The French Press is a little bit more of a slow burn than some of Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever’s previous work. The title track features some bouncy guitar riffs to kick the record off. Julie’s Place is a little more subdued and the vocals fail to fire. Sick Bug combines an infectious riff and abrasive vocals that have a very raw feel. The kind that sound like they’ve never been touched by any kind of vocal repair software, and it’s refreshing.
Musically, Colours Run is a great track but again the lack of vocal prominence of lets it down. Oftentimes on this release the vocals feel like the bass, just another instrument that isn’t as obvious as it should be; that you have to make an effort to listen out for.
Dig Up addresses that problem and puts the vocalist at the forefront, stripping back the track. In many ways this is where they sound their best. Closer Fountain of Good Fortune is one of the best on the EP, again feeling very raw.
Rolling Blackouts CF have dished up a pretty solid release, however they haven’t taken it to the next level or reinvented the wheel. Worth checking out, but not life changing.
By Alexander Crowden
