Cuthbert and the Night Walkers www.myspace.com/cuthbertandthenightwalkers
If you listen closely enough, there’s wonder to be found in most aspects of the everyday: it’s a case of opening your ears and eyes to what’s around you. Imagine then, a pysch-washed, choir-infused pop take on the joy of life in Sydney 2008, as written and performed by a ringmaster, a rock band and an all-girl choir.
Welcome to the sound of Cuthbert and The Night Walkers, an eight-piece Sydney outfit who join the musical dots between ‘Brick in the Wall’ era Pink Floyd and Architecture In Helsinki (and everything in-between).
Cuthbert & The Night Walkers hatched in 2005, post Macquarie University and invigorated from witnessing the Polyphonic Spree perform at that year’s Big Day Out. Fusing together a keen musicianship with a healthy dose of theatricality, the band’s first outings drew them to the attention of triple j, who recently awarded the band winners of their triple j Unearthed competition.
After self-releasing two EPs and a single, the band has signed to ABC Music, first fruits of which is the stellar long player ‘Love Needs Us’.
Recorded in Sydney with a variety of charitable talented producers and engineers, the album plays out almost like the score from a yet to be written musical, with a keen observation, lyrical wit and a great deal of musical light and shade from song to song (and even within each song).
‘Love Needs Us’ reveals a bewildering array of influences, as though a musical family tree had been grafted with many different branches, each bearing very different musical fruit. For sure, there are touches of folk (new and old), sea shanties and music for theatre, and while lazy comparisons may point to the likes of the Flaming Lips, repeated listening exposes many more layers of genres and influences.
From Tiny Tim to T-Rex and Queen, ‘Leaky Boat’ to Split Enz and The Pogues, Donovan to Sufjan Stevens, it’s all in there, coated in crunching guitars, warm washes of organs, pianos and of course the choir, who appear throughout the album like some wayward muse or conscience. Richie himself comes through as part circus ringleader, part storyteller, with a delivery as on point as it is compelling.
Above all else the album is infused with a brave optimism and exuberance; even in more reflective and melancholy moments such as ‘Catholic Guilt’, joy and beauty continue to shine through.
‘Red Frogs’ and ‘Newtown’ have already become stalwart faves on local and community radio, but are only a glimpse of what else there is to enjoy of “Love Needs Us”. It goes without saying that a ten-piece dressed like the Mad Hatter’s tea party tearing it up live on stage is somewhat an added bonus. Icing on this cake if you like.
In support of the release of ‘Love Needs Us’, Cuthbert and The Night Walkers will be visiting a venue near you. Love needs you. They need you. Embrace them.
