Exclusive EP Premiere: primetime. – crimetime. (2019 EP)

Today we’re stoked to introduce you all to primetime., Melbourne’s latest self anointed “superb-troup” featuring members of Fan Girl, Sophisticated Dingo and more, as well as premiere their debut EP crimetime. 

crimetime. is a raucous, swaggering and no bullshit slice of Australian punk rock. Occasionally jarring, but always full of character and attitude, the EP is a strong addition to the already burgeoning Australian punk scene. Thanks to the collective experience of years of playing in plethora of various bands across Melbourne’s local scene, primetime. are more than ready to become your next favourite band. 

primetime is made up of members of Fan Girl, Sophisticated Dingo, Barcelos, King Cnut and the Waves, Porpoise Spit, and RAT!hammock. The band are Lewis Mattle (Vocals), Vincent McIntyre (Guitar), Liam Beven (Guitar), Tom Dowling (Bass), and Dominic Buckham (Drums). 

As they describe it, crimetime, was something of an experiment in speed: “We wanted to see what would happen if we tried to write, produce and release some post-punk really quickly. This is the result. There’s one song on the EP that was written in under half an hour. There’s something very refreshing about not stressing over songs/recording/releases. We did the tracking for the single in under a week and had it out two weeks after that.” 

There’s so much to enjoy on crimetime, “fiction.”, “respecto.”, and “fish.” are probably my favourites of the bunch, but there’s really no filler on here.  I could go on about the EP, but instead I’m going to hand you over to the band to take you through the EP track by track. Enjoy! 

advice.

Vince wrote a punky chord progression. Bevs wrote a seasick but somehow poppy lead line over it. It’s a classic pairing, like red wine with white wine. Vince set a timer for thirty minutes and made us finish the song before it went off. He’s got a seriously cutting disappointed look so we kinda just had to go along with it.

our own.

The first song we wrote. The first song we released. We work in a strictly chronological fashion. Lewis yells down a stairwell. It’s quite catchy.

fiction.

I don’t know. I guess someone must’ve mentioned liking dynamic changes but apparently, we’re incapable of subtlety so here we are. I use it as a low-cost snake repellant.

retrospecto.

We were so close. SO CLOSE to having a nice, groovy tune with a catchy chorus. The type of thing you could show your mum without her bringing up your brothers lucrative pipe-machining business. Then someone goes and drops a 7/8 bridge into it and someone else leaves a delay pedal on too long and someone jumps on another drum kit and we end up here. Jesus Christ! I studied engineering for god’s sake!

it’s probably because they’re fish.

Our obligatory uber-brooding, long-winded record ender. Was supposed to be seventeen minutes long to fill out the record. We got to seven and a half and gave up. The first time we played it live, it had no lyrics, and Lewi sang a chapter of Specky Magee over the top of it. It’s hard knowing your best work is behind you.

crimetime is released March 29th. primetime will be officially launching the EP with a show at The Old Bar in Melbourne on Thursday April 4th. Joining the band on the night will be Face Face, The Vacant Smiles, and Quirky King and The Song Machine. For more information head HERE. You can also keep up to date with the band via Facebook.

Simon Clark

Books Editor. An admirer of songs and reader of books. Simon has a PhD in English and Comparative Literature. All errant apostrophes are his own.