Following their debut "Circus Life" – which caused a modest sensation in both country backwaters and alternative circles – Australian siblings Aiden and Kai Boak have returned with something that pushes even further into the gloriously uncategorizable territory they've staked out for themselves. They're operating in that fascinating hinterland where rockabilly swagger meets country twang, where Americana's dusty authenticity collides with punk's raw nihilism, and the resulting explosion is utterly compelling.
"Romantic Side" isn't so much a song as it is a bourbon-soaked confession spilled across a jukebox at 2 a.m. – an intoxicating ode to romance before screens, swipes, and perfectly filtered lives. The brothers Boak, alongside songwriting collaborator Allan Caswell, have crafted a lyrical hand grenade that detonates precisely where it's aimed – at the sterile, gamified wasteland of modern connection, while yearning for something messier, more authentic, and infinitely more human.
Producer Lindsay Waddington deserves special mention for corralling the chaos into something that sounds both polished and dangerously unstable – striking that perfect balance between nostalgic wit and vulnerable truth. It's as if the spirit of Waylon Jennings gate-crashed an Oasis recording session with a fifth of Jack Daniel's and a point to prove about modern romance.
What's most refreshing about Wattmore is their steadfast refusal to be anything but authentic. This isn't polished pop-country – it's two brothers, a busted-up heart, and a wingman called bourbon. There's something almost Deadpool-like in their approach – breaking the fourth wall of country music with humor that cuts precisely because it's laced with uncomfortable truth.
The duo's unflinching willingness to tackle the hollowness of digitized romance gives their music a purpose beyond mere entertainment, though it certainly entertains. There's something of Springsteen's blue-collar storytelling here, filtered through a distinctly Australian directness and spiked with rockabilly's rebellious spirit.
"Romantic Side" suggests that the forthcoming album (which Caswell hints has been brewing for over a year) could be one of the year's most interesting releases. In an increasingly sanitized musical landscape, Wattmore represent something essential: authentic, uncompromising voices that demand to be heard on their own terms. They might just be the antidote to everything that's wrong with modern music.