Blue Coffee - in and out

Blue Coffee

In and Out
​self-released; 2020

4.1 out of 5 - TOP ALBUM

By Matt Jensen

Gautier Rodriguez, Nico de Bank, Sebastien Tourel, and Francois Debiol are Blue Coffee. It wasn’t even a year ago that they released Silent and are back with In and Out. Man, they really went all out with this album. They are in top form delivering off-kilter rock songs that can’t be ignored. The songs are powerful, commanding and fun and usually intense at the same time.

They get going with “Minor Opening” and it starts with some slightly distorted vocals but it doesn't take long for the other members to drop in. It moves and before the one-minute mark they crush it in unison with some melodic guitar work, driving drums, a steady bass for foundation and well delivered vocals. The song opens up and there are some really notable crescendos and peaks that culminate with a guitar solo.

“In And Out '' is very catchy and I loved the urgency of the vocals on this song. They rock hard and it felt like a single worthy song among the batch. The band mellows out with “Sense Of Drama” and it's a good move for the third song. It’s more of a ballad with the vocals being the focal point. The hook is legit and the verse is also done really well.

As we approach the middle of the album there is no filler on site as they continue to produce the goods with the upbeat and infectious “Leaf,” “Besides Faust, On a Beach” and “Cats In Green.” The post-rock inspired guitar sounds at home on “Staples and Apples” and the more melodic “Springtime” was another slight break from the rocking. They end with the short “Ponte Vecchio'' and I thought they were going to go all out but it’s the opposite and sounds more akin to ’50s pop.

This is an album that’s a little hard to explain why it’s so good. The music isn’t glaringly unique or out of the box but it’s just very well written and delivered. They take a familiar structure and redress it in their own way.

Some of this also comes down to exceptional production. This is the sound of a band playing together but very well mixed and mastered so you can hear the nuances clearly from the bass work to a rim shot on the drums.

​The band really took care of business and crushed it with this release. Highly recommended.

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