features guest vocals from Travie McCoy (Gym Class Heroes), William Beckett (The Academy Is…), and Maja Ivarsson (The Sounds). Also features a guest cameo from SAMUEL L JACKSON.

People often don’t take Cobra Starship seriously (probably because of this first-ever single, and also maybe because of their name), but they are (were?) a delightful blend of rock, hip hop, and electronic pop. I started listening to them in 2007-ish and from then, I was hooked. They’re upbeat and catchy and a lot of fun to see live – it’s physically impossible to stand still at a CS show.

They say that kid he’s got soul…

They’re also hilarious (I can say this with a dash of certainty because I met them in 2010 and they were just as precious in real life as they are in any of their videos) and entertaining, pretty much no matter what they do.

Not only is this a great song, but the video is made up of clips from their Cobra Cam web series.

Unfortunately, CS seems to have disappeared after the face of the earth. They’re still relatively active on Twitter, but we haven’t had any new music from them since 2011’s it-pains-me-to-say-it-but-it-wasn’t-very-good album Night Shades. Personally, I think the problem was that a) they brought in too many guest vocalists and producers when they really do their best on their own (i.e. 2007’s ¡Viva La Cobra!, the majority of which was recorded on their laptops and was then produced and finalized by the one-and-only Patrick Stump who helped make it beautiful); and b) they opened for Justin Bieber (aka committed career suicide in a failed attempt to go mainstream).

Probably the best song off of “Night Shades”.

Cobra Starship was one of the most unique bands in the “scene” a few years ago, and they’re still enjoyable. I want new music from them. Or at least a chance to see them live again. But where are they?!