Jack Harlon ain't no space cowboy, nor is he the gangster of love; he is the twisted creation and alter ego of Melbourne musician Tim Coutts-Smith.
Initially intended as a 'doom' side project, Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows has become Tim's main horse, falling somewhere between 'Red Dead Redemption' and 'The Naked Lunch' by William S. Burroughs.Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows are set to release their second album, which is the follow-up to 2018's debut 'Hymns' and will expand on the world in which Jack lives.
“The first story of Jack is he's this guy who goes on the hunt for the Devil because he reckons that the Devil killed his wife and his kid,” Tim explains.
“We're looking for any excuse to come back to Brissie.” - Jack Harlon
“Halfway along he doesn't know if he's lost his mind or not, so there's some derangement to Jack Harlon, and putting on his persona when I play live I get to let a bit of my own derangement loose.
“The last album was mainly about the Jack character – it had a few other characters in it – but this album is about a different main character.”
Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows brings together several of Tim's key inspirations and interests: psych rock, fuzz tones and Spaghetti Westerns, plus a healthy dose of 'Red Dead Redemption' in terms of world-building and the narrative Tim is constructing.
“There's a main character in the first ['Red Dead Redemption'] then in the second one they had a completely different protagonist, so I kind of went off that with this album,” he explains.
“It's a different protagonist and it's set in the winter. That's the story side of it, but with the sound of it – being onstage is a really good way to express yourself and chill yourself out after a lot of stress.
“So I wanted to make a few more songs that were easier to unleash onstage and perform, because a lot of the old songs sounded good on the record but I'm switching pedals and not really present onstage, so I've simplified it a bit and this album I wanted to be more emotional and expressive.”
Tim and the band saddle up for the trip to Brisbane in late March to perform as part of the rootin'-tootin' line-up for the inaugural Unleash The Elephant being held at The Elephant Hotel, The Foundry and Greaser, headlined by Shihad and Stonefield.
“We're looking for any excuse to come back to Brissie,” Tim says.
“Because we're from Victoria, we're happy to play up there even if we're not playing to too many people, so playing on a festival like Unleash The Elephant with Shihad and stuff, it's good. It feels more authentic, more protected – it's a nicer way to do it.”
Unleash The Elephant is on at Elephant Hotel, The Foundry and Greaser Bar (in Brisbane) 28 March. To win tickets to the show, click here.
Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows 2020 Tour Dates
Sat 28 Mar - Unleash The Elephant (Brisbane)Sat 11 Apr - Bendigo Hotel (Melbourne) - supporting Whores
Sat 9 May - Atomic Ritual @ Bendigo Hotel (Melbourne)
Sat 30 May - Wo Fest 2020 @ Bendigo Hotel (Melbourne)
