Having spent the early months of 2022 at Bryon Bay’s iconic The Music Farm (Midnight Oil, Cold Chisel, Yothu Yindi) working with esteemed producer Chris Collins (Skeggs, Middle Kids Tyne-James Organ) Australia’s indie-alt-rock darlings The VANNS return now with another offering from these sessions; aptly titled ‘Making It Out Alive’. Featuring the renowned, soaring saxophone work of Dusty Boots, the track grows from a foundation of reverberating guitar & light percussion. Jimmy Vann’s lacquer smooth vocals float dulcetly across the rhythm section, as instrumental layers build. Reaching an interlude of gentle piano lines, intertwined with Boots’ shimmering saxophone work, the track crescendos via an emotional & stirring solo from Jimmy Vann.
Despite the grandiose nature of ‘Making It Out Alive’, the track wasn’t anywhere near completion before the band headed to The Music Farm at the start of the year – a symptom of a touring schedule that found the band weaving their way across Australia. The forced focus & timing was just what The VANNS needed to polish off the track, managing to put the finishing touches to it, the evening before they were set to record the final edition. Dusty Boots was able to join the band for the session, providing their unique perspective & flavor to the track, aiding The VANNS sonic exploration and growth.
“Making It Out Alive’ is one of a bunch of songs we recorded with Chris earlier this year. The song wasn’t finished being fully written until the night before we tracked it, which is always a fun timeframe to record in. It also features some great saxophone work by Dusty Boots, who’s so talented and an absolute legend.” The VANNS
Accompanying the track, is an ethereal and dreamy music video, slicing crisp studio footage from Mikey Conlon (Pacific Avenue, The VANNS), with self-shot VCR footage from the band’s time on the road. The dichotomy is striking, hinting at deeper themes of travel and triumph, flowing through the track. Pastel green, pinks, yellows and purples provide a warm backdrop for the band’s evolution from indie-rock darlings, to blends of psych and rock n’ roll, with anthemic melodies.
‘Making It Out Alive’ follows on from the critical success of their debut LP ‘Through The Walls’, as well as follow up singles ‘Red Light’ & ‘Feels Good Now’, which both saw the band SELL OUT their entire ‘Red Light’ Australian tour, perform at Falls Festival, Lost Paradise, & tour domestically with legendary acts The Kooks & The Wombats – The VANNS are comfortable & at home in arenas.
With a new song in tow, they continue across their 2022 Regional Tour, with dates seeing the band reach a number of cities for the first time in a long time. Having cut their teeth smashing show after show in regional hubs, they’re excited to return with a cathartic & energetic live show, new track ‘Making It Out Alive’ at the ready to stir punters each night.
“Playing live is embedded in the fundamental DNA of our band. It’s when I feel the biggest sense of ‘we’re doing what we should be doing.” The VANNS
“It’s been a long time since we’ve played shows in these regional areas, and we’re really excited to be heading back to a lot of the towns we cut our teeth in when we were starting out.” The VANNS
The VANNS formed for themselves a strong reputation as live performers around the country. Reaping industry acclaim including lucrative triple j Feature Album and Like A Version slots, the band converted the praise and stock being invested in them by tastemakers into a beloved show that has gone on to sell well over 6000 tickets across the nation, accruing over 14 million+ streams on platforms to date. Recently, ‘Red Light’ & ‘Feel Good Now’ landed in triple j’ Hottest 200, with the band hitting stages at The Great Escape (UK), before sharing stages with indie-rock icons The Wombats, & having their emphatic Melbourne headline performance broadcast across triple j’s ‘Live At The Wireless’ program.
