Nowadays it almost comes as a given that any artist hitting Europe and the States from Australia is going to be pretty great. Singer songwriters are no exception to this enigma, I mean, just take a look at the way Chet Faker has taken the world by storm in the past few months. Joining this legacy is Dustin Tebbutt, a Sydney dweller intent on carving his name into the indie folk hall of fame. (Metaphorically speaking of course, although I would like to hereby call the powers that be to create such a hall, where I would live like a raccoon, nestling in the bushy beards ensconced within.)
At the time of me writing this review, Dustin's EP The Breach has been floating around for nigh on a month and I can only kick myself for not having given it a proper listen before. Now the winter is drawing in for most of us, the mornings are becoming crisp and the nights becoming unfathomable voids of wearing three onesies and eight pairs of socks making The Breach the perfect bedfellow for the bleakness outside.
Kicking off the EP is lead track also entitled The Breach. The song is extremely reminiscent of artists like Bon Iver, with it's sparse wintery chords and haunting vocals but I use the Bon Iver comparison very warily. Dustin does have a feeling of uniqueness to his tracks that go beyond merely comparing him to every folk singer of the last decade and what's more, it does him no justice. Check out the tenderly crafted music video at the bottom there to see what I mean.
Dustin recorded the EP way up North in Sweden after living there for two years and following track 'Where I Find You' is a gorgeous musical rendition of his time there. The instrumentation and lyrics work together to create an imagined landscape of pure beauty that is only realistically achievable by actually being surrounded by such climes.
Dustin Tebbutt goes above and beyond in his representation of the northern hemisphere, something I don't feel like I've properly felt from an artist since The Tallest Man on Earth. Even greater when you remember that he's a migrant Australian with sand, barbeques and box jelly fish coursing through his veins. I can't verify that as fact, but I hope it's true because that'd be the most badass super villain ever. Getting back to the EP, 'The Wolves (Reprise)' is something more in the way of Jose Gonzalez, being more delicate with the focus being on plucked acoustic guitars and vocals. String sections and hand claps wane in and out when needed, but without detracting from the harmony between man and guitar.
Rounding off the EP is White Lines, not just taking a leaf out of Sigur Ros' book, but more the entire tree. I don't mean that in a bad way though. What better way to pay homage to the breathtaking nature of the Nordic countries than to create something reminiscent of one of the greatest Icelandic bands ever?
The Breach is something truly special. Any fan of artists and bands I've mentioned during this review would do well to pick up a copy, snuggle up to a fire in their log cabin and drift off. Failing that, you could always get in bed fully clothed in your damp apartment and lament the decisions you've made to bring you to this point in your life. And now the video I promised you way back up there.
The Breach will be available in the UK early 2014 but can be listened to in its entirety on soundcloud.
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