Soccer Cousins - 'Gosh' - 7" vinyl
Beautiful translucent coke-bottle-green vinyl in a sturdy, pretty sleeve featuring original art by Hannah Hinds
On the field of life, the end of the line may not be visible, but its presence is felt. The obstacles and eureka moments along the way enrich the soil for future travelers. All these experiences are digested and celebrated on Gosh, the new 7” EP from Soccer Cousins. The New York City skipping-rock band is quick with well-put paeans to the everyday and even quicker with the catchy melodies they’re wrapped up in.
The pace (found somewhere on a later period Hüsker Dü record) of the music belies the casual, conversational tone of the lyrics. “I’m feeling small/ I’m looking into outer space,” singer-guitarist Josh Erickson sings on “Small,” echoing all who feel pressure from the sky. “It’s got me feeling out of place/ and if this is infinite/ then what’s the point of it?” The three songs of Gosh address the highs and lows of trying to find a community and figuring out one’s place in it. Soccer Cousins celebrate the minutia of everyday life: waves hello at the bus stop; fumbling for change in line at the bodega; slurping up a sloppy sandwich.
A-side “Holy Smokes” greets us with a pondering pondered by millions of poets past and millions of poets future: “Try to see the connection between the moon and me/ But all I get are these static waves.” The A-side of the B-side, “Nonstop Perfect Moves” contemplates what’s important to everyone and what just might be a little more pressing to a smaller cross section: “I’m beginning to doubt everything/ like if a God exists/ And if Built To Spill will ever add ‘Joyride’ to their setlist.”
The title of the EP is a completely sincere statement of wonderment. The artwork depicts characters existing both independently and amongst each other. "Gosh" conveys the awe of that interconnectivity. The songs were recorded in Philadelphia at Retro City Studios with Kyle Graham over the course of one summer weekend. The three bandmates have been close friends and musical collaborators for 10-plus years. While Soccer Cousins is a fairly new project, a healthy collaborative dynamic came very quickly for primary songwriter Erickson, Jon Niles (bass/vocals), and Brendan Laezza (drums). That connection is clear to hear on the 7”—from the back-up vocal melodies to a roof-piercing cowbell ring.
“It’s spirited pop rock... Hooks are abundant, and the voice is definitely distinct.” — Austin Town Hall