Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird: Inland Empire
Ahead of the release of Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird’s fourth long player, Rosewater Crocodile, bandleader Lachlan Rose spoke to The Note about recording the album in an old chapel, the impact of David Lynch and the biggest lesson he’s learned since being in the band.
Words Tobias Handke // Image Casper Conrick
Naarm/Melbourne alt-rockers Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird have carved out a niche space in the Aussie music community.
Since forming in 2015, singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist Lachlan Rose and his ragtag bunch of muso mates (vocalist and keytarist Francesca Gonzales, drummer Nick Reid, bassist Matthew Hayes and guitarist, vocalist and percussionist Peter Simonsen) have delivered three engrossing albums and a slew of EPs that have cemented the group as one of the country’s most thrilling live acts.
This week, the five-piece releases their fourth studio album, Rosewater Crocodile, arriving via Double Drummer. 11 tracks of genre-bending cinematic arrangements with touches of ‘80s pop, indie sleaze, and atmospheric ‘70s soft rock, the album is a leading contender for Australian Album of the Year.
Ahead of the release of Rosewater Crocodile, Rose opened up to The Note about the creative process behind the album, his love of Bruce Hornsby, and his admiration for David Lynch's films.
Congratulations on the release of Rosewater Crocodile. What’s been the most fulfilling aspect of making this record?
I specifically loved waking up on the floor of the chapel studio. We would sleep in there occasionally. You’d be kind of sore from the hardwood floors and breathing steam against the cold air, but waking up to your first sight being a sunbeam illuminating a marimba or a steel pan was always wildly inspiring.
The most fulfilling aspect is only just occurring, however, as people start to listen to the album on long drives and on flights, etc. The notion of people listening to the music in transit is specifically very touching for me.
The album arrives three years after Smiles of Earth. How has your approach to songwriting evolved over that time?
The more music I create, the less I try to ‘write’ it. I’ve found it more creatively liberating to see albums as a kind of world that you populate with textures and colour palettes and smells and characters. In this case, the world became a kind of exotic jungle full of mystical, mythical creatures. Once I opened that door within myself, the songs tumbled out in this really enjoyable way. Within that process, there still exists the thematic core of longing and love that drives all of our music, but I think the creative process is largely about finding new ways to draw your authentic self forth from within.
You mentioned recording the album in an old chapel. Did that shape the end product of Rosewater Crocodile?
We have always tried to make the album recording process an environmental experience. From our early albums at Sing Sing to Sunset Sounds in Hollywood to our album rehearsal studio out in the bush of Christmas Hills - the setting impacts the sound immeasurably.
The magic chapel that Josh Barber (producer) has brought to life is perhaps the most tangible example of this. We were able to sleep in the chapel, by the fire, wake up amongst vibraphones and marimbas and get straight back to creating. There’s something undeniable about that uninterrupted creation. You’re able to hold more colourful ideas together over longer periods without fragmenting them. There’s also an obvious, profound tether between chapels and music. They’re places of worship and built to foster connection to the greater powers of the universe. While I wouldn’t describe any of us as religious, there’s a religiousness to music to which we’re wholeheartedly pious.
Speaking of producer Josh Barber (Georgia Fields, Queenie), why did you choose to work with him, and what did he bring to the table?
Literally - the table. Josh brings the kitchen sink. He would pull iron sheeting off the roof and hand it to our drummer Rick as a snare drum substitute. He converted his outdoor water tank into a reverb chamber. He knows how to embrace the environment without compromising the song. He also innately understood our approach of ‘world building’ an album rather than writing one. He speaks of the ‘characters’ in our songs rather than vocal performances. His influence on this album is profound.
You also reached out to longtime collaborator Matthew Neighbour (Matt Corby, The Avalanches, Middle Kids) to mix the album. How has your relationship developed over the years, and why does he suit the sound of the band?
Matt was instrumental in developing the sound of Cousin Tony’s in the first place. He taught me so much about how to elicit sounds and artifacts from old instruments and how to space out sounds within a fictional room. So much of our colour comes from his approach. Despite his living in LA these days, it’s always a pleasure to send him a collection of recordings and have him mix them and bring them to life.
Some of the main themes I detected running through the album concern human connection and the fragility of life and love. What were you hoping to get across with this body of work, or do you leave it up to the listener to interpret your music?
I don’t try to steer the ship of meaning too much at all anymore. But that’s not to say these songs aren’t drenched in it. I’m always amazed how much sense oozes out of a process that is born from gibberish and noise. I have a lot of faith that when something feels powerful to sing, it’s powerful for a reason, even if it doesn’t make sense to you as the songwriter on some literal level. To an extent, I don’t really think a song even exists until someone else is there to hear and interpret it. If a tree falls in the woods, I suppose.
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Tell me about ‘Flee the Cage’. It reminds me of something Bruce Hornsby would have written. There’s a real, tangible quality to the track.
That’s a deeply touching comparison! I adore Bruce Hornsby. I think there’s a whole legion of his followers making music now – Bon Iver, Mk.gee and Dijon to name a few. The music made in the ‘80s is often relegated to this lesser strata, which is utterly ridiculous; dismissing a decade of music. There was so much evolution, particularly in the harmony of piano music and the way chords are voiced. Bruce Hornsby’s playing brought that right to the surface. I definitely had that in mind while ‘Flee the Cage’ was bubbling up.
Another highlight is ‘My Ghost & Its Crawling’. The song addresses memories and past lives. Where did the idea for this track come from, and do you believe in past lives and experiences?
Many Cousin Tony songs, particularly those on the album New Romancer, were born from a place of heartbreak, grief and the process of moving forward. Artistically, I’ve approached these feelings from many different aspects. In this song, it’s kind of a note left on the fridge to someone special saying, “I won’t be here in the morning.” I imagine people are having these quiet conversations with people in their mind all the time, sending out messages across great distances, and I hope this song gives them voice.
As for past lives – who knows? I work with kids that occasionally leave me thinking there’s no way this is your first experience of Earth. I think I try my best to live as if this is my only chance at it.
In press material for the album, you mention David Lynch’s take on creativity. You’re obviously a fan of his work. What is it about Lynch’s films that intrigues you? Do you have a favourite?
I have always admired the way he articulates the creative process – it is pure and strange and speaks for itself. It is also a deeply meditative process. I like to think Rosewater Crocodile has been conjured and made in a very Lynchian way.
Mulholland Drive is my favourite of his films. It’s a strange and sexy dream that turns out to make a whole lot of sense. But Eraserhead and The Elephant Man are right up there, too. His book Room to Dream illuminated and affirmed a lot about the creative process for me and I try to instil this in the kids I teach. RIP.
What else sparks your creative juices?
Funnily, I listen to very little indie rock. None of my inspiration comes from music that sounds anything like CoTo. I have this amazing job designing and delivering creative writing workshops for young people, and they inspire me constantly, every day. Building worlds and characters is the most wonderfully three-dimensional process. Fantasy, sci-fi and magic realism inspire a lot of my songwriting. Our album New Romancer, for instance, was a homage to William Gibson’s Neuromancer.
I am inspired by the films of Paul Thomas Anderson, Wong Kar-Wai, Sophia Coppola and David Lynch, to name a few.
Beyond that, it’s mostly the other members of Cousin Tony’s that inspire me. They’re always opening up new doors in their musicality. When I hear them turn these little corners into something new, I often hear the ingredients of the next wave of songs.
You’ve been making music under the Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird banner for a decade now. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned during that time?
That good songs come from true love.
To coincide with the album release, you’re hitting the road for a run of shows. Is it daunting to take to the stage with new material without really knowing how the audience will react, or is that part of the buzz of performing live?
No, it can be nerve-wracking. You care about these songs so deeply and you’re sending them out into the world on their own. Of course you want them to be loved as much as you love them. But I feel a sense of peace knowing the kind of people that are drawn to our music. People often comment on how loving and earnest the feeling in the audience is. We’ve been sending songs out there for ten years now, and they’ve always been met with love. I don’t imagine this album being any different.
The band are known for their dynamic live performances. Any surprises on the upcoming tour?
Our secret weapon, Oliver Whitehead on the saxophone, is returning from living overseas just in time for the tour. I’ve always seen him as the Green Power Ranger; he wasn’t part of the original five Rangers, but when he joined them, it was undeniably better. He also had a sword that was also a gun that was also a flute. Hell yeah!
Rosewater Crocodile by Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird is out now. Catch the band live at Ed Castle on Saturday, August 2. Tickets on sale now via moshtix.com.au.
