Last week, Melbourne-based band Radio Free Alice released their new single “2010” ahead of upcoming shows across Europe and the UK in the coming months.
Made up of members Maayan Barnatan, Michael Phillips, Jules Paradiso, Lochie Dowd, and Noah Learmonth, Radio Free Alice started in Sydney back in 2020. They released their self-titled debut EP last year, which led us to declare, “Long live guitar music.”
Inspired by bands like Talking Heads, The Strokes, and HighSchool (whom they’re opening for next week in London), Radio Free Alice’s clear love for indie rock music can be heard in their own.
On “2010”, they get personal, with most of the lyrics exploring love and relationships. The band were inspired to go against the grain, separating the track from other popular releases like “Fire Warning” and “Square”, all which have clear hooks and singalong lines.
They let the instruments be the main focus of attention this time, which they say was inspired by music from The Cure and The Smiths.
“We’ve been playing the song live for almost a year now. The song focuses on the instrumentation rather than the vocals more than any other track on the EP. It’s the first and only song we have with a pretty much totally instrumental chorus,” the band say.
Recorded at Melbourne’s Southpark Studio, “2010” is only the band’s third stand-alone single and their first release of the year, but they’re in high demand. With a project scheduled for release this year, “2010” gives fans of the post-punk band an insight into their new sonic direction, while building momentum for their live shows over the next few months.
Fresh off a Royel Otis tour as the supporting act, Radio Free Alice have wasted no time getting started on their own run of shows: they’ll be performing across cities like Manchester, Glasgow, London, Amsterdam, Paris between now and June, as well as appearing at festivals including London Calling and Dot to Dot.
Going from strength to strength with a growing fan base and a great live set, 2024 feels like the beginning of a lot more to come from Radio Free Alice.
Radio Free Alice’s “2010” is out now.
