Codego

Codego are a four piece alternative rock band from Halifax, Yorkshire. They describe themselves as an alternative rock band with a style influenced by Classic Rock and fused with dark and moody vocals topped with a modern twist. They are relatively new on the music scene having realised their first album in 2010, however, they already have a strong following on Facebook. Bass guitarist Matt was good enough to send me through some stuff, so I sat back and took it all in, this is what I thought.

Number One was the first track I listened to. There’s a very steady electric beat to get the track started, it’s soon accompanied by a subtle tapping of the drum kits cymbals and then the powerful sound of the drums themselves. The vocals kick in and instantly give off a strong impression; they are punchy and clear and mix beautifully with the steady, relaxed tune following along in the background. As the chorus comes to life, it’s not long before the unmistakable sound of distorted electric guitar fills your ears, the vocals fade away leaving the tail of the guitars invading your ears, the tempo totally drops having picked up for the chorus. My favourite part of the track was the insane duet between the drums and guitars three quarters the way through, I’ve said it time and time again that sometimes guitar solos can ruin a track, when they just go mad. This one just adds a whole new dimension to the track and makes it cover a whole range of genres. It keeps in with the tune, but just totally blew my mind.

The second track I listened to was called Not Too Old To Die Young. The track starts with a harmonic guitar solo; the pace is really chilled out with angel like vocals adding depth to the piece, just repeating the title over and over again. I’m gonna say now, this was my favourite track of the lot, I couldn’t put a finger on what these guys sounded like whilst listening to the first track but I instantly thought Goo Goo Dolls once this one started. A simple but effective drum beat joins the party, where the main lyrics begin; the track flows along with ease and is a real pleasure on the ears. The tempo rarely changes and doesn’t exceed 2nd gear and to be honest I’m pretty glad. The words have meaning and are clear to follow along with I even found myself murmuring along, until the chorus where I knew the words! The track finishes as we started, with a little guitar solo and the chorus being repeated over and over. For me the difference in pace, tone and general demeanor of the track is different to ‘Number One’, and as a result, it shows the band have the quality to adapt and express themselves in different ways.

Tunnel Of Light starts us off in the same sort of way as the previous track, however, there’s a distinct difference in the pace and feel of it all. There’s a solid, punchy bass line, backed up superbly by bouncy guitar riffs. The vocals are again excellent, I would have to say I disagree with the bands dark and moody vocals claim, as this track sounds anything but that! Everything is upbeat and lively, simplicity oozes out of this track and it works so well! I was tapping my feet within 10 seconds of the start and it made my day feel pretty damn good when in reality it was severely bang average! The tempo of the track doesn’t vary much and that is probably my only criticism and that’s just me being picky, another top effort.

The last track I listened to was Guilty. This track showed me the dark and moody style that the band speaks about in their profile. An eerie deep bass line starts us off before the crash of the drums and lead guitars take center stage. Just when I thought I had heard everything the band had to offer, the vocals came to life; sending a shudder down my spine, they feel heavier and just hit home a little harder than the previous tracks, the tempo is also noticeable quicker and gathers pace as the track progresses. There’s a quality piece of guitar work towards the end which you must listen out for. Again the track is extremely catchy and shows a bit of continuity which I liked.

Right well here’s my verdict. The band might not like me for saying this or maybe they will but for me this band are going places, the new Goo Goo Dolls in my opinion. There’s obviously a long way to go but the foundations are there. With a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck I look forward to seeing these guys at the bigger festivals - loud-stuff.com

Codego release their new double 'A' side single 'Number One' / 'Not Too Old To Die Young' on Friday 4th November 2011. The release is 'pay what you want' and can be downloaded from bandcamp.com.

Both trackes were recorded at Loom Studio and produced by Grant Henderson.

To celebrate the release the band are playing a Glasswerk Promotions headline gig at Cockpit 3 the same night with support from In Echoes, Twin Planets and Pseudo Nympho - Leeds Music Scene

Codego are a four piece alt-rock band hailing from Halifax with a variety of influences stretching from classic rock to indie. Their debut album ‘No Proof of Fate’ was released late last year and the upcoming double side will be the first new material since the album.

Number One, the first track on the release, is a venomous attack on an unfit mother, who puts herself and her needs ahead of all others. From the off this song is led by its hypnotic, electronic lead guitar riff, under laid with a dark and brooding rhythm section. The tempo is upped during the chorus, but the song retains its dark edge, with the lead guitar howling out over the top of a distorted rhythm guitar. An incredibly layered double solo (if you’ll excuse the oxymoron) tops off the song before cutting back to a hypnotic main guitar riff which leads the song out.

Not Too Old To Die Young, is a much different track. Beginning with a gentle guitar riff, accompanied by light cymbals and softly sung lyrics, the track has real conviction. The song then rises and falls, with fuller guitar sounds and heavier, crashing, drums creating an anthemic feel on the chorus; giving the impression it would be a real treat in a live environment.

Ultimately, neither of these songs are going to completely reinvent anyone’s ideas on alternative rock. However these are two well constructed and well delivered songs that deserve a listen.

7.5
words: Nick Wadsworth

- Croon Music

Halifax rockers Codego have released their debut single 'Tunnel of Light'.

The track, taken from forthcoming album 'No Proof of Fate', is their first official release through Confidential Records Ltd and is available to download on iTunes from today (Thursday 16th December) - Leeds Music Scene