The Cold Stares are an American rock band from Evansville, Indiana, formed in 2009. The duo (now recently a trio) has independently released four studio albums - A Cold Wet Night (2014), Head Bent (2017), Mountain (2018), and Ways (2019) - with their fifth release Heavy Shoes released via Mascot Records on August 13, 2021.[1]
The Cold Stares | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Evansville, Indiana, United States |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Labels | |
| Members |
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| Website | https://www.thecoldstares.com/ |
History edit
The duo, originally from Madisonville in Western Kentucky, is guitarist-singer Chris Tapp and drummer Brian Mullins, who have a friendship that dates to their early twenties when they were in bands together. They went their separate ways then to only circle back a decade later and currently reside in Evansville. The group then self-released their first four albums.[2]
The band's 2012 release A Cold Wet Night and a Howling Wind sold 25,000 copies and reached #1 on Amazon Music's Blues Rock albums chart.[3]
The title track from Head Bent (2017) was used in a Dodge commercial,[4][5] and 2018's Mountain album featured "Sleeping With Lions" which was used in Animal Kingdom on TNT, a Monster Energy commercial, ESPN, and the X Games.[4][6]
Their 2019 album Ways again made Amazon's Best Sellers list in the Hard Rock category. While the band was scheduled to support Joe Bonamassa on his 2020 Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea II cruise, the event was canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
Their song "Mojo Hand" is the trailer song for Cyberpunk 2077, with over 10 million streams on YouTube and features actor Keanu Reeves.[8] Another Cold Stares track, "Suffer Me," is also featured in the game.
In 2021, Mascot North America President Ron Burman announced that the group had signed to Mascot Label Group, and announced their fifth studio album Heavy Shoes.[9] Mixed by Mark Needham and mastered by Andy Vandette, the project was released on August 13, 2021. The album artwork was designed by Rick and Morty's Corey Booth.[10] The singles "In the Night Time" and "Prosecution Blues" were chosen by Classic Rock Magazine and their readers as tracks of the week.[11][12] American Songwriter praised the record, calling it "gusty and personal" and "arguably their finest [record]."[13]
Since 2022, the duo has become a trio, adding bassist Bryce Klueh to the original lineup. In 2023, the trio launched their latest studio album, "Voices", also under the Mascot label group.
Discography edit
Albums
- A Cold Wet Night (2014)
- Head Bent (2017)
- Mountain (2018)
- Ways (2019)
- Heavy Shoes (2021)
- Voices (2023)
EPs
- Resonator (2015)
- Look Over Yonder Hill (2015)
- Ways Blue (2019)
- Ways White (2019)
- Ways Black (2019)
- Black Sunset (2020)
References edit
- ^ "The Cold Stares Announce New Studio Album, 'Heavy Shoes,' Reveal New Song And Video For 'In the Night Time'". American Blues Scene. 2021-04-30. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ "The Cold Stares Release 'Hard Times,' And Announce Signing To Mascot Records New album to be released in late 2021". Mascot Label Group. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "The Cold Stares". Ride Festival. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ a b "The Cold Stares: Small Town Band Goes Big". iHeart Radio. iHeart Media. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ "'Stuck in a Rut' used in Dodge commercial!". The Cold Stares. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ "The Cold Stares Roar With New Single". Richlynn Group. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ Lewry, Fraser (15 November 2019). "The Cold Stares launch possibly haunted video for thundering rocker Into Black". Louder Sound. Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "The Cold Stares Facebook". The Cold Stares. Facebook. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "Blues/Rock Duo, The Cold Stares Announce New Album with Mascot Records Share New Single & Video". Rock and Blues Muse. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "The Cold Stares Announce New Studio Album 'Heavy Shoes'". The Grateful Web. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- ^ Glass, Polly (3 May 2021). "Tracks of the Week: new music from The Sheepdogs, Fantastic Negrito and more". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ Lewry, Fraser (26 July 2021). "Tracks of the Week: new music from Joe Bonamassa, Howlin Rain and more". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ Horowitz, Hal (10 August 2021). "Review: The Cold Stares Craft Hot Blues Rocking with the Stomping 'Heavy Shoes'". American Songwriter. Retrieved 16 August 2021.