With an ensemble of people by his side, Eddie Cohn conceptualised, recorded, and performed his very own ‘covid record’. The combination of synths, 90’s rock, and a hefty dose of artful inspiration intermingled throughout create a synthesis that’s strangely appealing. Although Cohn draws influences from the heyday of grunge, his music can be more likened to a modern synth rock outfit. Kickstarting the album with ‘Broken Pieces’, Cohn injects an almost house energy in the first few seconds before the guitar comes crashing to add the necessary rock element that gives a uniqueness to his work. His vocals sound straight out of the 90s, with strong Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell imprints left on the delivery.
Cohn cites Beck as a central influence, and it’s not hard to discern why. That sense of multi-dimensionality in his music very much is a trait of Dystopian Days as well. No two songs sound the same. No one song sounds monotonous. Diversity is king on this record, and it’s within a confluence of numerous substrata of rock and roll that Eddie Cohn is able to carve out his own niche. It’s unsurprising that Cohn chooses to be so multifaceted with his music. After all the rockstar did spend a significant amount of time DJing rather successfully in Los Angeles.
On the inspiration behind the project, Cohn mentions, “when the lockdown happened and the riots and protests happened, all these cultural events brought up some raw emotions. I felt a level of anxiety in the air that I had never felt before. Or maybe the last time I felt this energy in the air was during the Rodney Kind trial or the earthquake in 93. It was scary time and I felt the only way to get through this emotional roller coaster was to sing and write songs. I feel lucky I have music and I feel lucky I felt inspired and came up with some new music to share to the world.”
Obvious highlights from the album include ‘Animals’, ‘Be the Flame’, and ‘Runaway’. If you’re looking for grunge with a bit of spunk, Eddie Cohn is the one for you.