Individuals (Remastered Edition)

Individuals (Remastered Edition)

Sunnyboys’ now-classic 1981 self-titled debut was a tough act to follow, but the Sydney power-pop quartet simply leaned further into their strengths for 1982’s Individuals. Again produced by Aussie pub-rock royalty Lobby Loyde, this album reinforces the band’s ringing hooks, brisk backing vocals and snaking guitar solos. Most of all, it hammers home more unguarded personal reflections and emotional revelations from singer/guitarist Jeremy Oxley, who wrote every tune here (except “You Don’t Need Me”—penned by his brother, bassist Phil Oxley). With the brooding influence of Jim Morrison shading his singing, Jeremy makes his outsider perspective clear from the opening title track, a strong statement of selfhood in turmoil. Despite the undeniable melodic gifts on display, these songs course with desperation and discontentment: “I’m not satisfied with being who I am,” Jeremy sings on “I’m Not Satisfied”, while the Top 40 hit “You Need a Friend” is about squandering one’s youth in an uninspiring place. Sunnyboys split up after the 1984 follow-up Get Some Fun, but brighter outcomes awaited in the decades to come: Jeremy’s struggles with mental illness and his eventual recovery—as well as the band’s triumphant return to touring—are recounted in the 2013 documentary The Sunnyboy.

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