Andrew Paschal: Coco Hanes wears all the trappings of adolescent garage pop, but “I Don’t Wanna Go” is more melodically astute than I at first expected. In the same way that “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” couched a deeper yearning for freedom within its bubblegum frame, Hanes seems to be getting at a real conversation about independence even through her veil of carefree irreverence. [7/10]
Chris Ingalls: Ettes vocalist Hames has crafted a lovely, buzzed-out sound that recalls ’60s girl group harmony combined with a punk/rockabilly fusion. The song is a pure pop gem but is bruised and dirty enough to give it a beautiful layer of punk grime. The best of both worlds. You need this in your life. [9/10]
Steve Horowitz: “I Don’t Wanna Go” could be a battle cry or a child’s complaint. Coco Hames turns it into a simple declaration of independence but from what is unclear. That is part of the song’s strength. One can sing along with her sturdy, straight-forward vocals and have them fit whatever is going on in one’s life. But it is also the song’s weakness. The generic message undercuts its effectiveness. Hames and her band offer a solid performance that probably works well live, but the recording suffers from the sense of having heard too many songs like it before. [6/10]
Paul Carr: Those early days of courtship. That horrible moment when the bubble you have created for yourselves is burst by the inevitable routine of real life. Going to work, planning meals for one, putting the bins out, thoughts that can be pushed to one side, the longer you stay wrapped up in the hazy dream of a nascent relationship. A few more minutes please, I’m not ready to go just yet. This is the feeling that Coco Hames evokes in her latest offering. After Making her name with Nashville garage rockers the Ettes, “I Don’t Wanna Go”, Coco Hames strikes out on her own. It’s a loose garage rocker with the simple catchiness of early Ramones if they grew up in Nashville rather than New York. The song is a personal ode to Hames’ husband about their early days together and evokes that simple, easy period of early romance. A halcyon time for any young couple, well before the arguments about whose turn it is to take the dog out for a wee. [8/10]
Mike Schiller: Simple and direct, Coco Hames’ latest states its purpose in its first ten seconds or so and then just rolls with it. What it lacks in thematic and melodic variation it makes up for in charm and energy, though it would be nice to hear Hames let loose a bit in the vocal department so that the guitar solo didn’t overshadow what she was doing so dramatically. Still, it’s a fun little tune. [6/10]
Adriane Pontecorvo: Coco Hames has a great voice and a great energy, no question. “I Don’t Wanna Go”, though, is a dull song, one-dimensional and flat. Of course, those qualities make it perfectly qualified to be a mainstream pop single, so I guess the thing to do is just sit back and enjoy the Joshua trees without thinking too hard about it. [3/10]
Scott Zuppardo: Take notes, pictures, or whatever else you need, this, kids, is rock ‘n’ roll! Coco and Company let the telecasters blaze as Julian Dioro keeps an impervious back beat to hash all over. An infectious, bouncy number that will be played at many a cookout this spring and summer. Surprise! Merge delivers again. [9/10]
John Bergstrom: The debut solo single from the Ettes’ singer is pleasingly retro– or timeless. It could have come from any of the last 40 years. It would have been a fun yet slight song in any of them. [6/10]
SCORE: 6.75