The Bennies - You Can't Put Out This Fire (2025) [Hi-Res]

Originally formed in 2009 under the name Madonna, Melbourne natives Anty Horgan (vocals, keyboards), Craig Selak (bass), David Beaumont (drums), and Julien Rozenbergs (guitar) opted to change their name a few years later in 2011 to the Bennies. Already a firm fixture of the Australian punk underground and well known for their raucous live shows, the four-piece delivered their first proper full-length album, Party!, Party!, Party!, in 2011 for local label Jackknife. A mix of ska, punk, and psychedelic rock, the album also signified the band's penchant for drinking, drugs, and partying. After a lengthy tour of Australia, the band released the 7" single Better Off Dread in mid-2013, just before announcing they had signed to Poison City Records. That November, the label released their second album, Rainbows in Space, while the group also headed to Japan and China to play select dates. 2014 saw the Bennies release the single Heavy Disco, while spending most of their time on the road playing dates alongside Dead Kennedys, NOFX, and fellow Melbourners the Smith Street Band. At the beginning of 2016, the band announced the release of their third full-length, Wisdom Machine, while once again heading out on tour across Australia and into Europe in support of the release. ~ Rich Wilson