After taking the prerequisite drink from the bar, we sit down to chat to two of the boys from Methyl Ethel, Chris Wright (drums) and Tom Stuart (bass). We are at the Newmarket Studios where they will be playing and filming the latest album ‘Oh Inhuman Spectacle’, that was released in January.

They are a Perth based band and have a hectic schedule flying constantly between the East and West states for gigs and promotions. Wright and Stuart are self-taught musicians and shy away from any pretensions, they claim that the lead singer Jake Webb is the major creative force. Webb created the compositions and image of the band, allowing the drummer and base player to furnish his vision with their interpretation. Webb has experimented with various line-ups but the strong chemistry of the current trio blend, to create a muted passion that seeps into the music.

We crowd into the studio and enter into the intimate world of Jake. The modesty of Wright and Stuart regarding they’re musical sophistication has been understated. The drums pulse rhythmically and no one can resist the compulsion to move with the music. As one sensual tune blends seamlessly into the next our attention drifts onto the discrete and unassuming persona of Webb. His songs drift through our layers and one wonders how deep the artist will take us. There is a penetrating authenticity to this work.

Review by A Forward