The Coathangers - Nosebleed Weekend

The Coathangers
Nosebleed Weekend
2016
Spotify

Is it Punk, Is it Indie, Is this great or is this weak? These are some of the questions that arise as you listen to the fifth studio album from the Atlanta based group The Coathangers. Nosebleed Weekend is a departure for them, but not from their sound, but from the acceptance of just ok. While the first four albums were a bit raw and unpolished this album has all the hallmarks of a punk band growing up and getting their shit together, not in a we sold out way but in a let's get together and refine our sound so it is a katana rather than a baseball bat with some nails in it. Nosebleed Weekend still has a playfulness like on "Squeeki Tiki" where are squeeky toy is used as a instrument but this is not fucking around. The drums splash behind as the bass line drives the song aggressively forward. It's not something particularity heady or innovative, but it is exciting and makes for a record that always brings an element that might surprise you. Self-reliance has always been the main theme of this all female group and rightfully so being in a genre that is so male dominated, but that message takes on a much more subtle undertone as their songwriting has vastly improved. "Make It Right", the lead single from the record, pushes and pushes building this immense pressure and then let's you absolutely fall off a cliff.

"Watch Your Back" is perhaps the best track on the album and also features so of the more interesting instrumentation. Everything on the track feels live, like you are watching it unfold right in front of your face, but there are no mistakes, no flubs not a single misstep. The bass is tighter than hell driving the song ever forward even as the dueling vocals trade barbs. The clapping high hat towards the end of the song is also one of those little touches that a lot of punk-ish music will not even think about. The four tracks between "Make It Right" and "Burn Me" may be some of the strongest the band has ever come out with. The fact that it is mid album and not a lead off is really quite incredible and shows the confidence the band has in all their music rather than just the singles. If there is a miss on the record it is the last couple of tracks. "Had Enough" and "Copycat" both sort of slump in to the end of the record rather than punctuating it with a bang. "Copycat" in patricular, which just happens to be the longest song on the record at over four minutes, ends up being a bit of a slog when put up against the super tight other twelve tracks. In the end however The Coathangers have done something really special with Nosebleed Weekend and have showed that this kind of rock does not have to be sloppy to be good.

8.0 out of 10