“Leave what you know and get grown. Everyday, remember why you left.”
In recent years, shoegaze has arguably seen its mostly fruitful period, with the likes of Loathe, Graywave, The Darling Fire, Love Is Noise and Deafheaven adding depth to a genre that is becoming one of the most enticing and interesting to follow. Adding to this is California six-piece unit Cold Gawd, who, with their second offering, God Get Me The Fuck Out Of Here, aim to shift the genre both sonically and socially. Spearheaded by vocalist Matt Wainwright, the record channels malaise and melancholy into gauzy, galvanized anthems of escape, change, and introspection. For instance, mid-point track “Comfort Thug” is a brooding, largely improvised spoken-word piece inspired by the notable lack of black musicians in shoegaze.
There is a forcefulness to God Get Me The Fuck Out Of Here that lends it a potency that many shoegaze records lack. Any dust that might have settled mentally during the opening tracks “Jesus Wept Shit” and “You Should Be Fine Down There” are shaken off by the abrupt opening on “On The Pale Silver Sofa” and its hardened drum grooves. Its opening moments see Cold Gawd lean into their heavier and more abrasive side, all while maintaining a captivating grace that has an ever so pleasant charm to it. On the aforementioned opening track, “Sweet Jesus Wept Shit“, deep guitar riffs fill the track, with Wainright‘s vocals succinctly tying the piece together.
The softer and deeper cuts are first presented with “Two Iris Prints“, a lamenting track that sees God Get Me The Fuck Out Of Here play with the listener’s emotions. Lines such as “scraps of metal in my hands / I still can’t figure out who I am” are delivered in a manner that strike through like an unwanted memory. These sit alongisde instrumentals that create a deep and spacious atmosphere which allows the mind to fully absorb the track. It feels as if it’s meant to be contemplated and dwelled on rather than simply digested and quickly moved on from as the next track hits. In this case, with “Comfort Thug” hitting next, perhaps the track should be seen as a lead into a wider message God Get Me The Fuck Out Of Here looks to offer.
What follows with the final three tracks is in my opinion some of the finest shoegaze that’s come out in recent years. This isn’t to discount the prior tracks, rather that the closing phase is sheer magic. The first of these three is recent single “Gin“, one that would have pulled many immediately into what Cold Gawd have to offer. It’s a huge and ethereal track that has the guitars railing against the ears. This, layered with the stunning vocal performance, creates a captivating soundscape that is difficult not to get lost in. Choice moments where the guitar hooks come layered make “Gin” truly alluring.
In its penultimate moments, God Get Me The Fuck Out Of Here leaves a lasting mark with “You the Well“, a track that will give goosebumps with its sublime and moving sounds. Wainwright‘s pitched vocals particularly make it stand out from the rest of the tracklist. These, contrasted with the reverb-laden guitars, provide a dreamlike quality that is grounded to the track; there is a sense of floating away that has to be experienced to be fully understood. Its ability to bleed melancholy, both vocally and instrumentally, causes it to fill the emotions in a way that is saddening but also rather beautiful. “You The Well” is a moment where one comes to truly recognise God Get Me The Fuck Out Of Here as a deeply special record that will hopefully see Cold Gawd become a name known to many over the coming years.
God Get Me The Fuck Out Of Here exits with “Passing Through the Opposite of What It Approaches“, which sees everything turned up a notch, most notably on the guitar and percussion front. Wainwright performs haunting and harsh vocals that are equally fitting for the record’s closing moments, telling that there is no easy backdoor out of the record. The closer alone demonstrates the sheer vocal range on offer across the record. While the versatility and diversity of Wainwright‘s vocals may not be obvious at first, these give each track its own character whilst tying the project together.
It’s difficult not to place God Get Me The Fuck Out Of Here as one of the top shoegaze records to release in recent years. There is a life and aesthetic to it that is fresh to the genre, away from the gloom and fuzzy mannerisms that it has leaned into for so long. Underneath the humorous naming conventions and clean aesthetic is some incredibly gorgeous music that would be amiss of any shoegaze fan to avoid. It’s a record that is worth delving into and embracing, with certain moments being spine-tinglingly magical. With the wider genre going through somewhat of a renaissance, Cold Gawd are here to craft a tapestry on their own terms.
9.5/10
God Get Me The Fuck Out Of Here is out September 23rd via Dais Records, and you can pre-order the record here.