Melbourne three-piece The Grogans are stepping into a new era, announcing their forthcoming sixth studio album Kiss Me Stupid, alongside the release of their new single ‘One Step At A Time’, arriving Thursday 12 November, with the album set for release Friday 19 February 2027 via Community Music, with pre-orders available now.
Marking a significant new chapter for Angus Vasic, Jordan Lewis and Quin Grunden, Kiss Me Stupid captures the band continuing to evolve, embracing a more considered approach to songwriting and production while retaining the raw energy and instinct that has defined The Grogans.
Previous releases have seen the band explore the edges of surf, garage, blues and indie rock; Kiss Me Stupid sees them pushing further into their own creative identity, balancing grit with vulnerability, confidence with introspection, and their trademark slacker-rock swagger with a newfound depth.
“There’s always this expectation on any artist to make ‘the album’ the one that represents exactly what you are and what you feel then. We aren’t too sure that you ever can achieve this feeling; what we do know is that Kiss Me Stupid is so far the closest we have come,” The Grogans explain.
“In true Grogans style, we aim to continually develop and evolve without compromising our true core. Kiss Me Stupid in its early days was supposed to be one of our most DIY, gritty and lo-fi records, which ultimately ended up being the opposite. We focused entirely on being musicians this time around, creating what we think is one of our best yet.”
“We wanted the process of making this record to also grow with us, which is why we decided to work in a new studio with a new engineer/producer. This was freeing and somewhat grounding for us. We are forever grateful to do what we do; this is now another part of our story. Kiss Me Stupid oozes our signature mongrel slacker rock which perfectly coexists with gentle vulnerability: don’t believe us? Don’t be stupid. Drop the bloody needle.”
Leading the album announcement is ‘One Step At A Time’, a deeply personal yet sonically expansive song that explores anxiety, panic and the complicated process of navigating overwhelming moments. Built from an early phone demo featuring the lyric “if I only remember, take it one step at a time”, the track was developed into an honest reflection on the struggle to stay grounded when everything feels like it’s getting away from you.
“This track started from a phone demo which had the lyrics ‘if I only remember, take it one step at a time’ which stuck. After constructing it into the form it is today, the lyrics fell into place. It references a struggle with certain anxieties, panic and the idea of overcoming those feelings. Sometimes during stressful situations you can forget to take each day or moment one step at a time; other times you do remember but still let yourself fall into them anyway. This can make you feel like you’re losing your mind.”
‘One Step At A Time’offers another glimpse into the album’s broader sonic landscape, pairing the band’s instinctive rock foundations with a more reflective approach to melody and songwriting; it’s The Grogans at their most introspective.
The single is accompanied by a music video directed by longtime collaborators and good mates Sam Brumby and Conrad Bergmann, who previously worked with the band on their last two clips.
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