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M Coast

Say It in Slang

(Happy Happy Birthday to Me; US: 2006; UK: Unavailable)

M Coast, formerly know as Marshmallow Coast, create lounge-y, lite pop that is hard not to crack a grin at. Sweet and terribly sugary, songs like “Sailing Around the World” and “One Fine Day” sound like they just stepped out of a Paris café. Meanwhile, “Out of the Water” is more of a mainstream, radio-friendly pop gem with touches of keyboards. Another asset to the record is how terribly lovable the harmonies are here, particularly on a jewel like the Joe Jackson/XTC-ish “I Believe in Love”. Other poppy gems include the fine “Aurora”, which has a tad more bite and shines through thanks to singer Emily Growden’s beautiful pipes. A lot of these songs tend to flow quickly, whether it’s the light and retro sounds oozing out of “Electric Bass” or the adorable “Got to Get 2 U”, which sounds like something Macca might have done at some point (and not a Prince tune, considering the title’s phonics). M Coast nail “Where Stars Go” as handclaps build themselves around a slightly funkier arrangement. Throw in a flute during the reflective “Johnny Kasai” and you have a record that would fit any sort of cheerful setting.

Rating:

Originally from Cape Breton, MacNeil is currently writing for the Toronto Sun as well as other publications, including All Music Guide, Billboard.com, NME.com, Country Standard Time, Skope Magazine, Chart Magazine, Glide, Ft. Myers Magazine and Celtic Heritage. A graduate of the University of King's College, MacNeil currently resides in Toronto. He has interviewed hundreds of acts ranging from Metallica and AC/DC to Daniel Lanois and Smokey Robinson. MacNeil (modestly referred to as King J to friends), a diehard Philadelphia Flyers fan, has seen the Rolling Stones in a club setting, thereby knowing he will rest in peace at some point down the road. Oh, and he writes for PopMatters.com.


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