Don’t call it a comeback. Braid, 16 years on from the release of ‘Frame & Canvas’, have set a new benchmark. ‘No Coast’ is a record that not only goes toe-to-toe with the band’s finest hour, it pulls the rug out from beneath a few of the scene’s new boys. This is no exercise in nostalgia.
During the band’s on-off-on-off decade, their sound has become increasingly ubiquitous. A decent number of the Topshelf roster - their new label home - owe their existence to Braid’s ability to meld Bob Nanna and Chris Broach’s disarmingly complex guitar lines with peppy melodies, meaning that they have, with little prior planning, wandered back into a room where everyone already knows their name and loves their style.
Of course, such a situation brings its own baggage. Fortunately, Braid have managed to deliver a record that avoids becoming a retread of former glories, focusing instead on revisiting their core sound from a position as men almost 20 years older than they were when their fans took ‘Frame & Canvas’ to their hearts.
That’s a wise choice. The angst and fury of youth is a very specific thing and one that inexorably fades over time. ‘No Coast’, then, is more measured than its predecessor, and certainly more polished.
Broach and Nanna are far less likely to scream through something here, their vocals now intertwined in the sort of crisp melodies that take time to mould. Throughout, ‘No Coast’ far more assured than the ‘Closer To Closed’ EP, which appears even more of a stopgap now than it did three years ago.
As Superchunk have done since returning with ‘Majesty Shredding’, Braid have managed to add weight and maturity to a style of music traditionally associated with less seasoned practitioners. Damages! and Many Enemies are power-pop masterclasses, while the title track and Lux see the return of angular guitar work to delight the seasoned Braid-head.
‘No Coast’ is an often brilliant album by a band with history on their side and a bright future. It encapsulates a sense of progression without selling Braid’s fanbase short, catering to artist and listener alike. Which, if we're honest, is a very grown up thing to do indeed.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
.jpg)
