- Ahead of a glorious return to Adelaide hometown and then a jaunt at the mythic Meredith music festival amphitheatre, Craig Dermody, at the front of Scott & Charlene’s Wedding, has dropped a neat, six-track EP.
When in Rome, Carpe Diem bursts out the gate, chomping at the bit; Dermody quite literally whoops with glee before the chorus hits on Outside World - it feels good to be back! The Melbournites hold their place on the mantle alongside compatriots like UV Race and Boomgates, care of the double-decker tram reference and a very Dick Diver spoken interlude: “And then my phone rings: who could that be? Is it work? Is my rent due? Is it a new opportunity? It’s the outside world!” At other moments, it fun to hear them dip into a more American, sinewy rock mode, with its flashy, distorted guitar solos and dense rhythm section.
Dermody’s signature clipped rasp is charming as always, most notably on Boundary Line, which sees him reflect on the loss of his parents, and the common ties within his family. These days, he catches himself tearing up when his nieces are “writing poetry about the women they hope to grow up and be”, just like his sentimental Dad. And like his Mum, he loves to tell “stories of hilarious bad luck” to a crowd of mates.
On Salt in Your Hair, Craig is transported back in time when he finds some old photos during a bedroom spring clean. The minimal pairing of keyboard and lilting, brassy guitar lines suspend the memory of old haircuts and housemates in thin air. “When you gonna come around again?” Craig asks, before the drums kick in, like the quick puff of air that blows dust off the surface of the pictures.
The EP ends quietly triumphant, on Back in the Corner. “I ain’t ever gonna walk on sunshine / But I’m happy to be back in the mix,” Craig sings. As he describes coming out of an apparently rough mental health patch, driving trucks and reading books again, I’m struck by the deceptive simplicity of Scott & Charlene lyrics. There’s rarely any exaggeration of the everyday; Craig catalogues the little wins and losses of life, which end up capturing change in a kind of profound way. He’s grateful to watch a mate’s kid walk from the TV to the couch without any help, before throwing all of her food on the floor. He’s happy to meet a friend in transit at the airport for a bowl of noodles, and grateful for another, who lent him an old man t-shirt when he was crying on their kitchen floor. As Back in the Corner closes, Craig decides he’s going to dance - it’s nothing major, but it’s healing. “And yeah, it’s gonna look bad,” he sings. “But I don’t care / I’m back in the corner!”.
- Aleisha McLaren.