The Boondocks’ single “Hell of a Time” has become a crowd favourite, slotting right into the heart of their debut album Don’t Let Them See You Cry, which dropped back on October 17, 2025.

The Āwhitu two-piece, Scott Parker on bass and Branden Pritchard on drums, have carved out a fast-growing name for themselves since forming in 2022. Their whole thing is raw, loud, and full of that unmistakable Kiwi grit, the kind that makes you want to grab a pint and yell along from the back of the room.

“Hell of a Time” shows a lighter side of the duo, still heavy on the groove but built for big, sweaty singalongs. The band say it was written with their own circle of characters in mind, the ones who always manage to turn a quiet night into a story you probably shouldn’t tell your mum.

“When we wrote this song, we wanted to make something fun and upbeat, something different from our usual, and that our crowds could sing along to easily,” they said. “It’s written about a few of our munter mates and their carefree outlook on life… with a little bit of a satire kick at people who don’t give it up…”

It fits right into the album’s mix of grit and vulnerability too. Don’t Let Them See You Cry is heavy in places, cheeky in others, and “Hell of a Time” acts like the exhale between the punches.

If you’re diving into The Boondocks for the first time, this track is a bloody good place to start.