​​      Coe Hill wasted no time smacking you in the mouth with “Warning.”
There’s an interesting juxtaposition of crunchy friction in the vocals of the verses & a smooth, almost waviness, on the choruses. It keeps the listener engaged trying to solve the mystery of the project’s identity.  To say there’s a bit of a late 90s alt-rock flare seems fitting, yet insufficient. 

     The second track,”Ghost,” instantly became my favorite. It takes me back to “Golden Age” of emo & post-hardcore. The Saosin vibes are strong in this song. The way the vocals explore the expansive soundscape is enthralling. The cherry on top is the bridge featuring a vocal tone reminiscent of, pop - punk royalty, Bayside.

     The EP softens into the very emotive, “One Year Later.” The inspiration for the record’s title. The vulnerability of Coe Hill is laid bare with the hope that we’ll conquer our fears in the next year. The relatability of this song is what makes it so attractive. We are all familiar with the longing for better days in dark times.

     Not too long ago, I reviewed the debut single “Edge Of Collapse” 
In case you missed it. I referred to the song as a “high energy banger with relentless driving guitars.” It’s a frontal assault on the demons in his head with an epic adventure into clarity nipping at its heals. “DEADWEIGHT” is the perfect track to tie this all together.

     Coe hill rises to the mantle of carrying on the legacy of legendary Screamo bands like, Boys Night Out, Silverstein, &  Alexis On Fire. The smoothness & willingness in which I listened to a 2nd play through speaks volumes for me.

FFO: Secret & Whisper, Saosin, Scary Kids Scaring Kids

*CLICK HERE* MORE INFO ON COE HILL

By now, we’re all familiar with the phrase, “Life gets lifey.” Sometimes it throws a little extra sauce on top for flavor. Between exciting career advancement, major life milestones, and apartment hunting, a few noteworthy releases can get lost in the shuffle. Three releases, in particular, gave me that late to the party feeling. The Phoenix Within, Coe Hill, & Halfway Atlantic dropped some banger singles in the month of June.
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I wasn't sure exactly what to expect upon first listening to Small World. At the time of review  was privy to two singles, & . Both of which I found very different. The album begins with the title track, and first single. Gamblers seem to channel their inner Bee Gees with a disco-esque vibe. It's almost immediately clear that they do the funky indie-pop thing very well.

The first song that really caught my ear was "Heavenly Mouse Routine". As an emo kid of yesteryear, I really dug the style of this track. As if Sunny Day Real Estate were an 80s band. The 80s influences were present throughout Small World. "There Was A Window" puts it on full display with a super sexy Sade sound. Tug Of War felt like it went a bit out on the limb creatively. However, I feel like the branch held the weight.

At times Small World gets a little beach rock-y. Not a knock, just an observation. I definitely enjoyed this album. Well produced and written. Even the songs that weren't standouts were toe-tappers. Gamblers leaves you wanting a bit more with the last song, Give Yourself Into Love. As the title suggest, it drops you off on the corner of sexy & soothing. ​For all of my fellow emo kids from 2001, if you've ever been curious what a lo-fi Saves The Day sounds like, pickup this album.