aaamusic | On 10, Dec 2011

The first thing noticeable on Split The Coast, fresh from New York, is an urge to get in a car and drive down a sunny country road. Very similar to the sound of fellow label buddies Noah and the Whale, Split The Coast has a keen soundtrack-esque sound. The vocals are balanced and there’s a great range performed by the wonderful Elliot Michaud backed up by both Ish Nazmi on bass and Mike Seay on drums coming together to make some form of hybrid sound crossed between jazz and blues and a wee bit of that alternative rock side. Their 60’s influence comes through on The Town again which is covered in similarities to Noah and the Whale. The Town is much slower and it seems better constructed, whereas Split The Coast has an average messy rough tone to it that appears to have been shoved together in a desperate rush for a track. It’s easier to understand the lyrics within The Town and its range of musical involvement coming from all areas, bringing the percussion forwards over the vocals during the bridge makes the track stand out more so than the first.

 

Elly Rewcastle