Psychedelic, rugged fury

Cosmic Kitten has upped the ante on their latest release Laugh of a Lifetime. The pounding drums, contrasting introductions and vocal barrage easily solidifies their punk sound and allows for the rest of the band to open up and showcase their skills. 

Drummer Zach Huckabee’s first opening drum trills on “Live by the Sea” feel calm, however, once the guitarist throws their hat into the ring, that calm evolves into a rugged fury where Huckabee guides the ship. Vocalist Karen Marie sounds like Courtney Barnett in the way she runs through phrases and slides her own vocal adlibs throughout the choruses. 

Huckabee is the Long Beach trio’s main rhythm section and this album’s loud, unsung hero. His drumming helps set up each song perfectly, from his soft, relaxed vibe on “Songbird” to raucous beats on “Count Me In.” But it isn’t just a mastery of traditional percussion that elevates the record.

Surprisingly, the cymbals on this album are its shining light. Soft cymbal taps on “Some Fascination” can be heard underneath the guitar intro, punctuated with a kick drum on occasion. The song really opens up once Huckabee moves to the toms, the guitars change to a more distorted riff section and Marie starts to croon: “I’m in love with something/ If not tangible/ I don’t want to exist.”

The introductions throughout the record aren’t the same, and it saves the album from becoming tedious and repetitive. The most memorable comes off one of the album’s last tracks, “No Head,” which exudes a psychedelic, pure ‘70s vibe introduction that could easily be switched as the beginning of a classic Beatles song. This intro doesn’t last long as it transitions into alternative once again, but the lyrics still remain in that dream state: “In a dream/ I wait for sleep/ In a day/ I’d float away.”

The best track from this record, “Songbird,” shies away from the other songs as its softer, drawling instrumental contradicts the distorted guitar that overpowers each chorus. This change of pace feels like strolling through rolling hills as Marie’s vocals fit perfectly in between the changes. A guitar solo helps round out the track as flat, solid ground, providing this instrumentation as the clouds pass in the sky.

Overall, Cosmic Kitten lives up to its own name in its softer tracks but takes on more of a puma or mountain lion vibe at some points. These changes led by excellent drumming, make this album more than just a laugh; it’s a creative cackle.