The first time I heard Cola’s new single “Hedgesitting”, I was on a crowded train, but I wanted to run through a wall. It sounded like the next coming of the Britpop invasion, or at least like “Rush” by Big Audio Dynamite II. I happen to like that song quite a lot, which is why I took a shine to “Hedgesitting”.
Cola does not come from Great Britain, of course: They hail from Montreal, raining shimmering post-punk textures down on us from La Metropole itself. “Hedgesitting” utilizes both a drum loop and live drumming on top of it, creating an infectious beat from the mind of drummer Evan Cartwright. This forms the base for Ben Stidworthy’s bass and Tim Darcy’s soaring guitars, as well as Darcy’s matter-of-fact vocals singing David Byrne-esque lyrics: “When you were young, you came to make it/These are panic punches, but your arms have grown.”
Even with the band’s three members, “Hedgesitting” sounds like a symphony of post-punk. All of the song’s parts gel so well together that even if Cola attempted minimalism, their sound sounds maximalist: It envelops the mind so that even in a room (or train) full of distractions, it is the only music that matters in the moment. In one word, I can only describe “Hedgesitting” as “important”, and if it represents the rest of the songs to come from Cola, I’m quite excited for what’s next.
“Hedgesitting” appears as the first track from Cola’s upcoming third full-length album, Cost of Living Adjustment, out May 8th. And yes, the abbreviated title – C.O.L.A. – does sort of make the record eponymous. Watch the music video for “Hedgesitting” below and make sure to follow Cola on their socials.
Written by Will Sisskind
