Cola – “Hedgesitting” [Video]

“Melting guitars and second thoughts — step into ‘Hedgesitting.’”

Montreal trio Cola — Tim Darcy (vocals/guitar), Ben Stidworthy (bass), and Evan Cartwright (drums) — have announced their third album, Cost of Living Adjustment, dropping May 8th via Fire Talk Records. Yes, the acronym is intentional. C.O.L.A. functions almost like a self-titled record, and thematically it’s wrestling with some big stuff: socialism vs. hell, the dice roll of everyday life, and the kind of nostalgia that hits you somewhere between sweet and unsettling.

Kick things off with lead single “Hedgesitting,” and you’ll notice right away that something has shifted. The band built their rep on tasteful minimalism, but this one’s lush and layered — live drums stacked on a sample loop, guitars that feel like they’re melting in the best possible way. Think a deconstructed, slow-motion cousin of the Cure’s Disintegration with a little Sarah Records DNA tucked in. The video, directed by Kristina Pedersen, is equally worth your time.

The way Cola works hasn’t changed: everyone writes separately, then they collide in the studio and see what sticks. “Hedgesitting” actually started as a chord idea from Darcy, got stretched out together as a band, and then Stidworthy remixed it right before they hit the studio. That push and pull is baked into everything they do.

What has changed is the vocal approach. Earlier Cola records leaned on sprechgesang, that half-spoken, half-sung delivery that became a signature move. On C.O.L.A., melody takes the wheel. Darcy’s voice sits alongside the instrumentation as an equal, not above it. The lyrics are still sharp and precise — he jokes it’s not a Cocteau Twins record — but now they flow rather than land.

Cost of Living Adjustment is out May 8th via Fire Talk Records. Pre-order it here.