With their new single, “Romantic Side,” alt-rock/Americana duo Wattmore out of Brisbane have no interest in playing it safe. Brothers Aiden and Kai Boak, the autistic heart of this band, put a brave foot in their environment’s swipe-left world of dating armed with modest-like lyrics, jangling rock guitar licks, and a twang-soaked snarl that wide dares you not to eavesdrop.
Co-written with the legendary Allan Caswell, “Romantic Side” is not just a song but a declaration. It’s a sly, sharp takedown of the empty exercise of modern love and a middle finger to vapid connection in the face of a brutal, uncompromising truth. It’s the cut that stomps into the room, hurls down its heart, and says exactly what everyone else is too polite to admit.
It’s produced by Lindsay Waddington at LWM House Studios, which gives it some sheen without ever buffing off the band’s rough edges. Featuring a roster of Oz session heavyweights contributing chops, the track balances slick studio finesse with the grit of Wattmore’s calling card. There’s a twitchy live-wire tension running through it, the type that lets you know a barroom brawl is never more than a verse away.
Wattmore’s music is gloriously genre-fluid, caught between a confessional booth and a rock show at closing. You can hear the ghosts of Oasis, the spirit of Waylon Jennings, and the unmistakable voice of two brothers who won’t be corrupted by being anything other than themselves. “Romantic Side” is music that hollers, swings, and embodies above all. If this track is anything to go by, Wattmore is rewriting the rule book and how they feel.
Connect with Wattmore on Instagram – @wattmoreband
