The Wonder Years

Some bands seem to exist purely as an antidote to a bad day. In the case of rambunctious Northern Irish power-pop outfit Wonder Villains, their bright and infectious sound offers a pleasant distraction in the immediate aftermath of Ireland’s particularly gruesome Spanish Inquisition in Gdansk. When the Derry natives’ pint-sized frontwoman Eimear Coyle answers her phone with a cheery ‘hello’ less than 24 hours later, an entire nation is in need of a pick-me-up. A relentlessly enthusiastic sort, Coyle is barely off the plane from Portugal following some much needed Iberian R&R with her bandmates. Having penned ‘ZOLA’ - an ode to diminutive former Chelsea hitman Gianfranco – it’s safe to assume that the Derry native has at least some interest in the beautiful game. Did her flight time manage to spare her from witnessing the mauling?

“Sadly not!” she laughs. “We were all dressed in green, ready to win and then… nightmare. It probably couldn’t have gone any worse. Well, it could have been five! Ah well, what can you do? The crowd was pretty epic and it was great to see James McClean finally make an appearance but that was about it, really.”
The failings of Trap’s Army are unlikely to inspire any great rousing musical numbers in the future, but Wonder Villains might manage it, given their mission to keep things upbeat. Fresh out of school and with no intention of growing up any time soon, they specialise in short, snappy pop bursts, the subject matter often inspired by famous characters, fictional or otherwise. Is real life simply too boring?
“Not necessarily,” says Eimear. “I was talking to someone recently and they were saying how music is their way of expressing themselves and dealing with their life, but I just don’t know how to do that. I can only write about other people, whether it’s people on TV or celebrities or whatever. I don’t know how to write about myself! I’ve never really tried. I must, though, some day. Maybe I could put a happy spin on the recession.”
The hyperactive foursome seem to delight in flouting convention. Decked out in day-glo and powered by the spirit of Americana, the Villains are something of a throwback, if only as far as the late ‘90s (Coyle is keen to cite Blink-182, Weezer and – with a certain degree of knowing relish – the Spice Girls as key influences). The singer posits that her group stand out from the crowd but they’re a good advertisement for a scene that continues to impress with both its talent and variety. What’s more, it’s a movement that seems to know its worth. Any truth to the rumours that the Villains regularly throw down to their own tunes when they hit the clubs?
“Yep!” laughs Eimear. “I love hearing our songs when we’re out. You go out in Belfast and you know the DJs and sometimes they wave over at you and you think, ‘Oh God they’re going to play ‘ZOLA’! If they do, there’s no point in standing there not enjoying yourself. We go for it and sing along and dance. It’s ridiculous, sure, but it’s really fun. I don’t think we know how to act cool.”
Wonder Villains may not be about to challenge fellow Nordies And So I Watch You From Afar with some instrumental chaos but when it comes to turbo-charged melodic riots, few acts are better equipped. Little wonder then, that the Villains are gathering some momentum abroad, with Coyle & Co. impressing at the Dot To Dot festival in Bristol earlier this month and at SXSW in March.
“Texas was ridiculous, just absolutely crazy,” she recalls. “It was so warm and everyone was American, like really American, and we just ate way too many sweets. We played a burger party where they gave out free burgers and milkshakes so by the time we got up to play everyone was so happy. It made for a pretty easy gig!”
Back home, when not fighting over the remote at their self-styled ‘Wonder Villa’ in Belfast (Coyle insists the band’s shared living quarters is a modest affair but it’s hard not to imagine rainbow-coloured wallpaper and assorted tropical features cluttering up the place), the Villains have been making healthy strides up the domestic ladder, notching up several notable support slots and bringing ‘ZOLA’ to the masses via the likes of Radio 1 and XFM. As if that wasn’t enough, their debut album is in the final stages of production and is expected to land at some point in the near future. Highlight of the last 12 months then?
“Supporting The Human League was unbelievable,” beams Eimear. “We got to play with The Undertones a few weeks ago too. They’re the biggest band to ever come out of Derry and to have them go on after you and big you up to their crowd is just an amazing feeling. It’s just so cool rolling with the big bands who’ve been going for so long. You get goosebumps but I think we do okay with nerves. We just translate nerves into total excitement and just go for it.”
Proving that there’s no stage they won’t grace, the Villains also played alongside soppy warblers Scouting For Girls. Be honest, are they not truly dreadful?
“No, they’re totally not! Back then we were in school and when we were supporting The Human League, most of my friends didn’t really know who they were but when we found out we were going to support Scouting For Girls, everyone was like, ‘Oh my God!!’. That was a fun day. They’re not terrible! I’ll admit that The Human League are better though.”