Avery Friedman - Joan and the Giants - Eidetic Dreams - Shura ft. Cassandra Jenkins - Shealagh Rose

Avery Friedman - Photo Booth / Flowers Fell.

Brooklyn-based artist Avery Friedman has announced her debut album, ‘New Thing,’ for release via Audio Antihero on April 18th. The album features James Chrisman (Sister. / CIAO MALZ) and Felix Walworth (Florist / Told Slant).

Previously, Friedman had always felt that songwriting was just something that other people did until she was pushed by a transcendent live music experience and a traumatic mugging to seek catharsis through music. Playing her first show in July 2024, she soon shared stages with h. pruz, Dead Gowns, and Sister., where she impressed the latter’s James Chrisman enough that he offered to record her debut album.

The result is ‘New Thing,’ a sonically deep and layered debut that sees Friedman explore her trauma and sexuality with a raw open-heartedness inspired by artists like Adrianne Lenker, Squirrel Flower, and Babehoven. Following "Flowers Fell," Friedman's acclaimed debut single, February 28th's "Photo Booth" is a punchy burst of shoegaze and indie music, both singles have impressed Beehive Candy and we really do look forward to the debut album.

“New Thing is a conduit for emotions too frenetic to hold on your own. This record is a collection of the first songs I’ve ever written, after many years of orbiting the music world, but denying myself my own musicianship. Many of these tracks were born of anxiety – from my turning to a guitar to externalize (and organize) a sense of chaos that otherwise felt trapped inside me. We recorded a bulk of it with a live band, as a means to maintain the raw energy at the center of the record. What results is a time capsule for a year of intense personal expansion in my life – and the layers of warmth, wonder, sensitivity and sharpness that come with growing.”  – Avery Friedman.

Avery Friedman · Photo Booth

Avery Friedman · Flowers Fell

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Joan and the Giants - Still Breathing.

Ahead of their very first international shows in Austin, Texas for SXSW, Joan & the Giants return with their first music of 2025: an emotional indie rock single, ‘Still Breathing’, which came out yesterday. Joan and the Giants' collections of accolades expanded exponentially in the past year. Having won Best Rock Song and Runner up Song of the Year at the 2024 WA Song of the Year Awards, touring along Australia’s east coast, playing Sydney's SXSW, and playing alongside P!NK and Tones and I at OPTUS Stadium, 2024 was a productive year, and 2025 is set up to be a fantastic follow-up as they head to the US for SXSW in March.

‘Still Breathing’ is a dreamy and emotional track. Born impromptu from a jam session, this is a free-flowing and heartfelt single and a true reflection of the love and passion that Joan & the Giants put into every song. With two tracks of guitar, a percussive track and melodic track, this song is imbued with an internal conflict. Its echoing instrumentals straddle the line of wistful pop and energetic rock. Frontwoman Grace Newton-Wordsworth’s voice is intoxicatingly authentic and leads the listener on an moving journey.

The emotion of this song comes from a very real place. This single marks the parting of frontwoman Grace Newton-Wordsworth and her long time partner, bandmate and songwriter, Aaron Birch after their nine-year relationship has come to an end. A tumultuous time for both of them, this is a product of their shared pain after their separation, and in that tragedy a passion is captured. This song acts as a farewell to Aaron as he and the band go their separate ways. Grace comments that:

“The lyrics really speak about an inner war, trying to fight for the people you once were but knowing you have to let it all go - “But some things are best kept in the past, and I know we weren’t built to last”.

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Eidetic Dreams - The Truth About My Fall.

Helsinki’s rising dreampop duo Eidetic Dreams returns with The Truth About My Fall a lush, emotionally charged breakup anthem that blends ethereal soundscapes with a fresh pop-rock edge. Featured on Radio Helsinki and praised in Soundi, the band is making waves in the Nordic indie scene. Released via All That Plazz (home to Markus Krunegård, Lala Salama, moshimoshi), this track is their most direct and compelling yet.

The song captures the moment after a breakup when unspoken words finally surface—sometimes as sharp remarks, yet with a lingering sense of respect for what once was. "Breakups are full of contradictions and bittersweet emotions—they hurt, but they can also help us grow as people," says vocalist-songwriter Siiri Kähönen.

Writing the song was quick, but the arrangement took time. "We experimented with different approaches for over a year and a half before realizing that simplicity was the key. We stripped away anything unnecessary to keep the song’s intimacy intact," Kähönen explains. The track’s depth is built on lush vocal layers, an atmospheric synth, and a melodic guitar theme that ties it all together.

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Photo - Charlotte Croft

Shura - Richardson ft. Cassandra Jenkins.

British singer-songwriter and producer Shura shares her new single "Richardson" ft. New York singer-songwriter Cassandra Jenkins. It is the second single taken from her recently announced album I Got Too Sad For My Friends, to be released on May 30 via Play It Again Sam.

A lyric on “Richardson” cuts to the core of the album’s solitary feeling. “I got too down around my friends,” Shura sings over a laid-back groove adorned with soft guitar licks and flurries of keys. It was the first song written for the record, and it was also – by circumstance, but also fittingly – the first song she’s written at home alone on an acoustic guitar since she was a kid. Featuring Cassandra Jenkins, whose album An Overview on Phenomenal Nature was one of the few Shura could listen to during that period of high stress, the track brings her sadness full circle; Jenkins’ voice accompanying hers in lush harmony the same way it did back then.

Shura says: “I fell in love with Cassandra's record at a low point in my life. It felt like an armchair I could crawl into. It accompanied me on long walks I took around my apartment in Greenpoint. I always knew I wanted to work with Cassandra on something. After a few conversations it became obvious to the both of us that it had to be this song. That Cassandra would accompany me here. A song about walking, thinking, and trying to find comfort somewhere, as Cassandra’s voice accompanied me on those walks then.”

Cassandra Jenkins says: “I was drawn to Richardson because it captures a mood that's hard to place, in part because it's so much about place, and a kind of limbo we bring with us wherever we go. I love that this collaboration developed into a meta conversation between me and Shu about the ways we communicate with our loved ones when we are apart, whether by circumstance, time, or geography. It makes me think we were cosmic pen pals long before we ever met.”

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Photo - Calm Elliott-Armstrong

Shealagh Rose - Safe in Our Silence (EP).

Shealagh Rose, a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter from Hamilton, Ontario, releases her captivating new EP, Safe in Our Silence, a collection of songs reflecting themes of vulnerability, growth, and emotional resilience.

The standout focus track, "Perth," is a transcendental and calming piece that celebrates the comfort found in deep, silent connections with loved ones. It embodies a hopeful sentiment, exploring the beauty of letting people into our lives despite the baggage we carry.

"Perth" was recorded in an intimate setting, with Shealagh tracking the piano at the music studio where she teaches, using rented Rodes mics. The process was a learning experience, pushing her to apply her knowledge of mic techniques in new ways. Contributions from friends like Murray Heaton (guitar on "Radio Silence"), Sam Goswell (drums on "Radio Silence"), Dan Minchom (bass on "Radio Silence"), and William Lamoureux (strings on "Games") recorded remotely, added rich textures to the EP.

The EP takes you on a journey. While the first three tracks deal with loss, apathy, loneliness, and bitterness, the last track, "Perth," turns a corner. It is a much more hopeful piece about letting people into our lives despite whatever baggage and scars we may have. – Shealagh Rose.


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Billy Idol - Soot Sprite - Winter Gardens - Adore - Jo Schornikow

Photo - David Raccuglia

Billy Idol - Still Dancing.

Rock legend Billy Idol is set for the release of his first full-length album of new music in over a decade. 'Dream Into It' is out on 25th April on Dark Horse Records, featuring appearances by Avril Lavigne, Joan Jett and Alison Mosshart of The Kills. In anticipation of the forthcoming record, today Billy Idol is debuting the new single 'Still Dancing' alongside a video directed by Steven Sebring.
 
“‘Still Dancing’ is really a reflection of my whole journey,” explains Idol. “From the punk rock period through to now. And I’m still looking towards the future, still living the life I set out to live. At the start of the song I’m recalling the early times in London, when I was living in squats or at friends’ apartments, all my belongings in a plastic bag. Everybody at home or work told you what you were doing was never going to happen. But punk rock gave me an opening. I was surrounded by people who loved the music as deeply as I did and you were going to throw caution to the wind, believe in what you were doing and grab on for dear life. “As the song says, there have been many moments along the way where I’ve been self-destructive. But what’s seen me through is that unflinching belief in the music that started all those years ago. That’s been the greatest gift of all.”
 
Additionally, Idol is returning to the road for It’s a Nice Day To…Tour Again! Produced by Live Nation, the run of arenas and amphitheatres kicks off at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre in Phoenix on 30 April and will see him return to the UK for a very special date at the OVO Wembley Arena on Tuesday 24th June. This show comes two days after Billy’s appearance at the Forever Now Festival at The National Bowl, Milton Keynes. These are Billy’s only UK appearances in 2025. He will be joined by special guests and post-punk legends New Model Army.

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Soot Sprite - All My Friends Are Depressed.

Rising Exeter, England trio Soot Sprite have announced that their debut album, Wield Your Hope Like A Weapon, is set for release on May 16th via Specialist Subject (FRESH, Jeff Rosenstock, Doe, Muncie Girls). Alongside the announcement, the band have shared new single 'All My Friends Are Depressed', is a reflection on the widespread mental health crisis.

Since the release of their debut single in 2018, Soot Sprite has grown from a one-woman lo-fi bedroom pop project to a fully-fledged touring alt-indie shoegaze outfit. Their debut album sees Elise Cook (lead vocals/guitar), Sean Mariner (bass/backing vocals), and Sam Cother (drums/backing vocals) fully embrace the dynamic highs and intimate lows that define their sound.

Of their new single, Cook says: "This is my observation of the mental health crisis we’re in, how widespread it feels and how sociopolitical factors are playing such a huge part. It’s also a reminder to myself that I need to stop distracting myself from my issues and try and change something or face things or nothing will happen and I’ll never shake off the episode,"  

Sonically, Wield Your Hope Like A Weapon takes influence from many alt-indie greats, creating a sound that blends shimmering melodies with raw, visceral energy. “When I started Soot Sprite I was hooked on Clean by Soccer Mommy and Hovvdy’s Cranberry but with this record I was listening to a lot of Sweet Pill’s catalogue, Ovlov & Wednesday,” explains Cook. Written over a span of four years - some tracks taking shape just weeks before recording - the album was captured in September 2024 at The Bookhouse in London, with the help of former lead guitarist Abi Crisp and production by Tom Hill.

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Photo - Fern Rose

Winter Gardens - Anthropocene.

Brighton-based quartet Winter Gardens return with their new single, ‘Anthropocene’ (today), the final stand alone single to be taken from their forthcoming EP Uncomfortable/Unlovable (March 26th). Engineered & mixed by Luke Marsden and mastered by Andy Miles at Star Delta, ‘Anthropocene’ layers synths, pianos, and electronics with the punching live drums and biting shoegaze influenced guitar riffs to create a soundscape which is atmospheric and dark. Led by dual vocals from Ananda Howard and Jasmine Ardleys, the celestial harmonising takes listeners on a journey through an eclectic ray of dynamic, disparate sounds. A kaleidoscopic assembly of ethereal shoegaze atmospheres glued together with a pulsing post-punk attitude and a brooding gothic undercurrent creates a stylistic and instantly recognisable sound topped with lyrics evoking a sense of cryptic intimacy.

Speaking about the track, the band adds: “The Anthropocene reflects our growing sense of entitlement to pleasure and satisfaction, often at the expense of everything else. In an era dominated by over consumption, materialism, and insatiable greed, we rarely stop to consider the true cost of our indulgences.

Whether it’s human exploitation, the suffering of animals, or the degradation of the environment, our immediate gratification consistently takes priority. The relentless pursuit of personal desires has led to a world where we expect comfort and convenience, disregarding the long-term consequences. In this age, the planet and its inhabitants—who ultimately pay the price—are pushed aside in favour of short-term satisfaction.”

Since the band’s inception, Winter Gardens have secured support slots for a number of high-profile names including Echo & The Bunnymen, Gary Numan, Modern English, Piroshka and Pale Blue Eyes. The band have also been regular festival favourites, most recently playing Rockaway Beach in January alongside the likes of OMD, Self Esteem and Peter Hook & The Light. Through the last few months, the band has had a number of European performances (Left Of The Dial, Supersonic) as well as playing live for John Kennedy’s The Remedy and Season and packing out countless shows in their home city.

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Photo - Paula Trojner

Adore - Stay Free Old Stranger.

 Irish trio Adore today release new single 'Stay Free Old Stranger,' ahead of three nights supporting Chalk in Belfast. Adore today also announce their debut headline shows in the UK with stops in Southampton, Hull and London in May. Adore's music is crystallised in its dichotomies; emotional, dynamic, loud, sensitive. Hailing from Dublin, Donegal and Galway respectively, the trio consisting of Lara Minchin (guitar, vocals), Lachlann Ó Fionnáin (bass, vocals) and Naoise Jordan Cavanagh (drums) possess an innate understanding of one another - "We are three feens with guitars and drums. We make music that feels right to us," the band say.

Produced by and recorded with Gilla Band bassist Daniel Fox, new single 'Stay Free Old Stranger' explores an acceptance of detachment, delivered with an urgency that is distinctly Adore's. "I wrote Stay Free Old Stranger when I was 16 years old with my best friend Lauren, and sonically was inspired by a lot of what I was listening to when I was a teenager: The Jam, Misfits, Frank Iero, Sleater-Kinney, Le Tigre," says singer Lara Minchin.

With its scorched guitars, energetic drums and an unexpected jazzy interlude a fitting precursor to the song's explosive, chaotic finale, 'Stay Free Old Stranger' embraces the idea of peaceful coexistence with "old strangers" who drift in and out of your life, and ultimately celebrates the "freak" within.

Speaking more on the song's inspiration, Lara says: "It was written at a time of great social anxiety which was seemingly breaking into a carefree disregard for small talk and empty relationships which I had once harboured to make myself feel wanted. I was badly bullied throughout my childhood and into my teens and because of that I was so eager for people to like me -and I would give time to people who didn’t have my best interests at hand. I had always been a freak and I had grown up in an unconventional manner. And although I didn’t change my interests and my way about life, I definitely covered up parts of myself to make myself more palatable. The lyrics are juvenile. They are telling the story of being aware that some people might not care for you and that’s okay because you don’t have to care for them either. You don’t have to be everybody’s friend."

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Photo - Emily Dorio

Jo Schornikow - Upstream.

Jo Schornikow shares the new single “Upstream,” the first track from Quiet Excerpts. The EP is a collection of meditations– instrumental pipe organ pieces, ambient washes, and downright hooky pop songs collected as Quiet Excerpts. Schornikow writes about “Upstream”: “I was sitting with the ache of wanting something out of reach. And thinking on the time I saw a ghost. What exactly is energy, anyway?”

The EP follows her 2022 album ALTAR, which burst at the seams with joyful talismans of love and relationships. The longtime Phosphorescent keyboardist recorded these songs in the Nashville church she plays piano and organ at and in her mate's Melbourne, Australia living room. It's a document of a musician's life, basking in moments of calm between motherhood, studio recording, and Phosphorescent tours.

“For me, Quiet Excerpts is like hearing music in the far-off distance. Walking toward the sound, a huge old wooden door slowly creaks open. I find myself in a sacred space.” Since releasing ALTAR, Schornikow has delved deeper into community in Nashville, recording albums and performing live with Sunny War, Sean Thompson’s Weird Ears, Tré Burt, and William Tyler and the Impossible Truth.

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Stephen Wilson Jr. - Jackie Venson - Poster Club

Photo - Jessica Hood

Stephen Wilson Jr. - Cuckoo.

Indiana-born, Nashville-based rising star Stephen Wilson Jr. releases the official music video for “Cuckoo” from his critically-acclaimed debut double album søn of dad (Big Loud Records). Directed by Tim Cofield, the clip paints a psychedelic picture of life in an Indiana holler featuring a frenetic dive bar performance from Joey Breaux, a Midwestern Gothic family scene and HARDY + Wilson Jr. playing catch with a ball of fire.

Wilson Jr. is currently in the midst of the entirely sold-out 2025 U.S. run of his søn of dad tour with stops in Detroit, Toronto and more. Earlier this month, it was announced that he will join HARDY on his Jim Bob World Tour on select dates from May through September, including the final show at Madison Square Garden.

“‘If one don’t drive ya then the other one will…’ running on cognitive American fumes at times,” shares Wilson Jr. “we’re all afraid of something. this video is a fiery glance at the ones whom haven’t given up but have given up on the game. these are not actors. a kaleidoscope of humans living and being. unashamed of their shame. ‘cuckoo…’”

“‘Cuckoo’ is the eighth video SWJ and I have made together,” shares Director Tim Cofield. “While ‘Holler from the Holler’ was the most ambitious concept we've co-directed, ‘Cuckoo’ is a planet in its own solar system. All these ideas come from Stephen's brain. For example, the character driving backwards in the truck. Stephen actually knows a guy who has to drive to work backwards ‘cause his truck only drives in reverse. My favorite thing about the ‘Cuckoo’ video is that all these characters you see are real people, not actors. There's also some easter eggs hidden in there for diehard fans (look for wolf heads and aliens).”

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Jackie Venson - Young.

Jackie Venson returns with “Young,” the latest single from her new album, The Love Anthology! Following the momentum of her previous single “Alone”, “Young” showcases Jackie’s signature blend of blues, rock, and soul with her unmistakable guitar work and dynamic energy.

Jackie is also hitting the road this Spring around the Midwest and Southeast in support of The Love Anthology, and she’s available for interviews, in-studio performances, or call-ins while on tour.



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Photo - Sarah Connor

Poster Club - Circuits.

Glasgow’s genre-spanning post-punk outfit Poster Club are back with new single ‘Circuits’, via Electric Honey Records. Following the success of their recent singles ‘Tradeston’ and ‘Goth Parade’, which leaned into dance and synth influences, ‘Circuits’ takes listeners on a journey back to the band’s raw, punk-inspired origins.

With its thumping pace, dissonant guitars, and a high-octane climax, ‘Circuits’ showcases Poster Club’s ability to merge punk swagger with their signature blend of post-punk and new wave sounds. Introduced with apprehensive guitar chords, the song quickly launches into a driving rhythm, reflecting themes of vulnerability and emotional honesty.

After signing with Electric Honey Records—the label responsible for launching icons like Biffy Clyro, Belle & Sebastian, and Snow Patrol—Poster Club’s profile has only grown. Their first single with the label, ‘Goth Parade’, earned a feature on Billy Sloan’s BBC Radio Scotland show, and their genre-blurring style continues to capture the attention of national and international audiences.

‘Circuits’ marks another chapter in Poster Club’s musical evolution. With its heartfelt lyricism, pacey riffs, and dramatic tempo shifts, the single exemplifies the band’s ability to blend authenticity and innovation. This isn’t a band tied to one sound—Poster Club uses a sonic palette of punk, techno and synth, and everything in between.

“‘Circuits’ is about opening up and letting someone truly see what’s inside you—both emotionally and literally,” explains vocalist Konrad. “The lyrics, ‘“rip me open, look at my circuits,” are raw and unfiltered, inspired by artists like Scott Hutchison of Frightened Rabbit and Brian Sella of The Front Bottoms, who have this incredible knack for honesty in their writing. It’s a concept that felt personal and urgent to explore.”

Poster Club · Circuits

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Mookie and The Bab - Mercury's Antennae - Juanita Stein

Mookie and The Bab - The Tide.

Mookie and The Bab all-acoustic indie-folk new single 'The Tide' has just been released on Kycker. Fuelled by long drives across desert landscapes taking inCalifornia, Nevada, and Texas, Bradford’s own Mookie + The Bab are an all-acoustic indie-folk group whose acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle, layered vocals, and occasional trumpet capture the sound of the American Southwest – yet remainstrue to British working class roots.

Moved by climate emergency, Floods, fires, desertification, and exploring organic sounds with rousing harmonies, multi-instrumentalists Abi Otway, Marc Otway and Conor Magi’s Americana-Yorkshire folk blend is steeped in nature, emerging from their unique bond after many years making music together and travels playing festivals internationally and across the UK.

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Mercury's Antennae - The Reflecting Skin (William Faith Remix).

Currently based between Switzerland and the US, the trio comprises Dru Allen and Cindy Coulter of This Ascension, and Erick r. Scheid of The Palace of Tears. Their sound incorporates influences from shoegaze pop, ethereal darkwave, and unadorned acoustic beauty, while also drawing inspiration from ambient and modern electronica. Through the iconic Projekt label, Mercury’s Antennae released their debut album, A Waking Ghost Inside (2014); followed by The Guides EP (2015); and sophomore album, Beneath the Serene (2016).Their debut for Sett Records was 2018’s The Moon Viewing Garden EP, followed by appearances at prestigious festivals Wave-Gotik-Treffen in Leipzig, Germany; and Tomorrow’s Ghosts Festival in Whitby, England. ‘The Reflecting Skin’ is the lead single from their long-waited third album, Among the Black Trees, forthcoming from Sett Records in Spring 2025.

With its driving chorus bass, serpentine swirl 12-string guitar, spacious ambient electronics and Dru Allen’s siren voice, the single release of ‘The Reflecting Skin’ is graced with a remix by the goth “all father” William Faith. His remix showcases a haunting, driving, hypnotic and atmospheric interpretation of the song: a sonic alchemy that seems to emanate from another time, another place. William says:

“Getting to remix ‘The Reflecting Skin’ was very much like going home for me. Having worked closely with Dru and my sister Cindy in This Ascension beginning some 32 years ago, this was very comfortable and familiar territory, though Erick’s sensibilities brought something new and different to work with, making for a dynamic and exciting creative endeavor. Overall, I feel like I managed to bridge the time gap with an interesting take on the song that is at once nostalgic and classic in feel, while updating the sonic depth and breadth in a way that suits the moment. It was a blast for me -- love it!”

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Juanita Stein - The Old World.

Juanita Stein warms up for her imminent solo headline tour with the release of an Orlando-Cubitt-directed video for ‘Old World’, taken from her critically acclaimed fourth solo album ‘The Weightless Hour’ (out now, Agricultural Audio). Following recent UK tours with Evan Dando and Travis, the Howling Bells frontwoman will embark on her own UK solo headline dates, which include a performance at London's Lower Third on 25th March.
 
Stein says of ‘Old World’: “This was a song that was written in one long breath, in a room, in a house, in a village in the South of France. After having taken a long walk through the woods, the light streaming through the pine trees, I found myself reflecting on what it means for me, to have ended up living and travelling in Europe, like so many of my family before me.
 
This song recalls the first time I travelled to Europe, which was with my family when I was 16. Having lived a life in Australia, a country in its infancy by comparison, I was confronted with a rich and bloodied history whose roots ran centuries underground. The generational trauma that came with learning about my own family history there, was a reckoning. We brought along my grandmother, who hadn’t returned to Czechoslovakia since she was 14, when she was forced to flee the Nazis. We visited the crumbling house she grew up in. I stood in the streets of many Jewish ghettos and burnt out synagogues that were forced to become churches. I visited Holocaust Memorial museums, I learned of the slow rise of right-wing fascism reawakening in a new Europe, all of this coupled with the acknowledgement that I had relocated to Europe myself to start a family and the conflict that causes within the body. I learned what it felt like to be the “other”, to be hated for the religion you were born into, and simultaneously, to also be hated for being perceived as a Westerner, as when someone yelled at me, “bloody American” when they looked down at my ripped jeans, or when me and my brothers were hauled into a police station in Prague for potentially spying when using our disposable cameras outside a cemetery. This was not Australia. This was The Old World.”

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