Hunting Thompson have paved their own path with Susie’s Room, a debut single purpose built for a summertime road trip.
“It’s basically a nonsense song, but at the same time it’s really not.” Those are the words of Hunting Thompson vocalist James McDonald, in reference to the band’s just-released single Susie’s Room.
A collection of disparate lyrical images bound by a beach-ready tune, McDonald’s description of Susie’s Room is accurate, but fails to fully capture the true ingenuity behind such an approach to songwriting.
The summery debut effort tells the tale of a bittersweet breakup, but somehow manages to feel blissfully ascendent, in a laugh-or-you’ll-cry kind of way.
Opening with fuzzy electric guitar riffs, there’s a daydream quality to Suzie’s Room, only amplified by McDonald’s rustic vocal delivery which feels as if he’s narrating a collection of hazy memories.
Recalling everything “ice cream cherry pie” or “tequila in the pool room,” Hunting Thompson evoke a distinct summertime lyricism that perfectly matches the track’s hard hitting and road trip-ready beat.
With it’s resplendent backing vocals and rhythmic percussion, Susie’s Room somehow feels melancholic and joyous in equal measure, a feat doubly impressive given that it marks the band’s first-ever release.
While the glittery guitar work recalls the likes of Lime Cordiale and Spacey Jane, there’s a grittier undercurrent to Susie’s Room that harkens back to tried-and-true rockers like Michael Hutchence or Jimmy Barnes.
This balance of soft and hard rock, as well as the contrast of warm instruments with sombre lyrics, makes Susie’s Room feel like something of a highwire act, requiring multiple listens since Hunting Thompson appear defiant of any one sound or emotion.
Speaking of these efforts in a press statement, McDonald — who forms part of the quartet alongside co-founder Hudson Perry and bandmates Dane Lewis and Paul Villegas — said Susie’s Room is “an amalgamation of images and memories that come together to paint a picture.”
He continued: “[It’s] an attempt to capture a mood rather than tell a linear story.” By forgoing conventional songwriting structures, Hunting Thompson allows room for unique and ear-catching flourishes, like Lewis’s twinkling keys on the outro, sci-fi synths on the bridge, or wailing vocal fries reminiscent of Tim Minchin on the hook.
The end result is altogether enrapturing, and paves a less-trodden path for Australia’s most promising rock band. Listen to Hunting Thompson’s new debut single Susie’s Room below.
