Long Island’s Gold Coast toe the line between punk and emo-rock on their EP, “MMXX.” They certainly don’t get caught up in the more cringe-worthy aspects of emo, instead keeping that vibe well within the confines of catchy punk. What the band offers up on this EP are four dynamic and melodious songs that certainly have the potential to draw in a variety of listeners.
The EP opens with “All This Time,” a track whose opening guitar riff is complemented with a great lead. From there, the verses let the vocals come front and center as the guitar and drums make use of basic but apt rhythms. It’s in the vocal-led verses here that an immediate comparison to Millencolin’s Nicola Sarcevic comes to mind. The vocals are catchy with good cadences, but there isn’t any overblown or melodramatic singing that sends the band out of whack. It all fits, and with just enough of an edge. The chorus to “All This Time” opens up the guitars a bit and offers infectious sing-alongs backed by crashing cymbals and great guitar leads. The big choral closure is a great touch too.
“Marie Kondo,” the EP’s third song, is another strong offering from The Gold Coast. The song rings with a driving groove that combines the best parts of skate punk with the more directly catchy accents of early-millenium emo. Once again, the combination of great guitar leads and well-laid vocal cadences elevate the song’s impact. The infectious chorus in “Marie Kondo” is outdone only by the powerful guitar lead that fills the song’s bridge. And somehow, the Field of Dreams sample in the outro works.
The EP’s closing song, “The Optimist,” has a bigger ballad-esque vibe to it than the other songs on “MMXX.” The song opens with much of what the previous three tracks offer, making good use of simple verses that allow the vocals to keep the melody moving. Yet, that powerful ballad vibe comes through most clearly in the song’s second half, as the band uses the bridge to slow things down to a quiet clean-guitar-and-vocals-only part. From there it’s just about all sing-along and chorus moves. What comes through here is not unlike Iron Chic or The Movielife in terms of building up driving rhythms only to bring the listener down to a much more intimate moment, and then exploding with a super catchy closure.
“MMXX” is a strong effort from The Gold Coast. The biggest drawback is the EP’s brevity. Four songs isn’t much to go with, but sometimes leaving one wanting more is a good thing.