Album Reviews : Cog – Just Visiting

Cog recently re-released its 2 debut eps Just Visiting part 1, and part 2, as… Just Visiting. The initial pressings of these ep’s was back in 2002, with part 1 being released in february, and part 2 in October of that year.

Just Visiting has had a long history, with the music to feature on the ep’s being written years before their release.. as at the time they didnt have a vocalist. Then bands guitarist, Flynn Gower, unimpressed by the demos sent in to fill vocalist duties, trained himself to take on the task.

Fast forward a few years to the more polished and incredibly popular sound of 2005’s The New Normal, and again to this years ‘Sharing Space‘, and we are back to the Just visiting release.

The album features a different tracklisting compared to the ep’s just being stuck together one after the other, and the biggest change from the intial pressings is the previously never heard, longer version of Bondi. I dont know if I prefer the longer version, as after years of cranking the shorter version, the extra bits just seem.. wrong.. but i’m sure before long i’ll be able to sing along to the new bits as out of tune as I can to the rest of the song! But the over feel and flow of the album is better with the revised track order.

Cog’s Lucious Borich spent time earlier in the year re-mastering these tracks. Remastered releases seem to be a contentious issue, especially as to who does the remastering and the reasons behind it, but as far as this one goes, it does sound a bit better than the original. Thats not to say it had any problems with the sound.. but for fans of the The new Normal and Sharing Space who are unfamiliar with Just Visiting will find it much rougher sounding, and also a less ‘full’ sound. Flynn’s vocals are also on the rougher side, as he had only started signing on this release, compared to the bands later material.

For fans of The New Normal and Sharing Space who are looking to get more Cog, Just Visiting is certainly worth the purchase, but for fans who have the original ep’s, unless you’re a fan who needs everything, this isnt a must purchase.

7/10

Band: Cog
Album: Just Visiting
Year: 2008
Genre: Hard/Progressive Rock
Label: Independant
Origin: Bondi, NSW
http://www.myspace.com/cogrockmusic

Tracklisting:
Bondi
1010011010
Pseudo
Moo
Stretch
The truth and other Lies
Holes
Moshiach
Paris, Texas
Just Visiting