Coach Party - “Be That Girl"

SXSW 2024 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 5

Pairs Well With…The Regrettes, Sleater Kinney, Shannon & The Clams

Coach Party released their first full-length in 2023 and KILLJOY is a strong display of the UK band’s catchy, dense take on indie-rock leaning pop punk. Punchy, concise, and energetic, KILLJOY is a burst of energy and finds Coach Party at their most passionate. Screams and shoegaze-like feedback intersperse with Coach Party’s more accessible singles in a way that balances KILLJOY beyond a collection of hooks and riffs. On the other end, slower, new-wave tracks like “Born Leader” are emotive and in the pocket. A wide range over less than thirty minutes runtime, Coach Party’s debut is an accomplish for a band that is able find their own sound amid a variety of influences. (Kevin McStravick)

2023 Review: English alt-rock band Coach Party shared their third EP Nothing Is Real last year and it finds them going bigger than ever before, thick riffs and hooks leading the charge across five single-ready tracks. Influences from 80s new wave to 90s punk-pop weave into Coach Party’s music, but they’re keen to balance in a way that rarely sounds like throwbacks to past alt-rock waves. Instead, Coach Party’s music sounds urgent on Nothing Is Real, eschewing nonchalance for arena-pointing tightness. While there’s some serious moods on Nothing Is Real, it’s worth noting how fun Coach Party sounds here.