SONG REVIEW: Cold For June - "'Repeat (Feat. Kyle Pavone)"
“Buckle up kids, this one is an emotional rollercoaster”
by Jesse Smith
Seeing bands emerge from the ashes these past 2 years has probably been my favorite part of music post-covid. From household names to older local bands that had something going for a little while, some of the best music has been coming out because it means something and you can feel it. The band we’re talking about today is a resurrection band that some of you may have heard of named Call For June. The band started around 2010 around the Detroit area and gained a bit of traction while they were around and slowly slipped away around 2015. Come 2021 they released a single that featured Aaron Gillespie which was a surprise to many. But resurrecting a band with just a single is cool for nostalgia but the big statement for them is their new single called “Repeat”.
The first time I heard “Repeat” I was immediately transported back listening to music on the bus going to highschool. A lot of acts try to pull off the updated older scene sound and it just sounds off, but this is fantastic. The first thing that caught my ears and my interest was the absolute perfect guitar tone that was chosen. It makes the song feel very alive and energetic and is very clear and not like a pile of mud. The other thing that grabbed my attention was the drums sounding like the drummer played them, a skilled drummer at that. The worst part about 2010 was the programmed drums that made it sound like every band had the same drummer. While this packs a punch like then, It has life and bounce to it which takes the song to the next level.
This single is an immediate jam, and not jam packed with parts fighting to stand out. The guitar solo was built up perfectly to be put on a pedestal and actually gave the rest of the band a moment to shine as well. That part in particular felt like they were in the same room and just went for it, which knowing that’s not how it happened makes it even more impressive and makes the imaginations run wild with how this would look and sound live. But the thing everyone is waiting for and the immediate eye grab is this song features the late Kyle Pavone of We Came As Romans. This, for many reasons, is a direct example of having the absolute perfect feature to take your song into orbit. For those who aren't aware and live under a rock, Kyle passed in 2018 and was a very emotional death that spread throughout the scene. On a deeper note, WCAR is one of Detroit’s top metalcore acts ever, so not only was this a huge deal to have a feature with kyle because unless someone has a file somewhere they’re sitting on, this might be the last song ever released with him on it, but this was a tip of the hat to the hometown. Putting kyle behind a very OG synth build up and giving that verse a spotlight was so epic that it took my breath away.
Overall, Cold For June made a gigantic statement late in 2022 and officially feels like a resurrection instead of a “last one for the road”. It is a fun listen and scratches the itch for something new that hasn’t been the mainstream sound in the scene for awhile. I never heard of Cold For June when they were in full swing, but with this single they have my full attention and I can not wait to see how this band follows this up and kicks off 2023.