“If you love something, set it free…”
Hard to admit but true: The more you try to control and manipulate, the more things wiggle out from under your grasp. Proverbs like this one have been around for centuries, for good reason. Other classics include “Actions speak louder than words,” “Blood is thicker than water,” and “Never pass up an opportunity to pee…” (maybe not that one). Anyway, learning to let go and embrace whatever happens, whether you like it or not, is what Cold Equations front-man Drew Kohl gets across in their latest single: “Set The Boy Free.”
I had the pleasure of meeting Kohl at a hip Nashville coffee shop, where the band is based (Nashville, not the coffee shop). Though our chat went the way many conversations do in Music City—with topics that include a new album, obsessing over Spotify streams, and anxiously waiting to hear back from local venues—there were several pleasant surprises. Kohl is an avid reader, and he’s sprinkled references to literature all throughout the new record.
In fact, “Set The Boy Free” is named after the autobiography of Johnny Marr, guitarist of The Smiths, a significant influence for Kohl. I listened to a few tunes my new friend referenced for me (“This Charming Man” by The Smiths and “We Share The Same Skies” by The Cribs), and the guitar playing blew me away. Melodic, intricate, and catchy as hell. The same with “Set The Boy Free”—you’ll find light and sparkling guitars throughout the whole song, dreamy riffs not only in the intro but in the chorus and bridge, and they’ll give you chills. (In the studio, Kohl wielded an army of axes on this tune, including an electric 12-string). The drums are solid, straightforward, and simplistic, which is impressive because drummer Ryan Dishen’s roots are in punk rock, where busy drumming’s the way to go. And bassist John O’Brien stays away from his low E string almost entirely so he doesn’t weigh down the song, keeping it bright and upbeat—also impressive. The vocal melody and performance are simplistic, in a good, tasteful way, they don’t reach for the unattainable, and you’ll find yourself singing along the first time around. And we’ve been over this before, but there’s sound advice in Kohl’s lyrics: “Love cannot last under lock and key…”
The song brings to mind The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven,” or a more contemporary comparison would be “Forever Sometimes” by Dear Boy. The great news for Kohl & The Gang?
“Set The Boy Free” is the third single from their upcoming self-titled album, and the two singles that came before it—“Identity Crisis” and “Eraser”—are just as impressive. So far, everything Cold Equations has unveiled has been stellar. I was lucky—Kohl sent me exclusive access to the entire album, and I can’t stop listening to it, and I can’t stop texting him about it. A bit controlling, don’t you think?
