Tag: Pretty Bleak

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“coming to terms with it all” – PRETTY BLEAK

It’s so satisfying watching a band come of age. With the release of their sophomore EP an introduction to a theme last year, I noted that Naarm/Melbourne-based band PRETTY BLEAK had dropped “their most cohesive and compelling body of work to date.” They continue their upward trajectory with their latest offering, coming to terms with it all.

“The EP serves to explore the difficulty of navigating interpersonal relationships on a societal scale, from the perspective of people for whom these things are rarely easy,” explained frontman Sam Thomas. “It details reckoning with obligation, perception, self-interest, betrayal, introspection, and resignation or inevitability through the lens of our own personal experiences, whether those be triumphs or catastrophic failures.”

They’re some heavy themes, but PRETTY BLEAK balance them with optimistic melodies that are bound to put a smile on your face. The atmospheric sounds of EP opener “i.need2” naturally lead into the upbeat banger, “behere.4u.” With its big brassy horns, lush synths, and ridiculously catchy chorus, it’s so much fun. “how ironic” has a similar energy, but when the music is so enjoyable you want to stay in that space. It reminds me a little of the music The Band CAMINO is making these days, an easy blend of indie rock and electropop that has you on your feet and begging for more.

In “with your friends,” PRETTY BLEAK lean more into that electronic sound to great effect. It’s such a different vibe, but one that helps give this EP some dynamics. I enjoy it, but not as much as that high-octane sound of “something’s wrong with me.” This the kind of music that PRETTY BLEAK excels at, a bold sound that’s pure joy paired with angsty lyrics that connect so easily our own insecurities.

The closing number “you can be the river” is a breathtaking change of pace. A piano ballad at its core, it sounds like nothing else on this EP. Its poetic lyrics are authentically romantic, and its orchestration is so richly layered. Every time I hear it, I have to take a moment to stop and absorb it.

And then, once I’ve felt all the feelings, I hit play again, because coming to terms with it all is that kind of EP. One that encourages repeat listens because it’s so catchy and likeable. PRETTY BLEAK have honed the sound they pivoted towards in an introduction to a theme beautifully. They also wrote, produced, and mixed this EP, which shows just how much they want to take ownership of their music. It’s a bold decision for a band so early in their career, but one that’s paid off.

coming to terms with it all is out now. Catch PRETTY BLEAK play these songs and more live at the following shows:

15 August 2025 – The Bergy Bandroom, Naarm/Melbourne (EP launch)
23 August 2025 – The Burdekin Hotel, Eora/Sydney (supporting A Swift Farewell)

Photo credit: Tom Thomas

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“an introduction to a theme” – PRETTY BLEAK

It might seem premature to usher in a new era with the release of a second EP. But press play on an introduction to a theme, the latest release from Naarm/Melbourne-based act PRETTY BLEAK, and it all makes sense.

PRETTY BLEAK dropped this EP after the release of in retrospect, featuring all their previous singles including those from the debut EP BLOOD, earlier this year. It definitively put a line through what came before and the music we hear now. PRETTY BLEAK hasn’t started from scratch, but they’ve built on the foundations of their early music. There’s still the mix of happy-sad that captured my ears when they hit the scene, although the balance shifts a little more towards the light these days.

As the title implies, an introduction to a theme is a concept EP. Through these six songs, PRETTY BLEAK explore the journey of a relationship. Opening track “she’ll come around” is a feel-good alt-pop track that celebrates the kind of love-at-first-sight infatuation that’s like an addiction. When it’s good, it’s so good, and we see it play out with the honeymoon phase in “now i feel it coming on” and “in your air”. The final track, “can’t say” sees it all fall apart. It’s devastating, dramatic, a natural evolution from PRETTY BLEAK’s earlier emo releases. I didn’t know the band had a song like this in them. It’s incredible.

With the release of an introduction to a theme, it feels like the emo kids have come of age. While I’ve enjoyed some previous releases, I found they could be a little hit-and-miss. This EP is their most cohesive and compelling body of work to date. The band sounds ready for stadiums and the vocals from Sam Thomas soar. They should be proud of this one.

an introduction to a theme is out now. PRETTY BLEAK will officially launch the EP with the following shows:

30 August 2024 – The Workers Club, Naarm/Melbourne
14 September 2024 – Tomcat, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Main photo credit: Tom Thomas

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

PRETTY BLEAK Tackle Addiction With “do you feel the same?”

It’s a dark gloomy day in my part of the country, perfect for some new PRETTY BLEAK material. This Naarm/Melbourne emo/pop punk act delivers the right balance of happy-sad with their latest single “do you feel the same?”

“The song is about the human tendency to placate our emotions with menial pleasures, which develop into addictions or dependencies,” explained vocalist Sam Thomas. “The specific nature of the addiction is dependent on the listener’s interpretation, whether it be drugs, or laughter, or the amount of times you look in the mirror each day.”

Fresh from their debut appearance at BIGSOUND, PRETTY BLEAK will launch the single for hometown fans at The Gasometer Hotel on September 28.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co; credit: Tom Thomas

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

PRETTY BLEAK Drop Latest Banger, “spare room song”

It’s been far too long between new PRETTY BLEAK releases. I’m thrilled to hear the lads are back to their best with the release of “spare room song.” It starts small, but I know you’ll find yourself punching your fist in the air by the time that epic chorus drops.

“‘spare room song’ describes the difficulty of internally navigating the line between self-growth and the comfort of your previously destructive behaviours,” vocalist Sam Thomas explained. “I’ve been pretty consciously aware of a number of different periods like this throughout my life, and one of the more noticeable aspects of that process is the arguments I would have with myself to continue resisting growth and change. This is symbolised lyrically through a dialogue between two separate individuals.”

The music video sees PRETTY BLEAK collaborating again with Tom Thomas, who directed their videos for “other people’s heads” and “Living With Mice.”

“We thought it would be interesting for the majority of the video to be set in the wilderness, and that the photo frames would depict the comfort of a familiar room inside of a house, which metaphorically alludes to the themes presented in the lyrics of the song,”

Fresh from their stellar performance at Tasmania’s Great Escape festival, PRETTY BLEAK will play the following shows to support “spare room song”’s release.

31 March 2023 – Towradgi Beach Hotel, Woolyungah/Wollongong
7 April 2023 – Stay Gold, Naarm/Melbourne (supporting Loose Bricks)
22 April 2023 – The Workers Club, Naarm/Melbourne (official single launch)

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Tom Thomas

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pretty Bleak Impress With “other people’s heads”

Pretty Bleak are serving up some of the best pop-punk tunes around. Their latest single “other people’s heads” is an absolute belter with some really insightful lyrics about the influence of social media on modern society.

“Just before the pandemic, I was thinking a lot about the fact that if you have a social media account, at any given moment someone could be creating a model of your personality in their minds that you have very little influence over,” explained vocalist Sam Thomas. “In the past it would have been quite unusual to meet someone for the first time and discover that they already know significant and intimate things about you … I wanted to describe both the uneasiness that an individual might feel about being in a situation comparable to that, and the absurdness of the fact that this paradigm has become the expected state of our social interactions.”

This smart song is matched with a really clever film clip directed by Tom Thomas.

“The use of mirrors and cameras constantly reflecting and perceiving us throughout the video represents obsession our society has with the perceptions of those around us, and how this pathology is exaggerated by how prevalent social media is in our lives,” Sam added. “As with all of our videos, we like to intersperse visual metaphors with intense performance shots that mirror the content of the lyrics of our songs, because we like the video to act as a coherent augmentation of the song itself.”

Pretty Bleak will celebrate the release of “other people’s heads at Stay Gold in Naarm/Melbourne on November 25. They’re also heading to Great Escape in Lutruwita/Tasmania on March 3.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Tom Thomas

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pretty Bleak Deliver Your Perfect Morning Soundtrack

Getting moving in the morning is always a challenge, but Melbourne’s Pretty Bleak are here to make the task a bit easier. Their latest single “Jawline” has the shimmery pop synths and singalong chorus you need to get fired up.

This song sounds so slick it’s hard to believe it’s the band’s first release. It’s a little poppy, a little punky, a little dancy, and a whole lot of cool.

“The song is about finding a personal balance between vanity and pragmatism. Being able to utilise hedonism and direct it towards something beneficial, rather than frivolous or trivial,” explained lead singer Sam Thomas. “I wrote and recorded two and a half different demos of this song before I finally got it to a place where I was happy with the blend of interesting pop conventions, and more self-indulgent abstract sounds and compositions. The intention of it was to try and write something that could be seen as a more straight-forward kind of mainstream single, without compromising the more unique aspects of the sound.”

Pretty Bleak will launch the single for hometown fans at Grace Darling Hotel on November 15.

Image used with permission from Beehive PR