ClownsNature/Nurture

With their soon to be released fourth studio album, Melbourne quintet, Clowns, solidify the notion that they are not a band to be confined by genre boundaries. Nature/Nurture takes listeners on 35 minute journey packed with twists and turns that require multiple listens to fully appreciate what this record has to offer.

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On the surface, the casual listener might believe that Nature/Nurture is full of your average high energy, hardcore punk tunes that make you want to jump into a pit and mindlessly mosh. However, upon closer inspection you realise that there is more to it than meets the ear, from creative instrumentation to poignant lyricism.

Nature/Nurture has the potential to do big things for the Australian music scene and it is absolutely no surprise that it has already caught the attention of international alternative powerhouse Fat Wreck Chords.

You discover that the album is full of hidden messages and juxtapositions that embody the opposing concepts of nature verses nature. This is represented sonically, lyrically and even visually throughout this record. I Wanna Feel Again starts off with gentle, melancholy guitar before the drums kick in and the pace increases while tackling the subject of mental health struggles. This is contrasted by the highly animated 1:19 which celebrates the light at the end of the tunnel.

While Clowns give a generous nod to their punk/hardcore roots, Nature/Nurture is undoubtedly their most experimental record to date, further pushing the boundaries with new ideas and sounds. May I be exhumed sounds more like a sonic collage than a song and the psychedelic Nurture heavily features a Sitar.

Nature/Nurture has the potential to do big things for the Australian music scene and it is absolutely no surprise that it has already caught the attention of international alternative powerhouse Fat Wreck Chords.

Nature/Nurture will be the first release available through Clowns’ newly, self-created record label Damaged Records Co from 12 April.

STANDOUT TRACKS: Freezing in the Sun, I Shaved My Legs for You, I Wanna Feel Again
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