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Photo Credit: Micha Birkby

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Photo Credit: Micha Birkby

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Australian singer-songwriter Alex the Astronaut is thrilled to announce the release of their deeply personal and long-awaited EP, RAGE AND ALL ITS FRIENDS, out today. Following the success of their second album, HOW TO GROW A SUNFLOWER UNDERWATER, Alex embarked on a transformative journey filled with emotional revelations, newfound collaborations, and a fresh perspective on their artistry.

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“RAGE AND ALL ITS FRIENDS is a more fun name for a group of songs about grief,” Alex explains. “Last year, I was a cranky, sad mess. Everything seemed to be going wrong — my relationships, my career, my family. I didn’t know how to fix it, so I started writing. These are the six songs that made the cut.”

Predominantly recorded in Sydney with producer Tony Buchen, the normally solo singer-songwriter turns to collaborators to help navigate their idiosyncratic version of the seven stages of grief. With co-writes and assistance from friends and icons, including Paul Kelly, Gordi, Lisa Mitchell, and Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Alex rediscovers their joy in making music.

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The EP opens with “Cold Pizza”, a dream collaboration with the legendary Paul Kelly. Starting with a solitary line in a notebook about eating pizza on the floor, the song quickly evolved into a heart-wrenching reflection on a relationship’s end. “To get to write a song about pizza with Mr. Paul Kelly was my absolute childhood dream come true,” says Alex. The blend of Paul’s contemplative style and Alex’s emotional storytelling makes “Cold Pizza” a highlight of the EP, tugging at the heartstrings with every listen.

Written during Troye Sivan’s World Pride writing camp in 2023, “If You Have To Go” is an emotional centrepiece of the EP. Alex penned this ballad about missed moments and loss on the fourth day of the camp, surrounded by fellow talented songwriters. The room was moved to tears after hearing it. “Troye and my campmates welled up after I played it, so I guessed we were onto something,” Alex recalls. With their first-ever guitar solo featured in the song “If You Have to Go” marks an artistic milestone for Alex.

Another standout is “Road Rage”, a track inspired by the unexpected surge of anger Alex felt in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. Realising they were taking out their frustrations on bad drivers, Alex channelled those emotions into the song. “My Grandma would not be proud of that,” Alex. Produced by Gordi during chaotic late-night sessions in Sydney, “Road Rage” captures the humour and chaos of releasing pent-up frustration and anger — with a dash of self-awareness.

The EP also detours into emotional numbness with “Numb,” a track that speaks to burnout and disconnection. Written after a late night out with an old party friend on Oxford Street, the song reflects Alex’s journey to feeling after months of being shut off from the world. “It was very therapeutic,” says Alex. The song was conceived on a train ride through Italy, a vivid reflection of their attempt to reconnect with life and emotions.

Another powerful track, “Change,” tackles Alex’s frustration with the slow pace of societal progress. Inspired by Audre Lorde’s words on anger and change, Alex wrote the song out of frustration with the lingering dominance of men in the music industry and the world at large. Lisa Mitchell’s refrain ties together the song’s call for deeper, more meaningful transformation.

The EP closes with “Actually The End,” a gentle yet poignant reflection on breakups written with Benjamin Francis Leftwich.“It’s about those strange breakups where you have to remind yourself that it’s truly over,” Alex explains. The song’s lyric, “It’s actually the end this time,” perfectly captures the finality and sadness of letting go, a feeling familiar to anyone who has experienced a tough breakup.

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Photo Credit: Micha Birkby

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With its striking artwork by ARIA Award winner Connor Dewhurst, RAGE AND ALL ITS FRIENDS is as visually powerful as it is emotionally. The cover art, which captures the EP’s themes of raw emotion and transformation, complements the profoundly personal journey expressed through Alex’s music.

“RAGE AND ALL ITS FRIENDS are some of the best songs I’ve ever written, and I couldn’t have done it without a little help from my friends,” Alex shares. “This EP is about processing a lot of the big emotions that are still out there for me, and not just putting them in the corner. I want people to hear these songs and laugh at themselves, or cry with their friends, or do what they need to do to process what’s happened to them. It’s life! Be in it!” 

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Listen to RAGE AND ALL ITS FRIENDS on all streaming platforms
PREORDER THE VINYL OR CD NOW

RAGE AND ALL ITS FRIENDS
Track Listing 

Actually The End 
Change
Cold Pizza 
If You Have
Numb
Road Rage 

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Follow ALEX THE ASTRONAUT
FACEBOOK – INSTAGRAM – WEBSITE

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AMNPLIFY – DB