INTRODUCING - Coasting

*originally posted on thegirlsare

New York bands are cool. C’mon, there’s no denying this. From the nonchalant swagger of The Strokes to their punk predecessors, The Ramones, the Big Apple is responsible for a plethora of hipsters who all know their way around a great melody. Coasting are no exception to this, despite their small geographical placement a few miles or so west in the NY borough of Brooklyn. But as the Sex and The City starlet, Carrie Bradshaw proudly states ‘Brooklyn is the New Manhattan’, yah?

Geography aside, Coasting are comprised of Fiona Campbell (drums) and Madison Farmer (guitar). The band’s sound is an eclectic and invigorating mix of everything from surf rock to riot grrrl greatness to a lo-fi ambiance not too dissimilar to NME darlings, Warpaint. An obvious comparison in style for Campbell’s primal drums is Sleater Kinney‘s Janet Weiss and this is not a likeness doled out on a mere whim. Hell no, Campbell can drum. The intense and frenzied tom rolls of ‘Same Old Same Old‘ are reminiscent of Weiss’ spine tingling tom work on Sleater Kinney single, ’Entertain’. Campbell’s ‘other’ band, Vivian Girls, would make for another lazy reference but there’s a spray of surf in Coasting’s sound and even a sense of twee pop in their bitter-sweet girl group vocals.

The all girl duo met while working for DIY godfather Todd P building stages, taking door money and tending makeshift bars late into the evening. There’s certainly an undercurrent of his DIY approach to their recordings and song writing structures too. The group’s method of composition is centred on hanging out, jamming and intuitively running with what sounds right. With tracks titles, like ’Snoozefest’ and ’Hots for Teachers’, this pair ultimately excel in youthful exuberance and FUN. Their Cramps-esque guitars stylings are soaked in New York grunge cool but also, from over the waters, angsty grunge strums that are not a far cry from Male Bonding‘s similarly raw riffs.

Both the Dalston trio and Coasting share a sound that makes for a welcome retreat to yonder days of abrasive drones and slacker pop hits and that’s certainly a sound worth riding the wave of…

 

Thomas Tantrum,The Birdsong EP

*originally posted on thegirlsare

A surprise shift in direction makes for a welcome return. Thomas Tantrum are back and there's not a hissy fit in sight....

Chances are you will have already heard of Thomas Tantrum. The band, who list Lily Allen as one of their dazzling celeb fans, originally released their first EP in 2008 and made households everywhere sing along to the bands bratty whine of “I wanna talk”, like some kind of teen, well…tantrum. Three years on from their hazy days splashed over the pages of Artrocker and NME, where are they now, you might ask?

New release, Birdsong is the bands latest offering and, as the group bounce back with Cure like guitar jangle, it’s clear a lot has changed for this Southampton four piece in the time they’ve been missing from the spotlight. Gone are the tired rhymes and almost-cringe worthy-rap spats of former tracks like ‘What, What, What’, with its almost Kate Nash accented narrative. Instead, the bands front woman, Megan Thomas’ graceful vocals saunter through the whirling soundscapes with the same shining brilliance as Juanita Stein. Title track, ‘Face the Music’, shows that the band have done just that and seemed to have grown up, not only lyrically but musically too. Now, rather than sounding like some frat party hissy fit, they have the rhythmic swagger and reverb delicacies of bands like The Howling Bells and NME darlings, Warpaint.

The EP’s closer is an epic and empowering piano led ballad and something one could never have guessed would be the product of these former Talk Talk mobile starlets. As the ethereal guitar lines kick in, the track soars into a colossal chorus of ”you’ve been caught” and Thomas Tantrum truly have, in all their new (and improved) glory. Original demands of ”a drum roll when they step outside” may have appeared obnoxious before but, following this EP, only seems just.

Thomas Tantrum‘s new album is set for release this year.