Mount Pleasant

CoCoRico

BY Chuck MolgatPublished Apr 1, 2002

It would be cool if Mount Pleasant’s name contained some sort of hidden reference to Teenage Fanclub. That way, the Vancouver trio could disarm every critic who decides to write up this six-song independent CD. Whether intentional or not, Mount Pleasant’s debut comes off as a serious aping of the melodic pop Scots, from the band’s choice of chords, tempos and arrangements right down to the sweet harmonies of guitarist/vocalists Chris Kinnon and Trevor Hancheroff. Even when the group does let up on the seeming tribute routine, it does so only to introduce other overtly derivative elements. The song "Always Something,” for instance, sounds like a track foolishly left off the last Sloan album, while "Hard To Find” is rife with all sorts of descending Byrd-isms. The highlight of the set is a track called "Coasting,” which sounds as though it must have been culled from a completely different recording session than the rest of the disc’s material. The song boasts a strong vocal performance and even stronger duelling guitar parts wrapped up in a tight, roots-y march, along the lines of something the Jayhawks might trot out. CoCoRico is a promising start from a band that should turn some heads, providing they can turn their attention towards crafting a sound of their own.

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