Almost a decade since they last dropped new music, Brisbane independent stalwarts Silver Sircus return with the magnificent, atmospheric, art-rock burner 'Cut Off My'.
An ethereally haunting cover of another local indie gem The Good Ship, whose original was released in 2010, 'Cut Off My' features as part of Brisbane independent label 4000 Records' compilation 'House Keys 3'.After placing Silver Sircus on hiatus during the COVID years (2020-2021), the band led by vocalist-lyricist Lucinda Shaw and drummer-composer James Lees (whose creative partnership stretches back to 1995) have been busy behind the scenes working on two album recording projects, the first of which will be released early 2025.
As they build towards those releases, the opportunity arose to partake in 4000 Records' 'House Keys 3' compilation, that sees Brisbane bands covering the songs of Brisbane bands.
'Cut Off My' is a personal favourite of Lucinda's, while James used to drum with The Good Ship (although he was not a member when they recorded their version of 'Cut Off My').
The tingling of bass, with a richly sorrowful piano and gothic electric guitar slowly builds, congealing into a maelstrom of evocative energy, the sad, dark, morose lyrics fuelling the song's momentum that cracks and smoulders before overflowing, the drums lashing the senses, a controlled anger emerging, flaming the song's intensity.
Lucinda's vocals transport you deeply inside the withering feels of an all-consuming relationship, the toxicity engulfing the senses, the heart betraying the mind, while the rage simmers below out of reach; it's vivid and goosebump-inducing.
The addition of cello and acoustic guitar flourishes is the perfect accompaniment to enhance the song's spirt. Lucinda's raspy final note concludes an epic production, the exhaustive, spent feels reflective of the toll of a destructive relationship.
After the song was released last week, today scenestr is proud to premiere the 'Cut Off My' music video that was directed by emerging filmmaker Rhys Tyack (who has worked with Inovo and Sarah Stockholm) from a concept by Lucinda and James. Enjoy.
"I was so excited when John from 4000 Records offered us a key to the wonderful sharehouse of local music collaborators contributing to 'House Keys'," offers Lucinda.
"As a passionate devotee of The Good Ship my heart and mind had exploded when I first heard this amazing song penned by Daz Gray. I immediately wanted to cover it and put it on the to-do list for maybe when I had the chance.
"Lyrically, it is a profound metaphor describing obsession and entrapment in relationships, and yet there is a ferocious, unapologetic drive for freedom implicit in the music.
"It resonated so deeply with me and I wanted to voice this, and so James and I invited Silver Sircus to embody it our way. I hope for everyone in every relationship to feel alive, safe, brave and free from coercive-control. We were so thrilled to be able to record it with Guy Webster, with an exciting new film clip we have co-created with Rhys Tyack."
Next week, Silver Sircus will perform in full band mode at the 'House Keys' album launch/ 4000 Records Turns 5 Brisbane concert; also on the bill are Devotions, Smallest Horse and Matt Hsu's Obscure Orchestra (in full 22-piece mode!).
"It's so wonderful to have new Silver Sircus music out at last," adds James. "We took a little hiatus in 2019, then there was COVID and then. . . here we are!
"Even more exciting is our brand new collaborative relationship with filmmaker Rhys Tyack who connected with our music and the song so brilliantly. Rhys joined us in the recording studio to capture us performing and creating the track, but we gave him very strict instructions not to capture us in any kind of documentary or plaintive way – the shots are all highly abstract, from odd angles and many in extreme close-up.
"It's unsettling and almost voyeuristic – some of the shots are hard to identify but it is all essentially us in the studio but with a certain anxious dream logic vibe to it.
"For Lucinda's performance to-camera work, we simply recorded this in a shower with lots of steam but the effect is really beautiful, ethereal and suffocating all at the same time. Rhys has been so invigorating for us to work with, and we are already planning our next projects which will materialise in early 2025."
Silver Sircus perform in full band mode at the 'House Keys' album launch/ 4000 Records Turns 5 concert at The Brightside (Brisbane) on 19 October.
