The Wicked Messenger have a brand new album coming out in 2024 and they’ve just released the first single from it, ‘Ten Years Older‘. It’s a song that signals a shift into more of a melodic Americana meets power pop sound in the vein of Wilco and Teenage Fanclub, complete with handclaps and harmonica.

The band’s last album was often quite sad so on the new album they wanted to write something more anthemic and a little happier. “I was thinking Bruce Springsteen kind of anthemic but with big jangly guitar, inspired by Teenage Fanclub and Brisbane’s own Babaganouj,” Jimi explains. “My storytelling side suggested a three-act structure where the characters get together in high school, break up, and then meet later in life and start something new. As with many songs on our next album it all seems to happen in and around West End, where we live.”

The words tumble effortlessly as Beavis sings lines such as ‘She sat on a barstool, one leg on the floor, she held on to the table while she laughed,’ detailing the midpoint of a relationship’s interrupted trajectory, over infectious harmonica, a soft shuffling beat, atmospheric organ and emotive violin. 

‘Ten Years Older’ and ten years of still and moving images of The Wicked Messenger’s Jimi and Janey. The pair combed their archives and found these pics and videos of their life together and Jimi edited it together.