Dubbed by Rolling Stone as “one of Australia’s most buzzworthy guitar bands in recent memory,” Radio Free Alice releases their first single of the year, “Empty Words“. The track, defined by dissonant textures and an undercurrent of paranoia, takes aim at performative activism. Frontman Noah Learmonth’s distinctive, operatic vocals cut through jagged guitar work, confronting both personal disillusionment and broader societal hypocrisy.
“‘Empty Words’ came out of a jam like most of our songs do,” Learmonth explains. “It was in some downtime between shows while we were in the UK last year. Lyrically, it’s about the feeling of social stagnation that I think a lot of young people in our generation feel.”
Radio Free Alice operates within a lineage of angular, yet melodic post-punk, balancing sharp-edged guitar work with hooks reminiscent of a time when guitar-driven music dominated airwaves. Their arrangements invite comparisons to Ian Curtis and Robert Smith, blending an art-school sensibility with raw live energy. This combination has propelled the band from Australian and European clubs onto larger stages, setting them up for a 2025 push into the U.S. market.
From March 12-15, Radio Free Alice will perform at SXSW in Austin, Texas, followed by a return to the U.S. in September for Atlanta’s Shaky Knees festival. The band recently wrapped up a European tour and an extensive Australian festival circuit, building momentum after opening for The Killers in late 2024. Their inclusion in the NME 100 list for 2025 as “post-punk rockers reviving retro sounds” solidifies their standing in the current wave of guitar-driven acts.
Their reputation for magnetic live performances has been reinforced by a sold-out headline tour in Australia, festival dates across Europe, and club shows in the UK. Tracks like “Paris Is Gone” and “Look What You’ve Done” gained traction through triple j, FBi, and 3RRR, further amplifying their reach. Their growing profile has led to support slots for acts like Royel Otis, Django Django, and The Snuts, as well as a four-week sold-out residency at Melbourne’s Nighthawk.
Anecdotes from their time on the road underline the band’s growing presence. One such moment involved Brian Jonestown Massacre frontman Anton Newcombe, who encountered the band at their Sydney residency at The Duke. After watching their early set, Newcombe was invited to stay for the late show following his own performance down the street. His response—“I can’t eat you, I can’t fuck you, so why the fuck would I come?”—became an emblematic moment for the band, a reminder of the irreverence and unpredictability that still exist in rock music.
