Jake Webb, lead singer for Perth indie rockers Methyl Ethel is sitting in the back of a taxi as he answers his phone to talk about the band and their debut album just released, Oh Inhumane Spectacle. The destination for the taxi ride is 170 Russell, which is the venue in which Methyl Ethel is supporting San Cisco tonight. Having shared the stage all around Australia with San Cisco through May, Webb is full of bravado as he chats about his fellow West Australian mates.
“It’s been so fun to be able to jump up on stage and play with these guys. There has been no shortage of laughs along the way that’s for sure. What I like about being on tour with a band is that the true characters tend to come out when you’re confined into a room together. It’s been really fun to hang out and play music with San Cisco and hopefully we can do it all again soon,” Webb says as he is transported across town to the venue.
Oh Inhumane Spectacle is the impressive and jangly debut from the Perth outfit that, like psych rockers Tame Impala, started out as a bedroom project for Webb and developed into a trio soon after. The majority of the tracks off this album were written when Webb took a trip down south.
“I really needed some time out and so I headed down south and began writing and I think that after that trip the initial spark for the record was ignited,” he says.
“One of the main tracks off the album ‘Rogues’ was written in a shop front in Fremantle. It was a ridiculously hot summer and we began recording all these ideas with no prospect of what they would develop into, we were living in separate rooms but there were no doors so it was an organic and open environment.”
Recording the majority of the album by himself at the post-production stage of the project, Webb called upon Chris Wright (drummer for the group) to help mix the record. Living across the road from each other, Webb relates that the majority of the process was completed in garages and bedrooms across Perth. As you would expect, the comparisons to Tame Impala have been many and I was quick to ask what influence they had on Methyl Ethel.
“Now they are an international super band with record deals and playing massive festivals, their influence on us is a lot less than it used to be. It was only a couple of years ago, that they were just playing at the pub down the road. The sound scapes and textures to the music is one thing that is similar between our music,” Webb says.
Having played on the Southbound bill at the end of last year and sharing the stage with Alt-J, Jamie XX, Glass Animals and DMA’s, Methyl Ethel are bound for big things. Since forming in 2013, the band has played many support slots including one for Courtney Barnett. Oh Inhumane Spectacle is a glorious debut effort that you should definitely check out. For fans of moody pop songs and jangly guitar, be sure to get this disc around your chops before the follow up (which is 30% done) hits the shelves.
Release: Oh Inhumane Spectacle is out now at all good retailers.
Written by Tex Miller