The Wombats New Single Release
The Wombats have unveiled their haunting new single, “My Head Is Not My Friend,” from the forthcoming album Oh! Ocean.
- READ MORE: The Wombats talk about new album 'Oh! Ocean': “I have the body of a 40-year-old man and the soul of a 15-year-old girl”
This slow-tempo track features a gentle bass line accompanied by the soothing vocals of frontman Matthew “Murph” Murphy, who expresses relatable sentiments in the lyrics: “Let's spend the day in bed / Better talk about you / My head is not my friend,” The Liverpool band delves into a man’s internal struggles and the unkindness he sometimes directs at himself.
Murphy’s Reflections on the Single
In a press release discussing “My Head Is Not My Friend,” Murphy explained, “This song reflects a realization that I might not always prioritize my best interests.”
The accompanying visuals depict a mannequin’s head engulfed in flames amid a winter snowstorm. Be sure to check out the video above.
“My Head Is Not My Friend” marks the third single from The Wombats’ upcoming sixth studio album, Oh! The Ocean, following the earlier releases “Blood On The Hospital Floor” and the lead single “Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want To Come.”
Produced by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Death Cab For Cutie), Oh! The Ocean will be their first album since they topped the UK Albums Chart with Fix Yourself, Not The World in 2022 and headlined the Radio One tent at Reading & Leeds Festival 2024. The album was inspired by Murphy’s transformative experience while at the beach during a family vacation earlier this summer.
Discussing the album’s inspiration with NME, Murphy shared: “I was having a particularly bad morning and wasn’t sleeping well. When I took my family to the beach in Orange County, my kids were playing while I stood and gazed at the ocean. It was an incredibly profound moment.”
He elaborated: “I observed the ocean and the waves as if seeing them for the first time. It felt like I was an alien, dropped off on the beach, stripped of my blindfold, and shown the ocean. I was utterly astonished, pondering, “What is this? How did it come to be? It left me in complete awe.”
Oh! The Ocean is set to be released on February 14, 2025, via AWAL and is available for pre-order. Click here for more details.
The Wombats will kick off a full UK tour early next year, accompanied by several dates in Europe. For the complete tour schedule and to purchase tickets, click here.
Wombats UK and EU Tour Dates 2025:
MARCH
18 – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
19 – London, O2
21 – Cardiff, Utility Arena
22 – Manchester, AO Arena
23 – Hull, Connexin Live
25 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
26 – Leeds, First Direct Arena
28 – France, Paris, Le Trabendo
30 – The Netherlands, Tilburg, 013 Tilburg
31 – Netherlands, Amsterdam, Paradiso
APRIL
1 – Germany, Cologne, E-Werk
3 – Germany, Munich, Theaterfabrika
4 – Switzerland, Zurich, Complex 457
5 – Czech Republic, Prague, Archa +
7 – Germany, Berlin, Columbiahalle
8 – Germany, Munster, Jovel Music Hall
10 – Norway, Oslo, Rockefeller Music Hall
11 – Denmark, Copenhagen, Pumpehuset
12 – Sweden, Stockholm, Vasateatern
15 – Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Den Atelier
16 – Belgium, Brussels, Botany
JUNE
19 – Liverpool, Pier Head
https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-wombats-share-sombre-new-single-my-head-is-not-my-friend-3823539?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-wombats-share-sombre-new-single-my-head-is-not-my-friend
