THE SOUTHERN RIVER BAND “Don’t Take It To Heart” Single review

Reminding us (not that it’s needed) that Australia can produce so much more than AC/DC tribute bands, scary snakes and spiders, The Southern River Band have delivered an epic shot of musical adrenaline to brighten any day.

Opening with a riff designed for driving compilations followed by the first of a number of insanely good melodies within, the controlled vocal catches attention at first listen. It also deserves a special mention just for rhyming the line “this feeling that makes you want to hurl” with “I’m crazy about you girl”.

Continuing at a steady pace the song draws you in with no intent of letting go before reaching a joyous sing-out-loud chorus accompanied by big guitars and beautiful solos … providing enough shredding and noodling to satisfy those who love twiddling and diddling while keeping all things melodic.

As a song, “Don’t Take It To Heart” is unashamedly ‘80’s and a massive song. Had I been younger I might even have called it a banger. Floor-filler? Absolutely. This will cause involuntary muscle movements and entice the most introverted amongst us to showcase their moves (without being asked). Think a John Hughes soundtrack and you’ll get the sense of the song.

While “Don’t Take It To Heart” has ‘playlist’ written all over it, it will also take many of us back to the days of making ‘mix tapes’ or for those of us of an earlier vintage to just making ‘tapes’. We might have lacked imagination for what we called them, but we spent many hours or days perfecting different tapes of our favourite songs for different moods and purposes - to romance our favoured girl or guy and demonstrate our (ahem … and of course) impeccable musical taste, a break-up tape, a ‘party’ tape, or a driving tape to provide a soundtrack to listen to while driving a convertible with the window down through the desert on that straight road over the horizon (straight off an Eagles album cover).  

Granted, the reality might have been driving my battered Mini alone through the grey and rainy streets of Leith, but that’s what the best music is about - dreaming and transporting you away. “Don’t Take It To Heart” does that and so much more.

If you don’t believe me just go and listen to the song. It’s a banger. There, I said it.

Fresh from supporting The Darkness and playing Download, The Southern River Band’s new album, ‘Easier Said Than Done’, will be released on 17 October 2025.

GMcA