COIN 的《I'm Not Afraid Of Music Anymore》是其早期獨立作品的演化版本

9 月 13 日，來自納許維爾的另類樂團 COIN 發行了第六張錄音室專輯《I'm Not Afraid Of Music Anymore》，讓歌迷們想起了其生動的藝術氣息，並激勵聽眾無所畏懼。

Nashville-based alternative band COIN dropped its sixth studio album “I’m Not Afraid Of Music Anymore” on Sept. 13. The album showcases the band’s evolution and growth, with more vulnerable lyrics and a sound that’s both familiar and fresh.

總部位於納許維爾的另類樂團COIN 於9 月13 日推出了第六張錄音室專輯《I'm Not Afraid Of Music Anymore》。又新鮮。

COIN first gained recognition in 2016 with the hit song “Talk Too Much.” Since then, the band has become a staple in the modern indie and alternative scene. After expressing creative exhaustion following the 2022 release “Uncanny Valley,” “I’m Not Afraid Of Music Anymore” marks a turning point for COIN.

COIN 於 2016 年憑藉熱門歌曲《Talk Too Much》首次獲得認可。從那時起，樂團就成為現代獨立和另類音樂界的重要組成部分。在 2022 年發行《恐怖谷》後表達了創意枯竭之後，《我不再害怕音樂》標誌著 COIN 的轉捩點。

The new album sees the band pushing into a more vulnerable direction lyrically. The songs on the album explore COIN’s feelings around fame and art, and how these feelings affect their personal relationships. Some tracks lean heavily on the band’s alternative roots, with darker tones and loud synths.

在新專輯中，樂團在歌詞上向一個更脆弱的方向推進。專輯中的歌曲探討了 COIN 對名譽和藝術的感受，以及這些感受如何影響他們的個人關係。有些曲目嚴重依賴樂團的另類根源，具有較暗的色調和響亮的合成器。

“Problem” is a standout song on the album and undeniably resembles the work of Cage the Elephant and The Strokes, with spunky speak-singing and unrestricted lyrics. Frontman Chase Lawrence sings with humorous dissatisfaction at his current level of fame, “But I die when I get recognized / And cry a little when I don’t.” These confessions signal to fans a new sense of openness from the band while staying true to their sound. The song, placed perfectly near the album’s halfway mark, acts as a refreshing interlude from the other toned-down tracks and serves as a reminder of where COIN came from.

《Problem》是專輯中的一首出色歌曲，無可否認地類似於 Cage the Elephant 和 The Strokes 的作品，有著充滿活力的對唱和不受限制的歌詞。主唱 Chase Lawrence 幽默地對自己目前的名氣表示不滿，“但當我被認出時我會死/當我不被認出時我會哭一會兒。”這些自白向歌迷傳達了樂團新的開放感，同時又忠於自己的聲音。這首歌完全位於專輯的中間位置，作為其他低調曲目的令人耳目一新的插曲，並提醒人們 COIN 的來源。

The album’s main downfall is how indiscernible some of the tracks are from one another. “Bloodtype,” “Sing Along” and “Olivia” are all slow, reflective songs with a lofi sound. Each of these tracks is effective on its own, featuring stunning vocals and light guitar, as they explore finding oneself and the fright of romance. But, all of them are placed together in the back half of the album, making for an exhausting and repetitive listen.

這張專輯的主要缺點是有些曲目彼此之間難以辨別。 《Bloodtype》、《Sing Below》和《Olivia》都是慢節奏、帶有反思性的 Lofi 歌曲。這些曲目中的每一首都非常有效，以令人驚嘆的歌聲和輕吉他為特色，當他們探索尋找自我和浪漫的恐懼時。但是，所有這些都放在專輯的後半部分，使人疲憊且重複地聆聽。

Of course, the slower songs are by no means boring. “Growing Song,” for instance, packs a simple and poignant punch as it follows the narrator aiming to change themself for the better in order to better understand who they are: “Goodbye to the part of me / I never really knew.” For the majority of the song, Lawrence repeatedly sings “Maybe I’m growing.” Rather than feeling redundant, the refrain evokes a powerful image of the narrator trying to convince themself that they’re truly evolving. COIN remains playful and ends the track with a spoken “Or maybe I’m not,” cleverly emphasizing that change isn’t linear.

當然，較慢的歌曲絕不是乏味的。例如，《成長之歌》充滿了簡單而辛酸的衝擊力，講述了敘述者旨在變得更好，以便更好地了解自己的故事：「再見了我的一部分/我從未真正了解過。 」在歌曲的大部分內容中，勞倫斯反覆唱著「也許我正在成長」。這種副歌並沒有讓人感覺多餘，而是喚起了敘述者試圖說服自己他們真正在進化的強大形象。 COIN 仍然很有趣，並以口頭“或者也許我不是”結束這首歌，巧妙地強調變化不是線性的。

The album’s lead single, “Strawberry Jam,” is a delightful return to classic sound for COIN. The brilliance of this track is the juxtaposition of melancholy lyrics — “We fell in love in a parachute / But I set off like a rolling stone” — with upbeat instrumentals. Featuring harmonica, whistling and clapping, the song gives off vibes that are reminiscent of the last few moments of summer. And still, Lawrence is singing about the troubles of running away from a relationship whenever the going gets tough. This track showcases how much fun COIN has creating music that deeply explores its vulnerabilities, creating a more enjoyable listening experience.

這張專輯的主打單曲“Strawberry Jam”是 COIN 經典聲音的令人愉悅的回歸。這首歌的精彩之處在於憂鬱的歌詞——“我們在降落傘裡墜入愛河/但我像滾石一樣出發”——與樂觀的樂器並置。這首歌以口琴、口哨和鼓掌為特色，散發出讓人想起夏天最後時刻的氛圍。儘管如此，勞倫斯仍然在歌唱，每當事情變得艱難時，就逃避一段關係的麻煩。這首歌展現了 COIN 創作音樂的樂趣，深入探索其弱點，創造更愉快的聆聽體驗。

“I’m Not Afraid Of Music Anymore” is an evolved version of COIN’s earlier indie work. The band doesn’t hold back lyrically, allowing audiences to better connect with the music. Even with the songs’ somber and often pessimistic lyrics, the band refuses to take themselves too seriously. While the latter half of the album may feel a bit tiresome at times, the sentiments of the work make up for its shortcomings.

《我不再害怕音樂》是COIN早期獨立作品的進化版本。樂團在抒情上毫不保留，讓觀眾更能與音樂產生聯繫。儘管歌曲的歌詞陰沉且常常悲觀，但樂團拒絕太認真地對待自己。雖然專輯的後半部有時會讓人覺得有些乏味，但作品的情感彌補了它的不足。