Jacarandas - Mermaid Avenue's Fourth Studio Album

Released October 2025 | Vinyl LP Available Now | Digital Streaming Coming Soon

Brisbane alt-country band Mermaid Avenue returns with Jacarandas, their most cohesive and emotionally resonant album to date. Released during Brisbane's iconic jacaranda blooming season, this 10-track collection explores relationships from every angle—love, loss, regret, memory, and the cycles that bind us together. ## The Album Story Named after its haunting title track, Jacarandas captures the bittersweet beauty of longing and remembrance. The album was recorded over four weekend sessions throughout 2024-25 at Brisbane's Airlock Studios with engineer James See at the controls, with mixing and mastering once again handled by Jason Millhouse.

For Mermaid Avenue—Peter Clarke, Mike Kearey, Casey Lee, Nathan Poetschka, and Mark Egan — balancing full-time jobs and families means their studio time is precious. Those weekend sessions at Airlock became creative sanctuaries where the band could focus entirely on bringing songwriter Peter Clarke's vision to life. The most memorable moments came during vocal harmony sessions, where trained musicians Casey and Nate would construct intricate harmonies while Casey coached Mark through his parts. Jacarandas marks significant growth for the band. Unlike 2023's Loveday No. 9, which was recorded during a period of transition with a departing member, this album showcases a unified five-piece band hitting their stride. Nathan Poetschka's addition brought fresh creative approaches that expanded the band's sonic palette, while the collective chemistry of all five members deepened the songwriting.

Musical Evolution

While Mermaid Avenue's signature alt-country and Americana sound remains intact, Jacarandas pushes into new territory. The album's final track, "Boy in the Mirror," represents a bold acoustic departure. Nathan moved from drums to upright bass, Mark picked up mandolin, Pete and Mike played acoustic guitars (6-string and 12-string respectively), and Australian Celtic Women's Melinda Coles added violin and fiddle. The result is a stripped-down, emotionally raw closer that showcases the band's versatility. The album's cohesion comes from both the songwriting process—Pete Clarke outlines each song, then the band shapes them together—and the thematic through-line. As a music critic from Camden once observed, Mermaid Avenue writes about "relationships from all the angles," and Jacarandas delivers on that promise across ten deeply personal songs.

Themes & Stories

The title track sets the emotional tone with its imagery of Brisbane's purple jacaranda blooms serving as markers of time, memory, and lost chances. References to Montague Street and "one more chance" create a vivid portrait of longing that anyone who's experienced regret will recognize. "The Bigger They Are (The Harder They Fall)" stands as the album's emotional centerpiece. Pete Clarke weaves together memories of watching and playing football with his father and grandfather with the heartbreaking reality of watching his admired father slip away to Alzheimer's. The line "I'll remember everything that you forget" captures the painful role reversal with devastating clarity. Across the remaining tracks, the album explores emotional manipulation ("Talk Pretty"), toxic relationships ("My Sympathy"), childhood loneliness ("Imagine Ruth"), and intergenerational trauma ("Boy in the Mirror"). Each song offers an honest, unflinching look at the human condition—a hallmark of Mermaid Avenue's decade-long career.

The Vinyl-First Release Strategy

In an era dominated by digital streaming, Mermaid Avenue chose to release Jacarandas on vinyl first, pressed by Brisbane's Suitcase Records. The physical LP is available at independent music stores across Brisbane including Hideous Records, Sonic Sherpa, and Rocking Horse Records, with more retailers joining weekly. Digital compilation for major streaming platforms is underway—all ten singles are currently available on Spotify, YouTube, and other platforms. The album cover perfectly captures the Brisbane jacaranda experience: a canopy of purple blooms framing white sky, creating a natural frame for the band's name and album title. It's a visual representation of the album's themes—beauty, transience, and the way nature marks our memories.

Complete Track Listing

1. Talk Pretty
2. The Bigger They Are (The Harder They Fall)
3. Jacarandas
4. Better Not to Know
5. First Move
6. My Sympathy
7. Imagine Ruth
8. She'll Come Down When She's Ready
9. More Than This
10. Boy in the Mirror

Album Credits

Mermaid Avenue:

• Peter Clarke - Lead Vocals, Electric & acoustic guitars, songwriter
• Mike Kearey - Electric & acoustic 12-string guitars, lap steel, backing vocals
• Casey Lee - Keyboards, grand piano, backing vocals
• Nathan Poetschka - Drums, percussion (including cowbell!), upright bass, backing vocals
• Mark Egan - Electric bass, mandolin, backing vocals

Guest Artist:

• Melinda Coles (Australian Celtic Women) - Violin/fiddle on "Boy in the Mirror"

Production:

• Recorded at Airlock Studios, Brisbane
• Engineer: James See
• Mixing & Mastering: Jason Millhouse at Soundworks
• Vinyl pressing: Suitcase Records

Listen to Jacarandas

Stream the Singles: