A band who formed at the start of COVID lockdown last year, Tasmanian indie band Lennon Wells newest single is 'Money On Me' a charming, sweet ballad of alt-country, indie rock that's about overcoming mental illness.
With vulnerable yet spirited lyrics that explore mental well-being and the constant battle to self-care and rise above the daily struggles, 'Money On Me' is an autobiographical take by frontman Ben Wells and his own journey."Lyrically, this song is about a self destructive state I was in and feeling I could push through it," begins Ben, "but really, I was pretty depressed and was just digging a deeper hole.
"Sometimes it takes someone close to you to recognise that and really let you know, and not in an easy way. So really, I wrote this song as a thank you to my partner Nicki, for being that person. She stuck by me and help me beat it."
'Money On Me' is the second release from the band (following the country twang romp of 'Slowly Dying' released earlier this year), with a debut EP in the works.
To be released tomorrow (25 June), scenestr is amped to premiere 'Money On Me' today. Enjoy.
After a four-year gap not writing or releasing any music, when the world came shuddering to a standstill when COVID closed everything down, Ben reconnected with a couple of old mates and music collaborators: Skinner and Al Campbell.
Pretty soon, Ben had the bones of a number of new songs that would eventually become Lennon Wells numbers and as restrictions began easing the band quickly grew to include Scott Targett on keys, Matt Doyle on guitar and Dave Lee on bass.
The next eight months saw the collective regularly convene at The Chapel Studios in Austins Ferry, an old converted chapel on a graveyard that'd been reimagined into a studio located in suburban Hobart.
"The recording process was quite interesting. We started recording at the end of COVID lockdown when only three people were able to gather outside their own home," Ben says.
"So Skinner, Al Campbell and myself put down the beds for this EP, and did everything as 'live' as we could.
"We still really weren't sure where we were going from there, until Scott Targett and Matt Doyle joined the band, then the organ and guitar really told us where the song needed to go.
"It was a lot of fun spending time at the studio because it was really my only time outside of being at home and trying to keep the bar I own going over COVID.
"It felt like a getaway, and we were at our most creative because that was the only outlet at the time. We didn't really know when live music was going to be a thing again."
After supporting The Jungle Giants on New Year's Eve and playing the sold-out Great Escape Festival in April, Lennon Wells are ready for their very first headline tour with shows planned in Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne and Sydney.
Lennon Wells 2021 Tour Dates
Fri 30 Jul - Bakers Lane (Launceston)Sat 31 Jul - The Uni Bar (Hobart)
Fri 3 Sep - Cherry Bar (Melbourne)
Sat 4 Sep - Frankies Pizza (Sydney)
