Coastgaard

Matt Miller, Brian Dalessandro, Sean Glassman and Paolo Codega are Brooklyn band Coastgaard and as their namesake implies the group crafts some undeniably catchy ‘neo-surf rock’ characterized by layers of crisp guitar and wispy lead vocals that periodically break out into harmony.

Their song “Kings” grabs your attention straight away with an addictive riff that it proceeds to build delicate sonic textures, subtle psych freak outs and vocal harmonies around. According to front man Matt “Kings” is “about the immense power of the ocean and how that casts an ominous shadow on even the happiest most carefree occasions.” Appropriately enough, the video depicts the band floating away to the only place more vast than the ocean: O U T E R S P A C E. - MTVu

Matt Miller, Brian Dalessandro, Sean Glassman and Paolo Codega are Brooklyn band Coastgaard and as their namesake implies the group crafts some undeniably catchy ‘neo-surf rock’ characterized by layers of crisp guitar and wispy lead vocals that periodically break out into harmony.

Their song “Kings” grabs your attention straight away with an addictive riff that it proceeds to build delicate sonic textures, subtle psych freak outs and vocal harmonies around. According to front man Matt “Kings” is “about the immense power of the ocean and how that casts an ominous shadow on even the happiest most carefree occasions.” Appropriately enough, the video depicts the band floating away to the only place more vast than the ocean: O U T E R S P A C E. - MTVu

We’re enjoying our regularly scheduled Indian summer here in San Francisco, so the beach day vibes from Brooklyn-based quartet Coastgaards are incredibly appropriate right now. In particular, the warm and upbeat “Kings” is awash in sunny surf rock guitar licks and harmonies as cooling as a sea breeze. Take a listen. - See more at: http://www.turntablekitchen.com/2013/09/single-serving-coastgaard-kings/#sthash.R7m3dtoh.dpuf - Turntable Kitchen

We’re enjoying our regularly scheduled Indian summer here in San Francisco, so the beach day vibes from Brooklyn-based quartet Coastgaards are incredibly appropriate right now. In particular, the warm and upbeat “Kings” is awash in sunny surf rock guitar licks and harmonies as cooling as a sea breeze. Take a listen. - See more at: http://www.turntablekitchen.com/2013/09/single-serving-coastgaard-kings/#sthash.R7m3dtoh.dpuf - Turntable Kitchen

Either we've been missing something, or this is the first time we've heard music described as "neo-surf". As you'll be well aware there have been dozens of indie/lo-fi/dreampop bands making fuzzy indiepop with a slight surf edge to it, and most of them have "beach" or "surf" or "sea" in their names. So perhaps, after three or four years of existence in the public domain, this movement finally has a name. Coastgaard (yep, that's how they spell it) have a similarly coastal band name and are from the musical hotbed of Brooklyn. 'Kings' was their debut single, released a little earlier this year.

It fits in well with bands like Diiv, Real Estate, Best Coast, Surfer Blood and so on. It's misty, fuzzy, summery indiepop with classic melodies and the twang of surf guitars buried in the mix. Their debut album is also available now, it's self-titled and it's surprising it hasn't got more attention yet. Could we put this down to them arriving on the scene a couple of years too late? Maybe. But they seem to have the songs to transcend that, so maybe give it a few months, let word-of-mouth do its thing and then we'll be hearing their name mentioned a bit more regularly. - The Sound of Confusion

Either we've been missing something, or this is the first time we've heard music described as "neo-surf". As you'll be well aware there have been dozens of indie/lo-fi/dreampop bands making fuzzy indiepop with a slight surf edge to it, and most of them have "beach" or "surf" or "sea" in their names. So perhaps, after three or four years of existence in the public domain, this movement finally has a name. Coastgaard (yep, that's how they spell it) have a similarly coastal band name and are from the musical hotbed of Brooklyn. 'Kings' was their debut single, released a little earlier this year.

It fits in well with bands like Diiv, Real Estate, Best Coast, Surfer Blood and so on. It's misty, fuzzy, summery indiepop with classic melodies and the twang of surf guitars buried in the mix. Their debut album is also available now, it's self-titled and it's surprising it hasn't got more attention yet. Could we put this down to them arriving on the scene a couple of years too late? Maybe. But they seem to have the songs to transcend that, so maybe give it a few months, let word-of-mouth do its thing and then we'll be hearing their name mentioned a bit more regularly. - The Sound of Confusion

Be sure to snag a copy of the band’s eponymous debut record, which is FANTASTIC! - Brightest Young Things

These guys capture summer in a song the way a Shandy captures summer in a drink. - The Deli Magazine

We've already made our love of Coastgaard's debut album quite clear, but in case you're playing catch-up: lazy day melodies are in spades here, mixed with just a touch of jangle-pop—Galaxie 500 comes to mind, but with slightly more punch. Tonight's record release show couldn't come at a better time of the year. - The L Magazine

Coastgaard performs “Bricola” at Mercury Lounge, NY

Every year I get pretty excited to see Brooklyn’s own L Magazine’s list of “8 Bands You Need to Hear.” There are always new discoveries lurking in those compact pages. And their great little interviews help to flesh out even more insight into these bands. This was a special year where I had already shot two of their eight bands: Parquet Courts & Caged Animals.

Now I have added Coastgaard to that list. This was their self-titled record release show at Mercury Lounge. “Bricola” had lots of fan support so I thought that would be a good place to start in my effort to introduce you to their music. I think this album was timed to arrived for your beach music needs…or maybe your summer mix tapes? Either way I look forward to giving the whole album a spin soon.

Video of live performance at Coastgaard's record release show at Mercury Lounge in NYC. - Bleary Eyed Brooklyn

Mercury Lounge was the setting for last night’s show: boasting headliner, Coastgaard, and opening act, Hints. Home to a slew of psychedelic, post-punk acts, this night’s show at Mercury Lounge, was no exception – and the Lounge, half the venue’s namesake, was crowded even before the clock struck 9:30. Straight-faced 20-somethings, posted up at the bar with cheap beer in plastic cups – engaging in the standard small talk, and eager to end their hump-day woes with some good vibes.

Slated to play at 9:30 p.m., opening act, Hints, began their set with a typical 35-minute delay; and to a trickling of people coming in from the bar. The stage lighting faded from a hazy blue-green, to a solid red – foreshadowing the mood inspired by their set. Eager to get their show on, clusters of people disintegrated into a half-moon set, about 10 feet back from the stage – but whether this gap was due to apathy or fear, is yet to be determined. Some may describe Hints, as they would a three-legged wildebeest – interesting to watch, but only from a distance. The skinny, denim-clad, post-grunge quartet, finally hit their groove with the last two songs; which were clearly well-practiced, and an auditory relief to all. Their guitarist summarized it best when, between songs he said, “Pretty good for a bunch of teenagers, huh? Except we’re not teenagers.”

Undeterred by the shaky start, the lounge began to fill up, as Coastgaard’s much-anticipated album release, approached. Most people stumbled in from the bar, straightening their shirts, and passing cheap beer back and forth as they chattered away – while Coastgaard set up. Coastgaard’s lead vocalist, Matt Miller, was sporting a similar color-blocked button-up to that worn by Ryan Lewis, (of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis), on The Colbert Report – along with blue skinny-jeans, day-old scruff, and dark circles under his eyes. It suited him in a charming, look-how-Brooklyn-I-am, kind of way.

If you’ve never listened to Coastgaard, it’s exactly what you’d expect. Like Best Coast, Surferblood, and Beach House, Coastgaard channels the L.A. surfing scene with distorted guitar riffs, glossy-eyed lyrics, and beats that make you want to strip and run naked on some sand – à la Bo Derek. The most surprising aspect of Coastgaard’s sound, is Matt Miller’s voice – which, though baritone while speaking, becomes melodically nasal when he sings. Not many vocalists can pull off the nasal schtick, but Coastgaard is an exception.

After the first couple of songs, Coastgaard transitioned into continuous play. The audience crowded in closer as Miller, bassist Paolo Codega, drummer Brian Dalessandro, and keyboardist Sean Glassman, transitioned into their high-tide. Coastgaard transformed the room into a bunch of foot-tapping, hip-shaking, head-nodding zombies – who were half-baked, and fresh off the boat from Venice Beach. Add to this the green, overhead lighting, and Mercury Lounge might as well have been called Mermaid Lounge, for the night.

Post-continuous play, a sweat-drenched Miller, stopped to promote his album. It was clearly an unrehearsed sell – but not for lack of want. He had to call out to his friends in the crowd, to find out the price of his band’s album, CD, and t-shirt; (15, 10, and either 15 or 17 dollars, respectively) – not thrown-off enough so as to be unable to joke that, ‘both the t-shirt and the keyboardist’s face were made by American Apparel.’ The rest of the night saw a smattering of American Apparel jokes – well received, considering half the room was clothed in the aforementioned brand.

Coastgaard finished their set the same way they started it: strong. For such an overdone concept, Coastgaard is surprisingly self-aware; the structure of their set was both simple, and artfully contrived – if Quentin Tarantino were to make a movie about L.A.’s beach scene, Coastgaard would surely headline its soundtrack. The night ended with a room full of enthusiastic applause and glassy-eyed smiles. “I love you all!” Miller shouted, half-jokingly, to the crowd as the lights came back on; triggering reality’s second coming. Hey, Coastgaard – we love you too. - Culture Caffe

Vintage surf-rock isn’t exactly an untouched genre. That sea’s had quite a few swimmers, if you know what we mean. But Coastgaard approach it with such earnest enthusiasm that we can’t help but be pulled in by it. Certainly, the band have tapped right into the heart and soul of surf-rock: that nostalgia it creates. Over on their Facebook biography they state, “ They write spacey, surf, neo-psychedelic pop rock. But surf rock is only the beginning while they continue to chase down the songs that will be tagged with more than one genre. When performing, they build sounds that put you back where you remember you once were, and most times, back where you would rather be.” While we don’t know why they shunned the editorial ‘we’ for the weirder ‘third-person self reference’, that last sentence pretty much nails what all good surf-rock should be about.

Kings has a real easygoing quality to it. It comes across as effortless, the calming melodies emanating from it much like the sound of the shore on a sunny day at the beach. It also exhibits a sense of tightness, with nary a spilled note or wasted tempo change in sight. And the climax, turning into a swirl of echoes, drives home that very important texture of nostalgia before coming right back to the aforementioned tight rhythm for the outro. It never takes it easy on us.

So yes, surf-rock has been done before. But Coastgaard’s approach reminds us that it’s not what you have to say, rather how you say it. And Coastgaard are saying it in all the right ways.

From: Brooklyn, NY

Check Out: Their self-titled debut LP is now available for download via their Bandcamp Page. - Zero Music Radio

Vintage surf-rock isn’t exactly an untouched genre. That sea’s had quite a few swimmers, if you know what we mean. But Coastgaard approach it with such earnest enthusiasm that we can’t help but be pulled in by it. Certainly, the band have tapped right into the heart and soul of surf-rock: that nostalgia it creates. Over on their Facebook biography they state, “ They write spacey, surf, neo-psychedelic pop rock. But surf rock is only the beginning while they continue to chase down the songs that will be tagged with more than one genre. When performing, they build sounds that put you back where you remember you once were, and most times, back where you would rather be.” While we don’t know why they shunned the editorial ‘we’ for the weirder ‘third-person self reference’, that last sentence pretty much nails what all good surf-rock should be about.

Kings has a real easygoing quality to it. It comes across as effortless, the calming melodies emanating from it much like the sound of the shore on a sunny day at the beach. It also exhibits a sense of tightness, with nary a spilled note or wasted tempo change in sight. And the climax, turning into a swirl of echoes, drives home that very important texture of nostalgia before coming right back to the aforementioned tight rhythm for the outro. It never takes it easy on us.

So yes, surf-rock has been done before. But Coastgaard’s approach reminds us that it’s not what you have to say, rather how you say it. And Coastgaard are saying it in all the right ways.

From: Brooklyn, NY

Check Out: Their self-titled debut LP is now available for download via their Bandcamp Page. - Zero Music Radio

It's that time of year again, when The L Magazine picks their all-NYC "8 Bands You Need to Hear." Like usual, it probably includes some bands you've already heard, some you've maybe heard of, and some names new to you. Parquet Courts are without a doubt the band on the list. Here are their 2013 picks with their next NYC show (if applicable):
Free Time
Parquet Courts (April 20, Bowery Ballroom w/ Iceage)
Coastgaard (May 1, Mercury Lounge)
Juniper Rising (April 11, Death by Audio)
Celestial Shore (April 18, Silent Barn)
Caged Animals
Big Ups (tonight [4/10], Shea Stadium)
The Denzels
So who should've made their list but didn't? Who shouldn't have been on the list? Streams from all eight bands if you wanna check out any you haven't heard.
As mentioned, The L Magazine is celebrating its and Kanine Records' 10th anniversary tonight (4/10) at Union Pool with complimentary drinks and performances from Montreal's Valleys, Royal Baths offshoot LODRO and Xray Eyeballs. RSVP is now closed for this free event.
Cover to the "8 Bands" issue of The L, plus those music streams, are below. - Brooklyn Vegan

"...New York is full of young bands working on their craft, hoping to contribute something to the city’s considerable musical legacy. Who will be the next Woods and Real Estate? Here are eight we’re willing to put money on..."

Coastgaard

Three or four years removed from the reign of Brooklyn beach bands, Coastgaard emerges with the cards stacked against them: the unusual vowels in their band name, track titles referencing tidal waves and islands, and desaturated oceanfront album art might give the impression of being stuck in 2009. Here’s the catch: They’re much more an evolution of the surf-rock trend than a rehash of the recent past. Their forthcoming self-titled debut glides by on elegant pop sensibilities, but its purveyors have the hindsight to mix it up. As such, jangly 90s rock sneaks its way in momentarily to rough up otherwise pristine three-minute patches. Frontman Matt Miller flippantly recounts, “We were too dumb to care/Fucked on fresh air.” That’s the age-old secret, right? Mask the emotion with buoyant pop. Then it doesn’t hurt so much.

Your first show in NYC as Coastgaard—where’d you play? How’d it go?
"Cameo Gallery. The crowd seemed to enjoy Sean (keyboardist/guitarist) and Matt bickering like an old married couple."

What’s the biggest misconception about being a band in this city?
"That we all watch Girls. (Only three of us do)."

On tour for a month, what three albums would get the most play in the van?
"David Bowie, Hunky Dory; Neutral Milk Hotel; In the Aeroplane Over the Sea; Tame Impala, Lonerism."

Ideal four-band bill—who’s playing with you, and where are you playing?
"Beach House, Grizzly Bear and The Walkmen at Bowery Ballroom."

Favorite song about NYC?
“New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down” by LCD Soundsystem.

If you had to relocate to another city, where would you be headed?
"El Dorado."

Looking a year down the road, where do you hope to see the band?
"On an European tour—specifically, northern Italy so that we could swing by (bassist) Paolo’s house and eat some homemade gnocchi."

- The L Magazine