Hello reader,
Welcome back.
Today, we’re going to delve into one of Australia’s finest bands, The Belair Lip Bombs. Maisie Everett (lead vocals, guitar, and keyboards), Mike Bradvica (guitar), Jimmy Droughton (bass guitar), and Daniel Devlin (drums) founded the band in 2017 in Frankston, a city of approximately 37,000 residents and a suburb of Melbourne. Lying in the state of Victoria, which is Australia’s second-smallest yet second-most populous state. Densely populated, anyone?
Why the unique band name? Skaters and punks will be familiar with the awesome skateboard wheel of the same name that used to rule the pavement back in the day.
The band’s press release for their second album, Again, explained more about the bands writing process, “Maisie, who was born in Scotland and moved to Australia at 3 years old, tends to fall back into an early love of vocal behemoths Queen when she writes the band’s prominent melodies and harmonies. And while songs tend to pour out of the band in a free-flowing, jam-adjacent way, ultimately the group relies on a gut sensation when deciding whether a track will make a record or not. ‘It has to evoke some kind of emotional response out of me. We’ve written songs before that, objectively, are probably quite good, but there’s a certain feeling that I won’t get from it. It’s tricky to find the words to describe that feeling, but I think other people can pick up on it as well.'”
The Belair Lip Bombs released their self-titled debut EP in 2018, which had a grunge sound. The band followed up with a more pop-sounding EP the next year, Songs to Do Your Laundry To (2019). I love that title, and I can confirm the EP is good too.
In 2023, the band released their debut full-length album, Lush Life, to critical acclaim on indie label Cousin Will Records. Not only did many listeners love it, but it also won Best Rock or Punk Work at the 2024 Music Victoria Awards. The record garnered international attention, specifically that of Third Man Records (yes, the label founded by Jack White), which signed The Belair Lip Bombs to their label in 2024 and reissued Lush Life on vinyl. They became the first Australian release on the label. Rightfully so.
On Friday, October 31st, comes the band’s second album, Again, out via Third Man Records for your listening pleasure.
Giving credit where it’s due. Album credits for Again:
- All songs written and performed by The Belair Lip Bombs
- Produced by The Belair Lip Bombs, Nao Anzai, and Joe White
- Recorded by Nao Anzai at Sound Park Studio, Rolling Stock Recording Rooms and Reel 2 Real Mix Master
- Mixed by Nao Anzai at Reel 2 Real Mix Master
- Mastered by Joe Carra at Crystal Mastering
- Album cover and insert photographs taken by Bridie Fitzgerald
- Hammond Organ on ‘Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair)’ by Nao Anzai and Pro3 Synthesizer on ‘Hey You’ by Nao Anzai
- Violin on ‘Again and Again’, ‘Burning Up’, and ‘Cinema’ by Kathleen “Kat” Mear
And now for some hype for your ears and eyes via the Belair Lip Bombs’ YouTube channel:
The video for the anthemic song that reminds you to have confidence and to not back down, “Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair)”:
(All credits and rights to The Belair Lip Bombs)
You’ll love it too, the song “Another World”:
(All credits and rights to The Belair Lip Bombs)
The rooftop video for the excellent song, “Hey You”:
(All credits and rights to The Belair Lip Bombs)
Overall, the album Again is a real treat to listen to. The earworms begin with the opening song “Again and Again,” which is repetitive, true to its title. Within this album, the entire band reiterates how tight-knit a group they are, with excellent guitar, bass, and drum work from the opening notes to the final ones. Often, the guitars are warm, fuzzy, and inviting to the listener.
The band, both individually and collectively, proves that while they currently may be under the radar, they shouldn’t be for much longer. Kudos to every band member: Maisie Everett, Mike Bradvica, Jimmy Droughton, and Daniel “Dev” Devlin for their contributions to the guitar and drum sections. And composition choices. Well done. The rhythms are superb and will have you tapping your foot along to the music. The band also changes tempo well in other songs, slowing down the pace while still making some fantastic music. It can be a welcome change to your listening experience. Regardless, each song is excellently crafted, and one’s focus will remain on the quality of each and every song while listening. Each song’s melody pairs well with the lyrics and Everett’s stunning, often seemingly cathartic vocals. One of the best examples of Everett’s power is the excellent song “Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair),” which becomes an anthem set to inspire its listeners for years to come.
The third song, “Another World,” features several moments of spectacular bass. Standalone, grooves from Droughton that may inspire future kids to pick up the bass. While listening to “Back of My Hand,” you’ll enjoy the song that serves as an ode to love while you’re also being treated to some ’90s-sounding power pop guitar riffs in the song’s most righteous moments. Ones that might even sound like Weezer for a moment.
The synth loop with “Hey You” creates an underlying foundation for the album’s most expansive-sounding song. I hope to hear more like this from the band in the future. Within the album’s press release, Maisie stated, “Having a synth loop driving a whole song is something that we’ve never done before.” Dev added, “Yeah, we just wanted a song that was different. We kind of leaned into that and pushed to make the scope of the song bigger than some of the other songs in the album.” The result? One of the album’s best-sounding, most fulfilled songs.
The next song, “If You’ve Got The Time,” is the band’s favorite as it was a jam session and allowed Mike Bradvica to show off on backing vocals. The press release said, “I think it’s probably the best example of our vision for Again. We just nailed exactly what we wanted to do, and I love all of the vocal melodies. I think it’s one of the catchiest songs on the album.” I can attest that the balance and pairing of Everett and Bradvica’s vocals is a welcome listening experience. This song drops the album title within its lyrics. You can tell that the rest of the band enjoyed playing the hell out of the melody. It’s a vibe. They fed off each other and lived in the moment. I’d also love to hear more of it in the future.
The last four songs that close out the album feature a slower tempo and melodies that are more subdued compared to the earlier foot-stomping songs. These final four are some of the most reflective and cathartic songs on Again, showcasing the talents of each of the Belair Lip Bombs as you focus even more on the lyrics and vocals, appreciating the band’s composition skills. Kudos all around.
Again gets 4.5 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. The band demonstrates growth in songwriting and songcraft. And confidence in themselves. The result is that it comes together and works well as a comprehensive piece of art. To the tune of a 4.5 Scum Drop rating, relative to all new releases in 2025. Quite a feat. Add this album to your collection on the format of your choice. May I suggest vinyl?
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. The listening process with Again will take just over half an hour from start to finish. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without the influence or bias of others. After a few listens on my own, I found the songs highlighted in bold below to be my favorites on this album.
The tracklist for the album, Again [song length]
- Again and Again [2:34]
- Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair) [3:58]
- Another World [2:37]
- Cinema [2:52]
- Back Of My Hand [3:26]
- Hey You [3:31]
- If You’ve Got The Time [3:52]
- Smiling [3:13]
- Burning Up [4:03]
- Price Of A Man [4:22]
Total runtime: 34:28
Like what you heard? Visit The Belair Lip Bombs website and check out their social media pages on Instagram and Facebook. Listen to more music on: Apple Music, Spotify, Bandcamp, and YouTube.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
- Monday Nov 10th – Berlin, DE @ Maschinehaus
- Tuesday Nov 11th – Utrecht, NL @ Ekko
- Wednesday Nov 12th – Ghent, BE @ Charlatan
- Thursday Nov 13th – Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere
- Mon Nov 17th – San Sebastián, ES @ Dabadaba
- Tue Nov 18th – Madrid, ES @ El Sótano
- Wed Nov 19th – Barcelona, ES @ Laut
- Fri Nov 21st – Bordeaux, FR @ Rock School Barbey
- Mon Nov 24th – Brighton, UK @ Volks
- Tue Nov 25th – Cardiff, UK @ Clwb Ifor Bach
- Wed Nov 26th – Bristol, UK @ Exchange
- Fri Nov 28th – London, UK @ Scala
- Sat Nov 29th – Manchester, UK @ YES
- Sun Nov 30th – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
- Mon Dec 1st – Dublin, IE @ The Grand Social
Thank you for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site: scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions!
Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
