As we near the highly anticipated release of the debut album from Australian supergroup Last Leaves, we are excited to announce an exclusive 7″ single from the band called ‘The Hinterland’ (matinée 094)!
Formed from the scattered remains of The Lucksmiths, Last Leaves combine songwriter Marty Donald’s lyrical sleight-of-hand with the jangle and racket of his former band mates Louis Richter and Mark Monnone, and drummer Noah Symons of Great Earthquake fame.
Bristly and warm, boldly fragile, and full to the gunwales with evocative imagery, ‘The Hinterland’ recounts a country convalescence: “From an upstairs window at your parents place/You saw the sun set where the highway cuts across the hinterland/Tail-lights fading in the twilight/It was more than you could stand.” To these ears, it sounds like a lost classic from Australia’s Summershine imprint which of course is high praise indeed. Guitars interweave throughout the verse … Richter’s joyous leads recalling variously Big Country and Stone Roses atop Donald’s staggered rhythm … before bursting anthemically into the harmony-laden chorus.
Exclusive b-side ‘Nora Creina’ borrows its title from a pin-prick hamlet on South Australia’s Limestone Coast and its chorus from a short story by the Canadian writer Alice Munro, its shamble-footed groove giving way memorably to a majestic shoe-gaze outro.
The 7″ is limited to 500 copies worldwide and co-released with the hip Lost and Lonesome Recording Company of Australia so please support your local label. The digital release is September 22 and vinyl ships on or before October 6. You can preorder either format RIGHT NOW in the Matinée shop!
Produced by Gareth Parton (The Go! Team, Foals, The Breeders), the debut Last Leaves album ‘Other Towns Than Ours’ (matcd080) is released October 20, again in collaboration with Lost and Lonesome. Please watch this space for more information on the album. In the meantime, have a listen to your new favorite song on our Soundcloud and watch the official video below: