Review: Coyote - Proof of Life
By Sarah Weingarten, Contributor
[Fountain Pop; 2014]
Rating: 4/10
Key Tracks: “Meoldy/Harmony”
Coyote, a five man Canadian band, is the cookie cutter version of an indie pop band. Listening to its EP Proof of Life isn’t painful or unpleasant, it just seems as though every song has been done before. There are no surprises or anything to really make Proof of Life exceptional; it leaves the listener hungry for a full album.
Proof of Life is produced and mixed with a mainstream vibe. Is it possible Coyote is aiming to sound like the next “cool” band about which your dad texts you?
The EP kicks off with power jam “Your House,” but where musical creativity soars, lyrical creativity is lacking. Actually, it’s not even present--the lines don’t make any sense. It’s almost as if frontman and lyricist Josh Carter wants to tell a story but only writes the beginning, decides it’s good enough and sings that on repeat. Carter keeps singing, “Why are we living in this world for free?” Wherever he’s living is where I would like to be.
Don’t let the uninventive title of “Melody/Harmony” deceive you, because it’s actually the best song on the EP. “Melody/Harmony” has great verses and musical structures that highlight guitarist Bruce Rooney. When the song builds to the chorus, all the listener receives is a measly two lines to belt out. “See your lips move when you are talking / Who understands the words coming out of your mouth?”
When listening to “Old News,” listeners are simultaneously hearing the rest of the EP. Exempt from this is “Toothache,” the final and uncomfortably slow track. Proof of Life is carried by the band’s upbeat indie pop sound, but then ends with the focus on Carter’s voice. It makes the song seem out of place and unwelcome after such a lively track list.
Nothing about the album is necessarily awful. However, it seems like Coyote misses its window of opportunity--everything on the collection sounds like something else instead of sounding unique. It contains a strong Passion Pit vibe without the falsettos and with heavy guitars, making it radio-friendly. This effort reveals Coyote as an indie pop band straddling the line of electronica, remaining very consistent in sound and boring choruses. Proof of Life isn’t too bad, but it’s not very good either. The EP is meek and mild, waiting to ride the coattails of the sounds of other bands.
