When I attempted to stream “Owls,” the new single from last year’s Bank of Melbourne ‘Melbourne Music Bank’ winners Tempus Sun, on Spotify, it came up on an album called Listen Up Australian Volume 1, which was listed as “featuring the top ten songwriters in Australia.” As you can imagine, my curiosity was piqued and my expectations set high!
At first I wasn’t sure about the song. It was quite nice, with its gentle acoustic guitar and delicate vocal delivery, but I wasn’t really seeing what distinguished from the glut of solid folk music we have in this country. But I gave it time, as you should with any song, and it built into something exceptional.
So I urge you, give it time. This song just keeps getting stronger as the harmonies kick in and the instruments intensify. The message is also one that anyone who’s battled mental illness or been close to someone who has will identify with.
“Owls is about speaking up about our struggles. It’s a tune relatable to anyone with troubles, be it in the past or ongoing,” explained Tempus Sun’s lead guitarist Ed Borreomeo. “It was created with mental illness in mind and the intention of influencing people to just have a chat about it with someone. Coming from personal experience, something as simple as having a chat is very easy to disregard as helpful, or is easy to procrastinate on, but I found it to be the first step in combatting almost anything.”
“Owls” is the first single from Tempus Sun’s self-titled debut EP, which will drop on August 4. The band will launch “Owls” with a show for hometown fans at The Toff in Town on June 30.