Four Lions Music

Imagine an album of early-nineties Oasis songs performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band … Four Lions have accomplished just that on their new album Wide Awake. The Bendigo-based rockers' fifth album has finally opened its eyes, having taken an extra 18 months to make in the stop-start Covid era. But frontman Shann Lions says despite the numerous setbacks, Four Lions have created their best record in every gamut of the songwriting, performances, and production.

Lions came up with the idea of creating a stadium rock album during the band's 2019 Hard Days national tour. "I remember watching The Killers on the MCG with Jack Riewoldt (in the 2018 AFL grand final) thinking that would be a dream to be performing there," Lions says. "The only way to do that is for me to dissemble the records of artists who play stadiums. Bands like The Killers, Kings Of Leon, Springsteen, Oasis, INXS, U2 ... how do they write songs that resonate in such a way with people?" Lions says the Wide Awake album ended up benefitting from the extra time it took to make.

"We worked so well as a team locking in for those moments," he says. "I think these are the best songs I’ve ever written, too." The first single, Black And White, was mixed by American producer Phil Joly (Lana Del Rey, Ryan Adams, Kanye West). It was followed by Feels So Right and Brave New World.

Wide Awake is out now Digitally, Compact Disc and Vinyl via Verse Chorus Verse/MGM Distribution.