Fingerless have been sitting down at the musical banquet since 2009, sampling very small plates of acid-folk in oyster sauce, deep-fried rock & roll, steamy, ambient soundscapes with chilli, dried and salted neo-psychedelia, and fresh electronica with lime.
Washing all of that down with an ice cold, medieval folk ballad and maybe a sweet dungeon-synth liqueur or two, the Meanjin-based band can't quite put their finger on their favourite flavour just yet.
Helpfully, the band has prepared a few tasting guides in the form of four albums ('5:18', 'Organ Control', 'Outhere' and 'Life, Death, and Prizes'), an EP ('Does It Really Though?'), and a smorgasbord of singles.
However, wait a second. Stop chewing. Hold on just a flame-grilled minute! A new baked good has just arrived; a new album, fresh from the oven. There are some words here, baked right into the crust! 'Repeater'.
"'Repeater' is the fifth album by Meanjin/ Brisbane band Fingerless. It was recorded mainly in Jeff Lovejoy's studio Black Box Recording, with some tasteful overdubs done in my dodgy home studio," shares Marc Cheeseman.
"The title of the album has a bit more meaning than you might think. The life of a musician is full of repetition: listening to the same song(s) or artist(s) over and over again.
"Learning/ practicing an instrument is just playing the same thing(s) over and over again, writing a song is just playing a riff or chord progression over and over again until you find a lyric or melody or whatever that goes with it.
"Writing lyrics feels like saying the same thing over and over again – and don't even get me started on the recording/ mixing/ mastering process."
For fans of The Beatles, Tame Impala, of Montreal, Grizzly Bear, and The Lemon Twigs 'Repeater' thematically circles around the topics of human connection and hope.
Some of the nine songs were written during the extended post-2020 malaise, while others were written before COVID, and still others were written more recently.
The songs ended up being about things people share: moments, lifetimes, tears, fears, ambition, jealousy, jokes, stories and legacies.
"It's soft. It's loud. It's squishy, spiky, crunchy and tangy – and it's all for you," declares Fingerless. "With a little help from 4000 Records, Fingerless are launching our new album straight into the sun – better bring your solar eclipse glasses .𖥔݁˖☾𖤓☽.𖥔݁˖."
Stepping away from the music for a moment to whet your palate, Fingerless drummer Jonny shares his favourite wines.
"When one develops a palate for good wine and a good tempo for polishing off numerous bottles over the course of the evening, they are no longer an alcoholic, but a wine commander. This is fine tuned over 10,000 hours and practice makes perfect."
Purple Angel Malbec (Colchagua Valley)
The greatest wine I've ever laid lips on. I swilled around my gums prolonging the flavour and couldn't bring myself to swallow. My teeth turned purple. I never saw her again.
Reislingfreak Riesling (Eden Valley)
This winemaker is kindly referred to as the freak of Eden by local wine enthusiasts. For his talent, not for his additional appendages. Notes of garden hose.
Koerner Sangiovese (Clare Valley)
Strong notes of old leather and cigars.
Marqués de Murriet Tempranillo blend (Rioja)
This induces reveries of Jamón, pigs ears and baby eels on crusty bread on the high streets of Madrid. Brexit has ruined my retirement plan.
La Crema Chardonnay (Monterey)
Monterey really did itself up like a kipper by decimating its local sardine populations, but one can celebrate failure with wine. Suggestions of buttered toast and pineapple on fire.
