The debut album from Bleak Squad is coming in August. Who, you ask? Bleak Squad is a new Melbourne indie rock supergroup featuring Mick Turner (Dirty Three, Mess Esque), Mick Harvey (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey, The Birthday Party), Adalita (Magic Dirt) and Marty Brown (Art of Fighting).
“I think the name Bleak Squad speaks to both this loose collection of misfits,” says Adalita in a statement. “And the noirish mood of our music.”
Bleak Squad started sitting around a pool. “I was sitting around Fitzroy pool one summer bemoaning I wasn’t playing drums enough,” says Marty Brown. “So I thought I might start a new project and just called everyone then and there. I can’t remember why I thought it would work. Maybe I recognised we all had a similar way of making music – uncomplicated and instantaneous.”
Mick Harvey agrees. “Marty concocted something good. He guessed at a good chemistry. But everyone put in lots of ideas and committed to the project. Playing music with other people is an exciting thing when it clicks.”
The song ‘Everything Must Change’ quietly premiered three weeks ago under the radar.
There is a bit more noise around the first official single and video ‘Lost My Head’.
“I just really love the album we’ve made,” says Adalita. “This is the first time I’ve been in a band outside of Magic Dirt and my solo thing. So playing with different musicians I’ve always looked up to and being so inspired by being in an actual new band, is really exciting. They’re just fucking amazing. I really am pinching myself. It’s unreal. I really can’t wait to play live.”
The album ‘Stange Love’ will be released 22 August 2025.
SBLEAK SQUAD LIVE
Fri Aug 1: Queenscliff Town Hall (warm-up show – on sale now)
Sat Aug 2: Meeniyan Town Hall (warm up show – on sale now)
Sat Oct 11: City Recital Hall, Sydney (Pre-sale July 23 / on sale July 24)
Thu Oct 16: Recital Hall, Melbourne (Pre-sale June 13 / on sale June 16)
Tickets available from BLEAK SQUAD | Feel Presents
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