The mid\/late eighties, and especially the early nineties defined
\n“American alternative music,” more importantly “American
\nalternative music, not influenced by the Brits!” Those good old
\ndays saw a spurt of quality “college radio” acts bustling with
\ncreativity — like 10,000 Maniacs, Throwing Muses, Sonic Youth, L7,
\nand The Pixies to name a few — that set the stage for the
\npost-punk American indie music scene, which sadly is defunct
\ntoday.<\/p>\n
Thanks to the British invasion, the American alternative music
\nscene has lost its identity — not to mention its originality,
\ndespite being replete with top-notch acts — completely, and it is
\nindeed saddening, the fact that that there remains absolutely no
\ndifference between the American alternative music scene and the
\nBritish alternative music scene, now that everyone has started
\nsounding like the British. In the past decade, American indie bands
\ngained acclaim and fame for their individuality, but are now
\ngetting praised for imitating the Brits; what a shame!<\/p>\n
It is discomforting but true, the fact that the true American
\n“college radio” music scene today is “alternative” to the
\nprevailing alternative music scene; in bands that find it hard to
\nclinch a record deal, simply because their music doesn’t have the
\n“Brit” feel. The Coy is such a band.<\/p>\n
Ideally, The Coy should be called a “college radio” band, but
\nwith the prevailing college radio scene, they can be called
\n“nineties college radio revivalists.” The Coy consists of the
\nmarried couple Jennifer and Robert Hart: Jennifer sings, and Robert
\nplays the guitars. And, there are guest musicians — including a
\nrapper named APN, featured on “City” — that play other
\ninstruments, making the music complete.<\/p>\n
There was an interesting fact, or rather similarity between most
\nAmerican “college radio” bands of yesteryears: they had strong
\nfemale lead singers, and the most innovative guitarists; The Coy is
\nvery similar in nature to those bands.<\/p>\n
Jennifer is an amazing singer. Her high and low notes include
\nneither maddeningly furious screams nor cloying feminine coaxes.
\nShe is as impactful as ex-10,000 Maniacs front-woman Natalie
\nMerchant, and as captivating as Margo Timmins of the Cowboy
\nJunkies.<\/p>\n
Robert’s guitars are inescapable, and are all over the album.
\nMuch like Jennifer’s vocals, Robert’s guitars provide a strong
\nidentity to the group’s sound. His music has the energy and the
\nunassuming weirdness of the sound that characterized “college
\nradio,” back in the yore.<\/p>\n
Together, the Hart duo create a world of imaginations, mostly
\ndark, and of common human feelings, written in mostly intelligent
\nand sometimes poetic words, with references to water (drowning and
\ndownpour) common to a few numbers.<\/p>\n
In this otherwise creative effort, the production stumbles in
\nplaces, and the sound is at times weakened by the lacking recording
\nquality. Yet, the album turns out a winner. This is just to show
\nthat an abundantly talented band can still churn out a quality
\nrecord, irrespective of the financial limitations that hinder the
\nmaking of it. The Coy is a band to look out for in the future, and
\nthe Harts will hopefully bring back some identity into the American
\n“college music” scene, which has been so badly enslaved by the
\nBritish.<\/p>\n