Label: Double Drummer
Released: 20th August 2025
A wistful energy runsThere’s through Radio Free Alice’s third EP, ‘Empty Words’, like the fuzzy glow of a half-forgotten youth drama on VHS. Drawing on their art-school post-punk palette, the Naarm/Melbourne band deliver four tightly wound tracks that feel both urgent and full of romance.
The title-track, ‘Empty Words’, opens with nervy guitars and restless momentum. It takes a sideways glance at performative activism, mixing jagged riffs with a touch of melody that keeps things grounded. Frontman Noah Learmonth’s vocal shifts between operatic flair and raw-edged restraint.
On ‘Toyota Camry’, it hits a sweet spot. Laced with shimmering production and 80s-style backing vocals, the track pairs crisp, chiming guitars with a lyric sheet that captures fleeting teenage moments in sharp detail. It’s nostalgic, but not stuck in the past: cinematic, effortless and one of their finest songs to date.
‘Regret’ brings the mood down a notch, without losing any drive. The rhythm section holds it steady while Learmonth wrestles with emotional fallout. Closing track ‘Chinese Restaurant’ takes a more reflective turn, inspired by touring through UK venues stuck in nostalgic limbo. It’s quietly sad, offering a final glance at the past through steamed-up windows.
‘Empty Words’ doesn’t just build on Radio Free Alice’s earlier work, it sharpens it, deepens it and launches them somewhere far more interesting. Every track is a standout; every moment is considered. This isn’t just another promising EP from a buzzy guitar band, it’s a properly brilliant one: smart, stylish and already sounding like a future cult classic.
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