Will Joseph Cook Gig Review
22nd October 2017, The Mash House, Edinburgh
For a venue with a 225 person capacity, this place was packed and alive. The support were already playing, their grunge-pop sound weaving through the crowd, energising it. It is one of those venues where as soon as your foot is through the door, you are immersed in its atmosphere, ready to let loose.
I had been a massive fan of Will Joseph Cook ever since his first releases, with the likes of the ‘You Jump I Run’ and ‘Proof Enough’ EPs in 2015. With everything from his punchy and uniquely-toned voice to an energised indie sound, I found myself always reaching time and time again for my earphones, in need of a hit.
Following the development of his style, for sure constantly bettering however staying true also to his distinct resonance, I fell, over and over again, for his new releases. With each new single, another layer of Will Joseph Cook was being unveiled to me, bringing with it new, exciting musical concepts, lyrical explosions and goosebumps on my arms.
Each track delivers fresh ideas and relatable feelings, perfectly placed amidst a body-moving bass line that takes you to another reality. It is when I word it like that, that I realise that this is what he has created. Cook’s music becomes a whole other dimension, where life’s issues are compiled into a light-hearted and feel-good tune, compelling you to just dance away the demons, and slip into a world of good energy.
Will’s newest album release ‘Sweet Dreamers’ to me, perfectly encapsulates this concept. That we can be dreamers, and we can live in that reality as much as we want if it brings us happiness and helps us to cope.
The album brings together the best of Will Joseph Cook, some of his old-school style, a hint of the fun-fuelled ‘Take Me Dancing’ era and develops into a stage of new-found identity and confidence. This album truly captures the feelings of youth, finding your feet, heartbreak and prosperity, all in 13 songs.
When seeing and hearing Cook perform on stage, I felt like I was inside one of his wild music videos, completely swept up into a whirlwind of vibrant and heart-pumping music. In unison with everyone else, I screamed out lyrics from my lungs and never once stopped jumping to the beat.
A perfect lyric from Will himself sums up the feeling of his music perfectly- “It’s good to be alive”. That is what I take from this amazing artist, but you should find out how it impacts you for yourself.
