Martin Frawley

Australian singer/songwriter Martin Frawley earned notice for vocal swagger reminiscent of Jagger alongside catchy lo-fi guitar pop edged by noisy elements, having guided Twerps as frontman for ten years before shifting those traits into solo work. His first outing under his own name arrived in 2019 as the relatively bare Undone at 31. The 2023 follow-up, The Wannabe, brought a stronger jangle that allowed Frawley to scrutinize his private affairs and career with a wry perspective.

Born to Maurice Frawley, the singer/songwriter, guitarist, and Paul Kelly collaborator, Martin Frawley co-founded Twerps in 2008; the group’s agreeable, unkempt noise pop soon established them as regulars in Melbourne’s independent circuit. Drawing strong inspiration from the jangle-pop approach of New Zealand’s classic Flying Nun acts, Frawley and fellow leader Julia McFarlane steered the band across two albums. The self-titled 2011 release first reached listeners worldwide, while 2015’s Range Anxiety advanced that achievement in creative terms. Within a few years, however, Frawley and McFarlane’s personal partnership unraveled, and the split likewise dissolved the group.

After absorbing those abrupt shifts, Frawley converted the experience into fresh material, tracking the songs alongside producer Stewart Bronaugh (Angel Olsen, Lionlimb). He then signed with Merge Records, Twerps’ former home, and issued the leaner Undone at 31 in February 2019. Preparing the next record, he worked in the studio alongside Dan Luscombe (the Drones), bassist Nicholas Imfeld (Tyrannaman), drummer Steph Hughes (Dick Diver, Boomgates), and singer Dan Kelly. The resulting songs addressed the music business, relationships, and Frawley’s own life; The Wannabe surfaced in June 2023 via Trouble in Mind and Universal Music Australia, presenting a freer, fuller sound than the debut.