The Money War have come of age with the release of their gorgeous new EP I Don’t Hear You Anymore. Over the years they’ve created delicate folk music which was beautiful, but at times became a little sleepy. However, they’ve got the balance right with this collection of songs, creating a collection of songs that get under your skin without fading into the background.
A coming of age is only natural as Dylan Ollivierre and Carmen Pepper mature as a musical outfit and real-life couple. They’re raising three young children together now, trying to carve out time for their family, their relationship, themselves, and their music. Dylan is also a full-time producer, who says his commitment to other people’s music leaves limited time for The Money War. Being pushed and pulled in so many directions, quality becomes so much more important than quantity.
“Every now and then, I have this insatiable desire to create something that embodies my own vision and expresses Carmen and me as The Money War. In the past, we often had numerous songs to choose from, but nowadays, with three young kids, our time has significantly decreased. Therefore, a song only progresses beyond the ‘idea’ stage if it strongly demands to be realised,” he explained.
What we’re left with is four incredible tracks. The title track eases us in. It’s laidback and a bit of a slow burner, but it’s truly magical. “Was It Ever Really Anything?”, featuring FEELDS, is a gentle Americana-inspired track with a gorgeous slide guitar solo. I love the interplay between Dylan and Carmen’s vocals in the romantic “Ride.” The closing track “Somebody Loves You” is an uplifting love song without the schmaltz.
I Don’t Hear You Anymore is the EP I always knew The Money War had in them. It’s their strongest release to date, and a real sign of exciting things to come for this Boorloo/Perth band.
Images used with permission from Kick Push PR