Melbourne band Slowly Slowly are breaking free from the barriers of genre confinement by backing up their 2020 breakthrough album 'Race Car Blues', with an extended collection titled 'Race Car Blues Chapter 2'.
With the same heart on sleeve songwriting fans have come to love from Slowly Slowly, 'Chapter 2' dives a bit deeper, pushing the band's boundaries and jumping lanes between their 'signature sound'. Rolling off the tongue, this album is as good on the ears as it is the lips. Frontman Ben Stewart says while the two albums are a reflection of a similar headspace during the writing period, the distance between recording and release shifted the creative process and diverged a new path and artistic direction for the band.
With not as much paranoia and anxiety about "what to release", 'Chapter 2' provides a raw and honest reflection of Slowly Slowly free from shackles, succumbing to their versatility and experimental flair.
"I think there's nothing more punk these days than just following your gut and making music that you like," Ben says.
"In the past, we might have been a little more sheltered by the idea of 'this is our lane and this is the sort of music we make'. But I think that came as a symptom of feeling that our success is so fragile."
Reflecting on the 'zone' he entered while writing, Ben describes the process as all-consuming, often smashing out eight-hour stints. "If I'm on, it's the only thing that matters to me," he admits.
"I've got my blinkers on pretty hardcore, I won't do anything; I’ll forget to eat. The other guys in the band are such epic live performers and love being in the studio working on songs making them the best they can be.
"But in terms of a personality that needs to write every day, that's me. I find it therapeutic."
'Race Car Blues Chapter 2' features 12 tracks that didn't "fit the catalogue" of the 2020 album, but over time became ingrained within Slowly Slowly's identity. Ben describes these tracks as the "missing pieces of the 'Race Car Blues' puzzle".
After forming such a deep attachment to the songs, the band decided they couldn't leave them unheard any longer, and thus 'Chapter 2' was born. "When we released chapter 1, we already knew chapter 2 was on the horizon. So it didn't feel right to give it another name."
Standout tracks of 'Chapter 2' include 'The Level' and 'Learning Curve'. You can also expect a collision of worlds with the collaboration featuring Yours Truly on 'First Love' – a powerful and emotionally-charged duet mixed by Malcolm Beasley of Northeast Party House.
"I keep coming back to 'The Level' and 'Learning Curve'," Ben says. "I generally gravitate towards the ones on opposite ends of the spectrum, so either something really poppy or really heavy.
"The other boys always like the heavier ones; it's always me trying to lighten things up," he laughs.
After a tough 2020 with band members living apart as Melbourne endured long periods of lockdowns and restrictions, Slowly Slowly are just itching to get back on stage. "I hope we get to play big, sweaty rooms with people jumping all over each other.
"That feels so foreign at the moment. The complexity of shaking someone's hand even feels weird. We're feeling pretty nostalgic for every city in Australia, and hoping we get there."
In the meantime, the lads are staying focussed on what's ahead – writing, recording and making more of those sweet, sweet sounds their fans have come to love. "The one real benefit to take away from 2020 was being able to take stock of everything and plan where we want to go in the future a little more methodically," Ben says.
Slowly Slowly will tour nationally in June (rescheduled dates from their postponed 2020 tour) as well as appearing at Live At The Bowl (Melbourne) 24 March and slots at Full Tilt Festival in Melbourne and Brisbane this winter.
Slowly Slowly 2021 Tour Dates
Fri 4 Jun - Manning Bar (Sydney)Sat 5 Jun - The Triffid (Brisbane)
Fri 11 Jun - 170 Russell (Melbourne)
Sun 13 Jun - 170 Russell (Melbourne)
Fri 18 Jun - Lion Arts Factory (Adelaide)
Sat 19 Jun - Badlands Bar (Perth)
Fri 25 Jun - Altar (Hobart)
Sat 26 Jun - Saloon Bar (Launceston)
