Lucksmiths, The - Why That Doesn't Surprise Me

Release date: 1/21/2022.

14 track LP. 

Choice of black or turquoise vinyl.

Tracklisting:

1. Music To Hold Hands To
2. Synchronised Sinking
3. The Great Dividing Range
4. Beach Boys Medley
5. Broken Bones
6. First Cousin
7. Don't Bring Your Work To Bed
8. Fear Of Rollercoasters
9. Harmonicas And Trams
10. The Forgetting Of Wisdom
11. Self-Preservation
12. How To Tie A Tie
13. All The Recipes I've Ever Ruined
14. The Year Of Driving Languorously

Special 20th anniversary vinyl edition of the watershed 2001 album 'Why That Doesn't Surprise Me' from Australian legends The Lucksmiths!

Hear all the classics you know and love, artisanally crafted for you way back when by messrs Donald, White and Monnone (that’s Marty, Tali and Mark to you, friend), spinning gloriously from your record player!

‘Synchronised Sinking’―check; ‘Broken Bones’―check; ‘The Year of Driving Languorously’―check. Yep, this is a good one. You've got 'Music to Hold Hands To’ and ‘Self Preservation’ and ‘The Great Dividing Range’ too. It’s all here on one gorgeous record, handsomely adorned in Alex Jack’s cheeky ‘dragon bum warmer’ cover art.

'Why That Doesn't Surprise Me' (their fifth ‘studio’ album) represented a turning point for The Lucksmiths, as the Melbourne band took their humble three-piece set-up into a legit recording studio for the first time and set to work with producer Craig Pilkington on exploring uncharted dynamic and tonal possibilities through the use of extra instrumentation and lush orchestral augmentation.

Indeed, this was to be the first of three albums The Lucksmiths recorded at Pilkington’s Audrey Studios; 2003’s ‘Naturaliste’ and 2005’s ‘Warmer Corners’ round out the trifecta which is often regarded as a golden period in Lucksmiths lore.

Amongst the extra instrumentation we can hear Darren Hanlon deftly jangling some joyous lead guitar. A longtime touring companion of The Lucksmiths with his band The Simpletons, Hanlon had just released his first solo EP ‘Early Days’ when he was invited to lend a hand and effectively became “the fourth Lucksmith”―a role he eventually relinquished to focus purely on his own songwriting, with top-notch results.

Also in there, we can hear the sweet vocals of a young pre-Architecture in Helsinki Kellie Sutherland who, as well as lending backing vocals to several songs, sings a show-stopping duet with Tali on the captivating ‘How to Tie a Tie’.

Originally released by iconic indie labels of the day―Candle Records (Australia), Drive-In Records (US), Fortuna Pop! (UK), and Clover Records (Japan), the album has been out of print on vinyl for decades.  To celebrate the platinum anniversary, the album is available on classic black or limited edition turquoise vinyl.

Drop the needle on this charmer―it’s time to fall in love all over again!