On first listen, All for Darcy’s debut EP Too Beautiful for Earth sounds like simply a classic pop-rocker. It’s an easy listen, featuring songs that feel instantly accessible. But tap into those lyrics and you’ll gain a new appreciation for these tracks.
Too Beautiful for Earth, and indeed the entire band, is a tribute to songwriter Pete Atkinson’s late son, Darcy. Pete had been working on the songs to process the loss of his son, who died in mysterious circumstances in 2012 while in the care of Darcy’s mother’s then-boyfriend. He workshopped them with drummer and footy friend Sam Hickey before bassist Danny Lilly and guitarist Brett LeMin joined the group. Listening to the songs, understanding what inspired them, elevates the experience.
The opening number “Highest Mountain” is upbeat and full of fun. You’ll be singing along to the “woohoohoohoos” before the end of the song. “The View” is such a cool track with a groovy bassline, but the lyrics have a darkness and longing to them. ”Darcy’s Song” is the emotional heart of this EP, a moving, stripped-back ballad detailing the things left unsaid and the impact of loss. The amps are switched back on for “Something in the Water,” which touches on how difficult saying goodbye can be.
All for Darcy leave us with “Ordinary Life.” The EP’s lead single, it looks at the way tragedy can shatter our everyday.
“It’s real, one day you’re in a happy simple routine and the next all hell can break loose without any notice,” Peter explained. “The song is written to be uplifting to the listener who may be pushing through a tough time just as I have been through.”
While the songs from Too Beautiful for Earth come from a deeply personal place, we’ve all experienced loss and hardship. All for Darcy tackles the darkness so eloquently, but mixes it with hope and optimism for the future. The EP is an incredible tribute to a life lost too soon and a powerful vehicle for raising awareness of the plight of fathers who don’t have access to their children.
Too Beautiful for Earth is out now. All for Darcy will play The Palace Hotel in Camberwell on June 2.
Image used with permission from A&R Records