Named after a particularly enticing ice confectionary that has a nostalgic Australian summertime feel to it, Maitland’s The Golden Gaytimes return with another sparkling ray of filtered sunshine in their single ‘Cozzie Livs’. And yet, as the spoken word introduction with its hilarious Australian vernacular suggests, all that glitters is not gold. The lyrics, delivered in the band’s signatory radiant style refer to the bleaker side of capitalism and consumerism:
Borrow borrow borrow borrow
I’m declined
We’ve got every reason to be out of our minds
Yeah Borrow borrow borrow
It’s enshrined
And in the end all that you spend is mine
Indeed, ‘Cozzie Livs’ is a lighthearted, slang term for the “cost of living crisis” and was even named Macquarie Dictionary’s “Word of the Year” in 2023.
Singer Jane-O says:
Cozzie livs, it’s the hot topic of the moment! The lyrics came easily with this song, so we ran with it. Where are the eggs and how much is it for a bloody beer these days?! You all know the script!
Indeed while Australia is in the soporific grip of an election campaign where politicians seemingly understand during the short space of an election campaign what the ordinary citizen experience, it is a well timed release expressing the level of cynicism that pervades society.
The Golden Gaytimes thus create a bittersweet tone: effervescent music that has a sardonic undertone: a wry and acerbic view of the vicissitudes of life delivered in day-glo brilliance. The sound is an enticing mix of The Undertones and The Flaming Lips and a fairground carousel, wrapped up with an indelible euphoric pop sensibility. Candy floss with crunch and a serious message.
The track comes with a vivid psychedelic video created by Luke Bennett laced with that curious antipodean feature of self-deprecatory humour laced with arsenic:
This is exciting stuff: a crunchy pop delight with a serious message delivered with an arched eyebrow and a foot tapping blast. ‘Cozzie Livs’ is out on Monday, 28 May and available to download and stream through the link below and via all the usual sites.
It healds the announcement of a new album by the band entitled ‘Bung It On’ due out later this year.
