"Level Up" Delivers
by
Christopher Ricci
It is always refreshing to hear a band that varies its sound just the perfect amount. NoCo manages to accomplish this with their latest release, Level Up, a six-song EP that will take you up, down, and around various regions in the broad world of alternative rock. While the Silver Spring-based band has never been known for having lengthy albums, they make up for this shortcoming by giving every listener something to enjoy.
And above all—especially notable with this release—every song has depth. Astounding production values mixed with great musicianship allow listeners to enter a new world every three to four minutes.
“Give” starts things at a high point, throwing a layer of grunge over an already-gritty song. The lighter verse vocals provide a nice contrast to this style, and are able to effectively blend with the rest of the instruments as the song progresses past choruses and a bridge that almost seems possessed by demons.
“Sugarcoated” adds some pop to the formula, starting with a simple, yet catchy bass riff that helps set a more relaxed vibe for much of the song. To say the song is completely laid-back is an overstatement, however; there is plenty to hear and plenty of moments to play your favorite air guitar. Plus, the song's music video is worth several views at the least.
“Mercenaries” is to this album as “Restless” was to NoCo's This Could Be You (2008) album: it provides the middle ground to their range of sounds. Words are not the best at describing the experience of hearing it, but rest assured that every instrument that makes up the song shines at some point, explodes at another, and ultimately combines together to end the first half of the album well.
“Reality Check” does not pull any punches, either. While a lot simpler than the other songs, any uncertainty about its quality is resolved by the first chorus, which bursts from the speakers in a way that gives everything a feeling of comforting warmth. Out of the entirety of Level Up, this seems like the song that listeners will understand and potentially connect with the most after one listen.
“Unstoppable,” unfortunately, did not click in my mind as well. It retains many of the catchy elements of the other songs, but perhaps my lesser interest is the result of it being placed right after a back-to-back blast of two incredible songs. Even then, it is worth a listen for its various transitions in tones, peaking at an eerie vocal segment near its end.
“FML” is fairly eclectic compared to the other songs, but its differences in groove provide an even fresher feeling than the rest of the tracks. Perhaps the most interesting point in the song is its spoken word segment, providing a darker, albeit reminiscent feeling to NoCo's past work in songs such as “Seems So Seamless” from Wasted Dreams (2005).
By the end of the album, nothing is left hanging; in fact, it seems almost natural for the album to return back to “Give” if it is left on loop. And listeners should be eager for this replay—Level Up is, simply put, awesome. Past NoCo fans and new listeners will all feel at home with this release.
