stol_n – Pretty Little Liar (2026)
“Out of the darkness, cometh the light” – a classic proverb inspired by several poems about hope. Why mention this? Well, it was the first phrase that came to mind when I discovered the Australia/New Zealand duo stol_n. A symbol of strength and resilience, the band was born of tragedy (the dark) and creates music as a source of solace, hope, and optimism (the light). The musical project of long-time friends John Brodie (vocals, bass and keyboard) and Daniel Pullar (guitar, drums, synths and backing vocals), stol_n (pronounced “stolen”) do just that; they steal your heart, grab your hand and jump into a musical adventure. Join us as we delve into their debut single, ‘Pretty Little Liar’.
Produced and mixed by Kyle Marchant, stol_n plunges into old-school pop-punk/pop-rock from the outset. Taking me back to the days of Blink 182, Sum 41 and Good Charlotte, ‘Pretty Little Liar’ is a nostalgic breath of life, with fist-pumping, air-guitar playing, jumping about, and a total blast blaring from my speakers. Powerful drums crash and a bold bass pulsates; a shimmer of synths twinkles across, and Pullar’s lead guitar soars, swerves, dives, darts, and wraps around you in a thrilling melody.
I can easily imagine stol_n taking the stage at SXSW or slamming at Glastonbury, even though ‘Pretty Little Liar’ is only the debut single. Melodically, the track inspires audiences to strut around the room like a rock star. Lyrically, its raw honesty, brash delivery and timeless theme add weight to ‘Pretty Little Liar’. The band explain:
“’Pretty Little Liar’ explores the highs and lows of party culture, telling a story that’s as much about consequence as it is about escape… no interest in pretending life always works out the way you planned.”
In addition to the single, stol_n released an official music video for ‘Pretty Little Liar’. You can view the video below and/or on their YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses lighting effects that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS STRONGLY ADVISED
Find out more about stol_n on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Spotify.
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