Dave Graney and Clare Moore between them are golden threads that have glittered through the fabric of the antipodean indie music scene since the eighties: a constant presence in a sea of mutability and change that has delivered the most innovative and entertaining fare for aeons and helped shape and influence musical attire throughout. The dapper dress, the erudite and witty charm of Graney has always presented as one of the most enigmatic frontman in rock history, delivering his poetry with a glint in the eye and a studied style and panache, while multi instrumentalist Moore has always delivered a sold gold lustre on drums, keyboards and whatever else comes to hand.
Over the years they have formed the legendary The Moodists, the White Buffaloes, Coral Snakes, Royal Dave Graney Show, Lurid Yellow Mist and most recently the mistLY – solid decades of undimming creativity that have accompanied the panoply of prestigious antipodean music acts alongside fellow magicians The Apartments, The Go-Betweens, Nick Cave, The Chills and The Bats.
It is therefore utterly magical to hear that Graney and Moore are about to release a new album, ‘In A Mistly’, on the auspicious date of 11 November – the anniversary of of a number of important dates for Australians including the sacking of the Whitlam Government back in 1975 and the hanging of Ned Kelly a few years before that. A faint tang of republican sentiments in the air perhaps? Indeed, to whet our appetites, their new single ‘TANG’ provides a tasty hors d’oeuvres in advance of the album release as well as an acerbic look at our society.
Pattering pianos and slightly discordant guitars bed the track with a spritely pace, with Graney providing the loquacious vocals – dry, laconic and urbane. His self-deprecating style is insouciant and cool as he excoriates the on-screen self-obsessions of society – the mouth all stilted up! Closed! This is a wry and witty observation on the ephemeral nature of the tik-tok generation – short sharp tastes that are fleeting and inconsequential:
Absolutely delicious fare. The album, ‘In A Mistly’, is out through Graney’s own label Cockaigne Records where it can be pre-ordered through the link below (where you can access the single as well). The duo will also be playing on 30 September in Portland Art Centre (Melbourne) to provide a post COVID launch of their previous album ‘Everything Was Funny’ (and no doubt a cheeky glimpse of the new album) – details and tickets here.
