(BRISBANE, AUS) -- Off the back of their extensive national tour alongside Trophy Eyes, Brisbane pop-punk icons Waxflower have released their sophomore EP The Sound Of What Went Wrong via Rude Records.
Never ones to shy away from candid, heart-on-sleeve lyricism, Waxflower’s new EP is what lead singer Tristan Higginson describes as “five anthems for the over-thinker,” and “the EP a brain writes at 2 AM when it can’t sleep – picking apart every awkward moment and wrong turn, all while wondering what could have been.”
Delivering five deliciously nostalgic emotive-rock anthems that ooze with buckets loads of guitar-infused grit and the perfect amount of pop-punk angst, The Sound of What Went Wrong acts as an ode to the brain, as Higginson elaborates: “The last few years have given us more time in our heads than we may have liked. Self-doubt, self-hatred, missed connections, crutches, medication. All the fun stuff is here, wrapped up in songs that capture both the poppiest and heaviest sides of Waxflower to date. I hope people can find something to relate to throughout its runtime.”
Drummer Daniel Seymour explains the EP was recorded over two weeks in Sydney with producer and frequent collaborator Stevie Knight (Stand Atlantic / Yours Truly / Between You & Me). “Those two weeks were spent crafting and perfecting these songs - to become the most accurate representation of who we are as people, musicians, and what we hope Waxflower reflects. I feel this release is just the next step in our progression, a movement forward in the constant search to find ‘our sound’.”
Waxflower’s new EP is the culmination of a recent string of singles plus fresh new track “Two Thumbs”, which are all signaling a bright new era for the band as they delve deeper into nostalgic pop-rock elements from a time where Myspace was king, combined with modern, relatable songwriting and pockets of tantalizing electro-pop.
Most recently released single “Misaligned Love” features the vocals of American indie songstress Sydney Sprague and has been added to Spotify’s All New Rock playlist, Apple Music’s New In Rock and Amazon Music’s Brand New Music AU & NZ and Fresh Rock playlists.
Before that, single “The Drama Scene” premiered on triple j’s Short.Fast.Loud program and was also supported by NME, Sounds of Oz, Rocksound, The Music, and more. The track has also been added to Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Alternative and Fresh Rock playlists as well as Spotify’s Local Noise, with the music video accompaniment premiering on Hysteria Mag.
“Ring” was supported domestically by the likes of Wall of Sound, The Music, The AU Review, LiveWire AU, Good Call Live, Ticketmaster, Sounds of Oz, and more, amongst international coverage from Upset, Bring The Noise, and Punktastic to name a few. The single has seen Waxflower move from strength to strength on streaming platforms, with additions to Apple Music’s The New Rock and New In Rock playlists, and Amazon Music’s Punk Scene and Fresh Rock.
Earlier, “Soak”, which has clocked over 100k streams, followed on from the band’s heart-on-sleeve debut EP We Might Be Alright (2021). The track caught the attention of both domestic and international media, receiving support from the likes of Wall of Sound, Hysteria, Rock Sound, CLASH, Punktastic, DSCVRD, and more, alongside an addition to triple j Unearthed rotation. “Soak” was also hailed as triple j Unearthed’s “Track of the Day” on release, and landed Waxflower’s first ever BBC Radio 1 spin on Daniel P Carter’s Rock Show alongside airplay on triple j’s Short.Fast.Loud program.
Formed in 2020, Waxflower was founded via a shared passion for genuine, emotionally charged alternative rock. The band merge influences from Jimmy Eat World, Kisschasy, The Maine & nothing, nowhere to match their unique perspective with progressive melodies and hooks.
Wasting no time, debut singles ‘Cut Your Teeth’ & ‘Back To Back’ saw the band play sold-out shows across Australia, sign with Australian booking agency Select Music, perform alongside global heavyweights Simple Plan, The Maine, Stand Atlantic, and The Dangerous Summer and finally signed with European label Rude Records (Saves The Day, Less Than Jake, The Maine).
Debut EP We Might Be Alright saw the band return to acclaimed producer Stevie Knight (Stand Atlantic, Between You & Me, Short Stack) to polish off a release that would garner global coverage. Support from international outlets RockSound (UK), Chorus.FM (US) & Kerang! Radio (UK) followed, with the band receiving extensive airplay and scope from Australian youth broadcaster triple j (AU) for singles “Again,” “Not Alone,” with “Food For Your Garden” premiering on triple j’s “Home & Hosed.”
Across platforms, the EP has amassed 270,000+ streams in only 6 months, with fans constantly returning for more. Support from Spotify was immediate, (New Punk Tracks, Local Noise & Pop Punk’s Not Dead) as well as recognition from Apple Music (Rise and Grind, Breaking Rock & New in Alternative), & Amazon Music (Punk Scene, Fresh Rock, Breakthrough Alternative).
Photo by Mitch Lowe
