In 2021, beloved Montreal post-punk band Ought broke up, and some of the members formed Cola. The following year, Cola released their debut album Deep In View. Since then, they’ve shared the songs “Keys Down If You Stay” and “Bitter Melon.” Today, they’re announcing their sophomore LP The Gloss and unveiling “Pallor Tricks.”

“Pallor Tricks” comes with a music video directed by Craig Scheihing. About the song, Tim Darcy explained:

The title ‘Pallor Tricks’ is obviously a play on ‘parlor tricks.’ The lyrics feature imagery from film sets and such. I suppose I was thinking of the kind of self-consciousness that can arise when a camera is rolling. I’ve always been particularly affected by the performances I (rarely) see on so-called ‘reality tv.’ The type of performance where a person is compelled into a kind of ‘hyper-real’ state where they summon grotesque approximations of emotion that are exaggerated but not elevated, as they are in art. I’m sure there’s lots of compelling stuff that goes on in those programs and I don’t mean to cast aspersions, this idea of performance simply became a jumping off point when we were writing this one. The song also cycles to a more sincere open chorus, a kind of musical juxtaposition.

The video by Craig Scheihing is not only a brilliant piece of film, it also mirrors some of these themes by presenting an array of screens and refracted super 8 dreamscapes alongside this kind of direct connection of Evan and his girlfriend.

“Keys Down If You Stay” and “Bitter Mellon” will appear on The Gloss. Watch the “Pallor Tricks” video below.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Tracing Hallmarks”
02 “Pulling Quotes”
03 “Pallor Tricks”
04 “Albatross”
05 “Down To Size”
06 “Keys Down If You Stay”
07 “Reprise”
08 “Nice Try”
09 “Bell Wheel”
10 “Bitter Melon”

TOUR DATES:
05/08 – Hanover, DE @ Cafe Glocksee
05/09 – Rotterdam, NL @ Vessell 11
05/10 – Eindhoven, NL @ Altstadt
05/11 – Luxembourg @ Out of the Crowd Festival
05/13 – Ramsgate, UK @ Ramsgate Music Hall
05/14 – Birkenhead, UK @ Future Yard
05/15 – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb Ifor Bach
05/17 – London, UK @ The George Tavern
05/18 – London, UK @ The George Tavern
07/05 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison
07/06 – Cleveland, OH @ Mahall’s
07/07 – Detroit, MI @ Lager House
07/08 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
07/11 – Nashville, TN @ Third Man Records
07/12 – Atlanta, GA @ 529
07/13 – Asheville, NC @ Eulogy
07/15 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd +
07/16 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s +
07/17 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom +
07/18 – Troy, NY @ No Fun +
07/19 – Boston, MA @ The Rockwell +
07/20 – Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount +
10/10 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar *
10/11 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon *
10/12 – San Francisco, CA @ Bottom of the Hill *
10/14 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios *
10/16 – Vancouver, BC @ Wise Hall
10/17 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s *

+ = w/ Mhaol
* = w/ Mind Shrine

The Gloss is out 6/14 on Fire Talk.