Ones2Watch Home

A trailblazing band in the indie-alternative scene, COIN has returned with their latest album I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore, a new peak of their artistry. Made from the mixed bag of emotions that accompany a long-term career in music, their latest effort holds a kaleidoscopic range—in genres, sounds, and confessional feelings. 

The sonic journey of I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore is masterfully cohesive, as bright touches of acoustic piano blossom over a fairground of organic instruments that are processed with an artistic hand. The intro track “Hard to Care” presents this colorful palette in a slow build, inviting listeners into the world of the album with the repeated line, “All we know are the places we go.” Launching with the iconic harmonica revival in “Strawberry Jam,” the early summer singles of I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore set the scene for this evolutionary release. Then matched with the indie-pop perfection of “Take It or Leave It” and anthemic signature in “Slack,” this album was destined to be a classic, and as it unfolds, listeners are truly met with a winning hand of new music.  

With the release of the album comes a delightfully strange music video for “Along for the Ride,” a song that really embodies the headspace in which this album was conceived. It’s a testament to surviving the rat race of the music industry, the pressures of which inspired the band to step back and take their time with I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore. Although the track is performed as a celebration of perseverance, it’s laced with these hardships, felt in the orchestral touches and intentional vocals. The music video features COIN in all their off-kilter glory, with lead singer Chase Lawrence holding the reigns to a horse that carries drummer, Ryan Winnen, laying his head down to rest on guitarist Joe Memmel’s shoulder. 

“Problem” is a standout track, channeling the blasé alternative spunk of the likes of Cage the Elephant. Living at a strategic halfway point in the album, “Problem” is a blissful unleashing of grievances after an ample serving of contemplation and introduction. Artfully-peaked, speak-sung vocals wear hypocrisy like a badge of honor as lead singer Lawrence sings, “I should’ve been famous, ‘bout an hour or two ago / I die when I get recognized, cry a little when I don’t.” 

While the 2010s alternative influences come out to play in “Problem,” COIN genre-bends into a wide range of styles across I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore. The band finds a pensive lane in indie-folk for “Blood Type,” with a muted guitar and a cheeky nod to Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel in the first lyric, “Baby I was born in the U.S.A but I didn’t start the fire.” It’s a fitting reference to the band’s childhood years, as the song goes on to question our sense of self and the dissonance between heart and home. “222” continues down this softer, folk path, with a drum beat that’s felt more than it is heard. A light vocal is colored by distorted vocoder harmonies, and it’s in true COIN fashion that piano flourishes and slight Midwest emo guitars decorate the track. There’s also the Two Door Cinema Club-type disco beat of “Asking for a Friend” and the romantic comedy-worthy lamenting of “Blueberry Smoothie.” 

On the wind-down of the album, COIN tints the lens with intimate contemplation, especially on “Olivia.” A lo-fi beat cycles beneath expansive guitar chords, and from the first lilt of the melody, this track is a heavy hitter. COIN captures a sinking feeling in sonic form, the entirety of “Olivia” aching with the knowledge that you’ll love them whether or not they let you show it. Just as “Hard To Care” was a fitting intro, “Leaving A Light On” perfectly closes I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore. It’s observant, grieving while it opens its arms to new beginnings as Lawrence sings, “Sometimes it feels like the first time.” 

I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore both redefines and further embraces COIN’s mastermind grip on alt-pop storytelling, set to be a release that lights a fire in original fans while captivating a wave of new ones.

Listen to I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore below: