Don Walker has unveiled ‘Breakfast In Paris’, the latest track from his forthcoming album Love Songs, with Noise11 presenting the world premiere ahead of the record’s August release and national tour.
by Paul Cashmere
Don Walker has revealed a new song, ‘Breakfast In Paris’, offering a further preview of his upcoming solo album Love Songs, due for release on 7 August 2026. The track is released as Walker prepares for a national Australian tour in October and continues a creative period that has seen the Cold Chisel songwriter balance new material with reflections on a catalogue spanning more than five decades.
Noise11 is hosting the world premiere of ‘Breakfast In Paris’, a song that sits at the centre of the nine-track collection. Written by Walker and published by Sony Music Publishing Australia, the track is one of several new compositions on an album that combines contemporary studio recordings with material drawn from different periods of the songwriter’s career.
‘Breakfast In Paris’ extends Don Walker’s long-running commitment to narrative songwriting at a time when the Australian music industry remains increasingly focused on singles and streaming metrics. While many veteran artists lean heavily on established catalogues, Walker continues to produce new work that places storytelling at its core. The album follows 2023’s Lightning In A Clear Blue Sky and arrives three years later as another chapter in a solo career that has existed alongside his work with Cold Chisel, Tex, Don & Charlie and numerous collaborations.
Musically, Love Songs draws on a broad range of players from Walker’s long-standing creative circle. Walker handles vocals, piano and organ throughout the project.
Guitarist Shannon Bourne features across most of the album, while Garrett Costigan contributes pedal steel and backing vocals. The rhythm section of Michael Vidale on bass and Hamish Stuart on drums provides the foundation for the recordings, supported by The Harmonettes, Amanda Roff, Erica Dunn, Brigitte Hart, Felicity Cripps and Alexandra Scott-Douglas.
Additional contributions come from Mark Punch, Charlie Owen, Sam Lemann and Juanita Tippins. A brass section featuring Michael Fraser, Gianni Marinucci, David Palmer and Paul Williamson broadens the sonic palette beyond the sparse arrangements often associated with Walker’s earlier solo recordings.
The album also reflects a layered recording process. ‘Could You Still Be Here’ dates back to a home basement recording made directly to DAT around the turn of the century. ‘Luck’ and ‘Fly Away’ were recorded in 2022 at Electric Avenue Studios in Pyrmont by Phil Punch and feature the late Roy Payne on guitar. The remaining performances were tracked by Finn Keane at Head Gap Studios during 2023 and 2024, with additional overdubs completed in Melbourne and Sydney studios.
The project was mixed by renowned producer and engineer Kevin Shirley at The Cave at Ocean Way in Nashville, Tennessee, before being mastered by Brian Lee and Bob Jackson at Waygate Mastering in Portland, Maine.
Don Walker’s continued output carries particular significance. Since emerging with Cold Chisel in 1973, he has written some of the most enduring songs in Australian popular music, including ‘Khe Sanh’, ‘Flame Trees’, ‘Cheap Wine’, ‘Saturday Night’ and ‘Choirgirl’. His songwriting has consistently focused on Australian characters, landscapes and experiences, earning him induction into the Australian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012.
Away from Cold Chisel, Don has maintained an extensive solo career beginning with 1995’s We’re All Gunna Die, while also recording with Tex, Don & Charlie and publishing acclaimed books including Shots and Songs. His work has influenced generations of Australian songwriters and demonstrated a commitment to craft that extends beyond commercial trends.
The release of Love Songs arrives during a period when established Australian artists are increasingly balancing heritage with new creative work. While audiences continue to embrace classic material, albums such as this underline the importance of ongoing artistic development. Walker’s approach treats songwriting as a continuing practice rather than a retrospective exercise.
With ‘Breakfast In Paris’ now available as a preview, attention turns to the full release of Love Songs in August and the subsequent Australian tour. The upcoming performances will provide audiences with the first opportunity to hear the new songs in a live setting, alongside selections from one of the most influential songwriting catalogues in Australian music.
Tracklisting:
Let’s All Get Together (4:28)
Breakfast In Paris (3:19)
Deeper Light (3:55)
Luck (4:49)
Fly Away (3:33)
Could You Still Be Here (3:09)
The Girl I Used To Know (4:28)
It Will Always Be You (4:30)
Darwin (14:16)
Tour Dates:
Friday, 16 October 2026, Melbourne, Memo Music Hall
Saturday, 17 October 2026, Geelong, Eureka Hotel
Saturday, 24 October 2026, Sydney, Factory Theatre
Friday, 30 October 2026, Eumundi, Imperial Hotel
Saturday, 31 October 2026, Brisbane, Old Museum
Ticketing details: On sale now via donwalker.com.au/live
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