SHARE THIS ARTICLE

Share on facebook
Share on twitter

Why We Love: Press Club

Spotify’s Discover Weekly is a wonderfully exciting place where you can unearth artists specifically tailored to your tastes and it is what led me to a band that has been described as “one of the most exciting young prospects in rock music.” Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Press Club’s gritty garage-punk sound first blessed the ears of Bandcamp listeners in 2017 with the release of their single Headwreck, a hazy two and half minute anthem clearly expressing the band’s true unadulterated passion and determination that has continued to shine throughout their two subsequent albums, Late Teens and Wasted Energy.

Influenced by bands like Brand New and Hüsker Dü, the energetic and chaotic sound of their music can often be seen to juxtapose the peaceful and laid back vibe that their narrative music videos exude, an effect that is especially evident in the video accompanying Suburbia, a personal favourite of mine and their most streamed track on Spotify. The calm everyday visuals of the video create an anticipatory tension throughout that reflects the angsty nostalgia of old relationships and moving on, a feeling that I am sure many can relate to. Lead singer Natalie Foster introduces dream-like vocals that explode into punk fervour, a technique common in Press Club’s discography, in Crash and Same Mistakes for example, and gives the band that irresistible indie edge and attracts an audience atypical to the punk genre.

The band tends to embody a kind of “go with the flow” attitude, creating music with ambiguity allowing the listener to interpret the meaning in a way unique to themselves and, as Foster revealed, deciding upon song titles and even their band name by throwing ideas around and seeing what felt right. Many of Press Club’s songs do, however, deal with quite heavy topics enabling an emotional connection to form between the band and the listener over similar shared experiences. Twenty-Three, the concluding track to their Wasted Energy album, for example, discusses topics such as drugs and how you can’t hide from your actions.

As a band notorious among its fans for delivering loud, atmospheric gigs and tirelessly touring around Australia, Europe, and the UK, racking up a huge number of shows in the last few years, Press Club should 100% be at the top of your “bands to see live” list. They will not disappoint.

Photo by: Ian Laidlaw

Listen to Press Club on Spotify now.

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter

Advertisement

Recommended for you:

Jeanie Crystal: Jeanie’s Manifesto

Jeanie Crystal has a special way of seeing. While her bold, boundary-pushing vision of the world is defined by a riotous sense of fun, it simultaneously turns a serious lens to certain topics labeled taboo. The DJ and co-founder of FabooTV is the directorial mastermind behind the video for Eliza Rose’s international megahit ‘Baddest of the Them All’ (26 million views and counting.)

Read More »

Acid 4 U: The Decius Interview

Decius are a force to be reckoned with. The acid house-slash-hard techno outfit comprised of members of Trashmouth Records (Liam and Luke May) Paranoid London (Quinn Whalley) and Fat White Family (Lias Saoudi) have spent the past few years barnstorming London’s underground club scene. They’ve remixed tracks from artists ranging from Depeche Mode to Warmduscher, and they’ve released twelve original EPs (one of which, Decius Vol. 1, made DJ Mag’s list of top albums of 2022.)  The band has played in both the grimiest and the most glam of London venues, and their signature slick, sleazy rhythms are the backing tracks of raves and clubs around the globe. Superstar DJ Honey Dijon is a fan. So are Chloé, Jennifer Cardini, Roisin Murphy, and Iggy Pop. (In a recent interview, Murphy dubbed the band’s sound to be, “… very good indeed. Very sexy and it’s got equilibrium. It’s not too fancy and it

Read More »

Why We Love: Tee Vee Repairmann

Australia. The backbone of several memes regarding its apparently nightmarish wildlife and the home of the late legend Steve Irwin, it has bred quite a lot of great bands throughout the decades. AC/DC, INXS, Men at Work, and Midnight Oil come to mind. Most recently, a trio called The Chats have been dominating the international punk scene with their humorous, punchy songs. However, The Chats are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what’s going down in the land down under. In recent years, a fairly spectacular underground music scene has developed in Australia. Featuring bands such as Gee Tee, R.M.F.C., and Tee Vee Repairmann, the style has been called “Egg Punk” by some, and it typically features fast, distorted barre chords punctuated by loud guitar lines or mellow synths, impenetrable bass, and drums that are so compressed they almost sound mechanized. The vocals are often filtered

Read More »

White Devil Disco: RED

In the words of its founder, Joseph Pancucci, White Devil Disco is “…a bit of an illusion, an enigma existing on the cusp of your senses, ever changing, and evolving.”

Read More »

Crate Digging with Slack Alice

Ever wondered what your favourite musicians listen to when they need inspo? Slack Alice saw its dawn back in 2014 when resident DJs and old friends Kelan and Yokel decided to put on regular nights at The Surrey Vaults. It wasn’t long before the collective reached its final (and most powerful) form. Bristol legends Nadoone and Anina joined Slack Alice, and their vision helped unlock new levels of creativity and expression. Music lovers and fellow DJs started attending Slack Alice events regularly, and most of them remained time-tested supporters and collaborators. It could have been the need to escape trite Bristol line-ups or the identity of a newfound community that allured people, or the far-out curation of the Slack Alice events, whose guests included frontman of the iconic Cabaret Voltaire Stephen Mallinder, Test Dept. and Giant Swan. I think the crux has always been the synergy between the four, their

Read More »

Why We Love: Alex Chilton

Alex Chilton has become something of a hero to multiple generations of alternative rockers, power pop enthusiasts, and music lovers in general. First rising to fame in the late ’60s with the band The Box Tops, Chilton was just a teenager when the band’s debut single, “The Letter,” became a number one hit. For three more years, the group continued to release hits, though after multiple lineup changes, the group split.  Having been the frontman of a successful band for multiple years, Chilton could have done whatever he wanted. He contemplated going to college, he worked on multiple solo songs, and he was even considered for the position of singer in Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Instead, he decided to do none of these things and went on to form a band called Big Star. There could easily be an entirely separate article about how great Big Star is, and maybe

Read More »

Cowboyy: Britain’s Latest Bandits

If you’re a Londoner like myself who seemingly can’t stay away from the holy trinity of music venues, The Windmill, The Sebright Arms and The New Cross Inn,  you’d have certainly already heard about Cowboyy. The latest 4-piece lineup to come storming out of the UK’s woodwork has already rightly attracted the attention of music heads and BBC 6 DJs alike with their exceptional first single ‘Gmaps’.  At first glance, the band’s lineup is a patchwork of secondary school stereotypes, each styled like the four kids in your class you’d never thought would interact, let alone form a band. But behind the athlete on drums and maths wiz on vocals exists a brotherly bond which has been essential in forming the band’s unique charm. We got to know a little more about Cowboyy when we spoke to them recently. Hi guys, thanks for taking the time to speak with us.

Read More »

Jessica Winter: “I Want to Find Something Real”

With a soaring magic carpet ride of a voice and a talent for writing pop hooks that rivals anybody on the charts today, Jessica Winter’s sound can’t be tucked neatly into any identifying genre but exists in a liminal space between electro-pop and indie goth, laced with jagged, searing punk rock rawness.

Read More »

Humour: So Young’s Latest Hardcore Signing

Glaswegian 5-piece band Humour is the latest and most rip-roaring addition to the instantly addictive lineup of bands on So Young records’ roster. The boys, many of whom met at primary school or whilst studying in Glasgow, have poured their collective talents into their new EP, “PURE MISERY,” set for release on November 25th. The recent singles “yeah, mud!” and “alive and well” have teased a hard-hitting and unmissable six-track record later on this year. Totally Wired Magazine spoke to two of the band’s founding members, guitarist Jack Lyall and frontman (plus visual artist) Andreas Christodoulidis. Hi guys, what have you been up to? Andreas: Just getting the artwork for the singles finalised and quite a few interviews too. Jack: Oh yeah, a few of those. Andreas: We’re getting a little bit better at it but still not great, as you’ll find out. Well, you boys are one of the

Read More »

Jeanie Crystal: Jeanie’s Manifesto

Jeanie Crystal has a special way of seeing. While her bold, boundary-pushing vision of the world is defined by a riotous sense of fun, it simultaneously turns a serious lens to certain topics labeled taboo. The DJ and co-founder of FabooTV is the directorial mastermind behind the video for Eliza Rose’s international megahit ‘Baddest of the Them All’ (26 million views and counting.)

Read More »

Acid 4 U: The Decius Interview

Decius are a force to be reckoned with. The acid house-slash-hard techno outfit comprised of members of Trashmouth Records (Liam and Luke May) Paranoid London (Quinn Whalley) and Fat White Family (Lias Saoudi) have spent the past few years barnstorming London’s underground club scene. They’ve remixed tracks from artists ranging from Depeche Mode to Warmduscher, and they’ve released twelve original EPs (one of which, Decius Vol. 1, made DJ Mag’s list of top albums of 2022.)  The band has played in both the grimiest and the most glam of London venues, and their signature slick, sleazy rhythms are the backing tracks of raves and clubs around the globe. Superstar DJ Honey Dijon is a fan. So are Chloé, Jennifer Cardini, Roisin Murphy, and Iggy Pop. (In a recent interview, Murphy dubbed the band’s sound to be, “… very good indeed. Very sexy and it’s got equilibrium. It’s not too fancy and it

Read More »

Why We Love: Tee Vee Repairmann

Australia. The backbone of several memes regarding its apparently nightmarish wildlife and the home of the late legend Steve Irwin, it has bred quite a lot of great bands throughout the decades. AC/DC, INXS, Men at Work, and Midnight Oil come to mind. Most recently, a trio called The Chats have been dominating the international punk scene with their humorous, punchy songs. However, The Chats are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what’s going down in the land down under. In recent years, a fairly spectacular underground music scene has developed in Australia. Featuring bands such as Gee Tee, R.M.F.C., and Tee Vee Repairmann, the style has been called “Egg Punk” by some, and it typically features fast, distorted barre chords punctuated by loud guitar lines or mellow synths, impenetrable bass, and drums that are so compressed they almost sound mechanized. The vocals are often filtered

Read More »

White Devil Disco: RED

In the words of its founder, Joseph Pancucci, White Devil Disco is “…a bit of an illusion, an enigma existing on the cusp of your senses, ever changing, and evolving.”

Read More »

Crate Digging with Slack Alice

Ever wondered what your favourite musicians listen to when they need inspo? Slack Alice saw its dawn back in 2014 when resident DJs and old friends Kelan and Yokel decided to put on regular nights at The Surrey Vaults. It wasn’t long before the collective reached its final (and most powerful) form. Bristol legends Nadoone and Anina joined Slack Alice, and their vision helped unlock new levels of creativity and expression. Music lovers and fellow DJs started attending Slack Alice events regularly, and most of them remained time-tested supporters and collaborators. It could have been the need to escape trite Bristol line-ups or the identity of a newfound community that allured people, or the far-out curation of the Slack Alice events, whose guests included frontman of the iconic Cabaret Voltaire Stephen Mallinder, Test Dept. and Giant Swan. I think the crux has always been the synergy between the four, their

Read More »

Why We Love: Alex Chilton

Alex Chilton has become something of a hero to multiple generations of alternative rockers, power pop enthusiasts, and music lovers in general. First rising to fame in the late ’60s with the band The Box Tops, Chilton was just a teenager when the band’s debut single, “The Letter,” became a number one hit. For three more years, the group continued to release hits, though after multiple lineup changes, the group split.  Having been the frontman of a successful band for multiple years, Chilton could have done whatever he wanted. He contemplated going to college, he worked on multiple solo songs, and he was even considered for the position of singer in Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Instead, he decided to do none of these things and went on to form a band called Big Star. There could easily be an entirely separate article about how great Big Star is, and maybe

Read More »

Cowboyy: Britain’s Latest Bandits

If you’re a Londoner like myself who seemingly can’t stay away from the holy trinity of music venues, The Windmill, The Sebright Arms and The New Cross Inn,  you’d have certainly already heard about Cowboyy. The latest 4-piece lineup to come storming out of the UK’s woodwork has already rightly attracted the attention of music heads and BBC 6 DJs alike with their exceptional first single ‘Gmaps’.  At first glance, the band’s lineup is a patchwork of secondary school stereotypes, each styled like the four kids in your class you’d never thought would interact, let alone form a band. But behind the athlete on drums and maths wiz on vocals exists a brotherly bond which has been essential in forming the band’s unique charm. We got to know a little more about Cowboyy when we spoke to them recently. Hi guys, thanks for taking the time to speak with us.

Read More »

Jessica Winter: “I Want to Find Something Real”

With a soaring magic carpet ride of a voice and a talent for writing pop hooks that rivals anybody on the charts today, Jessica Winter’s sound can’t be tucked neatly into any identifying genre but exists in a liminal space between electro-pop and indie goth, laced with jagged, searing punk rock rawness.

Read More »

Humour: So Young’s Latest Hardcore Signing

Glaswegian 5-piece band Humour is the latest and most rip-roaring addition to the instantly addictive lineup of bands on So Young records’ roster. The boys, many of whom met at primary school or whilst studying in Glasgow, have poured their collective talents into their new EP, “PURE MISERY,” set for release on November 25th. The recent singles “yeah, mud!” and “alive and well” have teased a hard-hitting and unmissable six-track record later on this year. Totally Wired Magazine spoke to two of the band’s founding members, guitarist Jack Lyall and frontman (plus visual artist) Andreas Christodoulidis. Hi guys, what have you been up to? Andreas: Just getting the artwork for the singles finalised and quite a few interviews too. Jack: Oh yeah, a few of those. Andreas: We’re getting a little bit better at it but still not great, as you’ll find out. Well, you boys are one of the

Read More »