STATUES IN THE FACE OF A WORLD WORSENING WITH GREED

I ran through this album as a casual passer by on my first listen and knew l’had missed the very point. I needed to stop. See the parts. Not the whole. There’s something here that even through the creation of parts in a separate environment, Tim Darcy, Evan Cartwright, and Ben Stidworthy write for each other. They write for a bigger message and have disregarded fear of experimentation. The worth of art. Of wealth. Of basic need. “We were so worried about all the songs being too different.” -Evan Cartwright C.O.L.A. Cost of Living Adjustment. Conceptually, socialism vs hell. Rolling the dice of life. The eerie and sweet pangs that nostalgia can provoke. Play through Hedgesitting and be marched away with time and you’ll fear there’s no looking back. Cola have found something. An abstract place of inspiration that holds an important beauty in melody. “C.O.L.A. is full of these clarifying moments: where a whole swirl of feelings become so clear that it almost hurts a little bit.” There’s a risk though. To perform such a piece live. To celebrate the nature of how experimental this sound became. The replication on stage is a dangerous area. Think of a painter set in motion to create a canvas. Once in motion the canvas disappears and there is only creation. One that if it falls off the path may mean the project hangs in the balance of focus and skill. Cola need every bit of that. And they invite you in to sit on that edge. To witness this album is something entirely new. Live or through some speakers. It is Cola the band at their very best. And we, Wollongong, are beyond lucky to have this in our space. Even in our lifetime. Time is marching at a reckless pace. Are you ready?