Coach Party’s latest pop-rock anthem battles the fragility of relationships and doesn’t hold back!

2021 was quite the year for Isle of Wight four-piece Coach Party. Having debuted on the live scene only a year before, they have since accompanied Sea Girls on a UK-wide tour and seen their first EP ‘Party Food’ receive critical appraisals from top music mags and radio stations alike.

The rising stars combine elements of 90s alt-rock with a lively and bright poppy sound that’s pricked up the ears of Chess Club Records, a London-based label that has overseen highly successful releases from Wolf Alice and Jungle among others.

Their latest offering, ‘Weird Me Out’,  teases their upcoming EP ‘Nothing is Real’, due to be released on 29th  April. The track was also recently featured on Steve Lamacq’s daily Radio 6 show- a must-listen for those looking to discover new post-punk and alternative gems! ‘Weird Me Out’ is a product of the same lethal cocktail of grungy distortion and rebellious pop that saw the group’s debut EP reach dizzying heights- if it ain’t broke why fix it?! It kicks off with a heavy blur of guitar feedback before the drums add a real sense of purpose and intensity, driven by open high hats and a head-banging beat.

The tune has a dynamic structure that allows the energy to build in the bridge section before the chorus unleashes a flurry of feel-good indie vibrations and catchy vocal hooks. Glimpses of The Libertines or Bloc Party seem apparent here, though Coach Party have firmly carved out their own space in the pop-rock bracket.

Behind the undeniably infectious feel of Coach Party’s tried and tested musical formula is an ability to deliver a message and do it well. ‘Weird Me Out’ paints a picture of a fragmented love story, a relationship marred by unrealistic standards perpetuated by the media.

The lyrics speak to a sense of insecurity, inadequacy, and the perceived need to be viewed in a certain way to maintain a relationship. The line “don’t be yourself, cause I want something better” strikes a brutally honest and ironic chord, forcing the listener to reflect on what ought to be expected from those we hold close. The instrumental section also has a more emotional tone before the lyrics “why do I care” and “I love you but I also don’t” come to characterise the conflicted nature of the tune’s protagonist, a character anyone who feels they have had to change for someone else can surely relate to.

 

Oliver Hockings

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Image: @hattie_neate via Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/p/CakmSjvNyuQ/ )