In 2019 Harvey Russell released the album Liquid Damage, which is a rollicking good time of a record. Joining Russell on the album was his band, The Widowmakers (Aaron Langman on pedal steel and electric guitars, Jonathan Kelly on bass and Rich Burrows on drums). The producer, Michael Carpenter, contributed backing vocals, piano, Hammond organ and percussion to that album – and it is Carpenter who has made the video for ‘Gave You Flowers’, which is the last single from Liquid Damage.
The song is about ultimately futile efforts to atone for bad behaviour while the video – which is having its premiere on this site today – plays on the line ‘It’s hard to get good help’. In it Russell finds it hard to get musical help in the form of The Widowmakers, who are wandering around town, late for practice (at one stage even looking quite happy to be pursuing some real-estate listings rather than being where they should be). And although the song’s chorus says that it’s hard not to imagine how the situation is going to end in tears, there are no fierce recriminations for the band when they finally show up.
The single launch by Russell and the tardy band will take place on 1 August in Sydney’s Petersham Bowling Club, with Simone East as support. Tickets available here.