Eskimo Joe make most triumphant return with nostalgic new single, 'The First Time'

The absolute Australian alt rock icons, Eskimo Joe return with a buoyant, yet bittersweet ode to nostalgia in ‘The First Time’; the band’s first new music since 2021’s ’99 Ways’.

Set to appear at Lookout Festival alongside Live and Incubus before embarking on their National Acoustic Theatre Tour starting this April, ‘The First Time’ feels familiar yet fresh, with Eskimo Joe capturing the essence of their stadium rock-ready triumph, 2008’s ‘Black Fingernails, Red Wine’, alongside some sharp 2024 vigour.

‘The First Time’ is quintessential Eskimo Joe; big, building anthemic choruses, verses pulled back, allowing for THAT Temperley delivery, and layers of MacLeod & Quartmain melodies coming at you from both directions. While the air of ‘Black Fingernails, Red Wine’ lingers with this track, ‘The First Time’ feels like a wisened, more optimistic Eskimo Joe, while still acknowledging the tones of their biggest album. The whole point to ‘The First Time’ is nostalgia, and they key is bringing something that stirs up the memories, BUT, is still rooted in the present. Eskimo Joe know their fanbase AND the Australian music landscape well, and offer up a new track that will definitely satiate both.

Drawing inspiration from long-time Eskimo Joe creative influences as well as the band’s unshakeable bond, the core of ‘The First Time’ also evolved following a stacked 2023, with multiple festival appearances sparking the trio to harness the energy of a giant crowd setting into their 2024-penned new track. 

“We really look up to bands like the Rolling Stones and U2 – those guys who keep touring and creating music over and over again,” shares bass player and vocalist Kav Temperley. “It makes us proud of our musical journey and the people who have taken our songs into their lives. Eskimo Joe is still the three core members. It just wouldn't be the Eskies without the three of us in a studio or on stage making music together – our friendship is as much a part of the band as the music itself. After an amazing 2023 of playing some huge festivals, there's this indescribable energy when a massive crowd is singing your songs back at you. We wanted to capture that energy and infuse it into our recording. So, in the first week of January this year, over five days we wrote and recorded The First Time at my studio in Fremantle.”

Opening with Temperley musing “I found myself looking for you, I wonder if you’re looking for me” over glimmering instrumentation and a driving beat, The First Time simultaneously tugs at your heartstrings while charming with creamy melodics and soaring choruses. An undeniable instant Eskimo Joe classic, The First Time ultimately delves into upbeat sentimentality, as Temperley elaborates, “We wanted to write something that set out to encapsulate the bittersweet feeling of nostalgia, that looks back through rose coloured glasses conveniently forgetting the heartache and sleepless nights that came with a certain place and time in our lives. It's easy in the loneliest moments to look back and take comfort in those memories secretly holding onto that feeling like an addict. The song is also a realisation that holding onto the past might also be holding you back from the present. The subject is nostalgic but so is the sound of this song, it sounds like it could have sat perfectly on the Black Fingernails album.”

Lead guitarist Stu MacLeod says, “You put so much energy into each song, you build it up, tear it down, build it back up again until it matches the band’s vision. I love the energy in this song and the sentiment, and I’m stoked that we get to release it out into the world.” Drummer and guitarist Joel Quartermain adds, “Once it’s out in the world, a song truly exists.  Hopefully people connect with it.”

The accompanying music video beautifully documents Eskimo Joe’s many years as a band, with nostalgic footage of their many achievements over the years.

Eskimo Joe’s craftsmanship is only amplified by their swaggering live prowess; and it’s this very fact that inspired the band’s newest sonic output while also firmly showcasing Eskimo Joe’s ever-present vitality in the music scene decades into their career.

“It feels great releasing some new music with Eskimo Joe,” Temperley says. “We had such an amazing year last year, playing all different kinds of shows, and ending the year with Good Things Festival that saw us playing in front of crowds of 30,000. We left 2023 feeling so connected with our audiences that we felt that now is the right time to write a new tune.”

“Kicking off in April, we take to the road for the Lookout Festival, unveiling our new single with icons like Incubus and Live,” Temperley concludes. Straight off the back of the festival - April through August, we embark on a 22-show acoustic journey across Australia. This tour allows us to present our music in a more intimate setting, strengthening our connection with our audience. Each performance is crafted to deepen the musical experience, blending the high energy of festival shows with the personal touch of our acoustic sessions.”

“The First Time’ is out now via all streaming platforms, and you can catch Eskimo Joe on one (or more) of the many dates listed below.

Eskimo Joe Upcoming Dates 

Tickets available from www.eskimojoe.net/tours

SAT 06 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, SANDSTONE POINT, QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets

SUN 07 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, SOUTHPORT, QLD | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets

SAT 13 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, MORNINGTON VIC  | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets

SAT 20 APR | LOOKOUT FESTIVAL, WHITFORDS WA | 18+
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com.au I All Ticketmaster outlets

SAT 27 APR | CIVIC HALL, BALLARAT VIC


SUN 28 APR | WYNDHAM CULTURAL CENTRE, WERRIBEE VIC


SAT 25 MAY | CASULA POWERHOUSE, LIVERPOOL NSW


SUN 26 MAY | THE CONCOURSE LOUNGE, WILLOUGHBY NSW


FRI 31 MAY | LOGAN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, LOGAN QLD


SAT 1 JUN | PROSERPINE ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, PROSERPINE QLD


FRI 21 JUN | RED EARTH ARTS PRECINCT, KARRATHA WA


SAT 22 JUN | CARNARVON CIVIC CENTRE, CARNARVON WA


FRI 28 JUN | ALBANY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, ALBANY WA


SUN 30 JUN | ESPERANCE CIVIC CENTRE, ESPERANCE WA


FRI 5 JUL | THE WEDGE, SALE VIC


SAT 6 JUL | KINGSTON CITY HALL, MOORABBIN VIC

SUN 7 JUL | QUEANBEYAN PAC, QUEANBEYAN NSW | ALL AGES


TUE 9 JUL | HORSHAM TOWN HALL THEATRE, HORSHAM VIC


FRI 12 JUL | SWAN HILL TOWN HALL PACC, SWAN HILL VIC


SAT 13 JUL | THE ART HOUSE, WYONG NSW


FRI 26 JUL | MOUNT ISA CIVIC CENTRE, MOUNT ISA QLD

SUN 28 JUL | ROCKHAMPTON RIVER FESTIVAL, ROCKHAMPTON QLD | ALL AGES