Airbourne proves they still deserve their status as Australian rock legends
- 17 hours ago
- 3 min read
Seven years after Boneshaker, Airbourne are unveiling their new self-titled album today. And while the Australian legends have recently proven that they can still shake up venues and festivals around the world, they are now bringing us proof that Rock has not thrown in the towel. So put on your cap: it’s time to take off from the tarmac.
Rock’n’Roll is not dead. Far from being. While metal has been taking the heavy music world by storm lately, Airbourne are here to prove that Rock still has plenty left in the tank. And I think it would be hard to define this album as anything other than pure Rock’n’Roll. At a time when blending genres has become the norm in the search for a unique sound, the quartet breaks the rules to show that when you master one genre perfectly, one is all you need.
The band leaves all superficial frills behind to get straight to the point, and never gives the impression of flying by the instruments alone. The album is straightforward, upbeat, but above all, unmistakably them. However, it never simply cruises at its usual altitude, allowing itself a few turbulences to strike a better balance between the album’s different riffs and themes. We are carried between a thirst for life and a refusal to bend, and more playful, high-octane themes.
The band delivers a magnificent retrofit, not by going back to its roots, but by bringing those roots up to date, with a noticeable evolution along the way. We get a groovy, ever-present bass, riffs ready to set venues ablaze, drums that will have crowds jumping, and Joel O’Keeffe’s unmistakably distinctive vocals.
But when you say Airbourne, you also say lightness and humour. And the band makes sure to deliver both, whether through the Christmas Bonus video, which feels like Die Hard produced by [adult swim], or lyrics that are bound to put a smile on your face, such as those in Here She Comes. The first video also features koalas and kangaroos, proudly putting their beloved Australia front and centre, much like the “australian made” sticker featured on the album cover.
But creating an album of this scale takes work, and sometimes, it takes a whole village, and I can tell you there was certainly a whole crew in the cockpit!
We therefore find Brian Howes’ stadium rock spirit behind the production, Mike Fraser’s live-effect recording, Zakk Cervini’s stadium-ready mix, and legendary Ted Jensen handling the mastering.
Robert “Mutt” Lange and Bryan Adams also join the writing credits as additional lyricists on Here She Comes and Who Put the Rhythm in You?.
After a Gutsy Tour that set the world alight, with several stops at French venues in February as well as summer festivals, we can only look forward to seeing them back on stage with new songs ready to be sung as the new anthems of Rock’n’Roll!
So far, only an Australian tour has been announced, but something tells me Airbourne aren’t ready to touch down just yet and will be back to grace Europe with their presence very soon (or at least, I certainly hope so).
Seven years, but a wait that was well worth it. Airbourne bring Rock’n’Roll to us on a silver platter and stay on course with their anthemic choruses and a live reputation that keeps growing. This new album propels us into their uniquely distinctive world without ever losing altitude. And we wouldn’t have expected anything less.
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