Brenda - Bath Time

Brenda (Hudson Whitlock of Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, The Pro-Teens, The Cactus Channel) presents new album ‘Bath Time’, a suite of heartbreaking, cinematic indie-soul ballads from the hotbed of Melbourne, Australia.

Brenda encompasses left-field soul sensibilities, for which Whitlock has come to be recognized, alongside heartfelt, introspective lyricism delivered in a sincere, delicate falsetto. Stylistically, lines can be drawn to the 1960s sweet soul ballads of The Delfonics, Jean-Claude Vannier’s vivid arrangements for Serge Gainsbourg, and the unmistakable flavour of Melbourne’s cinematic soul movement à la other Whitlock exploits Surprise Chef and Karate Boogaloo.

‘Bath Time’ contains ten entrancingly melancholic ballads that earnestly express Whitlock’s dramatic indie-soul sensibilities; encompassing the classically introspective nature of the poetic lyricist and the idiosyncratic use of soulful instrumental arrangements.

True to his modest vagabond nature, Whitlock has ‘released’ six Brenda albums to date, each uploaded exclusively to bandcamp, gladly resigning the music to the underground. ‘Bath Time’ sees Whitlock relinquish the isolationism of previous works in favour of including his trusted inner circle of friends and collaborators: Surprise Chef’s Lachlan Stuckey and Jethro Curtin on guitar and keyboard respectively, Karate Boogaloo’s Darvid Thor on bass, and production from Henry Jenkins (Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, Frollen Music Library).

Bath Time is out now on College Of Knowledge Records, Melbourne-based DIY imprint operated by Surprise Chef’s Lachlan Stuckey and Jethro Curtin.

1.I Always Want What I Can't Have 05:04
2.Family 04:14
3.But You'll Never Leave My Heart 03:32
4.Take A Hint 03:06
5.Where Did I Go Wrong? 03:51
6.My Tempo 04:27
7.Hardly 03:52
8.Dedicated 03:54
9.Burnin' 03:19
10.Give Take 04:52

released August 22, 2025

Hudson Whitlock - Vocals, drums, percussion
Darvid Thor - Bass
Lachlan Stuckey - Guitar
Jethro Curtin - Piano, Farfisa
Nobby Denton - Percussion
Esther Henderson - Violin, backing vocals
Ella Thompson - Backing vocals
Lewis Coleman - Backing vocals
Zoe Fox - Backing vocals
Ruby Dargaville - Backing vocals

Recorded and mixed by Henry Jenkins
Mastered by Max Dowling

Cover art by Hudson Whitlock
Cover photo by Estella Paltos