Brisbane indie heavyweights Screamfeeder are one of this country’s most-loved bands, capturing hearts and ears with their blissfully noisy pop-rock. Now they’re back, better than ever, with new album Pop Guilt set for release April 21st.
But first, some history. Screamfeeder are one of those bands you grew up with, whose songs are imprinted into the DNA of every music-lover who came of age in the 90’s and 00’s. A band of eternally-youthful fuzz-pop darlings who, however improbably, have continued to play together for over 20 years and somehow have not only gotten better, but have become even more respected.
Screamfeeder’s debut Flour came out way back in 1992, and they followed that with five more scorching albums including the undeniably-classic Kitten Licks in 1996. In 2005, they took a break from recording and touring, but continued to play shows when they felt the urge. Their records have continued to sell, so much so that their first five albums were re-released on vinyl in 2015 and 2016 by Poison City Records.
The band toured to support the re-releases, and it was a revelation – rooms filled with punters singing every word as testament to the abiding quality and ongoing love for the band. It was apparent that plenty of people still wanted to hear their music. That time spent on tour snowballed into brand new songs being written and recorded, and those sessions have resulted in a new album, due for release in April 2017.
The first singles ‘Alone In The Crowd’ and ‘All Over It Again’ gained airplay across the country. What better reason than to come out of hibernation? Writing together again came easily to Tim Steward and Kellie Lloyd, who sat down together and put together the bulk of the album’s songs. “It was like we’d never stopped.. we found ourselves
falling into familiar patterns of melody and structure again so easily”. Lyrically the album combines Kellie’s abstract and poetic stream-of-consciousness with Tim’s more literal – and literate – observations and personal purgings.
The new album was recorded in Brisbane but mixed mostly in America, the band choosing a dream-list of producers from their collection of indie-rock favourites old and new. Brad Wood (Veruca Salt, Placebo), Paul Kolderie (Dinosaur Jr, The Lemonheads, Radiohead), Dave Downham (Beach Slang) and Wayne Connolly (The Vines, Died Pretty) contributed mixes and their own signature styles to the songs.
Written by Tim whilst in London on the Grant McLennan Fellowship, the album opens with ‘Half Lies’ a track about the learning of the mechanics of falling in and out of love and the mistakes and heartache of youth, innocence and naivete.
Screamfeeder have toured Australia too many times to count, as well as the US, UK, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, France, Germany, Switzerland and Spain. Live, they’re a non-stop whirlwind of high-energy heavy riffs, caterwauling feedback and pulse-racing bass, Tim and Kellie entwining their vocals around the music, all anchored with the explosive power of Dean Shwereb’s drumming. They’re raw, grungy, fiery, effortlessly skillful yet loose at the same time, an exuberant and joyful wave of music filling every space in the room with pure radiant youth.
Screamfeeder still believe in writing good songs, and performing them like their lives depend on it. Who’s going to argue with that?
“…(their) ragged, infectious spirit evokes all kinds of glories: classic soul records, the early Who singles, the fire and fun of bands such as the Jam and the Replacements.” (Courier Mail)
Pre-order Pop Guilt Here: http://abcmusic.lnk.to/PopGuilt
