Trench Coat Yuppies – Follow (A) Long / 4 Songs / 2004 Self-Released / http://www.trenchcoatyuppies.com / Reviewed 22 March 2004

Coming with their first track, “Tora Bora”, the Trench Coat Yuppies underwhelm with their guitars, washing over any individual virtuosity. Continuing into the title track, the speedy lines are laid down just as if they were screwing around, instead of trying to further the song. The disaffected-slacking delivery of vocals by Trench might be more effective if ey was actually singing about something that merited it – not the typical fare of existential lyrics (Fade) or (Follow (A) Long). Being created right on 9/11 would usually seem to me to be a band that was highly-politicized, but I really don’t hear anything that really inspires me in any certain way. Perhaps the Yuppies were more like that on their first album, “This Is Next...”, but this go around they seem to be far enough temporally from the event, and as such, have fallen back in the routine of trying to get girls, trying to figure out who they are, and the like.

The aforementioned guitar lines are flaccid through the entire disc, similar to Slayer’s if one tacks away the interesting solos that are continually laid down by the band. “Fade” is probably the bands most solid track, as they actually do get in some sort of agreement between Trench’s vocals and the guitar/drums, making the entire work seem more like a band instead of different tracks laid down independent of time. “Secrecy” is the most embarrassing track on this shot disc, with an acoustic flair that simply does not mesh well with Trench’s voice. Ey’s whispered voice and simplistic acoustic lines really make the track disjointed as all get out, and Trench’s guitars on the track seem unfinished, with certain directions gone seeming more and more to be “the best possible fit” as opposed to the perfect music for the lyrics.

“Tora Bora” is the Yuppies’ most catchy track, but this is just due to the fact that they repeat “Tora Bora” no less than 100 times during the song. The Trench Coat Yuppies might have been the most amazing band with “This Is Next...”, The band is at the pinnacle with their lyrics, it just seems that they have miles to go before they sleep on their guitar-work, which as has been mentioned, doesn’t even sound like it fits even tangentially with the music. This go-around, just don’t bother picking up “Follow (A) Long”, but keep checking up on the band. They still might surprise you.

Rating: 5.1/10

Top Track : Fade