Something Like This But Not This

1. Cold Water
2. Enough
3. Waste
4. Too Many
5. Bike Riding
6. Something
7. Inadequacy
8. Sox
9. Don’t Dream
10. Working Still
11. Fussy
12. Wild Days

As a band Moaning Lisa is all about being grounded and present in life. Today the Ngunnawal / Canberra raised, Naarm / Melbourne based outfit revealed their forthcoming debut album ‘Something Like This But Not This’, is a celebration of exactly that. It’s an album rooted in reality, with all its lessons and imperfections as well as acceptance, with room to fuck up and learn and grow.

To be released on 8 October 2021 via Farmer & The Owl / BMG, ‘Something Like This But Not This’ is a 12 track album of moody, fuzzed-out guitar bliss featuring a collection of songs the band have performed live over the last few years such as ‘Cold Water’ and current single ‘Inadequacy’ as well as brand new songs including ‘Enough’ and the album’s first single ‘Something’.

The four-piece, featuring singer-guitarist Charlie Versegi, singer-bassist Hayley Manwaring, lead guitarist Ellen Chan and drummer Hayden Fritzlaff said on the album’s announcement, “It’s our first album and so we wanted to capture who we are and who we have been as a band throughout this first part of our existence. The original thought behind the tracklist was to capture the dynamics and flow of our live set. We wanted to replicate the energy we have when we play on stage together but also experiment and do things we can only achieve with the luxury of recording in a studio.”

Alongside the announcement of their debut album, Moaning Lisa also shared the hard-hitting video for their latest single ‘Inadequacy’. The band find themselves getting in the head and in the ring - literally - with a couple of pro-wrestlers. Charlie elaborates on the concept:

“We were really inspired by the intimacy and the communication that’s inherent in wrestling. You have to be so in sync and have so much care for your craft and the people you’re working with to make it happen. So many times throughout the shoot, York and Ritchie would stop and check-in with each other, or take a pause to talk about safety. It’s as much about caring as it is the performance. I think that’s where we started to see a lot of parallels with what we do – trying to create spaces where we can be empowered and safe to perform. Wrestling serves as a perfect visual accompaniment for ‘Inadequacy’ – the intensity and suspense you feel seeing it performed combined with the self-awareness and strength that goes into training.”

Moaning Lisa began recording ‘Something Like This But Not This’ at Golden Retriever Studios in Sydney with Ben Moore before having to swiftly relocate to Calum Newton's home studio in Melbourne to finish the album. Making the best of uncontrollable situations is something that Moaning Lisa have incorporated into their music. The band reflects:
“Obviously all of that was not part of the original plan but, in hindsight, being in those different environments – the pressure of that fancy studio and the hominess of Cal’s garage – feels perfect for these songs.”