Slowly Slowly Unveil Fifth Studio Album Forgiving Spree; Worldwide Tour Dates On Sale Now
January 24, 2025 BY Emma Orland
Australian indie-rock heavyweights Slowly Slowly today release their fifth studio album, Forgiving Spree, out now via Nettwerk. As introspective as it is expansive, from gritty Good Will Hunting-inspired anthem “Gimme The Wrench” to universe-spanning love song “All Time”, the infectious “How Are You Mine?”, ‘80s pop-tinged “That’s That”, heartfelt, emotional closer “Born Free”, and new single “Hurricane”, Slowly Slowly resolve to face life’s challenges head-on. LISTEN HERE
Frontman and songwriter Ben Stewart had one mission when crafting this record: “I wanted it to be a solid rock album with no filler on it. Every track is tightly packaged, made for the stage, and explosive”. The result? A powerhouse nine-track record that captures Slowly Slowly’s signature knack for pairing deeply personal reflections with infectious melodies and arena-ready energy, pushing the four-piece’s sonic boundaries as they tackle emotions including love, loss, resilience and self-compassion.
LISTEN & SHARE: SLOWLY SLOWLY FORGIVING SPREE:
https://slowlyslowly.ffm.to/forgivingspree_album
Forgiving Spree captures Slowly Slowly at their most open and bold yet. With influences spanning the likes of The Killers to Bruce Springsteen and John Farnham, and the raw emotion, anthemic energy, and dynamic edge of artists like Gang of Youths, Stand Atlantic, and Pale Waves, Slowly Slowly’s stunning fifth record is both comfortingly familiar and refreshingly new.
A record tailormade for the live stage and born from the excitement of Slowly Slowly’s tour in support of 2022 predecessor Daisy Chain, Forgiving Spree encapsulates the quartet’s pop sensibilities. The album is packed with singalong anthems featuring hip-shaking grooves, infectious melodies, layered sonic hooks, and choruses crafted for live show singalongs, held together by lyrics that lean into Stewart’s signature introspective life reflections and clever wordplay.
“We get to take Forgiving Spree around the world and sing these songs with you, watch them shapeshift on stage and become larger than the recordings – that is what is most exciting, the idea that it now feels shared. I’m still very entrenched in album culture and believe deeply that it’s through full length releases we get to see inside the musician’s mind – I just hope this time around for our fans it’s a kinder, more hopeful place that can offer some shelter for those weathering a storm,” Stewarts says.
WATCH & SHARE: SLOWLY SLOWLY “HURRICANE”:
With songwriting sessions split between Melbourne and LA, Forgiving Spree is the first time Stewart opened up the writing process to collaborators, teaming up with acclaimed names like Courtney Ballard (5 Seconds of Summer, Waterparks, State Champs, Stand Atlantic, Good Charlotte) and Panic At The Disco, Weezer, and Fall Out Boy collaborator Suzy Shinn. Mixing duties were once again courtesy of UK heavyweight Jonathan Gilmore (Wolf Alice, The 1975, Nothing But Thieves).
A collection of songs that reflect the changes in Stewart’s life over the past few years, Forgiving Spree offers a raw and honest look at how his perception of the world has shifted. Each track captures a specific emotion or moment, creating a narrative that is both deeply personal and universally relatable. It is an exploration of the evolving state of being present and realising that forgiveness – whether it’s forgiving others or himself – was key to unlocking a more peaceful life. Forgiving Spree isn’t centred on one theme, but rather a mosaic of experiences that together paint a picture of personal transformation.
An album readymade for the stage needs to be taken on the road, and to celebrate the release, Slowly Slowly are embarking on their most ambitious tours yet. From January 25, the band will play a trio of intimate, stripped back performances in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, alongside solo, acoustic sets in regional Victoria’s Geelong and Bendigo.
Following festival sets at Tasmania’s Party In The Paddock, Wollongong’s Yours and Owls Festival, and Mount Gambier’s Limestone Coast Beer & BBQ Fest, March will see the band embark on their first-ever UK and European headline tour – an 11-date run that includes stops in Glasgow, Manchester, London, Paris, Berlin, and more. In April, they’ll return to Australia, journeying across Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne alongside US acts Honey Revenge and Grayscale. You can find a full list of tour dates and ticket links below.
SLOWLY SLOWLY – FORGIVING SPREE TRACKLISTING
Hurricane
That’s That
Meltdown Masquerade
Born Free
SLOWLY SLOWLY 2025 TOUR DATES:
January 25 – Geelong – Popcultcha Records – FREE (solo, acoustic + all ages)
January 26 – Bendigo – Bendigo Records – FREE (solo, acoustic + all ages)
January 27 – Melbourne – Stay Gold *SOLD OUT* (stripped back performance + Q&A)
January 28 – Sydney – Crowbar (stripped back performance + Q&A)
January 29 – Brisbane – Crowbar (stripped back performance + Q&A)
February 6-9 – Tasmania – Party In The Paddock Festival
February 28 – March 2 – Falls Creek – Feastival Falls Creek
March 1-2 – Wollongong – Yours and Owls Festival
March 9 – Mount Gambier – Limestone Coast Beer & BBQ Fest
March 14 – Dublin – Academy 2
March 16 – Glasgow – Cat House
March 18 – Leeds – Key Club
March 19 – Manchester – Deaf Institute
March 20 – Birmingham – Hare & Hounds
March 22 – London – Camden Assembly
March 24 – Brussels – AB Club
March 26 – Paris – Supersonic
March 27 – Rotterdam – Rotown
March 29 – Cologne – Artheatre
March 30 – Berlin – Badehaus
April 4 – Perth – Astor Theatre (with Grayscale)
April 5 – Adelaide – Hindley Street Music Hall (with Grayscale)
April 6 – Newcastle – King Street Band Room | Great Southern Nights (with Grayscale)
April 10 – Brisbane – Fortitude Music Hall (with Honey Revenge & Grayscale)
April 11 – Sydney – Enmore Theatre (with Grayscale & Honey Revenge)
April 12 – Melbourne – Margaret Court Arena (with Honey Revenge & Grayscale)
Tickets are on sale now via www.slowlyslowlyband.com/tour
ABOUT SLOWLY SLOWLY
What has always distinguished Slowly Slowly from their peers is the band’s unique mix of introspective life reflections, heartfelt narratives, and sensitive sadness blended with clever wordplay that is as thoughtful as it is bold. Leaning even further into the refreshing pop sensibilities the four-piece uncovered on their 2022 album Daisy Chain, Slowly Slowly’s next chapter is set to be their most adventurous yet.
What began in 2015 with debut single “Empty Lungs” has grown to become more than just a band deserving of the indie rock icon status they are ever-nearing – surrounding them is a community of loyal and passionate fans built across almost a decade. With four albums – 2016’s Chamomile, 2018’s St. Leonards, 2020’s Race Car Blues (#7 ARIA Charts), and 2022’s Daisy Chain (#5 ARIA Charts) – and hundreds of live shows, including sold-out headline runs, festival stages including Good Things Festival, Splendour in The Grass, NYE On The Hill, & Groovin The Moo, and support slots alongside the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Amy Shark, and Ocean Alley, Slowly Slowly have become an unshakeable musical force and Australian indie-rock favourites.