Brisbane rockers WAAX have dropped two huge new singles and announced a new album At Least I'm Free will drop on August 5th. The old-school 'double-A side' style drop of piano ballad Dangerous and the raging rocker Help Me Hell expertly showcase the dynamic range we can expect from At Least I'm Free.
Cowritten by Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes fame, Dangerous uncovers a side of WAAX vocalist Maz DeVita we've never seen before. Perry's knack for helping to compose big ballads for big voices (Perry has written hits for Christina Aguilera, Pink and Gwen Stefani to name a few) is a natural fit for DeVita's gritty vocals, resulting in a slow-burning, emotive, anthem that should open fresh ears to WAAX's exciting brand of alt-rock.
Help Me Hell is a more prototypical WAAX song, with big riffs and gruff vocals coming together with a grunge sensibility in a masterful display of quiet/loud dynamics that calls to mind their work on previous full-length Big Grief.
Watch both tracks in one handy video below.
The pairing with Perry on Dangerous seems indicative of brash plans for the Brissy rockers, but the collaboration itself came about via the time-honoured tradition of a cold call to a hero as DeVita explained to triple j.
"Linda, for whatever reason, read an email from this small band from Australia and she really liked the sound of my voice, and invited me to come hang out with her… The universe was in my favour that day.”
“She had a real boss woman energy, like ‘Come in here, we’re going to get this done’. Got the big hat, takes it off, puts it on the guitar, jumps on the piano – let’s go!”
While in Los Angeles, DeVita also worked with K.Flay, resulting in the album track No Doz.
Produced by the Big Grief team of Powderfinger's Bernard Fanning and Nick DiDia.
"We call them our Band Dads, we know each other so well and vibe so easily. It’s been a really seamless and easygoing process.”
Dangerous and Help Me Hell follow the previously released Most Hated Girl as our first glimpses of At Least I'm Free.
In exciting news for fans who saw WAAX deliver one of the most memorable moments of UNIFY Forever, the band is going on tour around Australia in April/May in support of Dangerous.
At Least I'm Free tracklisting
1. Mermaid Beach
2. Read Receipts
3. A Man Like Me
4. No Doz
5. Most Hated Girl
6. Beam Me Up
7. Dangerous
8. Jeff On The Streets
9. Help Me Hell
10. Same Bitch
11. Whoever
Listen to WAAX
