Starting Fresh And Having Fun While Doing It: A Deep Dive With Good Neighbours

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The English indie pop-rock band Good Neighbours are soon to release their debut album ‘Blue Sky Mentality’ - a collection of songs that explores all aspects and feelings of life, presented in an optimistic and honest manner. 

The band consists of Oli Fox and Scott Verril, two singer-songwriters who had very symmetrical journeys over the past decade working in the music industry. In 2023, Oli and Scott were feeling a bit lost with where they were at as individuals, to which they then decided to sit down together to create something new and separate to what they were previously working on - to just have fun with making music. Something special occurred during this session and they created a song called ‘Keep it Up’, which just so happens to be the leading song on their new album. The song emphasises the importance to keep going at something even when you have doubts or obstacles. There was a moment of realisation and a desire for the band to ride this wave on their own, not wanting it to be watered down by anyone else - and just like that, Good Neighbours was born. 

In 2024, the band’s song ‘Home’ went viral on social media, which Oli describes as ‘the keys in the car that [they] really needed’ to get their music out there. It was as if it was a sign that they were finally doing what they were destined to be doing, and confirmation that what they 

were doing was working. They’d never gotten this much traction on a song before - so they ran with it and let it fuel them to create more. Since then, they’ve released several singles such as ‘Ripple’ and ‘People Need People’ in the up to the big release, both songs showcasing the upbeat, catchy and exuberant sound that the band has established in their music. 

Many listeners, including myself, have made note of Good Neighbour’s music being reminiscent of the late 2000s/early 2010s indie music scene, to which Oli described that era of music being very influential for the band. They grew up listening to bands from this era, such as Passion Pit and MGMT, and were drawn to the hopeful storytelling and expansive sound production that was so new to hear at the time. They want to bring a bit of that into today’s music scene, and to create music that they personally enjoy. A great example of this is their cover of Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso’ that they performed for Triple J’s ‘Like A Version’ in 2024, where they completely transformed the song into something new, showcasing their talent and their confidence in their own established music style. 

I had the privilege of listening to ‘Blue Sky Mentality’ ahead of the release date, and as I listened through I was transported to a warm Summer's day driving down to the beach with friends. The album’s bright and dynamic production really stands out as you cruise through the songs, finishing up with a band-first ballad that ties it all up. ‘Blue Sky Mentality’ was created in moments between moments, whether that was recording a song in the back of the tour bus in between shows, or in the dressing room at venues, the album became a collage of life experiences and a time capsule for music creation during that time in the band’s lives. It’s an album born out of a time of uncertainty, established during a season of change and new beginnings for the duo. They’re in no way new to the music game, but consider this their rebirth.

Front and centre for Good Neighbours is touring; they love performing and having fun on stage and they plan to keep building on this over the next few years. There’s already talks of getting back into the studio and developing a second album. They express that they’re always creating and that their work is an on-going passion project. The band is performing at New Year’s At The Bowl in Melbourne on New Year’s Day, and are hoping to return to tour Australia next year after the Summer period of shows. 

Get ready for the soundtrack to your car rides along the coast, warm days by the pool and endless backyard bbq’s - It’s time for Good Neighbours Summer.