Nashville-based indie-pop band COIN released its third full-length album “Dreamland” this past Friday, which boasts a light, dreamy sense and remains true to the band’s “brand” of uptempo, airy tracks. Maintaining its usual uptempo, airy style, COIN tells a dreamy love story through the project’s unique tracklist layout, with each track telling a piece of the story.
UPBEAT AND DREAMY
Head-bopping “Into My Arms” chaotically opens the album, as frontman Chase Lawrence sings about a girl he longs for. Moving forward, “I Want It All” and “Simple Romance” take the album into a mellow turn while telling the story of Lawrence’s efforts in winning his dream girl over. “Crash My Car” continues the story, but slows down in its melody. Its reckless chorus shows Lawrence’s dream girl could break him down, but he would continue chasing after her.
Listeners then transition to an interlude titled “Dreamland Sequence,” which makes them feel as if COIN is drifting listeners off to sleep with mellow, trance-like vocals. “Cemetery” contains melancholic lyricism despite its happy pop beat, as it tells the story of a man with an abundance of money, surrounded by all work and no love. The chorus suggests that listeners should not make money their main motive because it only leads to emptiness.
To follow, Lawrence swoons about an irreplaceable girl in “Youuu,” comparing all others as a “temporary settlement.” Adorable, romantic “Valentine” contains the typical cliché teenage love story of a boy chasing after a dream girl even though he expects complications and heartbreak. To top it all off, COIN released the song on Valentine’s Day. Featuring a calm beat, slight electric guitar strokes and an electronic background, the track makes listeners want to dance and fall in love—a driving down Pacific Coast Highway and holding hands type of love. “Nobody’s Baby” continues the love story of Lawrence’s dream girl, giving off a jubilant vibe to live freely.
SLOW AND STEADY
With “Lately” featured in the band’s first album and “Lately II” in the second, “Lately III” should not take listeners by surprise. The track begins with an incredibly cinematic, heavenly opening and little wind chimes, but slows down to the point where it feels like Lawrence loses himself for this girl. Ultimately, listeners understand his dream girl’s feelings will not change. The song ends with a few sweet notes that carry seamlessly into “Babe Ruth,” which features the most soulful and dreamy beats of any song on the album. Its plentiful guitar solos narrow in on COIN’s musical abilities more than the songwriting.
Once again, COIN transitions seamlessly into the second interlude, which feels like a dreary wake from the dream that started in “Dreamland Sequence.” The interlude titled “Heaven Hearted,” slowly wakes listeners up with its peaceful piano notes and light background vocals. The album closes with “Let it All Out (10:05),” where Lawrence comes to grips with the fact his dream girl is not going to change. The song includes a triumphant choir from middle to end, coping with the fact his efforts have ended in brokenness, and he has done all he could. Lawrence even cries out to Jesus at the end. The track concludes with a slow, solemn piano tune that sounds like he is rolling through old film tape.
“Jesus are you listening? If you have a plan can you fill me in?” Lawrence sings in the song’s outro.
COIN lives up to its album’s name and seamlessly carries out the tragic, messy love story— before, during and after the dream marked by “Dreamland Sequence.” The band powerfully portrays young love and heartbreak through their use of various instruments and speeds to change the moods and setting. A cinematic masterpiece, “Dreamland” is arguably COIN’s best album yet.
