Lightening Up, Rocking Out

The Coast Is Ready for Its Close-Up

originally published September 10, 2008

This time of year, the idea of going to the coast is a welcome thing: blowing off the responsibility of day-to-day life for one last sun-kissed moment, all while refusing to surrender the last vestiges of summer to the quiet decay of autumn. But there’s a different kind of coast coming through Athens, Toronto’s The Coast, and it is just as exhilarating.

First there were "The Kids in the Hall," then Broken Social Scene, and now audiences can add The Coast to the ever growing list of awesome things coming from the Great White North. The Canadian band seems hell bent on making its presence felt with the release of its first album, Expatriate. But as the band rockets throughout the U.S., the similarities between America and its genteel neighbor to the north are apparent.

“A lot of places feel at home in the States, and Canada is just like the States - you get out West in the prairie and it’s a lot different than Toronto,” says Coast guitarist Ian Fosbery.

The Coast formed in Toronto out of friendship between the members of the band, and developed its sound, which combines the intimate and the anthemic into a sonic stew that is a compelling listen. But it didn’t happen overnight. In fact, The Coast’s sound developed out of the band’s need to lighten up.

“We’ve been playing together since we were in high school. At first we wanted what a lot of young bands want, which is some sort of success, but when we toured, we learned that we couldn’t take ourselves so seriously,” says Fosbery.

While The Coast’s quest to not take itself so seriously hasn’t led it down the road to novelty status, it has led the band to drop some of its more dour leanings and develop into the lean rock machine showcased on Expatriate.

“We wanted to make [Expatriate] a pretty energetic record,” says Fosbery.

Energetic it is. Throughout Expatriate’s 11 songs, The Coast showcases its songwriting dexterity and echoes (but never emulates) British-invasion guitar heroics, Springsteen’s muscle and Interpol’s Euro-fixation. Imagine a more streamlined Broken Social Scene, or a Death Cab for Cutie song that isn’t wrapped up in melancholy, and that’s The Coast. According to Fosbery, the band shedding its mopey indie rock leanings helped the band find both its identity and an audience.

“Nobody gives a shit, I guess. People want to come to a show and have fun, and if you’re driving for days at a time to play a show then you better have fun while doing it,” says Fosbery.

The result of lightening up has been The Coast's popularity slowly building upon the buzz created in its native Canada. Expatriate and the sweaty, breathless live shows that follow are helping. According to Fosbery, it’s all part of the master plan.

“When people don’t know you, and you don’t know where you are going to be every night, you want songs that you can throw yourself behind. It gets the crowd into it, and it gets you behind it. It turns into a pretty upbeat thing,” says Fosbery.

That upbeat thing is The Coast all over. Big yet small, ready for arenas but still playing clubs, and changing its sound without compromising. It’s rock and roll the way it’s supposed to be.

Jason Bugg

WHO: The Coast, Tokyo Police Club, The Whigs
WHERE: 40 Watt Club
WHEN: Wednesday, September 10
HOW MUCH: $15