Cobrabob-65 Miles from Davis-self released, 2019

 

Much like so many other cities, San Francisco's music scene produces rich layers of musical activity. Some of this music quickly catapults onto stages wider and more far flung, others remain a bit more humble, quietly going about their  activities within smaller circles. Cobrabob are, for the time being, within the latter camp. That said, their 2019 65 Miles from Davis CD should push them out into the wider musical world, if musical vision and creativity is used as any kind of qualifier. This trio, comprised of Chris Lawson on guitar, percussion, and vocals, Scarp Home on drums, vocals, percussion, and cornet, and John Rodgers on guitar, vocals, and percussion, produces a sharp, focused Rock music that benefits greatly from what one hears clearly as a shared vision for their music. Rodger's guitar tones cut through in sober, non-heroic ways as they state the band's melodic statements. Disaster Amnesiac keeps noticing their dry presence within each of the CD's twelve tracks. Check Tonight for his ability to sweetly strum Pop chords as well. He does an exemplary job of playing lead guitar without ever forgetting its role within the overall sound matrix of the Rock band dynamic. The rhythm section of Home and Lawson pushes, pulls, stretches, and pounds out Davis's offerings in original ways, ones which they have clearly developed by working them out on stage and in rehearsal. As I've listened, the unique down-ness of their tandem has struck me again and again. There is nothing generic about their interplay on tunes such as The Champion and Means to and End/Underwater; the latter delves into Jam Band territories in the tastiest of ways. In the lyrics department, Cobrabob present visions of generally personal nature. The lines are delivered in ways that intrigue, and are never too obvious. They leave room for the listener to make impressions of their own, never a bad thing in this blogger's opinion. Rich horn flourishes are astutely added to a few tracks, giving them a Blues-ey sheen and showing the real musicality which exists within the band. Quite musical too is the clean and clear engineering job from Wally McClellan. Wally did a fine job of capturing each of the three points of Cobrabob's triangle. Anyone interested in non-easily classifiable Rock trio music, key word being music, should connect with Cobrabob to cop 65 Miles from Davis. It moves that way.