Australian punk freaks Private Function return today with the release of a feral new single Animal, the second taste of their forthcoming fourth album ‘¯\_(?)_/¯’, out May 23. Today, they announce they’ll be hitting the road this June for a national headline tour, tearing through major cities and regional towns, before heading overseas for a 35-date European tour.
Following the April single Koala, the album opener Animal boasts a ferocious riff that captures the rabid energy of their live show while showcasing the band’s heavier side. With snarling vocals, Chris Penney sings, “Get away from me! I’m a fcking animal!” It’s aggressive, cathartic, and unmistakably PF. It also marks the first time we’ve heard PF play in ‘Drop (bear) D’ which will either excite fans or piss them off. Either way, PF couldn’t care less.
The video for Animal is the direct continuation of the Koala music video. We get to see where the two Koalas have ended up. Chris has been sent to prison where he awaits execution for his crimes against humanity, while Milla escapes capture, kills the animal control guards and tries to find him. Will Milla find Chris before it’s too late and he’s sent to execution by electric chair? Is this a romance or a tragedy?
The 19-track LP ‘¯\_(?)_/¯’ captures everything fans have come to love about PF, catchy hooks, irreverent lyrics, and a family-friendly “go f*ck yourself” attitude. Recorded with producer Stefan Blair at York Street Recorders, the album channels the raw chaos of their live show. The journey veers between punk rock, sea shanties, electronic breakdowns, and folk sing-alongs, all delivered with the band’s trademark humour and chaos.
In true Private Function fashion, the album’s packaging is just as inventive as the music: ‘¯\_(?)_/¯’ features the world’s first microscopic album cover, made up of 2,590 individual record covers designed by Bootleg Comics. Each physical copy includes a custom-built magnifying glass, inviting fans to dive into the absurdity tile by tile.
Over the last eight years, Private Function have built a reputation as one of Australia’s most explosive and unpredictable live acts, earning ARIA nominations, top ten albums, and international praise. They’ve headlined venues like The Forum and the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, delivered an iconic Meredith set and opened for Green Day, The Bronx, The Spits, Grinspoon, and Spiderbait.
Their June national tour will see them lap the country with a setlist packed with fan favourites and the kind of unhinged stage antics only PF can deliver. The tour hits Sydney, Canberra, Beechworth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne and Wollongong, as well as the Thrashville Festival and their long-awaited return to Perth.
PRIVATE FUNCTION
AUSTRALIAN TOUR
TICKETS HERE
Saturday May 31 – Gang Gang Bar & Café, Canberra
Sunday June 1 – Tanswells Hotel, Beechworth
Saturday June 7 – Crowbar, Sydney
Sunday June 8 – La La Las, Wollongong
Friday June 13 – UniBar, Adelaide
Saturday June 14 – Milk Bar, Perth
Friday June 20 – The Brightside, Brisbane
Saturday June 21 – Vinnies Dive, Gold Coast
Friday June 27 – Max Watts, Melbourne
Saturday June 28 – Thrashville Festival, Hunter Valley
Animal IS OUT NOW
‘¯\_(?)_/¯’ WILL BE RELEASED ON MAY 23 – PRE-ORDER HERE
With thanks to AANTHOLOGIES
