Growing up sucks. Our parents, older siblings – and hell, even that weird middle-aged suit that simply has to stumble over to your table at the bar to deliver unsolicited life advice – all warned us. But no, we knew better. Growing up was going to be different for us, we were going to be rad. Unfortunately, we would soon learn that we were, in fact, not different – but at least that provides some fertile ground for the creatives of the world who can both clock us and make us feel less alone about it all in one fell swoop just like SoCal punks The Aquadolls have done with their brand new single, ‘Disappearing Girl’.
Set to the backdrop of one of life’s most frustrating realities – the idea that no matter how compatible two people may be together, sometimes the universe just doesn’t want them to be together – The Aquadolls have managed to piece together an anthem-in-waiting that is, unfortunately, far more relatable than we’re willing to elaborate on in a public-facing writing up.
“‘Disappearing Girl’ is about not being able to put yourself first while in a relationship,” lead singer Melissa Brooks says of the concept. “No matter how much the other person wants to reach you, they can’t, and you continue to drift apart until the relationship fizzles out into a distant dream.”
Powered by woozy chords and a hazy soundscape set atop delicate but resonating vocals, ‘Disappearing Girl’ feels as though it’s been delivered to us fresh from this aforementioned distant dream. Since hanging up their leads back in 2013 following the release of Stoked On You, The Aquadolls are back with a vengeance, regrouping with Jacqueline Proctor on drums and Keilah Nina on bass and dropping 2018’s The Dream And The Deception and levelling up further with the release of their 2020 breakaway hit ‘Take Me Away’. The Aquadolls will parlay that momentum into a forthcoming set at Lollapalooza 2021, adding further accolades to their already impressive punk rock resume which features coveted support slots for Pennywise, Kate Nash, Vivian Girls, and Jimmy Eat World.
Fingers crossed that world domination is part of their plan, and once borders allow, we can expect a long-awaited run of Australian tour dates.
