Wattmore drops new single “Canadian Whiskey”

Born and raised in the dust and diesel of Brisbane’s trucking routes, Wattmore are a band that make music smell like petrol, beer and bad decisions in the best possible way. The duo, made up of brothers Aiden and Kai, fuse the defiant energy of punk with the grit of Americana and the storytelling swagger of outlaw country. It’s a sound born from long, dusty drives, bar fights and a filterless approach to songwriting. Wattmore’s music is full of bite, humour and emotion hidden behind choruses that hit like punches and stick with you like bruises.

Frank Turner, Green Day, Oasis and Waylon Jennings all help form the band’s influences, resulting in a gritty country sound injected with punk energy and stitched together by lyrics that manage to be both personal and slyly self-aware. Wattmore made their entrance into the scene in October last year with “Circus Life,” an impactful debut that immediately marked them as one of Australia’s most unconventional new acts on the rise.

They followed it up in May this year with “Romantic Side,” showing a softer edge without losing their trademark wit or raucous flair. By August, the release of “I Don’t Miss That Woman” offered a stellar display of sardonic songwriting, equal parts confession and comedy, showing off their ability to pair emotional context and satirical hooks.

Now Wattmore return with their latest single titled “Canadian Whiskey,” a song that on the surface appears like a classic country drinking song you’d expect to hear in a smoky bar with empty glasses and full hearts. But listen closer and the sarcasm seeps through; co-written with Allan Caswell, a self-described leftie, boomer, hippie,and “professional troublemaker,” the song takes aim not at squarely America, but at the idea of cultural dominance itself. As the band puts it, it’s not anti-American, it’s wholly pro everyone else, with Canada receiving the ultimate toast.

Produced by Lindsay Waddington at LWM House Studios, “Canadian Whiskey” drags country, bluegrass and folk styles through the band’s unique sonic lens and throws them into the fight for good measure. It’s rowdy, defiant and bursting with humour, wrapped up in a playful arrangement of jumping grooves, noodling banjo lines and catchy vocal lines. The duo were told not to release it, which, naturally, was all the encouragement they needed.

Peppered with intricate string lines and carried by the uptempo hop of a bouncy rhythm section, the vocals stitch lighthearted lyricism into the song to deliver an infectious jam throughout. Already lighting up Australian Country Radio and tested live on the EKKA Showdown stage, “Canadian Whiskey” proves that Wattmore are finding success while breaking every rule they can. It’s loud, uncompromising and full of life, a reminder that country music still has plenty of rebellion left in its soul.

Listen to Canadian Whiskey below

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