It's safe to say Adelaide indie-punk rock act The Hard Aches aren't new to music. The slacker punks surged forward on a relentless touring schedule for the past few years, playing in venues as diverse as carparks, backyards, bedrooms & record stores, honing a sound that is unmistakably their own, brought to life by the technical brilliance of drummer Alex Upton and the frenetic guitarwork of Ben David. Now the duo is back with their new EP 'I Freak Out,' which is already attracting attention on national radio and international buzz.
The two-piece bring enough noise to more than make up for their lack of numbers, earning them plenty of accolades in 2015, such as inclusion in the Rip It Up Hot 6 as one of South Australia's brightest talents. Now the duo are playing bigger stages than ever before, supporting Frenzal Rhomb, Tired Lion and Luca Brasi, as well as being invited to join Laneway Festival, which saw The Hard Aches on the main stage for the first time.
New EP I Freak Out brings them national radio and international buzz, with their debut album Pheromones already under their belt, lessons learnt and dozens more songs penned mean that they're ready for their next challenge. Tipping their hat to peers as diverse as Courtney Barnett, You Am I, and The Cars, this is a band that is most comfortable when onstage or in the studio; with a high cadence, insatiable appetite, and perhaps even bigger dreams.
Featuring the single "Glad That You're Gone," the lyrical elements of 'I Freak Out' remain similar to the debut album. However, the sentiments have reached new heights, with Singer/Guitarist Ben David using the band as a cathartic outlet as he attempts to make sense of his own head, where he belongs within his native city of Adelaide, and the various human interactions that attempt to consume him. Recorded at Birdland Studios in Melbourne with the help of producer Lindsay Gravina (The Living End, Magic Dirt) over a week in February, I Freak Out was the first recording by the band to not be managed entirely by David and Upton themselves.
