Single Premiere: Cody Brooks ‘Snake In The Kitchen’

Photo: Cody Brooks by Bee Taylor

We are pleased to premiere Cody Brooks’ new single ‘Snake In the Kitchen’ from his new album, First World Problems out June 3, 2022 via Pasadena Records.

Roots rocker Cody Brooks blends the rawest blues, Django jazz, bare-knuckle rock & roll and his streetwise swagger for his debut album First World Problems. With help from a 1929 B&J Victoria parlor guitar and a voice that’s as wild and rough-hewn as the Tennessee backwoods where he grew up, Cody Brooks embraces that old-world vibe, updating its sound with the sneer of punk rock and rock & roll swagger. Although still in his 20s, Brooks has lived the sort of life that’s more typical of someone from a previous century.

Filled with overdriven slide guitar and industrialized drumbeats, it’s a record that tips its hat to the past while still looking forward. Brooks’ songs spin stories of revenge, anger, dirty love, clean breaks and the infamous time that a baby copperhead snake bit him on the arm, resulting in a three-day fever dream (and inspired songwriting session) while he lay in bed and sweated out the poison.

“Snake In The Kitchen” rocks hard but still feels haunted and unnerving. Brooks conjures up a modern take on old-time, Hell-bound country blues like a 21st Century Robert Johnson, Peetie Wheatstraw, or Skip James. His commanding presence adds a certain gravitas to his singing and playing that makes this high-test blues workout believable and personally authentic. The animated music video for the song enhances the tune’s darkness, as well. Cody Brooks is a legend on the rise and “Snake In The Kitchen” is just more evidence that he’s willing and able to close the deal. Don’t bother looking for a crossroads; the man you want to see is right here.

Cody Brooks says, “After being bit by a baby copperhead snake in the heart of Tennessee [Too broke and proud to go to the hospital], I spent the next three days sleeping off poison and fever dreams.” He adds, “This video reflects the fever dreams I had and I wanted to reveal some of the darker sides of the mind when it is pumping venom throughout your body. It’s enough to either kill you or drive you crazy, and I survived.”

Check out “Snake In The Kitchen”

Produced by in-demand drummer Ken Coomer (former Wilco, Uncle Tupelo), Brooks and Coomer played nearly every instrument on the album. “We wanted this record to shake the jaded,” says Cody. “We didn’t want to sound safe.”