Full Cookie

Full Cookie is off to a good start. J. Forcinito (drums) and T. Monaghan (guitar/vocals) have only been together for about a year and half which to me is still the embryonic stage of development. The band quickly released Seasons which is a full DIY effort.

​The songs are eclectic to say the least but also stripped down efforts which bring to mind a band like The White Stripes or The Black Keys. On that note what matters in songs like these is often the details. It’s the inflection of the vocals, the way a snare drum is hit, etc. Suffice it to say I really loved the delivery. I instantly liked Monaghan’s vocals and guitar work. The same goes for Forcinito who delivers what the songs need.

They start with a rocker entitled “Thank You” which is one that has a good amount of energy. It’s fun, catchy and easy on the ears. The hook is there and all in all it’s a great song. Up next is “F.I.T.E.” which starts with soulful singing and guitar. The cymbals start to shimmer and you know something is coming. It’s a slight bluesy rock song and also delivers the goods.

“CBD” might be the highlight here. The band pulls back the straight rock and is a mix of classic rock, Americana and folk. I was reminded of The Beatles on this song. Monaghan’s vocals really shine here. “Pigmen” felt a tiny bit out of place after “CBD” because it’s more aligned with a band like The Clash. It’s a great song but clearly felt more aligned with UK garage rock.

The band opens up more with “Seasons (1. The Journey).” The tones and textures are lush and perhaps comparable to early Tame Impala. They go down a psychedelic hole with “This Place (II. The Arrival)” which sounds more aligned with Pink Floyd. They close with “Slither Among The Fruitful ((III. The Disappointment) & (IV. The Infinite))” which again kind of veers in a different direction. It’s a mix of dark psych rock in the spirit of bands like Comets on Fire.

I really like this band. They also have all the standard signs of bands that recently formed. The songs are great but this album is clearly a band that is experimenting with different genres and trying to find a signature sound. You can hear it in the approach and influence. I’ve been in bands and also produced artists for over twenty years. Finding a signature sound is hard and sometimes it never comes. At best though I usually noticed with bands I’ve been in and bands I’ve produced that the two to three year mark is where a band starts to really coming together. There are of course outliers but this seems to be about the time frame.

Overall, I really love the songwriting and delivery of these songs. At some point a band like this needs to record to analog tape but I seriously anticipate some more great things to come from them. Take a listen. - Divide And Conquer Music