For two decades, Pete Murray has been one of those names that instantly carries a certain weight in Australian music – warm acoustic tones, heartfelt lyrics, and songs that have quietly become part of our collective memory. But with his new single ‘Amy’, Pete proves he’s still willing to push himself into new sonic spaces, and honestly? It’s the most refreshing he’s sounded in years.
Built on a propulsive backbeat and acoustic guitar, Pete admits this one’s different: “I don’t use a 4 on the floor beat under any of my songs but this works with Amy,” he says. “It’s kind of hypnotic with the acoustic, snare and beat working together — and when the keys solo hits in the breakdown, it’s the best!”
And he’s right. That little shift in rhythm transforms the track into something dreamier, almost trance-like, while still grounded in his unmistakable voice. It’s not a reinvention — it’s an evolution.
The track was brought to life with Luke Palmer, who engineered and added his touch on keys and synth bass. The result is a layered production that lets the acoustic guitar shimmer on the surface while deeper textures give it lift. You can hear the care in the details: the snare locked in just right, the synth bass weaving in under the strums, the key solo providing that little moment of escapism.
If this is the sound of Pete Murray’s next chapter, it feels lush, confident, and open to new ideas – something fans probably weren’t expecting, but will absolutely welcome.
Amy is our first proper taste of “Longing“, Pete’s forthcoming record and his first independent release in 20 years. That alone feels significant. After the success of The Night Before I Go in 2023, he’s breaking away from the machine and letting these songs live on their own terms.
The album itself reads like a journey through different shades of Pete Murray’s songwriting. From the hazy opener (Longing), through summery blues (Place Your Bets), stripped-back confessions (Home To Me), crowd-ready singalongs (Higher), and closing with the hopeful shimmer of Shakes, this feels like a record designed to be lived with, not just skimmed.
And here’s the kicker: most of these songs come from a folder on his computer simply called “Unfinished” — sessions spanning years, slowly chipped away at until they revealed something whole. In Pete’s own words: “You can only make an album like this with time. My first album Feeler was written over the same period of time, about 10 years. I feel there are very similar qualities on Longing as there are on Feeler.”
As a listener, that makes sense. Amy doesn’t sound rushed. It doesn’t sound trend-chasing. It sounds lived-in. It sounds like an artist circling back to the essence of why he writes in the first place – but bringing all the lessons, scars, and creativity of the last twenty years with him.
