Ten Fé - 'Coasting'
You might not show it to your friends, but you will LOVE this song.
Humour me, dear readers, and allow me to be perfectly frank with you. I am tasked with listening to the freshest music that the world has to offer and analysing in great detail, before explaining it to the young adults who stumble upon/have followed this wonderful organisation- those young adults expecting to hear why a song is exciting, different and emotionally beguiling and these people have to rely on ME to enlighten them on the future of popular music when my musical hero/icon/reason-i-exist is big, earnest, multi-million selling, American-dream baiting, legendary Bruce Springsteen- creator of the 'cheesiest', least subtle, balls to the wall rock'n'roll music in existence. I'm stuck in the past. I can't give you real advice on the state of what music is today. Which is why you all must listen to me when I say it is vital you listen to the new Ten Fe track ‘Coasting’. Because it transcends all the bullshit of pushing boundaries, being different and retaining an illusion of being cool. Cool doesn't exist. Not now ‘Coasting’ has had its way with it. Comfort, familiarity and warmth is the new black.
If The War on Drugs wear off on you after the second verse and eighth minute, Ten Fe are the band for you. They adopt a classic American way of songwriting in the vein of CCR, Springsteen and Tom Petty, all filtered through 90's madchester synths- that would only serve to nulify any sort of appeal in the age of authenticity, especially considering they're a band from London. But when you've got a song this sweet- fuck striving to sound different, especially when you can sound this much like yourselves. ‘Coasting’ holds its influences on its chest and is all the better for it. The melody immediately envelopes you- not getting stuck in your head as much as it just relieves your mood. It's smoothness doesn't relent in some of the ways a Springsteen record might- vocals are effortlessly expressed rather than belted out, the beat is lightly pulsing rather than pounding and, like the eighties itself, the chorus is one you'll know before it's even finished. This song won't fit in your post-punk, emo-rap or Mac DeMarco-soundalikes playlist- but you'll listen to this on your own sometimes and smile and let it bring you back to somewhere happy. Because sometimes that's all music needs to be able to do.
Words by James Kitchen
New album Future Perfect, Present Tense out Some Kinda Love/PIAS on March 8th.
Tour Dates -
NORTH AMERICA
17-Mar, Washington, DC, Songbyrd
19-Mar, NY,NY, Bowery Ballroom
20-Mar, Allston, MA, Great Scott
21-Mar, Philadelphia, PA, Milkboy
23-Mar, Toronto, ON, The Drake Hotel
24-Mar, Ottawa, ON, 27 Club
25-Mar, Montreal, QC, Bar Le Ritz PBD
27-Mar, Detroit, MI, Magic Bag
28-Mar, Milwaukee, WI, Colectivo
30-Mar, Chicago, IL, Schubas
31-Mar, Minneapolis, MN, 7th Street Entry
02-Apr, Denver, CO, Globe Hall
05-Apr, Phoenix, AZ, Valley Bar
06-Apr, Las Vegas, NV, The Bunkhouse Saloon
07-Apr, San Diego, CA, The Casbah
09-Apr, Los Angeles, CA, Troubadour
11-Apr, San Fran, CA,The Independent
13-Apr, Portland, OR, Doug Fir Lounge
14-Apr, Vancouver, Biltmore Cabaret
15-Apr, Seattle, WA, Barboza
EUROPE
24-Apr, Manchester, UK, Yes (Pink Room)
25-Apr, Edinburgh, UK, Sneaky Pete's
26-Apr, Newcastle, UK, Think Tank?
27-Apr, Leeds, UK, Headrow House
29-Apr, Nottingham, UK, Rough Trade
30-Apr, Bristol, UK, The Louisiana
01-May, Brighton, UK, The Hope & Ruin
04-May, Paris, FR, Pont FMR
05-May, Antwerp, BE, Trix
07-May, Zurich, CH, Papiersaal
09-May, Vienna, AT, B72
10-May, Prague, CZ, Café vs Lese
11-May, Berlin, DE, Musik & Frieden
13-May, Hamburg, DE, Molotow
14-May, Cologne, DE, Studio 672
16-May, Nijmegen, NL, Merleyn
17-May, Rotterdam, NL, Rotown
18-May, Utrecht, NL, EKKO
19-May, Amsterdam, NL, Bitterzoet