Bollard is a rock band from Melbourne, Australia, composed of Tom Walsh, Ju Shung (Raindogs), Luke Scott (Highschool, Raindogs), Benton Ching, Marni Walsh, Declan Moran and Wes Faulkner. Since their inception in 2018, Bollard have become a staple of the live music scene in Melbourne. Their music blends elements of post-punk, shoegaze and art rock, creating a sonic landscape that is both chaotic and introspective.
Their debut album, “Trawlers" – released to local acclaim in 2017 – was described by Hysteria Magazine as a “bewildering release” and a “mutant child of shoegaze, rock, indie and jazz”, and by Trouble Juice as "a chaotic and wild introduction to an exciting band,” setting the tone for the band’s ever-evolving pursuit of sonic distinction. This was followed up by 2018’s "Beware the Atto Fox" EP, which took the band’s rougher garage roots towards a more introspective sound.
2023 saw the band gain further momentum both at home and internationally with the release of the track “Interview with a Doll” on cult German label Public Possession’s Chill Pill compilation, as well as the release of their second full-length album “Lo”. Two years in the making, the album is a concise and measured work that distills the sprawling influences of the band's previous offerings, crystalizing them in a manner that is both novel yet distinctly recognizable as Bollard.
2024 sees Bollard developing a new body of work, with an upcoming EP "I Was Wide Open" set for release in the middle of the year, with a new full-length album also in progress.
Press Highlights
Ziggurat
"Ziggurat is a tiered beast. An identifiably defiant form built to endure despite no internal-core nor record of purpose, it stands the test of time as, a testing of time." - Hard of hearing
"A terse yet frenetically cool track that only momentarily explodes with energy, ‘Ziggurat’ will make you want to put on your sunglasses and leather jacket, even if you’re stuck at home". - Trouble Juice
"another distinctive piece of post-punk rock, where rhythm is king and the guitars fire off on tangents of noise and avant dissonance." - Doubtful sounds
"a psychedelic spoken-word à la The Gift by the Velvet Underground– but about 37 percent more aggressive." - Indie republic
"reminiscent of what you might get with a mix of Slint and Pile with the haunting intensity and fusion of mood, texture and atmosphere." - Queen city sounds
It certainly is an epic piece of divergent art, I mean, sure this kind of self aware spoken word thing on top of jagged sideways punk escapist fair has been done before, right? Right, but not like this. - American Pancake
"Bollard have made subtle melodies a trademark of theirs" - Paul K. Barnes
Beware the Atto fox
"Beware the atto fox is a collection of sprawling punk crossed with noise-rock, that despite its menacing exterior, brims with emotion and spark." - Trouble Juice
"Bollard's second effort expounds upon what they achieved with their debut album, Trawlers. Rich, jangly introspective noise anthems reminiscent of Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. and other garage rock noise pioneers of yesteryear." - Rock hand records
"Brooding alternative post-punk is what gets us high, hard or whatever at Soundsphere at HQ, and let me tell you that this is doing it for us just now. Bollard have returned with an absolute banger." - Soundsphere
"TSINA by Melbourne's (AUS) Bollard is so delicious in their hybrid post punk sound. The song moves effortlessly from dance punk to grunge sounds with subtle elements of free jazz punk thrown in for good measure. There is a sense of romance and fun but any jangly, lovely sounds are only moments away from blues rock infused heavy post punk daring to ask "Why did Evan Dando cut his hair?" - American pancake
"Part, jangly rock, part post-rock and post-punk deconstruction and the verve and carefree noise of 90s rock pioneered by bands like Swervedriver and Sonic Youth." - Doubtful sounds
"If you could imagine the catharsis of the Smashing Pumpkins, the atmospherics of Joy Division, and the resonance and realism of Blur all sitting in the same soundscape, you’d get a good idea of what you will get from On & On." - A&R factory
Trawlers
"It’s an utterly bewildering release, gut-wrenching in a way that’s not altogether unwelcome–like pins and needles, it hurts at first but then you get some sick satisfaction from playing around with the affected areas." - Hysteria magazine
"Although extremely unsettling, Trawlers is a memorable album that will leave you always wanting more." - Happy magazine
"Trawlers explodes with sprawling guitars, driving beats and ominous vocals, and across the dark and light moments of the album, we see the band look at either side of the same intensely angst-ridden coin." - Trouble Juice
"It took about 5 seconds of listening to Bollard’s latest track Yourself for me to declare my love for the Melbourne based collective of musicians who share my affinity for the Alt 90’s sound. Even to describe Bollard’s sound as overwhelming seems like a massive understatement." - A&R factory
"Bollard traverse maze like turns, moves in reverse and turns inside out. Jagged guitar that tightrope on dissonant lines amid proggy bass and drums while the vocal performance feels like proto punk spoken word." - American pancake
"Pairing a discordant guitar riff with garage rock vibes and Hold Steady-esque sprechgesang vocals, this quartet have crafted something delightfully left-field. Fans of Pile or LVL UP should check these guys out." - Buffa blog
"Bollard are wonderfully unpredictable and dark, no two songs are the same and every song we've heard is a piece of art in itself. The Trawlers album awaits the interested listener with a total of eleven tracks and offers him a journey through the possibilities of musical expression. Sometimes somber like the opener “Meningococcal”, sometimes the track “Windows” that makes you want to dance and which definitely has to be tried out at the next party. A crazy, brilliant piece of music." - Darklife magazine
LO
"The Melbourne based post-punk band Bollard presents an icy and compelling sense of wiry tenseness with “New Way In” from the album Lo. Bollard’s anguished and exasperated vocals are met with the on-the-nod bassline, brittle chatter of guitar noise and locked in rhythm section. Fans of SUUNS, The Walkmen, Hissing Tiles and Bare Wire Son should take note."
"Bollard remains a name to watch, their constant evolution and willingness to challenge musical boundaries make them a unique and exciting band in today's music scene. With their next album (Lo) they promise a musical exploration and to continue surprising their followers with their intriguing sound and his limitless energy." (Translated from Spanish)
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