The Audreys have also released a cheeky new single, 'Beatles V Stones,' and plotted a massive national tour.
The Audreys (Credit: Todd Bennett)
Adelaide-based alt-folk and country outfit The Audreys are back, today dropping a new single, announcing their first album in a decade, and plotting a massive national tour.
In November, the group returned with their first new song in ten years, Secondhand Boots. It turns out that the single wasn’t a one-off – today, they’ve released the country-tinged new track, Beatles V Stones, which will appear on their forthcoming fifth album, Ruin & Repair.
The album will be released on Friday, 14 March – pre-order/pre-save your copy here.
Beatles V Stones examines the longstanding rivalry between two groups of devoted fans: The Beatles and The Rolling Stones fans. Vocalist Taasha Coates explained in a press release:
One of the questions I like to ask people to work out if I’m going to like them or not is “Beatles or Stones” (I’m firmly camp Stones for the record) so this is about that. I wrote it mostly on my own on guitar, then my guitarist Tom [Kneebone] came along and added the bridge and some cool harmonic moments.
I learned to play guitar during COVID because I was so, so bored. I was a piano player up until that point, plus I played a bit of ukulele and harmonica and melodica and various other small and silly instruments.
At first, I hated the guitar because it tore up my fingers and made my hand ache, but once I popped on my big girl panties about the pain, I loved how easy it was to write songs with. A guitar is always just a reach away, you don’t have to get up and walk to the piano if you get inspired.
You can check out Beatles V Stones below.
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Ruin & Repair is The Audreys’ first album since 2014 and their first full-length since the tragic passing of co-founder Tristan Goodall in 2022. Coates said, “I was quite depressed when I wrote this [album].
“I struggled a lot with depression after my best friend, songwriting partner and original Audrey, Tristan, died in 2022, but once I'd gotten through the initial grief, I found the process of writing and recording this album very healing. I still miss him and have sad days, of course, but I know he would have loved this record, and that makes me really proud and happy.”
The Audreys—Coates, Kneebone, bassist Felicity Freedman, and drummer Beej Barker—will take Ruin & Repair on the road from March into May. You can find all the tour dates below.
THU 27 MAR | THE RIVER, MARGARET RIVER, WA | 18+
FRI 28 MAR | LYRICS UNDERGROUND, PERTH, WA | 18+
SAT 29 MAR | MOJOS, FREMANTLE, WA | 18+
FRI 4 APR | IMPERIAL HOTEL, EUMUNDI, QLD | 18+
SAT 5 APR | OLD MUSEUM (STUDIO), BRISBANE, QLD | 18+
SUN 6 APR | WALLABY HOTEL, GOLD COAST, QLD | 18+
THU 10 APR | CAMELOT LOUNGE, SYDNEY, NSW | 18+
FRI 11 APR | STREET THEATRE, CANBERRA, ACT | 18+
SAT 12 APR | MILTON THEATRE, MILTON, NSW | 18+
SUN 13 APR | AVOCA THEATRE, CENTRAL COAST, NSW | All Ages
THU 24 APR | SOOKI LOUNGE, BELGRAVE, VIC | 18+
FRI 25 APR | BRUNSWICK BALLROOM, BRUNSWICK, VIC | 18+
SAT 26 APR | MEMO MUSIC HALL, ST KILDA, VIC | 18+
FRI 16 MAY | QUIRKZ, HUNTER VALLEY, NSW | 18+
SAT 17 MAY | BRASS MONKEY, CRONULLA, NSW | 18+
SUN 18 MAY | HERITAGE HOTEL, BULLI, NSW | 18+
THU 22 MAY | THE ROYAL OAK, LAUNCESTON, TAS | 18+
FRI 23 MAY | MOUNT GNOMON FARM, PENGUIN, TAS | All Ages
SAT 24 MAY | CRAIGIE KNOWE VINEYARD, CRANBROOK, TAS | 18+
SUN 25 MAY | LONGLEY HOTEL, HOBART, TAS | 18+
SAT 7 JUN | THE GOV, ADELAIDE, SA | 18+
FRI 29 AUG | GYMPIE MUSTER, GYMPIE, QLD | All Ages
SUN 26 OCT | NIMBIN ROOTS FESTIVAL, NIMBIN, NSW | All Ages