With their signature blend of raw emotion and buoyant alt-rock melodies, Sydney’s Dear Seattle have returned with a track that’s equal parts cathartic and catchy.
“Counting Hours” finds the Northern Beaches quartet diving deep into self-reflection and matters of the heart. It’s a taste of what’s to come on their upcoming third studio album, TOY, set for release on January 17th via Domestic La La.
Brae Fisher’s vocals take centre stage in “Counting Hours,” delivering poignant lyrics wrapped in halcyon verses and buoyant choruses. The song examines the complexities of love and self-worth with unflinching honesty. “Love is about the harsh truths and the confrontation of your own shortcomings,” Fisher shares. “We all look for the person we can lean on, who is there to support us through thick and thin, but if we can’t stand on our own the whole thing simply falls apart.
“If you don’t work on loving yourself, and confronting your own self-worth, there’s no way you’ll find the love you’ve been dreaming of. Instead, you’ll end up bitter and jaded about the whole process, thinking the world and everyone in it is against you. But they’re not. It’s only you. And you only accept the love you think you deserve.”
The track is accompanied by a visually arresting music visualizer, adding another layer of depth to the song’s introspective themes. “Counting Hours” joins an already impressive roster of singles from TOY, including “Evergreen”, “idc”, “Nothing’s Stopping Me Now”, “Sungazer”, and “Say What You Want”, each track showcasing Dear Seattle’s growth as they continue to hone their distinctive sound.
TOY promises to be a standout album, weaving themes of love, loss, addiction, and nostalgia across 12 tracks. The album promises Dear Seattle building on their trademark infectious craftsmanship while pushing their creative boundaries. It’s a collection of anthems meant to be belted at full volume—songs that feel both instantly familiar and exhilaratingly fresh.
Dear Seattle’s journey began in 2013 with their debut EP, Words Are Often Useless. Since then, they’ve carved a unique path in the Australian music scene with a modern take on old-school pop-punk and alt-rock. Their debut album, Don’t Let Go (2019), and its follow-up, Someday (2022), solidified their place as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary rock. Someday even debuted at No. 4 on the ARIA Australian Album Charts and earned praise from Rolling Stone AU/NZ, who declared, “Dear Seattle is born again.”
Their live performances have become the stuff of legend, with headline tours and festival appearances at Splendour in the Grass, UNIFY Gathering, and more. Whether sharing the stage with Hockey Dad, Trophy Eyes, and Dune Rats or charming Missy Higgins herself with their 2019 triple j Like A Version cover of “The Special Two”, Dear Seattle have built a reputation for authenticity and unforgettable moments.
Dear Seattle are currently on their 10-date national album launch party tour, which had sold out shows in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Newcastle, long before the tour commenced in Hobart last week. Tickets to the remaining shows can be found here.
Dear Seattle’s “Counting Hours” is out now.
