It is magnificent and zesty opening, a thrilling entre to the sumptious feast that follows. There is an inherent sensuousness to the melody and the cloak and sandals lyrics: Opening track ‘Gabriel’s Horn’ sets off at a high stepping pace with a gospel/soul tinge and a saxophone edging. The album drips with a pure aestheticism and radiance that is blinding. The choice between meaninglessness and beauty. While the songs certainly explore the struggles involved in obtaining these positive perspectives, the overall feeling I wanted to leave people with was the choice. Inspired by Albert Camus’ ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’, the phrase captures the natural beauty of the world we live in, which is ever-present but not necessarily always appreciated. Rose goes on to say:Īs the name leans towards, ‘Smiles of Earth’ comes from a place of inherent peacefulness. Indeed there is an epic, breathtaking majesty in the album as a whole. In a word, this album was written to make you smile. The inner themes of peacefulness and positive perspective truly levitated the performers throughout the recording process and they embodied its spirit wholeheartedly. I think that spirit is now undeniable in the sound of the album. Thanks to the patience and dedication of the band members, as well as the nurturing talents of producer Stephen Charles, the album was finally realised at The Aviary in Abbotsford, Melbourne. Thwarted by lockdowns and the creative process itself, we attempted to make this record in numerous ways. Like most albums, ‘Smiles of Earth’ has been a labour of deep love. Lachlan Rose (songwriter, piano, synths and guitar) says of the genesis of the album: CTBNF have cornered the market in sonic euphoria. Deep inside every track is an element of optimism and romanticism, albeit a world view seen through the bottom of a whiskey glass in a late night red velvet lounge where a spark of hope glimmers in the opaque smoky air. ‘Smiles of Earth’ delivers a wide screen epic masterpiece that consists of endless horizons, wide open plains, red dirt earth and a sparkling firmament. All delivered in an Australian context with a uniquely antipodean flavour. Picture in sound if you will a collaboration between Jimmy Webb (the magnificent composer of Galveston, Wichita Lineman and By The Time I Get to Phoenix amongst others, perfectly matched with Glen Campbell), Burt Bacharach (the Dusty Springfield delivered gems) and more contemporary artists like The Triffids, Nick Cave, Pulp and The The. Follow-up singles ‘Bluestone’ and ‘Red Dirt Angel’ for me consolidated the band’s epic brilliance and mastery at songwriting. It captured the zeitgeist: the horrors of lockdown and isolation and provided a euphoric and shining beacon of resilience and hope when all around was dark. Last year’s single ‘When This Is Over’ was my single of the year and set a high bar for the rest of the album. It is the soundtrack to a piece of theatrical drama, illuminated by blinding footlights, luscious colours and running mascara. The new album from Melbourne outfit Cousin Tony’s Brand New Firebird (CTBNF), out through the esteemed Double Drummer, is a perfect storm of incredible songwriting, magnificent instrumentation and an overall delivery that is majestic and bold. ‘Smiles of Earth’ is quite simply a glorious album and, for me, immediately takes its place as one of my contenders for album of the year.

New firebird