25. March 2025
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Media Review

Cold Years – A Different Life

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Cold Years - A Different Life

Cold Years - A Different Life
4.5

Rating

 4.5/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Nice album with fun and deep tracks
  • Lovely ease

A Different Life is already the second album I feature from the band Cold Years. In April 2022, I shared my thoughts about the punk rockers’ sophomore album Goodbye To Misery with you. My review was enthusiastic, leading to a final rating of 4.7 / 5.0. Their third album overall has been released on 26th April 2024.

 

Cold Years – About The Artists

Cold Years are Ross Gordon (vocals, guitar), Louis Craighead (bass), Finlay Urquahrt (guitar) and Jimmy Taylor (drums). The band from Aberdeen in Scotland is active since 2015 and released their debut album Paradise in 2020. They are playing in an almost constant line-up – there have only been two changes on the drummer position. Their style is between alternative rock and punk rock. A Different Life has been recorded in New Jersey. A fun fact is that the band released the three already released singles of the album in two versions on YouTube, one with English and one with German lyric subtitles.

 

Cold Years – A Different Life – Track by Track

The eleven track album lasts 38 minutes.

1. Over

What is punk to me? A bit of crazy and cheeky, fresh and easy music, typically with a touch of rock music. I could give exactly these attributes to Over. The song comes with a catching melody and features cool guitar parts as well as those you might just love to sing-a-long with the band. Or, in short: Over makes you smile.

2. Roll With It

Songs like Roll With It make you feel that the album has in fact been recorded and produced in the United States. There is not the typical British punk-rock / punk-pop style in it. Therefore, it comes with a rather straight and easy style. This also means that the song has a nice airplay potential.

3. Radio

I can hear the song, it’s playing on the radioI never wanna see your face againI can see it all, on VHS and videoI never wanna see this place again

Radio is one of the shortest songs of the album, but quality does not need more than these 2:49 minute. In fact, especially the chorus with its straight melody simply gets stuck in the ears of the listener. You can sing with the band in the third chorus latest. Great one.

4. Low

The fourth track has a slightly melancholic beginning, but then nicely links to the characteristic style of the songs before. Nonetheless, the song feels a bit slower to me. Especially after listening to Roll With It and Radio right before, Low has trouble to leave a mark in my soul.

5. Youth

Youth initially catches you with stomping bass drums at the beginning of the song. Is there something like “feelgood punk rock”? If yes, that’s what I would call this Cold Years song. You simply have to smile while listening to this track. Sunshine in your heart guaranteed – even on a cold April release day.

6. Goodbye My Friend

You definitely cannot name Goodbye My Friend a feelgood song as well. The song is too thoughtful, too melancholic. But also in these kinds of mood, the Aberdeen quartet presents a sound which stays in your mind and should have some presence in the radio one day. It definitely deserves it.

7. Choke

Choke is the third and last single on the album, which has already been shared with the fans. The song is an unfussy and straight punk rocker with slightly harder soul than the songs before. This one works as a good mood track as well for your next rock party.

8. Fuck The Weather

Okay, that’s likely the song title you most easily remember of the whole A Different Life album. The song adds a very different flavor to the record. The very cool and laid back song comes with a nice groove and a touch of nostalgic feelings. I also like the short guitar solo in here. And yeah, of course it is fund to bawl Fuck The Weather in parallel to the band.

9. Other Side

Another very special listen in the context of the album is Other Side. Just using the acoustic guitar, the very personal song talks about private problems and thereby adds a touch of folk music to the set of eleven songs. The ninth song is very touching and one of the most emotional moments of these 38 minutes.

10. Let Go

Even though Let Go is more rocking again, it is not as punk-alike as the songs before. The track also comes with one of the easiest and most entertaining sing-a-long parts of the album.

11. Sick

The emotional highlight of the album is the closing song Sick. The melancholic piano ballad feels like the perfect farewell, even though it is not the most characteristic song for the album. In the very last moments of A Different Life, Cold Years underline that their spectrum of songs is much wider than the first songs might suggest.

 

Cold Years – A Different Life – Spotify

Here is the song on Spotify:

 

Cold Years – A Different Life – My View

I simply love spending time with Cold Years. Especially the last songs turn A Different Life into a really good and deep album. There are a lot of fun and feelgood moments, but the Aberdeen guys are very good in singing about other kinds of emotions as well. This finally turns the album into a lovely showcase for the band.

Favorite Song: Radio

 

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