In the early hours of Saturday morning, the Earth’s axis reached the tilt furthest from the Sun, marking the winter solstice and the official beginning of winter in the Southern Hemisphere. And oh boy, it has been a miserably cold, wet and grey start to the winter – that seasonal depression is chomping at the bit (the rising tides of fascism aren’t much help either). There is light at the end of the tunnel though, as the incredible Coasters are back with a new single, ‘throw me down the stairs‘, that feels like a hot mug of tea, a warm blanket, and rewatching Lord Of The Rings as the storms rage outside.

Gentle acoustic guitar riffs intermingle with soaring synthlines and cello to create a soft soundscape over which provides the platform for Katarina Staines‘ intimate, confessional vocals. Her lilting delivery gives an innocent, almost childlike vulnerability that is contrasted with the devastating way she captures feelings of loneliness and ‘not being enough‘ for others that is explored in the track. The hook of ‘Because I hear you have people who know you like no one else, yeah I heard you have people who would go through hell’ is a melodic and tender refrain, and when Luke Verrezen‘s backing vocals come in, they combine into a delightful harmony.

Lyrics like ‘So love me tender through it all then throw me down the stairs’ capture the feeling of building a world with your partner that feels safe and warm before being ripped away by having to share that world with everyone else.

The track excels in the way it juxtaposes its gentle sounds with a deeper meaning that hits you like a brick if you have experienced the kind of pain ‘throw me down the stairs‘ so brutally encapsulates.

This track follows on from the spaghetti Western Psych-Rock of their previous single ‘U Wanna‘ as the second lead single to Coaster‘s upcoming debut album set for release later this year. It is for sure one of my most anticipated albums for the remainder of 2025, and I expect it will be a continuation of the immense growth that the band has gone through since the release of their debut EP ‘Heartbreak Looks Good On You‘ in 2023. Also, be sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled for the release of the camcorder-recorded Elven-themed music video next week.