As our collective news fatigue lingers, the frustrations of daily living become amplified. Stubbing your toe on the corner of your bed. Having a single scrape of Vegemite left for the toast you made. Trying to leave the house but forgetting your mask twice and having to clean up a half eaten gecko left by your cat. Romero’s new single, ‘Troublemaker’, is a golden old soul that smoothes out the bumps of at-home frustrations and reassures you on the existential path ahead.

The Melbourne bands’ glam swagger continues to inhibit a demilitarised island; where folks lay down their arms, rejoice around a hook, and stretch their legs in a haven away from the information overload of 2020. This time around, Romero collects restlessness and angst as alms, to be thrown in the air in a serenade of euphoria, as a chimera of positivity and nervous energy emerges.  

Mastered by Mikey Young (Total Control, Eddy Current Suppression Ring) and engineered by Andrew Hehir, the song traverses a sonic divorce between the melodic master strokes of both classic & modern age pop records (from Dolly Parton, to Sheer Mag and Royal Headache), while evoking an emotional response of the brill-building soundscapes of the 50s and 60s.

‘Troublemaker’ is a record to sing along to even when the shower runs cold. It’s harsh out there; have a tantrum and a life crisis. See you on the other side.