Cedarsmoke are back with another lilting slow waltz through a multitude of genres as they lyrically mine Picasso's Blue Period.
The Brisbane-Meanjin folk, alt. country band have been a fixture of the local scene for almost a decade, and are now prepping the release of their third full-length album, 'Under The Rainbow', out 31 October.After the May release of the buoyant, spritely track 'Kicking Drugs', the next taste of 'Under The Rainbow' is the beautiful haziness of 'Picasso Blue'.
It's a sombre yet magical sonic journey spanning melancholic hues, the band offering a warm, textured ride as the song morphs through soundscapes, from alt. country to indie rock, even a sojourn into experimental folktronica.
A meandering, gleaming, dreamily rustic ride, the song's tones offer solemn comfort, the track lyrically drawing on history, literature and pop-culture (beginning with the suicide of Picasso's friend, Carles Casagemas) to explore the complexity of the human condition.
"Musically, this song was a chance to experiment. As each verse was set in a different world lyrically, the aim was to pair the new setting with a new arrangement, dramatically shifting the sound from a gentle melancholy to an experimental psychosis," shares singer-songwriter Jon Cloumassis.
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow (1 August), scenestr is thrilled to premiere 'Picasso Blue' today. Enjoy.
"'Picasso Blue' incorporates a lot of the influences and styles that we used on the album all wrapped into one track," adds Cloumassis. "There's elements of folk, electronic, experimental and art rock which come and go in the different verses.
"There was a concerted effort to match the melancholic feeling of the music with the blue symbolism of the lyrics and for the music to tell a story almost as much as the words; like the bang of the ride cymbal in the first verse to represent the gunshot of Casagemas' suicide or the siren-song oohs of the chorus entering as the vocals warn, 'the sirens on the islands beckon you'."
Although relatively quiet on the live front in 2025, in May Cedarsmoke were invited by Fanning Dempsey National Park – the collaboration between Bernard Fanning and Paul Dempsey – to open their Gold Coast concert.
"Such an honour to get to open for Fanning Dempsey National Park at HOTA for the final night of their tour ✨. Was an absolute privilege to share the stage with rock legends Bernard Fanning and Paul Dempsey 🎸.
"Huge thanks to the band, crew and everyone who came out – was a night we'll never forget 🙏."
