Melbourne garage-psych four-piece The Baudelaires have just released their debut LP Musk Hill, the follow-up to their 2014 debut EP Be A Baudelaire.
They certainly weren’t a band shy of the effects pedals a couple of years ago, and it’s a predilection that’s stuck around, as the band dive ever deeper into their genre of choice with unbridled enthusiasm. Keen to peer behind the curtain, we’ve asked the band to let us in on what’s happening behind each layer of thick fuzz – including a brutal day of overdubs in 45º weather.
If you’re keen to hear the record live, you’ll be able to catch it being launched on a fast-paced run of East Coast shows from the 17th-20th, more details below.
Scrapbooker
The lyrics were written about a moment when I couldn’t make clear of dream and reality, being proper delusional. But really this song is all about that unstoppable charging rhythm by the Wittstadt brothers. I also like how Benny’s guitar sounds like a cat meow and almost inspired an entire videoclip full of cats. We’re still trying to get funding for that one.
Snapper Steve
This is about our good friend Steve who’s living the ultimate Australian dream down on the peninsula. Got a well paying job, babe of a wife, cute little daughter, a slick fast car, but still longing and dreaming of reeling in that proper-size snapper from the Mornington Pier. Maybe even one with a golden tag on it!
Foxglove
Most of my lyrics and melody get done in the garden so I thought it’d be appropriate to name a song after a flower. Also there’s a whole Baudelaire metaphor thang. Had a lot of fun recording it… Especially the intro..
Lucy Leave
My good friend Timmy had me over one evening for some Picon biere and record listening and he was ravin’ about this song he had that we should cover. Thinking it was going to be some out-there bonkers prog song as per usual I was getting ready to dismiss it, but it turned out to be probably the best 60s pop song I’ve ever heard. The unheard-of Pink Floyd song that’s just a perfect poppin’ dance number.. Thanks Timmy and Syd!
Colour Mary
This is also a bit of a delusional one inspired by Nabokov’s Mary. I’ve always loved Benny’s filthy guitar line in it and will always find hilarious that someone critiqued the track by saying he needs a guitar tuner. Moral of the story: don’t listen to anyone ever.
Bomber Dan
The name came about from one of Ryan and I’s mumble sessions at a festival where he thought I said “Bomber Dan?”. It’s also the first song written on my Dan Electro and encompasses our good friend Dan who loves a good bomb and a boogie. Surprisingly we got this one down in one take, but it took ages to get Vinnie the cat’s perfect meow.
Life’s Too Short For Longboards
Growing up on the ninch coast of Dromana, surfing should be a thing of ours. But it isn’t. So we wrote a song pretending to be as cool as my little brother.
Whet Denim
This is the darkest and longest song on the album. Ryan named this one. But sadly we trimmed it down from “Whet Denim/Pickle in my Pocket”. But we sure didn’t trim down the two psychedelic breakdowns in it.
Dweller
I can’t remember writing this one. All I can remember is Ryan and I doing overdubs in my room on a 45-degree day with our shirts off bordering on consciousness. Hence all the weird stuff at the end.
The Baudelaires Tour Dates
Thursday, 17th November – The Phoenix, Canberra
Friday, 18th November – Lass O’Gowrie, Newcastle
Saturday, 19th November – Vic on the Park, Sydney
Sunday, 20th November – Frankie’s Pizza, Sydney
