Crocodylus : YOU / Unnecessary Pressure

I imagine COVID lockdowns really fucked with Crocodylus. For years, the band have toured non-stop around the country, putting on notoriously high-energy live shows, simultaneously releasing great EP after great EP. What does a band like that do after being told they’re not allowed to play shows or travel interstate? What comes of all that pent-up energy? 

Well, it turns out the Sydney three-piece have expanded into a five-piece and recorded a debut album. So, in a way, lockdowns didn’t really slow them down at all. Good. 

Today they’ve shared the first taste of that upcoming debut album, a double a-side single ‘YOU / Unnecessary Pressure’. While the two new songs sit comfortably alongside their discography of searing garage tunes, they also showcase an improvement in songwriting, particularly on ‘YOU’. Here, Crocodylus—a band known for their endless quantities of adrenaline—show restraint in all the right places, creating a track that holds a far more satisfying punch than anything they’ve released previously. With ghostly guitar lines reminiscent of La Luz or The Mystic Braves and an organ sound lifted straight out of a B52’s track, ‘YOU’ is a garage-psych gem. This all leads to an unexpected final explosion, which Josh claims was inspired by one of his favourite bands The Ruminaters. 

Funnily enough, The Ruminaters/Le Shiv frontman Jake ‘Pencil’ Voroshine has stepped in as a producer for the new record, and (I’ve been told) will be joining the Crocs live band for upcoming shows. Crazy how life works out, eh?

If this new single is a signifier of what to expect from the forthcoming record, I’m very much looking forward to hearing what else the boys have to offer. 

Until then, get stuck into the two new singles via their brand-spankin-new video (directed by Jamieson Kerr) below, and grab tickets to their show at Underground on Saturday September 3rd here.