So over the past two-and-a-half years, the band have been quietly piecing together an album. They started with a pool of over forty songs, then gradually sifted through and refined them until they had what they wanted – under their own steam, with no clock running; just making the album until it was made. Much of it was made in Glenn’s home studio in Tasmania, and was mixed by Paul McKercher, who worked on Sunset Studies, Strange Bird and Moo, You Bloody Choir.
The first song from it is released tomorrow, but you can listen to it today. It's called ‘After The Crack Up'.
‘After The Crack Up’ is named after Scott Fitzgerald's collection of later life confessionals, itself equal parts pitiful capitulation to life, and heroic confrontation of failure and addiction. It parses the DNA of a less-celebrated branch of the organic Australian male - no beast certainly - but the type who, when faced with the banality of common, uncelebrated existence and responsibility will more than likely opt for extended layover in the increasingly dingy and desperate-looking post-adolescent lounge. Henry Lawson, people's poet, bizarrely makes an appearance with some sage advice though it's unclear whether or not he's really welcome at the bar.
It's available on iTunes tomorrow, Tuesday 24 June.
More soon,
- The Good Gardener