Antistar

Magnet (2/04, p.102) - "The album sparkles with a sense of childlike wonder, but don't be fooled: Beneath the sprightly harmonies lie complex guitar suites and measured serenity."

Similar to the band name, the music that Marshmallow Coast plays is light and fluffy, with gentle vocals that float on top of the indie pop music laid down. A number of the 11 songs on Antistar have somewhat silly lyrics as they tell odd stories, but the music always does a good job of matching their tone. Many of the tunes on the album are endearing, while others have a tendency to get annoying rather quickly. Only toward the end of the album, as the song "Selling My Youth" kicks in with the drums and guitar, does much of the music get exciting. The next tune, the delicate "Bizarre Classical #7," is a wonderfully orchestrated piece, while "Chinese Lady" is a very catchy number that nicely closes out the album. While the addition of instruments like flute and banjo make for a more interesting album, it also seems like they lead the band to not find a consistent groove. Without that consistency, it makes for a rather average album, although one whose positives definitely shine bright. ~ Kurt Morris