Iggy Cosky admits that organization was never his strong suit. Cosky, the leader of Raleigh band The Lollipops, says he has written and recorded more than 500 songs. Since joining Raleigh’s Diggup Tapes roster in 2012, though, the band he fronts has yet to release a physical album, despite several lo-fi LPs and EPs on Bandcamp.
“I just don’t know what to do with them,” Cosky says of his extensive songbook.
But that is changing: The Lollipops will release a full-band record this spring. The self-titled effort includes tracks from Pop Narcotics and Your Royal Masochist & The Love Crusades, plus a few tunes the group has only played live. The album doesn’t have a release date or label quite yet.
The Lollipops, at least on record, have become synonymous with lo-fi tracks of a varied sort—sometimes electronic, hard rock or funk, but always supported by a pop backbone. That music was made when Cosky couch-surfed around Raleigh. Cosky describes the process as such: “Just drink a shitload of Four Lokos and record a bunch of pop music in my boxers—just get weird.” This made for straightforward pop music drowned in fuzz, love and anguish, but Cosky insists his music and personal life have both made 180s. He’s working a steady job at a pizzeria. He’s in a serious relationship. And he quit drinking, trading booze for weed and coffee.
“Now I just smoke joints and record music,” Cosky says. “It’s nice.”
That change seems to have impacted The Lollipops, too. Following the LP, they’ll release an Afrobeat-inspired EP by the fall. Cosky is also working on his jazzy experimental solo project, Julius Ransome. So far, he’s released two short EPs under that name via Bandcamp. The music makes it clear that he isn’t a one—or 48 or 500—trick pony.
The Lollipops play Slim’s in Raleigh tonight, Thursday, Jan. 23. The 9 p.m. show costs $5, and Raindeer, Gage and Three Brained Robot open.