Dreamy and dripping in delicacy is the slice of Americana-pie that The Wicked Messenger have served up: warm and ready to devour.
If less is more, then Brisbane folk duo The Wicked Messenger have the most. Stripped to the barest of necessities, their latest single I Am Here is deeply enchanting song. Like an anti-lullaby, its gentle harmonies and arrangement speak to love and loss. Simplicity is their greatest weapon.
Following on from their harmonica-filled EP I Want You to Know and their latest twangy alt-country single You Don’t Love Me Anymore, I Am Here nestles into a sweet sanctuary of respite. Best known (so far) for the part to play in folk band The Good Ship, the couple came together again to collaborate freshly for The Wicked Messenger.
Pure spaciousness affords the maximum effect of I Am Here. It’s a classic case of all that isn’t said – the heartfelt mood is thus represented and captivating. Vocalist Jimi Beavis delivers a poetic and poignant story. Each quirky reference to the mundane nuances of domestic life is given space to meditate on. Pedal steel soundscapes wash over you, transporting you to a devastatingly romantic place. The acoustic and slide guitars dance a slow-waltz on I Am Here.
The other half of The Wicked Messenger is Janey Mac: both muse and creative partner. Adding a sweet femininity to the song, her breathy harmonies are beautiful. Beavis wrote the song with her in mind, imagining the grieving process if he were to lose her. Of this striking theme, Beavis said:
“I write about love and death a lot. Perhaps it is a way to prepare myself. It comforts me.”
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Fittingly, I Am Here was recorded at the home studio of producer Jamie Trevaskis, at Wild Mountain Sound in Mt Nebo. If you’re lucky enough to be in Brisbane, The Wicked Messenger‘s official single launch will be held at the Vvladmeer on Saturday, March 13th.
Enjoy the full track here first.
Listen to I Am Here on Soundcloud below: