Photo: Tim Cotton
Fast-rising New Zealand indie-rock outfit NO CIGAR are showing no signs of slowing down – with ‘Best Behaviour’, their 2nd single for 2025, dropping today.
The single comes at an exciting time for the band, who have just finished up a sold out tour across their home-country. With all eyes on the band as they quickly grow in popularity at home and abroad, each release seems to go from strength to strength – with ‘Best Behaviour’ showcasing the band at the top of their game. With a reasonably simple but effective chordal progression that continually builds throughout the track; ‘Best Behaviour’ is adorned with wailing, dynamic guitar fills and a charismatic vocal performance from frontman Willy Ferrier that demands attention right from the opening bars.
Lyrically, the track details that first meeting with a significant other’s parents – and all the anxiety that comes along with it.
“Meeting the parents will always be a tense moment, laced with trepidation. To be on one’s best behaviour is the expectation. To be nervous is understandable. To be perfect is unlikely. The rawness and fragility reflect everyone’s mind-state in such moments. Being an artist can’t even prepare you for moments like these.”
WILLY FERRIER, NO CIGAR
Recorded between Auckland and Ashburton in New Zealand with producer Conor Jaine (Mako Road, Summer Thieves), the track came to life during a songwriting session in Chantilly, France. Although the track was originally written a few years back, the atmosphere during that writing session helped get it across the line, the band explains; “Willy had brought it to us a while back, but with a dollop of Chantilly cream, it was ready to serve.”
NO CIGAR formed in 2019 and has had a rapid rise to recognition as one of the country’s most promising acts. They have toured the world with their signature blend of psychedelic rock and groovy guitars, all the while drawing critical acclaim for albums such as 2023’s THE GREAT ESCAPE, which featured the #1 rock radio smash hit, ‘Concubine’. The track also debuted at #10 on 2024’s The Rock radio annual yearly countdown – the highest debut for a new band. THE GREAT ESCAPE continues to chart in the top 20 on the Aotearoa albums chart, where it has remained for 65 weeks.
Their debut album BIENVENIDO, released in 2022, and their 2020 EP RADICAL ROAD have also earned them critical acclaim.
The band have gone on to sell out shows across the world, including a night at Islington Assembly Hall in London which entertained a crowd of 900. They’ve made numerous trips over to Australia now, most recently to show off their wares and the 2024 BIGSOUND showcase – which saw the band pack out rooms across the Valley with their impressive live-set.
LISTEN
PRAISE
“With their blend of indie rock and narrative-driven songwriting, the Kiwis have built a loyal following over the past five years.”
ROLLING STONE
“They recently sold out Islington Assembly Hall in London (which holds a hefty 900 patrons), having done the same at The Landsowne Hotel in Sydney just prior to their showcase at BIGSOUND in Brisbane. Their recent European tour also saw sold-out shows in Paris, Amsterdam, and Manchester. With 300k monthly Spotify listeners alongside 20M total streams of their music, the future is sonically bright for NO CIGAR”
SCENESTR
“Each performance is a journey guaranteed to envelop you in romanticism, to the ever-evolving backdrop of a thumping sonic experience. With elements of alternative, folk, and indie rock, they also utilise groove-based rhythms with psychedelic undertones to keep your feet moving & your shoulders rolling.”
TWICE THE HYPE
“No Cigar has noticeably little banter, and are mostly here to play their music, which they do very well. The crowd was wild and some people climb onto their friends’ shoulders to see over the rowdy room full of music lovers. Anyone who’s not on someone else’s should is awkwardly pressed together as the venue was clearly at capacity, if not over”
13TH FLOOR
LISTEN
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