We are honoured to premiere the new video/single for the title track to The Petrov Affair‘s new album ‘Men Are A Luxury Item’ due out in March.
‘Men Are a Luxury Item’ has delicious multi-layered instrumentation that ripples and folds with a complexity that mirrors a piece of Gamelan music, creating something airy and spacious. There is a haunting melancholy threaded throughout: a sort of world weary tone that recalls The National. The vocals are touched with a sardonic and self-deprecating blush, distant, almost observational.
Singer/keyboardist Murray Lee says the track is a:
…candid reflection on being single after a long time, questioning why anyone would choose to date someone riddled with insecurity. ‘I know that I’m a competent lover’, he says, ‘baby well I’m not so sure.’
There are touches of antipodean bands like The Church or Models mixed in with eighties bands like Magazine or Gang of Four – a sort of intelligent art pop melange that is atmospheric and slightly distorted in the most pleasurable way imaginable.
The lyrics match the tone – icy and remote, self-deprecating:
She started thinking about a future
After three years of living in the past
While there’s another life behind her eyes
Her memories are fading fast
She said, ‘men are a luxury item
I think I’ve learned to live without’
I said, ‘while I may be tough to maintain,
I’m worth the grief I’ve handed out’
The accompanying video takes up the surreal psychedelic elements of the track, presenting a twisted kaleidoscope of images as the band plays – quizzical and louche:
This is enigmatic and delicious fare. The single is out tomorrow and you can download and stream via all the usual sites and through the link below:
The album is out on 6 March, and Lee says:
The album unfolds as a loose song cycle exploring romantic and intimate relationships—and the insecurities that often accompany them. At its core, it’s a reflection on human flaws—a half-serious, half-playful commentary on the human condition.
The band will be on tour around NSW in March launching the new album – details below.
The Petrov Affair are:
Murray Lee: Vocals, Keyboards
Bruce Thomas: BVs and Guitars
Glenn Cone: Bass
Tim Powles: Drums
