Introducing . . The Coast

Published on Friday 6 February 2009 09:01

WITH a sound that's been likened to Arcade Fire pretending to be New Order doing Flaming Lips covers, The Coast are making real waves – in their native Canada at least.

The Toronto foursome are hitherto unknown over here, but their reputation is sure to spread like wildfire when debut album Expatriate hits shop shelves on Monday.

Since first starting to play together eight years ago in high school when two sets of friends (including a set of brothers) came together out of their shared love of music, The Coast (singer/guitarist Ben Spurr, guitarist Ian Fosbery, bassist Luke Melchiorre, and drummer Jordan Melchiorre) have been steadily rising on the red-hot Toronto indie scene, signing to Aporia Records in 2006 on the strength of their self-titled EP and word-of-mouth about their dynamic live show.

The band were dubbed "Canada's best kept secret" by MTV, thanks to the buzz that grew as they toured extensively across North America last year, playing with the likes of Tokyo Police Club, The Dears, Sam Roberts and Foals.

While their EP was a showcase for their impressive songwriting abilities, their upcoming album seems much less concerned with proving the band's musical chops. For the most part simple and direct, the songs on Expatriate run the gamut from high energy sing-a-longs to sparse melodic compositions.

"To me, this record is a bit more honest – it's a bit less 'done up'," explains bassist Luke Melchiorre, whose band can be seen in live action at Sneaky Pete's on Tuesday night.

"There was far more integration between writing and arranging this time around."

Being in a band with friends you've been with since you were a kid can be problematic, says Melchiorre, especially when it comes to separating your creative relationship from your relationship as friends.

"I think that the writing and recording of this record required us all to be far more honest with each other about what we expected from one another musically and how we wanted to sound.

"To me, if there is a central theme of the record, then it has to be one of feeling disappointed with yourself and others and dealing with the ramifications of that," he continues.

"There are some idiosyn-crasies about this record, and that goes with what the songs are speaking to, which is addressing some of our flaws – instead of trying to gloss over them or attempting to edit them out completely."

Having built a devoted fanbase back home, The Coast are confident their hooky, indie pop can also make an impression in the UK.

"I hope it's the kind of record you that could listen to a number of times and still have it be a rewarding experience," says Melchiorre.

"I think it's a record that evokes a feeling of being our age in Toronto. It's like a snapshot of a specific time and place, but it also speaks of things that lots of people will relate to."

The Coast, Sneaky Pete's, Cowgate, Tuesday, 7.30pm, 5, 0131-225 1757