Ahead of his State of Origin Game 3 pre-show performance, Australian country heavyweight Brad Cox has dropped a powerful new single, “The High Cost of Living”, featuring US country star Randy Houser.
Premiered live last month at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion during Houser’s show, the duet captures the weight of living in tough times, with both artists leaning into their long-standing friendship and shared storytelling instincts to deliver a gut-punch of a track.
“Ten dollars for coffee and a fortune to eat / The heating is turned off for now til they work out an easier street / Everyone’s hurting ‘cos times are getting hard / People who once lived the dream are now sleeping out rough in their car,” hits home for many in the current cost of living crisis.
“The High Cost of Living” is the latest cut from Cox’s upcoming fourth studio album Endemic Intelligence in Multiple Dimensions, out September 26th via Warner Music Australia. The record also features recent singles “Sunset Psalm”, “I’m A Boxer”, and “Everything I’ve Got”, and promises to be Cox’s most honest, emotionally raw release to date.
Sonically, the album sees Cox pushing past the commercial polish of past efforts, instead opting for bolder production choices and a more stripped-back lyrical approach. It’s an unflinching look at life and the world around him — a move that feels both timely and deeply personal.
“I’m very inclined to write songs about the important things that I’m really worried about at the moment, or scared about or concerning me — such as people not being able to pay their fucking rent, rather than driving down a dirt road and drinking a cold beer,” Cox recently told Rolling Stone AU/NZ.
That mindset has shaped a record that pulls from synth-pop, rock, and stripped-back balladry, not just country. “I think I’ve matured as a songwriter, [and] as a bloke,” he added. “I’m 30. I’m starting to figure out life a little bit.”
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To mark the release, Cox is heading back to his roots with a run of intimate album launch shows across Brisbane, Melbourne and Newcastle. The tour is a return to the smaller venues where he first cut his teeth — rooms that helped shape his identity as a performer. Initial shows in Brisbane and Newcastle sold out almost instantly, prompting the addition of second dates in both cities.
The tour follows a string of recent live appearances, including Yours & Owls, Meatstock, and Bluesfest, as well as a high-profile support slot for Houser in Sydney. Fans across the ditch will also get a taste, with a string of New Zealand shows locked in for November.
Since bursting onto the scene in 2018 with his self-titled debut, the Jindabyne-born singer-songwriter has built a reputation for cutting through the noise with unfiltered songwriting and a down-to-earth presence. His breakout record earned him two Golden Guitar nominations, and his follow-up, My Mind’s Projection, saw him top the ARIA Australian Country Album Chart while scoring a Country Song of the Year nod for “Give Me Tonight”.
His third album, ACRES, climbed even higher, hitting No. 1 on the ARIA Country Charts and No. 7 on the ARIA Album Chart overall. It also took home the 2024 Golden Guitar for Top Selling Country Album and picked up an ARIA nomination for Best Country Album.
Now, as he steps outside traditional genre boundaries and into something looser, louder, and more expansive, Cox is betting it all on honesty—and taking his fans along for the ride.
Brad Cox 2025 Tour Dates
Tickets available via iambradcox.com
September 20th
Sunset Bash, Penrith NSW
September 26th
The Brightside, Brisbane QLD SOLD OUT
September 27th
The Brightside, Brisbane QLD NEW DATE
October 1st
Northcote Social Club, Melbourne VIC
October 2nd
King Street, Newcastle NSW SOLD OUT
October 3rd
King Street, Newcastle NSW NEW DATE
October 17th–19th
Groundwater Festival, Gold Coast QLD
November 12th
Double Whammy, Auckland NZ
November 13th
James Hay Theatre, Christchurch NZ
November 14th
Errick’s, Dunedin NZ
November 15th
Croydon Lounge, Gore NZ
November 16th
Barmuda, Queenstown NZ
