After years of carving out a reputation as one of Australia’s most beloved pop punk bands, Adelaide duo TOWNS return with MAGNIFICENT – a bold, euphoric new single that signals the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
Produced by Alan Day (Four Year Strong), MAGNIFICENT sees Dan Steinert and Aston Valladares push far beyond the nostalgic pop-punk sound they’ve become known for, embracing shimmering 90s rock, dance-inspired grooves, infectious guitar hooks and an undeniable sense of fun.
What began as a simple guitar loop written out of boredom quickly became one of the band’s favourite songs. “The whistles were one of those ‘this would be so silly, right?’ moments,” Aston explains. “But we kept them and that ended up becoming the whole philosophy of our next record. Instead of overthinking everything, we just started trusting our first instincts.”
Lyrically, MAGNIFICENT explores the exhausting cycle of comparison – constantly measuring yourself against everyone else while chasing an impossible idea of perfection.
“It’s about sitting there wondering if everyone else is doing it better than you, constantly questioning yourself and trying to trust your own instincts despite all the noise. We all want to be magnificent, but maybe the comparison is the thing stopping us from realising we already are.”
Alongside the single comes TOWNS’ most chaotic music video yet. Directed by manager Rachel Whitford in her directorial debut in collaboration with Liam Woolcock of Leave The Crumbs, the entirely independent production sees the band create a robot named M.A.C.K (Magnificent Artificial Creativity Killer) designed to make life easier. Instead, the robot proves almost useful but never quite right, slowly becoming more of a burden than a help.
When it eventually begins replacing the band themselves – playing their instruments and taking over the music – TOWNS are forced to destroy their own creation, only to discover that beneath the machinery lies something unexpectedly human.
The playful, nostalgic visual explores creativity, imperfection and the increasingly worrying relationship between technology and art, while reinforcing the song’s central message: that flaws, mistakes and humanity are what make creativity meaningful.
For Rachel, the project represented hands-on work, directing the video while designing and building every prop and set piece in-house alongside the band.
The release marks a taste of TOWNS’ forthcoming second album, recorded in Western Massachusetts with Alan Day. It represents a significant evolution for the duo, embracing a broader sonic palette while retaining the heartfelt songwriting and infectious energy that has earned them a fiercely loyal following.
Over the past decade, TOWNS have quietly built one of Australia’s loyalest communities. Their sold-out hometown shows, sold-out vinyl releases and youth mentoring have fostered a uniquely dedicated audience, while sharing stages with Turnstile, Hot Mulligan, Boston Manor, Trophy Eyes, Stand Atlantic, The Jungle Giants, Ruby Fields, Dear Seattle and more.
With a run of new music, major live announcements and an ambitious campaign still to come, MAGNIFICENT is more than just a new single – it’s the sound of a band fully committing to the biggest chapter of their career.
With thanks to 27 Music
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