Not every record needs to arrive declaring itself an era. Some are built from messier, more useful materials: floods, grief, breakups, odd jobs, rebuilding, falling in love and figuring out what still matters. Ruby Fields’ sophomore album Small Achievements lands with exactly that kind of perspective.
To mark the release, Fields will host free launch parties in Melbourne and Sydney ahead of her upcoming national headline tour. Fans can expect live Q&As, signings and meet-and-greets, while the Sydney event also includes a rare stripped-back acoustic set, offering an early close-range look at the new material.
FREE LAUNCH PARTIES – first come, first served
Friday 24 April – The Croxton Front Bar, Thornbury, Melbourne
Thursday 30 April – Bat & Ball Hotel, Redfern, Sydney
The album itself expands on the blend that first made Fields stand out: wiry indie-rock hooks, dry-eyed humour and lyrics sharp enough to laugh while they bruise. This time, though, the frame is wider. Small Achievements reportedly draws on the last four years of her life in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, where she lived through the pandemic, severe floods, relationship upheaval, loss, a band falling apart and the long business of putting things back together.
Its title comes from time spent working at the Billinudgel Hotel, known locally as “the Nudge”. Fields says a beloved regular named Sharky once received a Hole-in-One trophy that was proudly displayed behind the bar. That gesture became the record’s central metaphor: celebrating achievements not by scale, but by what they mean to the person who earned them.
It is a pointed idea in an industry addicted to milestones, numbers and whatever comes next.
Latest single Mikey Echo keeps that spirit intact. Written about Sharky, the track nods to their habit of speaking in the phonetic alphabet, with “Mikey Echo” translating to “ME”. The accompanying video, shot on 16mm film, follows him through everyday rituals: fishing, watching his beloved Manly Sea Eagles and inhabiting the rhythms of pub life.
Presented by triple j, the upcoming tour will see Fields hit Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Fremantle, joined by Mac The Knife, Platonic Sex and Smol Fish.
RUBY FIELDS SMALL ACHIEVEMENTS TOUR
Fri 24 Apr – The Croxton, Melbourne
Sat 2 May – Manning Bar, Sydney
Sat 9 May – Princess Theatre, Brisbane
Thu 14 May – The Gov, Adelaide
Sat 16 May – Freo Social, Fremantle
Supported by Mac The Knife, *Platonic Sex & **Smol Fish
*Platonic Sex not performing in Perth
** Smol Fish only performing in Perth
Go HERE for tickets.
Go HERE to buy the album, stream it HERE.
