And That is the moniker of New Zealand native, LA-based Scott Cleary. The singer/songwriter pens uncomplicated tunes with an endearing voice.
There’s something so admirable about the approach And That takes to music; a bright chord progression, a humble melody to hum in the shower, lyrics that are neither dramatic nor insignificant. In a day and age where artists fall over themselves with tricks and trends to grow their audience, it’s refreshing to tune into some laidback haze where the music speaks for itself.
Let’s run through the creative history of And That, NZ’s gentle indie crooner.
Scott Cleary didn’t begin his musical journey as a quote-unquote ‘struggling artist’. The creative made a name for himself as a designer and illustrator, with a particular knack for hand-drawn elements.
He even designed the album art for After Laugher by Paramore. However, when the days weren’t busy, Cleary was playing in the band Kingston or penning an assortment of originals.
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His solo musical project, And That, started rolling when Cleary’s wife joked that he had never written a song about her. Inspired by the observation, the LA local decided to write a whole EP solely about her. Nice move.
The This EP, released by Congrats records, offered a gentle dose of guitar-driven, cafe-friendly indie pop.
Since this, Cleary’s passion for music has turned full throttle, resulting in a steady output of tracks. His latest single, Sailing Away is one of his strongest efforts to date.
With its Bernard Fanning-esque chord progression, dreamy vocals, wet synths, and provocative lyricism, it’s a sticky concoction for your early morning walks to work or your 6pm wind down. “I feel a second wind, let’s go sailing again”, Cleary beckons to his lover.
Tune into And That below:
