Twerps

Twerps are an indie rock and lo-fi band associated with Melbourne, known for noisy pop and 1980s-influenced college rock with a clear Flying Nun and New Zealand influence. The name is also used by a separate hardcore punk group from Amherst, Massachusetts, but the band described here is the Australian act.

Line-up and formation

The Melbourne band forms around guitarist-vocalists Martin Frawley and Julia McFarlane, bassist Rick Milovanovic and drummer Patrick O'Neill. Alex MacFarlane joins on drums in early 2013, replacing O'Neill, and plays on the group’s later recordings.

Recording history

Twerps issue the single Good Advice in 2009, which brings them to the attention of listeners interested in noise pop. Their self-titled debut album follows in 2011 and receives critical acclaim. The band continues to tour widely over the next year and releases the single Work It Out in 2012 on Chapter Music and Underwater Peoples.

After a period of live activity, including the Laneway Festival tour in 2013, Twerps sign with Merge in the United States in 2014. In the same period they release the Underlay EP, a self-recorded set and the first recording to feature Alex MacFarlane. Their second album, Range Anxiety, is co-released by Merge and Chapter in 2015.

Style and reception

The band’s sound combines lo-fi indie rock, pop melody and a noisy, rough-edged approach associated with Australian underground guitar music. Their debut album attracts a broad following beyond the usual indie audience.