Bukowski - Your New Fav Aussie Pop Punk Band Released Their Debut Album
If you haven’t heard the name Bukowski yet, you’re going to want to pay attention. The Melbourne four-piece – made up of James Karagiozis (vocals/guitar), Benji Malkin-Adby (guitar), Gerard Dowling (drums), and Jamie Rolfe (bass) – has been steadily making waves in the Australian pop punk scene, and now, with the release of their long-awaited debut album I Don’t Wanna Live, I Don’t Wanna Die., it’s clear Bukowski’s return is just the beginning.
Since their debut EP Grow Up. Give Up. Let Go. back in 2017, they’ve established themselves as a force to be reckoned with, known for delivering raw, heart-on-your-sleeve storytelling and sharing stages with heavyweights like Knuckle Puck, Trophy Eyes, and Deaf Havana along the way. After taking a moment to regroup and dive deep into their personal lives, Bukowski is back – louder, sharper, and more determined than ever.
If you’ve ever screamed along to a song that felt like it was written just for you, this is a band you need to get on your radar.
A new chapter for an underdog in pop punk.
There’s something truly special about discovering a band that hits you with the same wave of emotion and nostalgia as the music you grew up on. Maybe there’s a word for it in another language, but English hasn’t quite found a way to capture it yet.
But when you feel it, you’ll know it, and that’s exactly what Bukowski delivers. Their debut album serves as an open invitation to revisit the magic of the pop punk and emo anthems that played on repeat during your teenage years (I’m calling it the golden era, but I might just be a little biased) while crafting a sound that feels undeniably fresh and relevant in 2025.
But Bukowski isn't just another band jumping on the nostalgia bandwagon – they’re here to remind you why you fell in love with the genre in the first place. With tender, introspective lyrics, massive, anthemic choruses, and raw, unfiltered energy, I Don’t Wanna Live, I Don’t Wanna Die is not only an explosive, cathartic release, it is also a comforting shoulder to lean on.
It’s deeply personal, born from some of the most intense experiences of vocalist and guitarist James Karagiozis’ life. Reflecting on the emotional weight behind the album, he shares, “It was quite tumultuous now looking back. I was working on this album during what now was the last four years of a relationship. I put a lot of time and effort into this thing, these songs, which were basically me trying to navigate my feelings and thoughts but at the same time I was really losing grip of the things around me that I loved dearly. I guess I probably didn't realise it until it was too late. All these songs I can pinpoint most of the moments that the lyrics came from. Sometimes words just aren't enough.”
The album also took a chaotic journey to completion, with the band navigating multiple moves, studio changes, and major life events. James recalls, “With the recording process, we went through like four different houses, three different studios, we also built our own studio, I moved to a different country for about six months. Two of the guys had kids, G got married. It has honestly been some pure chaos getting here, but I don't know if it would've turned out the same. We will never know.”
The journey so far: a long-awaited debut
For longtime fans of Bukowski, this album might feel like a long time coming. After dropping ‘Elevator Song’ back in 2021, the band disappeared into a three-year creative hiatus, only to return in 2024 with a renewed fire.
Kicking off their return was ‘one hundred seconds’, a short but blistering statement of intent that immediately caught the attention of tastemakers and listeners across the country. We described it as a song that “might feel more like Bukowski are punching you in the face, [but] they’re really aiming for your gut,” and it’s a statement we still firmly stand behind.
Next came ‘Superweak’, a single that struck a chord with fans and racked up over 160,000 Spotify streams, before fan-favourite ‘Sow’ landed them playlist covers and international radio support.
While the band has evolved musically, James believes their essence has remained the same despite the ups and downs of their journey. He reflects on their growth, “To be honest, I feel like we still have the same essence that we had from all of our early singles. As a band, we have had an interesting trajectory, busy lives, families, and conflicting schedules have interrupted us from having a usual flight plan when it comes to bands. We are definitely older, wiser? Maybe. We have watched each other navigate life in such different routes but having the passion to create something we all love has never left us.”
Now, with their debut album finally out in the world, and their first international tour supporting Slowly Slowly on the horizon, Bukowski is firmly establishing themselves as a band ready to break through and leave a lasting impression.
An album that hits you right in the feelings (in the best way possible)
This debut album isn’t just a collection of tracks – it’s like flipping through the pages of a diary, the kind of honest, raw songwriting that captures all the weight and catharsis of growing up, while making you feel less alone in your own chaos.
“This is one for the quiet little whispers of desperation. The tiny fractures in the quiet that only you can feel… The battle between holding on or letting go.” – That’s how the band themselves sums up their record, and it’s an incredibly fitting summary.
I Don't Wanna Live, I Don't Wanna Die is the type of album that can punch you in the gut one moment, only to have you screaming it out at the top of your lungs the next. Tracks like ‘What Do You Want Me To Be’ are built for crowd singalong moments, and then they smack you with an emotional hit like ‘twentytwentythree’ and its heart-on-your-sleeve reflection on letting go, and suddenly you're alone in your room at 2am.
Describing what he hopes listeners take away from the record, James explains, “The dream was just to be able to put the record out, I've been so transfixed on the journey to get here that I never gave it much thought of how it would be received.
“As apathetic as the title is, I really do wish that people can walk away with a little bit of hope. Somewhere buried between the lines, it's in there. Just like life, at times it’s hard to see the point of being here, but, there are glimmers of hope in everything we do. I find the big picture thing so daunting at times, sometimes just looking at what you have and being brutally honest can teach you a lot.”
Why you need Bukowski in your life right now
If you spent your teenage years mastering your MSN screen name with the perfect song lyrics, then Bukowski is the band you've been waiting for. Their music is tailor made for the now-grown pop punk and emo kids who still crave that same rush of emotion, melody, and nostalgia but are now navigating the complexities of adulthood.
Think soaring hooks and full-throttle energy, layered with lyrics that make you want to scream along in your car on a long drive.
But beyond just delivering bangers (and this record is STACKED with them), Bukowski’s I Don’t Wanna Live, I Don’t Wanna Die. offers something deeper – a genuine, heartfelt honesty that will have you reaching for your favourites again and again.
And for James, that honesty is one of the most rewarding parts of making music. He shares, “I love creating something that I want to hear. Songs and art don't exist until you/someone decides to undertake sometimes what feels like a battle, within your mind and your emotions. Sometimes it's a wrestle and others feel like you're skating downhill, trying not to get the speed wobbles and then you make it and look back and go wow. We just made this thing.
“I love when you finally put something out and letting everyone else in on these little secrets that you let out of your mind. I'm horrible for sending songs to a bunch of friends early because I love letting people in. It's also funny when people say ‘dude are you ok?’ ‘these lyrics are heavy.’”
And with their first-ever international tour just around the corner, Bukowski are proving that their underdog era is ready to be over – there's never been a better moment to dive in.
I Don’t Wanna Live, I Don’t Wanna Die. is out now and you can listen here.
Words by Gloria Brancatisano @gloriabrancat
