Chris Cohen - "Damage"

Chris Cohen is one of the finest songwriters in the greater indie rock universe. His body of work spans two decades and is masterful. His contributions to renowned acts like Deerhoof, Weyes Blood, and the Curtains are notable, but it's his solo recordings that properly showcase his precise and traditionally-sound, yet experimental, songwriting style. He’s a disciple of some of the best music has had to offer: Wilson, the Davies, and Nilsson. His gentle compositions have an almost healing quality to them that they stick with you for days, weeks, months, and in my case, years. I still find myself humming cuts from 2012’s Overgrown Path. Cohen is about to release his fourth solo full-length, Paint a Room, which is shaping up to be another classic. Lead single “Damage” has several memorable qualities. 

“Damage” is soft and tranquil, though the lyrical content is anything but. His stark ruminations on power brokers and their propensity for abuse is a thematic counterweight to the track’s airy sonics, which are rife with aural candy in the form of a delicate horn section, a soothing vocal melody, and a placid rhythm. 

Stream the track below.

You can pre-order Paint A Room of limited edition vinyl via Bandcamp. Cohen’s music is also available on all streaming platforms. Keep up with Cohen by following him on Instagram.