Melbourne’s Billy Cart are at long last poised to release their eagerly awaited debut album, the facetiously named ‘Greatest Hits’. Spanning nine tracks, the record is an endearing and personal collection that threads together ‘90s alternative and grunge with lo-fi slacker charm and earnest indie songwriting. Billy Cart have always excelled at finding meaning in the mundane; their songs are built from everyday moments, small observations, and familiar anxieties, approached with warmth, humour, and insight.
It’s an approach that has led to a strong connection with their audience, often prompting listeners to share their own parallel stories and experiences with the band. ‘Greatest Hits’ gathers these songs into one cohesive release, giving shape to the themes and experiences that have defined the band so far. Recorded at RMIT by Tim Johnston and Dale Mamo, and later mastered by Joe Carra, the album captures a pivotal moment in time—specifically 2023, just before the band members scattered across the globe. Now reunited on home soil, the group is celebrating with a massive 13-date tour across VIC, QLD, NSW, ACT, and TAS.
We caught up with Billy and Dale to discuss the relief of finally releasing these tracks, the logic behind that cheeky album title, and the power of vulnerability in songwriting.
Thanks so much for joining us, guys! To start us off, congratulations on the release of ‘Greatest Hits’. It’s such an exciting milestone; how does it feel to finally share these nine tracks with the world after such a long journey?
Dale: "To be completely honest, it’s a massive relief! I think a lot of bands have a similar story and can probably relate to the feeling of releasing a long-held project. It can happen that you’re jaded by the work by the time you put it out, but I think for us it is such a marker of the beginning of the current phase of the band that it still feels fresh, despite having wrapped tracking the album in 2023."
Your songwriting is often praised for finding depth in "small observations." What is it about those everyday, non-event stories that captures your imagination enough to turn them into music?
Billy: "Usually, the reason that a non-event kind of story sticks with me is because it initially makes me laugh, and I find myself sharing it a few different times with friends and such. By the time it makes it into a song, I’ve thought about it a bit more, and it usually reminds me of something else in my life."
Calling a debut album ‘Greatest Hits’ is a brilliantly bold move. What was the thinking behind that title, and how do you think it reflects the band’s personality?
Dale: "I always think a band’s first album should be self-titled; chronologically it makes sense to me that that’s your introduction to the band, and then the album titles later on mark each evolution. But Billy Cart is a silly band, and we just thought it was funny and silly. There are some serious considerations, as it stands, these are all of our songs, all of our hits. So they are, by lack of any other entrants, our greatest hits. A lot of bands' second albums come through a little weaker than the first, so it’ll probably hold for another album cycle; we’ll have to come to terms with it when we release our third album, usually any artist's magnum opus (if not the first)."
The album was tracked in 2023 right before you both moved overseas. Looking back, how do you think that sense of uncertainty and the urgency to preserve the songs influenced the energy of the recordings?
Billy: "Weirdly, that sense of urgency actually slowed down time for me. I knew I was about to leave the country to live overseas, and I didn’t know when I would play these songs with these friends again. This meant that I had to really slow down and savour the whole process. It was really important to capture these songs with this particular configuration of people at this specific point in time. At the end, we came out with an album that we are all really proud of."
Because your lyrics are so earnest, fans often share their own life stories with you. How does having that kind of vulnerable, two-way relationship with your audience impact how you view your own work?
Billy: "It's, of course, a very special thing to hear that our silly stories and songs remind people of their own stories and experiences. I am always grateful for it. It doesn’t change the way I make music, because I follow ideas and the things that excite me, but it does make me more open to talking about the songs and the stories they originate from. Meaning and matter are created collectively and reflexively when we share and bounce off each other, so having the opportunity to tell stories, either through song, silly stage banter, or in conversation, all creates the opportunity for connection. I am usually a pretty reserved and private person, but I am learning slowly that sharing and openness opens up a chance to ground myself in the world and the people around me."
Now that you’ve reunited back in Australia, how has your perspective on Billy Cart evolved since you first laid these tracks down?
Billy: "In my personal life, I have grown and learned a lot since being back home. This flows on naturally to other areas of my life, like the band. I’m proud of what we’ve made and what we are currently doing, and I think it’s a solid launching pad for what is next, because there is so much more to come."
You’re currently in the middle of a huge 13-date tour. Aside from the sets themselves, what have you been enjoying most about travelling across the country together?
Dale: "We’ve met so many characters on this trip, made some great friends, and grown closer as a group. I think the human experience of sharing a journey, sharing music, and food, and laughter has been the highlight so far—for me at least. Despite the stresses, including doing several runs up the Hume with rising fuel prices due to the current geopolitical crises and being way in over our heads keeping up with the admin and social media side of being in a band, it’s just been super fun, and this is absolutely just the beginning for us."
It is a joy to have Billy Cart back and firing on all cylinders. Be sure to catch their 'Greatest Hits' on tour and follow them on their socials to keep up with the journey.
Having already conquered the airwaves on FBi Radio, 3RRR, and 4ZZZ, and fresh off a sponsored tour by Heaps Normal, Billy Cart are rapidly becoming one of the most vital voices in the Australian indie scene.
You can stream the new single above, and for more, join Billy Cart on Instagram, Facebook, and Bandcamp.
