Cult Icon – Cold Street Shade (2020)
If you are feeling lost and alone in a city with nowhere to go and nothing to do, Cult Icon has the perfect soundtrack for your feelings. Their debut single ‘Cold Street Shade’ is a hard-hitting blues-rock song considering feelings of isolation and loneliness. While this forms the basis of the single, there is a depth to the music allowing listeners to interpret the track anyway they want.
This powerful debut comes after a string of sold-out shows, when they were still happening. James Candlish (vocals), Lee Berry (guitar), James Taaffe (bass), Tom Byron O’Shea (guitar) and James ‘Peach’ Caul (drums) are the friends who form the band. Together, they have sealed their place in the local music scene around Birkenhead and offer a taster of their upcoming EP.
‘Cold Street Shade’ hits the ground running a great guitar opening that pairs up beautifully with the bluesy beats. The interplay between the guitars has your foot tapping while your shoulders move to the groove of the melody. If you are a fan of blues-rock, this melody is an absolute treat. There is a swell to the melody on the chorus, but it does not lose its wonderful flow.
Resting on the bluesy melody is Candlish’s vocals which carry on the vibe. His voice is smooth while having this darker edge to it that works perfectly with the blues threads of the melody. The depth of his performance highlights the lyrics which are hard-hitting. There is a sense of questioning in the vocals as the band leads you to make your own decisions about life.
Cult Icon is cementing their place as a band to watch with the bluesy rock awesomeness of ‘Cold Street Shade’. The single has a melody that wraps itself around you and pumps its groove into your veins. The vocals have a dark edge to their smoothness that helps the heavy-hitting lyrics sink into your skin.
Find out more about Cult Icon on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
