Formed in 2010 and sounding somewhere between The Blackout, You Me At Six and the first Envy On The Coast record, Bridgend pop rockers Manhattan Coast’s EP ‘Beg, Borrow, or Steal’ is a big statement of intent. Clocking in at about 20 minutes long, the EP contains five tracks of ballsy rock that’s led by a strong vocal and supported by confident instrumental work across the board.
The EP starts as it means to go on with ‘My Boat My Rules’, a bouncy alternative rock track that shows off the band’s ability to pen a big chorus, and despite the brief spoken word of “my boat my rules” in the middle that is pretty much in an American accent (something that will wind a few people up), it’s a solid effort to kick off the EP.
‘CF31 Kid’ carries another excellent chorus, and despite the fact that the middle 8 here is a little over-the-top, the track probably has the best vocal performance and best half time section of the entire EP. ‘Smile & Wave Boys, Smile & Wave’ is the track that got us asking for the EP in the first place, and it’s probably the best track on the release – it’s also got the best “woahs” and would sound brilliant from a giant stage. ‘Man Down or Man Up’ and closer ‘I Open At The Close’ – particularly the latter – bring the pace down a bit, but they also show that the band have got plenty to offer and don’t really take the bite out of the quality of the EP.
Essentially, ‘Beg, Borrow, or Steal’ screams of Manhattan Coast’s promise for the future, and because of that it’s even more important for the band to work on forging a sound that really sets them apart. They’ve definitely got an excellent album up their sleeves in the future and are e certainly a band to keep an eye on if you like your arena sized pop rock. It’s a confident effort, and we’re certainly excited to hear more from them in the future.
TOM AYLOTT