Poppy, witty and experimental, the Isle of Wight indie rock quartet are far more interesting than a cursory listen suggests
Countless islands make up the
United Kingdom, and the Isle of Wight might be the most misunderstood of them all. It’s never just been home to teenagers waiting to leave and pensioners waiting to die, but it’s still surprising to find promising indie rockers such as Coach Party staying put and insisting the
music industry come to them.
Jess (vocals/bass), Steph, Joe (guitars) and Guy (drums) only played their first gig a few months ago, yet the strength of their songs persuaded
London label Chess Club, which released early work by Wolf Alice, Jungle and Mumford & Sons, to travel south and issue their first singles. They are now collected on an EP, Party Food, along with three new tracks, and although there are moments reminiscent of bigger bands, there’s a punchy wit to Coach Party’s relationship-driven lyrics. The arrangements are poppy yet experimental, and served with a confidence that only comes from not hiding behind other people’s ideas.