Both broadening and defying the sounds of their first two 7” releases, Delivery continue their claim for the title of hardest and fastest working band in town on their debut full length LP ‘Forever Giving Handshakes’.Collecting songs written over the Melbourne five-piece’s two year lifespan and following on from the band’s bedroom project origins of ‘Yes We Do’ and the expanded one-two punch of ‘Personal Effects/The Topic’, ‘Forever Giving Handshakes’ captures Delivery at full force for the first time, leaning into the fully-realised live sound they’ve been quite actively working on since their first show in March 2021. Here the band collate a 12-track garage-punk opus, their five distinct voices simultaneously pulling songs in different directions while an undeniable chemistry reveals a combined hive mind ascending on a clear group mission… to rock. If you didn’t have the Delivery phenomenon yet, you’re about to.Marking the beginning of a victory lap for Delivery, the album rounds out a sprint of unrelenting live shows, impressive support slots and two stellar 7”s, all within a tidy 18 months. ‘Forever Giving Handshakes’ is a statement from Delivery and one of the strongest Australian punk debut albums of the past decade.Our take: Hot off a string of excellent EPs, Melbourne, Australia’s Delivery brings us their debut album, arriving a mere 18 months into this ambitious band’s lifespan. The secret might be a healthier division of labor than most bands, because if I’m interpreting what I read correctly, Delivery boasts five songwriters and three lead vocalists in its ranks. Forever Giving Handshakes no doubt benefits from sharing creative responsibility, but it sounds cohesive… it’s apparent that Delivery has a clear idea of where they’re headed as a band. While their earlier releases were quirkier and more introverted-sounding, Forever Giving Handshakes sounds as joyous and alive as the photo on its cover, which features the band cresting the hill of a roller coaster. Much has been made of Delivery’s transition from a home recording project to a live band, and Forever Giving Handshakes sounds like a record made to be played in front of an audience… the first time I heard it, my mind drifted to a recently departed venue in our town, Neptune’s, a small basement bar and venue that would have been the perfect place to see Delivery in Raleigh. Fortunately, high-energy pop songs like this work just as well in headphones or on a car or home stereo as they do in a live set. Fans of contemporary Australian punk-inspired music—everything from UV Race to Alien Nosejob to Vintage Crop and back—will find this an essential listen, but the way Forever Giving Handshakes crackles with life and energy will win over anyone who loves to mix their pop with their punk.
