Tribute by Cody Cods (Review)
During my relatively brief career as an Opus contributor, I haven’t had to write one single negative review. I was originally intending to keep that streak alive for quite awhile; after all, how hard can it be to write positive reviews when we’re mostly reviewing bands we already know or like? Even the Narcoleptics album that Jason sent me to review was pretty solid. However, there was another CD that came in the mail that day: a North Carolina rock band with the moniker of Cody Cods. And my positivity was squashed.
To be fair, the musical stylings of the Cody Cods may just be disagreeable to my personal tastes. Employing Southern rock stylings with some funk and occasional smatterings of hip-hop and metal, Tribute is extremely patchy. The combination of musical genres sounds somewhat intriguing on paper, but the reality is decidedly less promising. Occasionally, interesting bits leap out — the sludgy, low end riff of “Mannequin” and the guest rapping by Ghosts in the Darkness on “Blueklyn,” to name a couple. All too often, though, the guitar leads are stale, and the attempts at funk sound uninspired. Nothing on this album sounds essential, or even that good for that matter. It isn’t meant to slander the band on a personal level, for I’m sure Cody Cods mean well. That’s just how the album sounds.
As with the music, the lyrics aren’t much better. Points are automatically deducted for the line — I’m sure I heard it correctly — “Don’t forget the bitches!” in “Texas.” (Um, aren’t there several major-label bands that are already responsible for those sorts of sayings?) Even the attempts at “political and social commentary” on “Blueklyn” are cliche-ridden with the liberal use of “nigga.”
If Cody Cods really want to have a lasting impact, I would suggest some serious changes in their musical vision. Considering that the Red Hot Chili Peppers fail to pull off good funk-driven music half the time, it’s not the best idea to present a Southernized version of their sound. If the Cods just want to focus on having a good time and kickin’ it, then that’s certainly their prerogative, but this isn’t high-quality music.
Written by Chris Martin.