Post punk rock boppers from down under, Meres, have been relatively quiet – understandable given front person Mary Shannon has also been active in the shoegaze giants Dvrkworld – but in a surprise return, they are back with the somewhat ironically titled single ‘Quiet Australians’.
Meres have always been an exuberant entity featuring a punky power pop aesthetic with Shannon’s luminescent vocals to the fore. Unlike her other band duties, in Meres, Shannon’s vocals are prominent, acerbic and angry, delivered over a hyperkinetic blast that’s angular and punchy. Shannon says of the track:
‘Quiet Australians’ is part satire, part emotional survival strategy. The theme came from my psychologist telling me to ‘put on the Arts Producer blazer’ (literally and metaphorically) in order to survive events where I’m mad at the world but still need to smile politely at politicians to play the game of securing funding for vital community initiatives. Initiatives that maybe wouldn’t even be needed if we had leaders, and/or voters, who actually prioritised people over profit.
It’s about caring too much and not enough at the same time — and overthinking both. Also, everything is your fault, baby – so enjoy the ride you’ve been strapped to against your will, ‘cause it ain’t stoppin’.
And indeed Shannon and the band are not stopping, with their long-awaited debut album ‘Worried Sick’, out on 25 April 25 on vinyl and digital via Bandcamp. ‘Quiet Australians’ seems to reference the mythological silent masses that seem to be called up frequently by the more conservative side of politics, and is a delicious swipe at the need to pander to those who don’t care about the arts and artistic expression. Particularly apt in the midst of an election.
‘Quiet Australians’ is out today and will be available via all the usual streaming and download sites. The single heralds the new album and hopefully some live action. You can pre-order the album below.
According to the band:
The cover art is by the absurdly talented Zoe Grey (TAS) — painter of wild coastlines, weird skies, and feelings you don’t have words for. Her work has picked up serious attention (including the $100K Hadley’s Art Prize), and she somehow managed to capture what this album feels like by listening to it and painting about it. Pure wonderment.
