Gold Coast punk rockers Radolescent have recently dropped their sophomore EP, titled 'Excellent People', that features the triple j Unearthed favourites 'Couch' and 'Calling Out'.
Originally a three-piece, the band have morphed into a five-person outfit who have supported Dune Rats and toured with the likes of Ruby Fields, Bad//Dreems and The Chats.The five-track 'Excellent People' EP came together during last year's COVID lockdowns, the band writing material that reflects their 'fast-paced lifestyles, getting old and the mental and social consequences of past actions'.
With the help of Beddy Rays' Ben Wade tracking drums at Blind Boy Studios (Radolescent have another Beddy Rays connection with their manager Jayde Thompson who also manages the Redland Bay rockers), the recording process then went DIY.
"Isaac [Atkinson: vox, guitar] then recorded all remaining parts in his 11th floor apartment during state lockdown, taking turns of having Kerrod and Lachie over to track their parts," Radolescent says.
"Upon Rachel joining the band they then tracked the vocals and sent the stems to Greg Reitwyk from Lunchroom Records in Melbourne. Finally the help of Dan Walker in New York was enlisted to master the tracks and the record was complete."
Initially a joke title when the band were throwing around suggestions, 'Excellent People' stuck when a box of old Polaroids was discovered in Rachel's closet featuring "many old images containing all of our friends from the past decade, countless memories of festivals and parties, birthdays and cruisy Sundays". The EP's artwork features some of the Polaroids.
Here, the band walk us through each track featured on 'Excellent People' and some stories, ideas that went into the creation process.
Calling Out
An ode to the modern day round table discussion, 'Calling Out' depicts the stereotypical late night, substance-induced ramblings of Australian nightlife.This story describes a scene in which every person is fighting to be the keynote speaker, with no time for others' thoughts or opinions. Keep your ear out for the noughties reference – Radolescent bringing it back.
Couch
'Couch' is a depiction of the feelings of passing out alone. It's written from the perspective of them both feeling isolated and unworthy of the other's attention and being unaware that they feel the same way.Stuck within their minds and unable to communicate – missing out on what could've been. It's a story about a chance encounter – meeting someone you like and feeling insecure because you don't feel good enough for them. The duet is representing how they both feel the same way, which in a sense connects them.
BilnkT
When you're young time seems to drag so slowly, then as soon as you’re in your late teens and early twenties it flys.'BlinkT' is a track all about the blur of years that you experience living a life filled with long weekends and even longer working weeks. Experiencing so many different situations, interactions and feelings, that then start compiling into one, large, fuzzy memory – standing as a reminder to anyone that life is going to fly by no matter what, so enjoy that sh.t and take it all in.
Money
'Money' may solve all of your problems, but more times than not it is also the reason for them. This is something Isaac experienced on a trip overseas where he had a horror week of constant problems that were costing him dearly.Sitting back at his hostel with a cheap guitar, he came up with the idea of the song based around the fact that money was solving all of his problems on the trip but if he didn't have it in the first place he wouldn't have been over there to have the problems in the first place.
Home
"I grew up in Surfers Paradise, a once popular holiday destination that has now faded into the abyss," Isaac says. "A city which has been forgotten much like the streets of Kuta in Bali, although instead of local Indonesians selling rip off watches, its people with hard luck stories filled of violence and drug abuse."'Home' depicts a night ajar, where I was under the influence of acid and things got a little out of control. Experiencing weird encounters with people and my own psyche leading to a meltdown that calls for a chorus of: 'I'm going home.'
Radolescent play Greaser (Brisbane) 20 August and Homecoming Festival @ BBQ Bazaar (Gold Coast) 25 September.
