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Life of Despair

acoustic version

Full Band Version

Life of Despair is a song born out of the most difficult chapter of my life. When I was 12 years old, my dad took his own life, and the ripple effects of that moment have shaped who I am and how I see the world. I wrote this song from his perspective, trying to imagine the weight he carried and the thoughts he couldn’t share out loud. For me, it wasn’t just about writing music—it was about confronting the pain that’s been with me since that day and turning it into something that can connect with others.

Growing up without my dad left a hole that never fully closes, and there were years of confusion, anger, and silence. Music became the only way I knew how to process it. Putting his voice into words was my way of trying to understand him, but also of giving myself a chance to heal. I’ve come to realize that so many of us carry struggles that no one else sees, and sometimes just knowing you’re not alone can be the thing that keeps you going. That’s what I hope this song can do for someone else.

I believe everyone has a purpose, and part of mine is sharing this story—not just for me, but for anyone who’s ever felt lost in despair. If my music can help someone else feel seen, or remind them to hold on a little longer, then I know I’m doing what I was meant to do. Life of Despair is heavy, but it’s also proof that out of pain can come connection, healing, and maybe even hope.

Bozeman local artist and producer Jacob Rountree recorded, mixed, and mastered this song. Jacob is a nationally touring singer-songwriter as well, so please give him a follow on social media and catch him on tour HERE

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Life Of Despair - Acoustic

Life Of Despair - Band Version

Starting Fires On A Dare

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Starting Fires On A Dare is the culmination of two years of writing, recording, and releasing songs that dig into the raw edges of life, love, loss, and the search for meaning. Across seven tracks released between 2024 and 2025, the album weaves a story that’s as much about resilience as it is about recklessness. It balances the grit of Southern rock with the introspection of Americana storytelling, carving out a sound that feels both restless and rooted.

The title track sets the tone with its mix of danger and freedom, capturing the fire of youthful choices made in the heat of the moment. From there, the record dives into deeper territory: songs of heartbreak that refuse to sugarcoat the pain, anthems of small-town grit and survival, and moments of quiet reflection where vulnerability is laid bare. Every track feels lived-in, a piece of your story pressed into melody.

Recorded at Blue Sky Studios in Jackson, MS, the songs were released as singles from April 2024 to March 2025.

Tracklist

The album kicks off with its namesake track, a Southern rock anthem that embodies recklessness and desire. It’s a song about stepping into a relationship you know could burn you, but choosing it anyway because the thrill outweighs the risk. The guitars drive with urgency while the lyrics capture the intoxication of danger and attraction. As the opener, it lights the fuse for the themes that carry through the rest of the album: risk, consequence, and the messy beauty of living without guarantees.

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A playful yet sharp reflection of modern dating, Tinder Queen takes aim at the absurdities of swiping culture. Co-written with Tyler Flathau, the track carries wit and edge, highlighting the shallow stereotypes and fleeting encounters that define digital romance. Its upbeat energy makes it one of the more lighthearted songs on the record, offering a break from the heavier moments while still cutting close to the truth.

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Raw and vulnerable, Fifty-Fifty is a confession set to music. The song tells the story of a relationship on the edge, pushed to breaking by alcohol and the ultimatum that followed: it’s either love or the bottle. With its stripped-down honesty, the track doesn’t point fingers — instead it lays out the cost of addiction and the weight of choice. It’s not just about the struggle itself but the reckoning that comes when someone you love forces you to face it. Emotional and unflinching, it’s one of the album’s most personal songs.

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The album closes with Amanita Rose, a reflective journey through the uncertainty of growing up and learning that life rarely matches our expectations. The song follows a narrator who thinks they’ve got it figured out — school, relationships, choices — only to discover that every step forward uncovers more questions than answers. The lyrics balance honesty and humility: promises made but not kept, friendships lost to time, and the slow realization that knowledge often comes with age and mistakes.

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This track leans on Southern rock swagger to tell a story born out of a real roadside encounter with a homeless man who tried to rob me. Instead of telling the story as a straight retelling, the song dives into the humanity and desperation behind that moment. It’s less about the crime itself and more about the man’s broken dreams, his fight to survive, and the harsh reality of having “nothing but a plan.”

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Where other songs on the album explode with grit, Supper’s Cold simmers quietly. It's a song about homecoming, but not the easy kind. It captures the bittersweet weight of returning to the town you grew up in — where the streets feel familiar, but the years and distance make it all seem different. With vivid imagery of pine trees, streetlights, and childhood curfews, the song weaves nostalgia with disillusionment.

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Mental health is the heartbeat of Find A Laugh, a song about fighting heaviness with small moments of light. Instead of sugarcoating the struggle, it acknowledges how hard it can be to keep going when everything feels heavy. But the chorus shifts the perspective — urging listeners to hold onto humor, to find joy in the cracks of the day, and to let laughter become a lifeline. Sonically uplifting, it pairs a groove you can nod along to with a message that’s both hopeful and hard-won.

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Can't Ruin A Bad Reputation

Can’t Ruin A Bad Reputation is a 5-song collection that showcases both the grit and vulnerability. Blending Americana storytelling with Southern rock edge, the EP explores themes of love, loss, resilience, and the scars we carry along the way.

The title itself nods to the idea that flaws and mistakes don’t define us—they become part of the story. Across these five tracks, Cole leans into that truth: some songs hit hard with driving energy and wry humor, while others cut deep with reflection and heartache. Together, they form a raw snapshot of life lived loud, messy, and honest.

This is Cole's deput full-band EP recorded at Blue Sky Studios in Jackson, Mississippi with producer Casey Combest and sound technician Tucker Ward.

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Tracklist

The title track of the EP is a swaggering, whiskey-soaked love story wrapped in Southern rock grit. Can’t Ruin A Bad Reputation tells of meeting a wild, unforgettable woman whose name came with warnings — but whose presence burned too bright to ignore. With lines like “How am I in love with a girl I just met?” the song captures the intoxicating mix of danger, attraction, and reckless abandon that fuels the best kind of heartbreak anthems.

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Needles is the darkest and most gut-wrenching song on Can’t Ruin A Bad Reputation. Told from the first-person perspective of addiction, it traces a descent from a teenage cigarette to pills, to heroin — and the devastation that follows. The lyrics reveal a man who has lost nearly everything to his habit but still clings to the hope of redemption: “When the time is right, I’m gonna put up a fight on the day my savior comes.”

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Flippin’ The Bird brings humor and bite to the Can’t Ruin A Bad Reputation EP. It’s a tongue-in-cheek story-song that turns everyday frustrations — with cops, bosses, and even relationships — into a rollicking anthem about stubbornness and attitude. The verses walk through one misstep after another, but the refrain drives home the truth: no matter how satisfying it feels in the moment, “ain’t no problem bein’ solved by flippin’ the bird.”

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