They say there’s something in the water in Perth that continually breeds amazing bands and unheard melodies. Three-piece Methyl Ethel provide further evidence for this theory. The band’s debut album Oh Inhuman Spectacle is, for want of an eloquent term, bloody awesome.
Lead single Rogues has a wonderfully familiar twang reminiscent of Twerps, but also something more solemn that resembles The War On Drugs. The vocals are delicate and tell an image-heavy story that includes lyrics like, “I was arriving on the coattails of a stranger/ Who was caught under house arrest/ And his room became his tomb.” As lead singer and lyricist Jake Webb continues, you realise you’re leaning forward, desperately awaiting the next line. Luckily, Webb doesn’t disappoint. This is also true of latest single Twilight Driving, which is one of the best tracks on the album.
To Swim opens with footsteps, but they soon give way to an open dreamscape, which is more in keeping with the title. Unbalancing Act is initially somewhat destabilising, but the free-floating beats and melodies unite and loop beautifully for the song’s duration, fading out peacefully alongside birdcalls and crickets.
As a whole, Oh Inhuman Spectacle is a living, breathing thing. There’s connective tissue linking all the songs, be it a lyrical theme, a fleeting sound, or the overarching sentiment. The Perth trio’s debut is truly addictive.
BY IZZY TOLHURST
