Newcastle four-piece Nana Klumpp pair classic rock and roll with pop stylings on stellar sophomore EP Tea For One.
Nana Klumpp have released their latest EP Tea For One. A six-track collection of definitive rock and roll and alternative pop, the Newcastle outfit’s sophomore effort kicks off with Playing The Game, a heavy-hitting groove that the band often use to close out their shows.
Coasting on a rhythmic bassline and ethereal guitar strums, the EP opener features a soaring vocal performance courtesy of bandmate Jesse, who sings of “seeing places that I have never been” in between the punchy percussion of drummer Ronan.
Nana Klumpp deliver a feel good anthem on the following title track, drenched in classic guitar sequences that “encapsulate the essence of the [EP],” the band said in a press statement. Boasting the EP’s catchiest chorus, Tea For One forefronts Jesse’s melodic delivery, and features a stellar bridge complete with sing-along adlibs and an absolute earworm of a lead line.
The band veers into pop territory with third track Selena, which sees the band love-struck over the namesake subject whose “smile is so distracting.”
In between the nostalgic handiwork of guitarist Aaron, Nana Klumpp pair pop stylings with their signature Aussie rock sound, complete with relatable lyrics around the nervousness of a newfound crush. “It’s time for me to be a man,” Jesse pines, “and ask what are your plans.”
Bolstered by dreamy guitar layers, it stands to reason that the band consider Selena to be “a Nana Klumpp classic.” The vivid lyricism continues on fourth track Are You Happy, which ostensibly seems perfectly suited to summer’s day road trip.
With sunny instrumental riffs and mentions of “the good old days,” the track’s seemingly upbeat sound belies its lyrics, which see the band “mend [their] scars” with echoey vocal asides and an ascendent hook.
Meanwhile, on Back On Track, Nana Klumpp try their hand at fuzz-rock and more pointed lyricism, calling out a particularly “rough night” and lamenting being “separated from my friends.” The tempo slows on Heaven, a blissful album closer which combines the collective talents of the band with call-and-response riffs and the masterful work of bassist Robert.
Nana Klump sing of finding themselves for a worthy culmination of Tea For One’s overall sound, complete with a fading outro and choral vocals. The EP has been in the works since 2021, with plans to perform the tracklist on a regional tour throughout the rest of this year.
The band will also grace the stage at Brisbane’s Spaced Out Festival later this month, where they join a lineup that also includes Peach Fur, Rum Jungle and Shag Rock, among others.
Nana Klump’s debut EP, Pretty Goin’, arrived in 2019. Tea For One was previewed by three singles, including Are You Happy in 2021 and Heaven and Back On Track last year. Listen to Nana Klump’s new EP Tea For One below.
