Around two months ago (sorry I’m late guys), the band COIN released their fifth full-length studio album, “I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore.” The title refers to an extended period of time during which the band felt like they were in a difficult creative drought, but in writing music for the album they eventually found their way. Talking about their writing process in a June Instagram post, they closed out their explanation of the album’s title with “COIN is back” —the band was evidently proud of what they made and have described it as something truly authentic to who and what the band is. With COIN visiting Bucknell as our performer for Fall 2023, and myself probably being the most ridiculously excited person on campus when they did so, it felt only right that I would give this highly anticipated album a (perhaps biased) review. So, buckle in for a song-by-song breakdown.

Track 1: “It’s Hard to Care About Everything”

I’m a sucker for a band who writes bookends for an album. I would say it was much more prominent in their previous album which opened with “Learning” and closed with “Loving”; “Learning & Loving” was a phrase seen throughout their branding. While one might not necessarily consider the opening and closing tracks for this album bookends, it just feels right to me. This song starts slow and gets you warmed up for what’s to come. It may not be a song that I’d listen to independently, but I am always amazed by albums that perform best when listened to in order, and I feel like this is one of those albums. And that song title… boy, don’t I know it. COIN is really one of those bands for people that care about everything so much all the time, deeply.

Favorite lyric: “I think I’ll ride a bike and close my eyes, maybe watch a film in black and white for a change.”

Track 2: “Take It Or Leave It”

This was the second single released prior to the album’s full release. You know how those early releases tend to be the best ones, and the band clearly knows it? I would definitely say that about this song. I was fixated on it for so long that I’m sure it’s bound to impact my Spotify Wrapped. I’m always more inclined towards more fast-paced music, as someone raised on rock ‘n’ roll, so the jumpy vibe of this song really stuck with me. It’s just so fun!

Favorite lyric: “One love, two mouths, a missed call and a pretty boyfriend.”

Track 3: “Asking For A Friend”

This song definitely grew on me with time. I like the overall theme of the song, which seems to me like a subject that COIN doesn’t always touch on: unrequited love. The title is a nod to saying “just asking for a friend” to someone, which is just a weak disguise for a question that you are clearly asking for yourself. It’s so fitting for the subject matter and stings of grade-school crushes, where you would slyly ask them if they liked anyone so that you could hopefully get the answer that you wanted.

Favorite lyric: “She called me Jamie, that’s now my name.” It just so perfectly captures the feeling of “I’ll agree with anything just because they acknowledged me and know I exist.”

Track 4: “Slack”

I believe this was the third song they released prior to the album’s full release, and I think it stands pretty well on its own too. I’m a particular fan of the way the song slows down just before the more heavy-hitting chorus. It’s fun and catchy, and hey, sometimes that is all a song really needs to be!

Favorite lyric: “These days, I don’t fall too far, I don’t crash my car and call it all the same.” Oh man, am I sucker for bands making their own easter eggs in their music. This one references their 2020 release “Crash My Car” from their album “Dreamland.” And this isn’t the only musical easter egg in this album!

Track 5: “Along For The Ride”

This song was also one that grew on me with time. It almost works in conjunction with “Asking For A Friend,” describing a scenario where someone who is not wholly interested seems to just be dragging out the relationship and keeping someone “along for the ride.” It’s hard to describe, but the song feels like it musically sways back and forth, as if to simulate a winding car ride (like the title suggests).

Favorite lyric: “We made less sense than a horse in Hollywood.” Such a silly lyric, and the band definitely ran with the silliness of the idea, utilizing a real horse in the song’s music video. Is it a reach to say it seems like a reference to BoJack Horseman?

Track 6: “Problem”

Right off the bat, this became my favorite song from the full release of the album. It’s very upbeat, which as I mentioned, is what I’m drawn to. I also remember from my interview with the band that their drummer Ryan mentioned he used to play in the punk scene, so it makes me really happy to hear that sound being captured in one of their songs. I’d venture to say they probably had a lot of fun making the song, and it’s likely just as fun to hear and dance to when heard live. 

Favorite lyrics: “I bite the hand that drops that bomb and then blame it all on Joey” and “I got blue ones, blame it all on you ones, 1992 ones.” I just couldn’t decide between the two: both an easter egg lyric and one that somewhat “breaks the fourth wall.” “1992 ones” references a song off of their second album, titled “Malibu, 1992.” Their guitarist’s name is Joe, so I thought the self-reference was funny. 

Tracks 7, 8 and 9: “Blueberry Smoothie,” “222” and “Growing Song”

After a pretty up-beat song, the band decides to slow it down for the second half of the album. I decided to group these three together, since I think they have a pretty similar vibe, and to save everybody from my tendency to ramble. Like I said, I’m not one to reach for slower songs, but I still think they’re lovely. Fruit smoothies, angel numbers and self growth—what more could you ask for? I have a real soft spot for COIN’s continuous references to growing as a person, which is something that I, and I’m sure many others, am always trying to work towards.

Favorite lyrics (respectively): “You’re a bug in my teeth, waking up, rinse, repeat”

“Fresh as a Georgia peach that I picked up on the roadside.” 

“How many heart attacks get a second chance? Goodbye to the part of me I never really knew.”

Track 10: “Bloodtype”

This song just has a real road trip vibe to it, or feels as though it could have just as well been sung by Bruce Springsteen—the first lyric is “Baby, I was born in the USA, but I didn’t start the fire.” Nice Billy Joel reference! The song just has a real homesickness feel to it, but like the song focuses on, not knowing one’s “blood type” references a confusion about identifying where you truly feel like you’re “from.” Sometimes where you’re born or where you grew up isn’t always the place you call home.

Favorite lyric: “Convinced myself I’m a communist, but I take and I take and I take you for granted.” What more can I say? It’s just so clever. 

Track 11: “Olivia”

If I had a nickel for every time I really liked a song called “Olivia,” I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice—thank you, One Direction. I don’t know what these girls named (or pseudonym-ed) Olivia are doing, but they must be really fantastic. This song just fills you with the warm and fuzzies. This also feels like another one of those topics that COIN doesn’t always focus on: just a good old fashioned, sappy love song. Sometimes something so overdone can still be refreshing!

Favorite lyric: “Washing down a sour taste with a silly little smile.”

Track 12: “Strawberry Jam”

This was the first single released leading up to the album’s full release. And I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure how to feel at first. It didn’t quite have that classic COIN feel to it, but I didn’t want one song to set my expectations. And it’s a good thing that I didn’t, since the second single released ended up being one of my favorites. But it is another song that did really grow on me. There’s harmonica in it, and that’s just plain fun. I think it’s about time we start using random instruments that subvert expectations.

Favorite lyric: “You said, ‘you fell in love with a pretty mouth, it’ll chew you up and it’ll spit you out’”

Track 13: “Sing Along”

Now we’re really getting to the end, and things are certainly starting to mellow out. But I do think this song is really sweet, and I can certainly envision myself swaying my arms along in the air while the crowd fittingly “sings along” at a concert. Maybe this wasn’t the song’s intention, but it does feel like it’s reaching out into the crowd, knowing that we’re always going to be there to sing along with COIN’s songs.

Favorite lyric: “I wish my words were sweet, they grow like lemon trees.”

Track 14: “Leaving A Light On”

We made it, the last song! And I’ll still attest that it feels like the closing bookend of the album. It starts slow but builds a little towards the end, leaving you with some lingering energy as you finish out the album. I’m quite a fan of the title, almost suggesting that the band is “leaving a light on” in their music career. Their music is somewhere that we can always return to, and it shows that their musical light isn’t quite “out” yet. I mean, they did even say that this album could have been a double album if they wanted.

Favorite lyric: “Jane’s in the garden, pullin’ up my roots, guilty and guarded no matter what I do.”