Moody alt-country meets surf rock in Liam Gale & The Ponytails‘ genre-bending new single “Mountain Man, Lake Lady,” the second lifted from the Sydney band’s forthcoming album The Desire Lines.
I must admit, I had to listen to this song a couple of times to truly appreciate it. It’s so out of the box, I didn’t quite know how to process it. Yet, with every subsequent listen I appreciated it a little more. Those female harmonies supporting Liam Gale’s voice are sublime and the surf rock guitar chords so appealing. I also appreciate that it’s so unashamedly bold, refusing to fit inside any neat holes and instead standing proudly on its own.
“You know when you’re too young to know how to end a relationship? All the social anxiety you didn’t know you had; the sexual tension you didn’t understand; the perspectives you weren’t aware of – this song is about that,” Liam explained. “I think what I was communicating was this pressure to be with someone I didn’t necessarily want to be with, but felt that I should be.”
Bands that make music like “Mountain Man, Lake Lady” are notoriously unpredictable, but that just makes seeing them live more fun. You can catch Liam Gale & The Ponytails doing their thing at the following venues.
23 September 2018 – Sydney Fringe Festival, Red Rattler Theatre
26 September 2018 – Royal Exchange Salon Theatre, Newcastle (with Cookie Baker; Liam Gale solo)
3 October 2018 – Cafe Lounge, Surry Hills