John Cozz - “Indie Blockheads”

John Cozz is an expert at crafting playful, tongue-in-cheek songs that absolutely rock. More than that, though, his songs tend to have deeper meanings that take an astute listener to fully process. Take his 2020 release “Who’s Going To Take Over Jeopardy?” as an example. On the surface, it may come across as a half-joking lament of the changing of the guard on one of television’s longest running game shows, due in part to Cozz adopting a sort of wailing, sing-speak vocal delivery in the verses. But in actuality, the song cleverly uses humor to explore some bigger questions like how do we deal with inevitable changes in life? How do we process death? Sadly, transitions in life are challenging, and Cozz was right to be concerned, as Jeopardy seems to keep cycling through sub-par hosts following Alex Trebek’s tragic passing. Maybe that wasn’t the point of “Who’s Going To Take Over Jeopardy?,” but that was this listener’s takeaway.

Cozz’s latest single, “Indie Blockheads,” sees him embedding his critiques even deeper into his music. The track quite clearly pokes fun at music gatekeepers, and beyond that, takes shots at anyone who takes themselves too seriously. That much is obvious lyrically, but Cozz also cycles through a smattering of genres as the song progresses, which seems like a sure fire way to stick it to those smug indie purists. Around the halfway point, the song transforms into a full blown ska jam complete with a horn section just as Cozz sings, “I bet you liked Catch 22.” Yeah, I did, and I like “Indie Blockheads,” as well. It’s a middle finger to all those capital “I” Indie Blockheads who think they make the rules. 

You can also listen to it on your platform of choice. Check out John Cozz on Bandcamo and follow him on Instagram.

Don’t miss John Cozz With The Works at Pet Shop in Jersey City on Thursday, August 4th! They’ll be performing alongside Jonny Couch and Van Chamberlain. The show is free and starts at 7pm!