Japandroids Announce Final Album, Share New Single ‘Chicago’
The ten-track album comes seven years after the band’s last LP, Near To the Wild Heart of Life.

Image by Dan Monick
Vancouver duo Japandroids are calling it a day with their fourth album, Fate & Alcohol. Following on from 2017s underrated Near To the Wild Heart of Life, the band’s final LP is out October 18 via Anti- and features ten tracks, including first single, ‘Chicago’.
Recorded in Vancouver with longtime collaborator Jesse Gander, Fate & Alcohol finds Brian King (guitar, vocals) and David Prowse (drums, vocals) returning to the raw and rugged sound of their earlier work.
“On our last record we wanted to broaden the definition of a Japandroids song, and purposely left our demos quite open and malleable so that we had more flexibility to experiment in the studio,” King says in a statement regarding their final album.
“At the time, this approach was new and exciting, and inspired us to be bolder, to take more chances. We were aiming for a more cinematic take on our signature sound. This time, we made certain that every song ripped in our jam space before [longtime recording engineer] Jesse [Gander] ever heard it. If you listen to our first demo of ‘Chicago’, it’s obviously much rougher than what you hear on record, but it's all there. Even on a blown-out iPhone recording, the energy was obvious, and the feeling cut through loud and clear.”
Listen to ‘Chicago’ below.
READ MORE: The Linda Lindas Announce New Album, Share First Single ‘All In My Head’
Japandroids met as students at the University of Victoria in British Columbia in 2006. Relocating to Vancouver, the duo released their debut album Post-Nothing to critical acclaim in 2009, with Pitchfork’s Ian Cohen writing the band “makes terminally catchy music played with punk's enthusiasm and velocity that makes you feel like joining in to bash along” in his glowing review of the album.
They followed Post-Nothing with the commercially successful Celebration Rock in 2012, an album that also received high praise and topped many end-of-year best lists. The lads embarked on an extensive world tour in support of the album, performing a whopping 500 shows in 44 countries. Japandroids took several years off after the tour ended before returning in 2017 with Near to the Wild Heart of Life.
Addressing their legacy in a statement, the band is measured in their response. “I don't think we're the most technically proficient band in the world,” Prowse says. “And we're not the most original-sounding or challenging band in the world. But we've always put a lot of passion into what we do, and I think that's resonated with a lot of people. And I'm really grateful that we could be that band for people, in the same way that so many bands were for us.”
Fate & Alcohol is released October 18 via Anti-. You can pre-order your copy here and check out the album artwork and tracklist below.

Fate & Alcohol
1. Eye Contact High
2. D&T
3. Alice
4. Chicago
5. Upon Sober Reflection
6. Fugitive Summer
7. A Gaslight Anthem
8. Positively 34th Street
9. One Without the Other
10. All Bets Are Off
The indie pop artist has also shared new single, ‘Cutting Room Floor’.
SA’s Fahey Hotel Group have also sold another two of their pubs.
‘This Is It’ is the first single from The Smith Street Band’s forthcoming seventh album.
Joining The Sexels are local rockers King Locust & The New Romantics.
Celebrate the not-for-profit’s fifth birthday with a night of diverse musical offerings.
To coincide with the announcement, the band have shared the album’s giddy lead single, ‘Koala’.
Catch the lads supporting Skegss on their upcoming national tour.
This is the third single taken from the band’s upcoming Fairyland Codex record.
Catch the internationally acclaimed punk rock cover act when they perform at Lion Arts Factory this November.
This is your chance to nominate an inspiring female or gender-diverse artist or music practitioner in the Australian music industry.
Festival Director Peter Noble has announced the iconic Byron Bay festival is coming back next year.
The rising trio are back with their first taste of new music in 2025.
The group are touring nationally, performing their Black Label EP and 2024 album Oddworld, in full.
The three-day heavy metal extravaganza leaves Sydney Harbour in October 2026.
Headbang along to the heaviest bands from across Australia this May.
The duo have also released an exclusive music video featuring the first live performance of the song.
Australia could be getting its own version of the Headbangers Boat.
Beddy Rays return to Adelaide in August as part of their Do What Ya Wanna Australian tour.
Catch the American hardcore five-piece at Lion Arts Factory this July.
The talented singer-songwriter is performing in Adelaide this June.
Country folk rocker Lucinda Williams replaces Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, who have pulled out of the tour.
The Brisbane quintet have secured the coveted support slot for Oasis’ upcoming Australian tour.
Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival is hosting the largest congregation of brewers under one roof in 2025. Come raise a glass to those businesses and ensure the beers keep flowing.
The Adelaide punk rockers are calling last drinks at the Cranker next month.
Prepare for a double dose of hardcore aggression when the two bands hit Adelaide in November.
The doco charts the ups and downs of ‘90 legends Screamfeeder.
The New South Wales festival returns the October long weekend.
This is the last chance to catch SPEED perform on Aussie soil in 2025.