Private Function Preview Upcoming Album With New Single, 'Koala'

Meanjin/Brisbane punks Dick Nasty once claimed I'm More Australian Than A Book Full Of Bush Poetry By Russell Crowe, but if anything was to trump such a concept, it’s Koala, the new single from Naarm/Melbourne rockers Private Function.

Taken from their newly-announced fourth album ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, Koala is undoubtedly something of a stylistic shift for Private Function, eschewing the harder punk edge in favour of a heartfelt singalong. However, in much the same way that subversion appears to be the name of the game at times, it almost makes this the most on-brand Private Function song imaginable.

As frontman Chris Penney explains, the song’s concept is relatively straightforward, noting “It’s a song about hugging the ones you love and holding them as tight as you can for as long as life lets you.”

The track also comes accompanied by a music video directed by Lauren Hester and Aidan McDonald, the band’s drummer and guitarist, respectively. Featuring the group in starring roles, it features Penney showcasing his koalafications as an actor, taking a trip from The Tote in Collingwood out to the Giant Koala in Dadswell Bridge in search of a fellow arboreal herbivorous marsupial.

In typical Private Function fashion, the humourous cinematics end with a dramatic cliffhanger, undoubtedly leaving fans eager to see what comes next.

The single is set to appear on new album ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, which is scheduled to arrive on May 23rd. Recorded at York Street Recorders with producer Stefan Blair, the 19-track collection is classic Private Function fare, ranging from “sea shanties, folk songs & a six-minute electronic tour de force.”

As a press release notes, “the album is a celebration of the harsh and never-ending absurdity of modern life,” with tracks like Sucked In Fuckhead, Australian Brawl, and live favourites such as Shit and Fuck ostensibly set to prove that notion.

The record is also set to be an inventive one, with “the world’s first microscopic album cover” featuring 2,590 individual record covers designed by Melbourne-based artist Bootleg Comics. Each physical copy includes a custom-built magnifying glass, giving fans a chance to dive deep into the artwork.

Private Function’s ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ will be available for pre-order on April 23rd.