MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL Review

INSOUND..Stuff we like...Feature

NEW BAND OF THE WEEK! Insound staffers seek out new music constantly. Between the hundreds of music submissions we get per week and the new bands and labels we're always reaching out to, we stumble upon some really great stuff. Each week, we will be picking one lesser-known band that we particularly love. This week, Jory get wasted on the post-punk nostalgia of Cobalt Cranes.
What is immediately evident about In Media Rez is the harmonization of the L.A. quartet's nostalgic post-punk garage rock attitude with a forward-thinking sense of stylized and soulful execution that never once over the span of the four tracks caves in to overly pretentious art excess. And if you're a sucker for dynamic boy/girl vocals like me, you'll love Tim Foley whose affected sneers have a slightly Cobain-esque drawl and Kat Betuel who holds and howls her notes like a young Exene Cervenka on a good night. The end result is an EP that boasts and squalls with an energy that is classic cool and is the perfect antidote for all those nights you spent pensively listening to quiet indie-rock in a vain attempt to reconnect with your sensitive side. "Freak Out" will put you front and center at your favorite dive. "Take You" will reintroduce whiskey to your coke. "Messy" is the brawl you'll get into in the parking lot. And you'll wake up the next morning with "A Picture in the Snow." Yes, I've got a strangely good feeling about Cobalt Cranes. Just wait until it happens to you.

- By Jory Dominguez

INSOUND.COM

Portland Mercury Write up!

"As they cruised into Oregon on their first West Coast tour, Cobalt Cranes immediately Twittered, "What is the deal with the gas stations here?" Let's forgive the band's pompousness at the pump in order to enjoy their musical offerings. A foursome with a distinctly Los Angeles-tinged take on the fuzzy garage rock so prevalent these days, Cobalt Cranes' tracks sound slick despite stylized distortion and clashing cymbals. The Sonic Youth-esque male/female vocal split between drawling Tim Foley and honeyed Kate Betuel anchors their songs among the crunchy guitar of Mateo Leonardo and steady drumming from Danny Rossi. With recordings limited to tape compilations and a 7-inch released by French label Frantic City, Cobalt Cranes plan to self-release their upcoming EP in the Portland DIY style. That's how we do it up here. Just not when it comes to gas."

MARANDA BISH

The Portland Mercury