Last year I interviewed Pete Daly and Al Carr from Castlemaine (Victoria) alt-country four-piece Bad Debts about their debut album Under Kalimna Skies, and they recounted the story of how the band had organically developed from its members meeting each other around town. Carr already had an established solo career, with three albums (and a fourth on the way later this year); Daly was in the band Blueriver, and the other Bad Debts members, Mitch Dillon and Al Stanley, had also been making music for years.
What was evident from that conversation was that they were having fun jamming together and performing together, and that they were enjoying this new creative path that had opened up. The songs on the first album were mainly written either by Carr, Dillon or Daly individually, and with three songwriters in the band it seemed likely that new music wouldn’t be too far away.
That day has now arrived with the imminent release of new single ‘Some Salvation’, which is having its premiere here today. It’s the first single from their new album Half Light, which is due out on vinyl and digital on 11 September.
Listen here: https://baddebts.bandcamp.com/track/some-salvation
Written and sung by Carr, it is about, he says, ‘that situation where one moves too fast for the other, racing through it all and not standing still for a minute to smell the roses. A call to celebrate the minutiae and take stock of the small detail instead of racing to the end of it all. Musically the song follows something of a Jeff Lynne songbook confused with the raggedness of Bad Debts’ sonic palette!’
There is a feeling in the song of the instruments tugging back, urging the listener to not hurry on, thereby reinforcing the message of the lyrics. Carr’s vocal is laidback until the last chorus, when it rises, almost as if he’s indicating it’s the last chance to change that racing behaviour.
Under Kalimna Skies was a treat of an album, with the rich contributions of the band’s four experienced members. It was clear from the album and the interview that there was a certain momentum to this band, and exciting to have another album on the way. Suffice to say – to make a play on words here – we will not need any kind of salvation from Bad Debts’ releases!
‘Some Salvation’ will be available everywhere on 18 August.
Listen here first: https://baddebts.bandcamp.com/track/some-salvation
CREDITS:
Al Carr: guitar, vocals, bass
Pete Daly: guitar, vocals
Mitch Dillon: guitar, bass, vocals
Al Stanley: drums, percussion
Joe Cope: keyboards
Rebecca Howell: backing vocals
Recorded at Ragged Gum Studios, Castlemaine
Engineered by Mitch Dillon, mixed by Clinton Kraus, mastered by Crystal Mastering
Band photo: Penny Ryan
