Ten years are an eternity for a punk band. Considering how few punk groups survive for a decade without imploding or disintegrating, it makes it all the more notable that the Coathangers are thriving, especially when considering that they’ve always done everything on their own time, in their own way.
There seems to be a perception that Nosebleed Weekend is a departure for the Coathangers, that the SoCal sound embraced on much of the new record means they have moved away from their Southern garage-punk roots. But, if anything, the album proves the Coathangers are still down to party ten years after their inception. These are still the scrappy punks that honed their skills at Star Bar and do whatever the hell they want to do musically. If that means throwing some glittery garage-pop songs on the new record or if it means using a chew toy as an instrument, they’re gonna do it. And you’re probably gonna like it.
To be fair to all the critics wringing their hands and questioning whether the Coathangers still have their edge—it’s true that Nosebleed Weekend seems better poised for a wide commercial breakthrough than 2014’s Suck My Shirt. Yet the glam component that comes through on the cleaner vocals and polished guitars is simply just another filter for the band to explore rock and roll, something at which they’ve always excelled, and something far more interesting than remaining trapped within a particular microgenre of punk.
That being said, the Coathangers have always had a penchant for pop, only this time around it’s not buried under as many layers of grit. Much of that is due to the inspiration gleaned from recording at Valentine Recording Studios in North Hollywood. The trio were the first band to record an album there since it was shuttered in 1979. They drew inspiration from the likes of Bing Crosby and the Beach Boys who cut records there 40 years ago, and it was that ineffable vintage pop vibe which inspired much of the album’s aesthetic.
As on previous recordings, each of the band members takes their turn on vocals on Nosebleed Weekend, but drummer Stephanie Luke’s gravelly yell, which has always been a unique selling point for the band, is one of the high points here. In the past, Luke’s songs often fell within the realm of stereotypical garage punk and were used as a foil for the more typical Riot Grrrl vocalizations of guitarist Julia Kugel and bassist Meredith Franco. This time, Luke’s vocals remain as beautifully scratchy as ever, but are paired with songs just as pop-influenced as those sung by the rest of the band, resulting in a curious dichotomy which works especially well on album highlight “Dumb Baby.”
Elsewhere on the record, the Coathangers try their hand at deconstructing the anthemic garage punk they’ve become known for, most successfully on the final track, “Copycat.” The toned-down noir whisper over the swinging backbeat proves the trio can be completely menacing even without heart-pounding riffs.
But the strongest song on the LP remains the furious title track. Its swagger doesn’t just make it one of the best fist-pumping tracks on the record, it also best encapsulates the attitude that made Nosebleed Weekend possible, and that made the band who they are today. When the group sings, “I’m not sure if you realize that I just don’t give a shit,” they remind us that the Coathangers are still just humble badasses who keep their heads down and churn out solid gold.
The Coathangers will celebrate the release of Nosebleed Weekend tomorrow night, April 15, at Star Bar. Supporting them will be Paint Fumes, Bad Spell, and Paralyzer. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $15.
More Info
Web: thecoathangers.com
Bandcamp: thecoathangers.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @TheCoathangersATL
Instagram: @thecoathangers
Twitter: @TheCoathangers