With Eddie Cohn’s “Wheels Stop,” The LA-based maestro cooks something so raw and urgent, it’ll set your speakers on fire. It’s the grand finale of his six-song EP, and boy, does it deliver. This isn’t one average tune; it’s a big ol’ “screw you” to everything holding you back, wrapped up in riffs and grooves that’ll knock you off.
Cohn’s got a secret weapon up his sleeve – a gang of LA’s finest musical badasses. Let’s break it down: Brett Farkas on electric guitar is like The Edge and Kim Thayil had a child – all shimmery one second, then crunchy and gnarly the next. Dan Lutz’s bass? It’s the backbone of this beast, with a groove so tight it could squeeze through a keyhole. Jake Reed on drums? This guy’s not just keeping time; he’s on a mission to demolish your eardrums with thunderous fills and laser-precise beats. And don’t even get us started on Phil Peterson’s cello – it’s pure genius, weaving through the chaos like a shadow with a vengeance. Cohn’s vocals here are a revelation. Channeling the gravel-and-honey growl of Chris Cornell and the primal urgency of Eddie Vedder, he’s never sounded more unshackled. The guy’s hitting notes that’ll make your hair stand on end, especially in that chorus where he’s soaring over harmonies that’d make Alice in Chains proud. Lyrically, he’s exorcizing demons—no specifics needed when the delivery’s this visceral. You feel the catharsis as he howls about ditching the soul-suckers and clawing toward self-reinvention.
Recorded across studios, living rooms, and even Hawaii (shoutout to mixer Kevin Penner), “Wheels Stop” is a Frankenstein’s monster of modern rock—in the best way. Picture this: Cohn’s belting out vocals from his living room, Farkas is shredding guitar in Pasadena, Lutz is thumping bass who-knows-where, and Peterson’s cello is wailing all the way from Seattle. Oh, and don’t forget Kevin Penner mixing it all in freaking Hawaii! It’s a crazy patchwork of sound, but damn if it doesn’t hit you like a bolt of lightning.
“Wheels Stop” isn’t just the best song on the EP—it’s the beating heart of the whole damn thing. Then go burn those bridges—Eddie Cohn’s got your back.
Make it loud. Burn the deadwood. Repeat.