M Coast, Say It In Slang

by paul r jaissle

Formerly known as Marshmallow Coast, the M Coast continue the long-standing partnership between Elephant 6 and Of Montreal alum Andy Gonzales and Derek Almstead. Two features that marked the Elephant 6 collective were of course the incestuous nature of the bands and the number of superfluous records churned out by vanity projects of all kinds. However, given that these two songwriters have stuck together suggests that the M Coast is neither vain nor superfluous. It would also be a shame if the main members’ former endeavors overshadow Say It In Slang. Along with the new name, Sara Kirkpatrick, Emily Growden, and Carlton Owens join Gonzales and Almstead for the new full band line-up. Most of the disc floats on a light, fluffy cloud of breezy lite AM rock; complete with weightless flute parts and lush, layered background vocals. The opening track, ‘Sailing Around the World’ sets the mood with blissed out vocals from Growden shamelessly asking, “who’s the one who taught you how to roll a joint?” The casual drug use and easy-going vibe continues on ‘I Believe In Love’ while ‘Johnny Kasai’ tells a tale about “a bad-ass dude” over a decidedly not badass electric piano and breathy background vocals. The prevalence of lite rock at times makes it feel like the album is in danger of floating away, but there are enough hooks to keep it grounded for the most part. Not a perfect outing, but a nice collection that smartly steers away from the psychedelic pop that made Elephant 6 and Of Montreal famous.

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