A No Coast November - Old Words In New Phrases
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: January 11, 2010
Old Words In New Phrases is the debut album of the Missouri based band A No Coast November, who take pride on their honest and friendly music. This approach is present throughout the record, with simple lyrics showing their purpose of creating songs that people can relate to and that can help them through some hard times.
A No Coast November’s debut is composed of 12 solid tracks which range from more classic pop-rock to a pop-punk similar to the likes of All Time Low and You Me At Six. Despite this the band is able to infuse some of their originality in the songs, with some a cappella moments, rhythm changes within the same song and some riffs that seem misplaced but that in the end make perfect sense.
The album starts with a riff reminiscent of the first Madina Lake album that quickly turns into a fast-paced pop-punk song with a huge chorus made to be sung live. The bridge in “Seventy-Two” and the subtle screamo-like part show that this young band has some solid songwriting skills which should only improve with time. Some other songs of the album, like the following “I Surrender”, have this quiet-loud mechanic and it works most of the time.
Another stand-out of the album is the acoustic ballad “Never Ever Always”. This is a stand-out mostly because its slower pace contrasts with the epic and energetic feeling of the other tracks. The dual vocal mechanic present here is a nice addition and it greatly improves this intimate and sincere number.
The lyrics are the weakest part here and are rarely more than acceptable. The attempts to make memorable quotes fall short most of the times and they rarely deliver.
Another low point on the album are some of the passages between songs. The band tries to keep the album fluid but these attempts are a hit or miss, with some songs blending nicely together while others end up feeling sloppy and badly performed.
Overall Old Words In New Phrases is a solid record that showcases the ability of A No Coast November to write great pop-rock/pop-punk tracks while inputting their personality and some originality in them. If they keep improving on their formula and expand their sound we could have on our hands a new pop-punk star.
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