Delivery – Forever Giving Handshakes

“I think a priority is having fun and I hope people can hear that” state Aussie garage-rockers, Delivery. “In short, there’s nothing better than rocking out, and guitar solos should never die.”

Australia is churning some of the most exciting guitar music at the moment. Whether it’s in the form of sludge-punk-trio (CLAMM), classic punk-rockers (Stiff Richards), or guitar-centric punk (CIVIC), the country seem to have it nailed. This trend continues in the form of garage-rock-extraordinaries Delivery and their album ‘Forever Giving Handshakes’.

Giving the LP its well-deserved UK release, the band have been blitzing their way around the UK for the first time demonstrating perfect interplay between three guitars and a rhythm section at its most propulsive. Mixing their own unique blend of quirky garage rock with spiky post-punk riffs, Forever Giving Handshakes is a collection of catchy songs written over the Melbourne five-piece’s two-year lifespan, following their 7” bedroom project origins of ‘Yes We Do’ and ‘Personal Effects/The Topic’. This debut album captures Delivery at full force, leaning into the fully enhanced live sound they’ve been actively working towards since their first show in March 2021.

Laced with a trio of guitars, distinct vocals and snotty observations, this 12-track garage-punk opus is a blend of fast-paced examples (Baader Meinhof) and diplomatic openers (Picture This).  With every song having its own unique identity, track ’No Homes’ struts its own groove, ‘The Complex’ combines the weird with the wonderful and ‘Office Party’ bleeds Kinks and 60s influences. 

The group have also mastered the technique of replicating their raw energy in this record, making it feel as if you are watching them live as you listen. Each track has its own fingerprint and yet it’s fair to say there’s not a bad track on the record. There is also a sense of urgency to the release with it being mostly recorded live in their Brunswick rehearsal space and recorded over a period of five days. The fast-paced nature of the band has been perfectly captured- with this LP sounding just like one of their live sets, but yet there is no compromise on quality. Blurring punk freneticism with pop eccentricities, live is where the band thrive – and ‘Forever Giving Handshakes’ has shown them truly in their element.

8/10

Words: Jazz Hodge