“We just wanted to try something different”, was what lead singer of London six-piece indie outfit Flat Party, Jack Lawther, stated in his reasoning behind the band.
Both Lawther and guitarist Rory O’Rourke have been playing side by side for years, originally meeting at Bath University and bonding over a shared love for The Beatles and MGMT. Their debut single ‘Fish’ arrived in 2022, a song immediately capturing their humorous and clever approach to indie rock. In just a short period of time, the band have put together an impressive start to their discography, continuing the trend of satirical lyrics and a lighthearted songwriting approach to serious topics.
Signed to Submarine Cat Records, their debut EP arrives on January 19th, and Lawther said the project has “a lot to do with boredom”.
“The record is about a desire to escape from where you’re from but also a dissatisfaction of where you’re at”. In what seems like a dreary setting, Lawther often shines with his witty lyrics and captivating performances. The opener, ‘I’m Bored, Give Me Love’ has Lawther singing about his down-and-out luck with his love life, finding humour in his desperation: “She waved ta-ta, ha-ha, bye bitch forever! / While I’m sat here and I can’t even string myself up with a tie”. The track has all the energy you would expect from a sweaty jam session, possessing both infectious guitar leads reminiscent of early Arctic Monkeys and segments of impressive melodic efforts.
‘Aching For Living’ is filled with angst and energy, while ‘Glances in the Dark’ continues the trend of heartache songwriting. Lawther is more in his feels on this effort than making light of his emotions: “I feel fine being nothing more than strangers / Dancing seven feet apart / Throwing glances in the dark”. Instrumentally, Flat Party aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they’re providing an element of earnestness and passion in their performances that keeps you coming back for more.
Lawther sounds like he’s channelling his inner Bowie on the closer ‘Hindsight’, a politically fuelled song tracking the failures of the Tories and their demonisation of immigrants: “And the only ones left on the cliffs of Dover/Will be furious gammon with guns on their shoulders”. The lyrics come from a place of frustration and a lack of opportunities for change: “Our generation is often seen as this group of people who moan for no reason, but it really does feel like we’ve got no power to try and change things for the better”. ‘Hindsight’ is potentially Flat Party’s strongest song to date, with clever songwriting mixed with luscious background vocals and swagger in the band’s performance. They knew they were on to a good one with this.
There’s definitely a feeling of synergy within the band, and through all five songs, it’s clear that Lawther and O’Rourke have been jamming together for years. With just a handful of tracks, Flat Party show immense potential with a unique songwriting style. It will only be fascinating to see how they build on this impressive debut.
Words by Niall McGreevy