Watch: The Prize share new video for ‘From The Night’

In 2022, Aussie band The Prize released a thoroughly enjoyable EP ‘Wrong Side of Town’. The short release was big on entertainment, and the band’s retro sound played like a superb celebration of a power pop past, with huge nods to bands like The Nerves and The Real Kids influencing their material.

It was expected that The Prize would deliver a full length album soon after, but only a couple of digital singles materialised. These turned out to be a case of quality over quantity, though, with ‘First Sight’ being particularly catchy. That track’s repetitive hook captured the spirit of late 70s power pop even more effectively than any of the previous EP’s material, proving that The Prize’s knack for a great chorus would likely be one of the album’s biggest assets…whenever it was due to arrive.

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THE PRIZE – Wrong Side Of Town EP

Formed during the pandemic restrictions of 2021, The Prize are promoted as a power pop band, but those looking for a world of Jellyfish and McCartney inspired throwbacks should be forewarned that this band really don’t indulge in that kind of perfection or sugariness. There is a power pop heart to their sound, but it’s far more indebted to bands like The Nerves (of ‘Hanging On The Telephone’ fame) and The Real Kids, occasionally fused with the more melodic end of The Buzzcocks’ output. With a pinch of early Flamin’ Groovies and the occasional nod to fellow Aussies The Saints to be discovered along the way, this debut EP stirs up a world of energy, but matches the spiky riffs with massive, catchy hooks at every turn.

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