DecoyMusic.com

Sign Up | Login |

Forgot your password?

Troubled Coast - Letters

Rating

RIYL

Braindead
Modern Life is War
Crime in Stereo
Hollywood

Release Date

04/05/2011

Label

Creator-Destructor

Tracklist

1. Amends
2. Wolf Republic
3. Breathing
4. Night Drives
5. It's Not Good For You
6. Drug Halo
7. Feigned Belief
8. XX/XY
9. Absent Father, Holy Ghost
10. Me And My Shadow
11. A Shallow Place
12. Love

Users Rating 6 ratings	Your Rating Create an account or log in to rate this album
Recent Ratings
xRinox	lansky420
Zach Roth	Bill Lohr
Jacopo ebolarama Olivares	totzine

Does anyone remember when post hardcore actually had a distinct hardcore influence and simply sounded like more forward thinking, progressive hardcore? A sound that traded breakdowns and circle pits for emotional interludes and powerful leads while still holding a sound rooted in hardcore punk? Well one thing is for certain, Troubled Coast sure do.

Upon listening to Troubled Coast’s newest record Letters it’s obvious these guys have grown in leaps and bounds from their previous record, 1000 Miles from Home. To classify these guys simply as a bay area hardcore band doesn’t exactly make sense. Sure, to the average listener, they could sound like a hardcore band, but to any avid and dedicated listener of the genre, or similar genres, there’s a lot more going on. With their older material, they hit the drums pretty fast and ended their songs just as soon as they started. That sense of speed and aggressiveness isn’t found on Letters but to say it’s not intense would be a lie. The speed and aggression have been traded for heavy layers of atmospheric and palm-muted guitars, cathartic-esque screaming and singing that give an obvious nod to the post-rock and post-hardcore genres. It might not get a circle pit going, but it’ll definitely get the hairs on your neck raised and voice singing.

Lyrically speaking, the album is somewhat all over the place, but that’s not to say there isn’t a theme. The lyrics hold a strong metaphorical tone with many references to the water and the ocean. Upon reading through the entire lyric book, there’s a noticeably dark and lost undertone to Letters. One cannot help but be filled with ideas of desperation, longing, waiting, future plans faced with failure, lost love and anger, nostalgia, and addiction. If you’re a listener who likes to read the lyrics before listening to an album, the music that accompanies the words on Letters suits it perfectly, something that is sometimes difficult to do in today’s musical climate.

The biggest drawback to the album, though, is the above mentioned lyrical content. Sure, the lyrics are intelligent, they invoke definite feelings, and the music accompanying the words intensifies the feelings, but the lyrics are so metaphoric and all over the place in each song, it makes them harder to follow. By writing lyrics that are rather obtuse, it’s harder to bring listeners in and share feelings and emotions, whereas if they were writing more straightforward lyrics, listeners could instantly grasp them. However, some bands like to write more complex lyrics that are open to several interpretations, and give the listener the ability to attach their own meaning to them. Perhaps Troubled Coast is taking this approach?

As a whole, Letters is an accomplished record. The music is robust with musicianship and lyrical content, even though the lyrics might not be simple and straightforward, it matches the nature of their music, so can you really get down on them for it? If you’re looking for something that is slightly poppy but still holds a dark and aggressive undertone, Troubled Coast’s Letters might be the soundtrack to your evening.

--Devin Boudreaux

Author

DevDawg

Last updated: 05/19/2011 06:52AM

Comments

Jacopo ebolarama Olivares

05/19/2011

08:55AM

Age: 24

Location
San Diego, CA

I've been getting really into this album

Too old to bother, too young to give a shit.

b_myers

05/19/2011

10:00AM

Age: 29

Location
Spokane, Washington

yea, this album has had my attention of late. good stuff, and nice review devin.

Current Listenings:
7 Horns 7 Eyes - "Throes of Absolution"
Horse Feathers - "Cynic's New Year"
Andrew Bird - "Break It Yourself"
Sigur Ros - "Valtari"
Rocky Votolato - "Television of Saints"
Janus - "Nox Aeris"
Blues Traveler - "25"