Review by Halina Wegner
Some songs celebrate the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. Others tell you exactly what it costs. Sweet Electric’s “Long Way Back” belongs firmly in the second camp, delivering a bruising, honest and thoroughly infectious account of what happens when the music becomes your life, even when the life of a musician refuses to pay the bills.
The German/Australian rockers have always brought attitude to their sound, but there is something particularly raw about this latest offering. “Long Way Back” is built around the painful reality of chasing rock ’n’ roll long after common sense might suggest finding another career. It is loud, energetic and unapologetic, but there is also a wonderfully human vulnerability running underneath it.
Frontman Brad Marr doesn’t hide from the reality of growing older. His journey began at Melbourne’s legendary Cherry Bar when he was 18, believing he was destined for greatness. Along the way came enemies, fans, international moves, fresh starts and plenty of struggle. Eventually came the realisation that perhaps rock ’n’ roll had passed him by—but apparently nobody told him to stop playing.
That attitude is exactly what makes the track work. “Long Way Back” doesn’t romanticise the journey; it embraces the scars, mistakes and stubborn determination that come with it. There is humour in the lyrics, but also a genuine sense of reflection.
As the third single from the forthcoming album Something Something Disco, arriving September 10, it provides another glimpse of a band refusing to sit still. Sweet Electric have already toured internationally, appeared on national television through Rockpalast and built a loyal following through their relentless live work.
With tours alongside The Lazys and Hayseed Dixie ahead, “Long Way Back” feels less like a goodbye to rock ’n’ roll and more like a defiant refusal to let it go.
Sweet Electric may have taken the long way back, but they sound like they are enjoying every mile.
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