Welcome to another featured article! Today’s article is brought to you once again by Kyndal, aka brokenciggies enjoy!
Cole Brooks Band is an alternative country band based out of Idaho. They formed as a group in 2023, and have really found their sound as of late with their latest EP released earlier this year called Sunsets and Cigarettes. Their vocals are gritty, and they have some very impressive instrumental trackings.
The first song off this EP is “Sin,” and this song is about losing a partner and feeling the pain of that. The lyricism really paints the picture of pain that one goes through after a split, with lines such as, “I gave her my heart but it was never enough.” This is a peak yearning track in the fact that you can almost feel how bad the individual wants their partner back. They’re basically saying, please come back so I can feel you again. This song is a phenomenal way to start off the EP, and I was highly impressed with my first listen. On my first listen, I was definitely reminded of Ole 60s type of songwriting and overall sound, and that really drew me in.
The next song off the EP is “16,” which is a change of pace from the first track. This is the opposite of the first track, in fact. This is a beautiful song about young love and beating the odds. I really like the concept of this song. Disregarding others’ opinions and chasing love and what you feel is such a beautiful concept. This is a classic, cute love song, and I’ve been quite the sucker for a love song lately…
The next song off the EP is “You N Me,” which is back to the themes of the first song. This song is super real and doesn’t pay any mind to pretending. I really like this song. The chorus is great and really stuck with me on my first listen. The concept of letting go can be difficult, especially when you feel stuck. This song is full of the songwriter yearning, wanting to be able to see life without that certain person but being unable to. The vocals here are super impressive and show how diverse and unique Cole Brooks Band is.
The next track is “Dissipate,” which keeps the themes of the songs above. This is another sort of yearning, heartbroken track. Again, this song really shows how unique and diverse the sound is of Cole Brooks Band. This song is slower-paced than anything I’ve heard from them and also has softer, lower vocals. The lyrics in this song hurt in all the right ways, and I’m wishing I would’ve found this one to cry to sooner!
The next song is “One More Night,” and this one carries the lower, softer sound and vocals of the previous track. This entire EP is made for the yearners of the world. This one is heartbreakingly beautiful. This song covers the concept of one more night and begging for just one more chance to make everything work. The lyrics acknowledge the depressing concept of realizing you are, in fact, the problem, but still wanting the chance to make things work out again.
The EP finishes with my favorite song by CBB, “Sunsets and Cigarettes,” which is also the title track. This is a great song to finish with, as it is a return to the more upbeat, grittier sound and vocals of the earlier tracks. This song is just so, so good. I really cannot stop listening to this one. The lyricism is great, but the sound really is what hooks me with this one. The chorus is so catchy, and I have genuinely caught myself singing it to myself throughout the day.
Overall, I am a BIG fan of this EP. I’m happy to have discovered this band, and I believe with more releases they could become quite the powerhouse in the genre. I really enjoy how dynamic and ever-changing their sound is. I never truly know what to expect when I hear a new track from them, and I really enjoy that. Overall, I’d say if you dig Ole 60’s sound, you would definitely like this band. Give ‘em a listen.
Till next time, stay rowdy,
Kynny
Get Western 
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