Album, Music, SA, Tour 0

BUGS Release New Album ‘Cooties’

By Tony Polese · On March 11, 2022

Friday 25 March 2022 the self-professed “noisy guitar pop band from Sunny QLD” Bugs have released their highly anticipated third studio album Cooties, distributed by Community Music, ahead of their 17 date Australian tour which kicks off in Newcastle on April 22.

The punchy 10-track collection features previous singles Old Youth Feeling, Diamond, Decisions, Commitments & Plans, In The Middle (Of It), and new focus track Alone Again which ties together the expansive exploration of their artistry that this record further highlights

“This is a modern lonely cowboy/cowgirl crooner classic. It’s all about feeling isolated and how social media can exacerbate the pain associated with being alone. It explores struggling to find the place where you fit in the world.” says lead vocalist Connor Brooker of Alone Again.

Cooties was recorded and produced by drummer Brock Weston at his home studio in Brisbane. They started by refining a batch of 30 songs during the middle of 2020, and through the continuous lockdowns they managed to record most of the final tracks. From there, Weston engineered the release from scratch, and together with his fellow bandmates was able to find a new confidence within their sound.

“I wrote most of the songs between 2019-2020 and as the obvious gems worked their way onto the final track listing the theme of the album came together. It’s all about coexisting realities, relationships in your twenties, finding your place in the world. I’ve gone through pretty drastic and destabilising change at times and I guess it’s representative of a lot of personal experiences over the last few years. Some of the songs are pretty sad, some are full of angst, others unbridled joy. It’s a polarising mix of music because life isn’t as linear as we’d often like it to be.” explains Brooker

It’s been one wild ride for the trio so far, having already toured with the likes of Grinspoon, Mallrat, WAXX, TOWNS, Sweater Curse and The Hard Aches as well as appearing on festival line ups including Falls Festival, Yours & Owls and The Hills Are Alive.