Don Walker will return in August 2026 with a new solo album titled Love Songs, marking his fifth release under his own name and continuing a songwriting career that has shaped Australian music for decades.
The album arrives on 7 August, three years after Lightning In A Clear Blue Sky, and continues Walker’s focus on narrative-driven songwriting. This time, the lens shifts toward a more intimate and reflective tone, with nine tracks drawn from both older archival recordings and newer studio sessions.
Walker’s influence stretches back to his time as principal songwriter for Cold Chisel, where he helped define a catalogue that includes Khe Sanh, Flame Trees and Cheap Wine. His solo work has generally taken a quieter path, built on character sketches, restrained arrangements and a focus on storytelling over scale.
The first single Let’s All Get Together introduces a broader sonic palette than some of his earlier solo records. It features The Suave Fucks and The Harmonettes, along with a horn section that includes Melbourne musicians Michael Fraser, Gianni Marinucci, David Palmer and Paul Williamson. The track blends piano-led structure with layered vocals and brass, signalling a slightly expanded sound.
Across Love Songs, Walker moves between stripped-back recordings and fuller band arrangements. One of the standout inclusions is Could You Still Be Here, recorded direct to DAT in a basement around the turn of the century, sitting alongside newer material such as Luck and Fly Away, recorded in 2022 with guitarist Roy Payne.
Longtime collaborators also feature heavily. Shannon Bourne appears across much of the album on guitar, with Garrett Costigan on pedal steel and a rhythm section made up of Michael Vidale and Hamish Stuart. Additional contributions come from Mark Punch, Charlie Owen, Juanita Tippins and Sam Lemann.
Walker’s approach has remained consistent across his career, prioritising storytelling, atmosphere and feel over technical excess. That sensibility runs through both his music and writing, including his 2009 book Shots.
A national tour will follow the album release, opening in Melbourne at Memo Music Hall on 16 October 2026 before heading to Geelong, Sydney, Eumundi and Brisbane. Tickets on sale from 9.00am local time Thursday, 7 May via donwalker.com.au/live
