I was introduced to Coastal Club by way of their 7″ on Soul Step Records in 2019. I didn’t know much about them but I like fell in love with their ability to invoke feelings of summer with music. With both songs on that release etched into my mind and played well over 100 times, I wondered how the band would evolve. Would they lean into the shimmery summer vibes or grow into something more heartfelt and emotional. After listening to their latest EP release I Get Nervous Sometimes, the answer is a little of both!
All the glossy guitar, sugary vocals, and charming wit I loved about the 7″ are in full display on I Get Nervous Sometimes. In fact, Coastal Club waste no time and jump right into one of the strongest tracks, “New Love” as an opener! Their brand of music already embodies everything we love about hanging with friends with the windows down and the anthems up. But lyrically I Get Nervous Sometimes gets a little more serious with some fun self-reflection. The one-two punch of “Moving On” and “Monumental” explores the idea of growing up and maybe even a little bit about mortality. Even at it’s most melancholy I Get Nervous Sometimes never becomes sad or heavy.
There’s a lot of 80s vibes sprinkled throughout the record but it never becomes an eye-rolling obvious gimmick. For every track that reminds me of El Debarge, there’s one that wouldn’t feel out of place on a Vampire Weekend album. Actually I have no problem saying I’d much rather listen to Coastal Club than any other modern band who takes influence from 80s pop. At least everything here comes from an honest place. They’re not setting out to be archaic, they’re simply playing the kind of music that makes them feel good. In turn, it makes the listener feel good.
Isn’t that what we expect from a record? Does anyone legitimately want to feel bad when they drop a needle on their turntable? Of course not! We’re surrounded by all sorts of negativity and ugliness already, but Coastal Club is the perfect antidote. I Get Nervous Sometimes is available on limited edition vinyl from Soul Step Records and as an added bonus, Side B features the tracks from that 7″ that introduced me to Coastal Club in the first place! We need all the positivity we can get these days. And as summer of one of the worst years ever comes to a close I think we deserve to treat ourselves right?
To pick up I Get Nervous Sometimes on limited edition vinyl, please visit Soul Step Records.
