A continuation of their series of new music covering the earlier works of Gary Numan titled 'METAL', Brisbane's Silver Sircus' newest release is 'Down In The Park'.
Originally released in 1979 by Numan's first band, new wave, post punk group Tubeway Army, 'Down In The Park' was the first single from the band's second album 'Replicas'.
Although not a commercial success upon release given it was Numan's first song written on keyboard and featured the electronic sound that would become his trademark, 'Down In The Park' has remained a regular song in Numan's live arsenal throughout the years.
'Down In The Park' was one of the first songs Silver Sircus decided to rework for their 'METAL' album (that was released in April), an album of Gary Numan songs with a dedicated focus on the artist's early creative output (1978-1981).
The project began in 2018 when vocalist Lucinda Shaw and drummer/ pianist James Lees performed a stripped-back version of 'Are Friends Electric' at Brisbane's Padre Bar. The audience response was so enthusiastic they expanded the concept for a special 'Blacklight' performance during Anywhere Theatre Festival.
Rather than 'covering' Numan's songs, James and Lucinda prefer the term 'uncovering' – stripping away the canopy of synthesisers to reveal the dark, resonant undergrowth beneath. The resulting album switches out Numan's sharp, electronic soundscapes for a softer palate of piano, cellos, and subtle touches of drums, guitar, and bass.
"When we were selecting the Gary Numan songs we wanted to include in the 'METAL' project, 'Down In The Park' was one of the first ones we selected," admits Lees. "Such beautiful, elegaic chords and melodies, and it translated so seamlessly to a piano/strings arrangement."
Ahead of the release of the song's music video, scenestr is delighted to premiere the 'Down In The Park' clip. Enjoy.
The song's original murkiness, shadowiness heightened by the electronic flourishes (which would have sounded otherworldly for 1979) is replaced by atmospheric, yet fragilely delicate piano.
Shaw's soul-stirring vocals retain Numan's simplicity, almost spoken word commentary, yet offer a comforting, nurturing vibe, the sparseness of tones slowly congealing with nostalgic-flavoured rhythm section and splendid strings; it's a quaint, yet mesmerising ride that honours the original yet flowers to sound like a Silver Sircus composition.
"It's one of his more opaque lyrics with a myriad of science fiction references," James adds, "however, when Lucinda leant her vocals and expression to the song, it felt like it was telling a story of safe (and perhaps unsafe) spaces and that the 'park' felt like a potentially dangerous place of covert deal-making, illicit activity or maybe a place to hide or escape to."
For the third time, Silver Sircus collaborated with filmmaker Rhys Tyack ("we are loving our collaborative and artistic relationship with him,") for the 'Down In The Park' video – that collaboration recently winning Best Music Video at West End Film Festival for their work on the 'METAL' clip, which scenestr was also honoured to premiere.
"In some respects, the clip for 'Down In The Park' is a sequel to our first clip off the album (for the title track 'Metal'). That clip involved physical performance from actor/ dancer Lisa O'Neill and was recognised with an award for Best Music Video from the recent West End Film festival.
"For the 'Down In The Park' clip, we have worked with another actor/ dancer – the brilliant Brian Lucas. Both Brian and Lisa have been stalwarts of the Brisbane arts and performance scene and we have known them both for many years, so it's a dream come true to collaborate with them."
The clip was filmed at Backdock Arts Theatre and around the scrubland wilds of a couple of inner south Brisbane suburban parks. "Brian Lucas had been an artistic crush of mine since the early '90s and I'd always wanted to work with him," admits Lucinda.
"I bumped into him on the street and mentioned the album and he said "Down In The Park!" with a dark, cheeky joy and I knew this was my chance.
"Brian has the most wonderful way of internalising a thought and embodying it as a physical actor. We improvised in the theatre, riffing and responding, playing with the idea of trying to put a finger on a memory.
"We went out at night to find locations – a local park, waterways, bridges, a netball court by night, walls, tunnels, alleyways. Tension is visceral, shadows have intention, we are solo but we are not alone, watched and watching.
"Rhys is such a dynamic filmmaker, observing and capturing the seductive beauty of eeriness and private adventure."
Silver Sircus will officially launch the 'Down In The Park' single (which is packaged with an exclusive B-side 'uncovering' of 'We Are Glass') at Wintering @ The Cave Inn (Brisbane) on 15 August with YEARNS, Seja and The Wicked Messenger.
Read our recent interview with Lucinda Shaw discussing the 'METAL' album.
