Album Review: Lachlan Denton’s exquisite ‘Furnishings’ fills the empty spaces with a paean to those we love.

‘Furnishings’ is the new album from musician and songwriter Lachlan Denton, member of The Ocean Party and a skilled artisan to add to his many skills. The Ocean Party disbanded after the tragic death of Denton’s brother Zac (who played drums in the band) in 2018 at the age of 24, and Denton has since channelled his energy and his grief in a number of bands and solo work as well as utilising his woodwork skills to design and make furniture. These worlds collide in ‘Furnishings’.

This album is a sparkling collection of gems that glitter with an inherent veracity and deep poignancy. The strength of melody is triumphant, creating a selection of majestic tracks that are imperial and posed. Half the songs on ‘Furnishings’ are dedicated to different members of Denton’s immediate family in an attempt to say the things that could so easily go unsaid before we ever get the chance. The other half are reflection on self, the environment, and life in an ever changing world. The result is something quite magnificent.

Opening track ‘Zac’ floats in the air – gently dappling pianos and Dentons quiet contemplative vocals are mesmerising while a distant muscular bass sets down a solid platform. Denton sings of memories of his departed brother – on stage, on the phone – the mundane things in life that become treasured. Steel guitars wail in harmony and guitars crumble: it is a very moving opening.

‘You’ is a stunning piece of dappling, floating pop that seemingly soars across the sky without restraint or limitations. Denton’s voice is initially gentle and yearning, restrained and melodic across the instrumentation including an insistent piano refrain and a muscular bass proving an iron thread. The song incrementally builds up with Denton’s vocals to a sudden stop, leaving a desire for more.

There is a bleak romanticism in the lyrics – cloaked in a desire and need for resolution in the horrors of the contemporary world, and finding solace in the personal, in love:

I will sell everything if it means being with you…

This is heartbreakingly beautiful stuff that is powered by an indelible passion and strength. Denton says of the song:

’You’ is a love song for what can feel like a dystopian time to be alive. A song about finding solace in the one you love, at a time when environmental disaster and hypercapitalism paints a grim picture of our future. “As we stood watching the seas rise, fires burning before our eyes”. “Even if our futures been sold, right now I am here with you”.

Stylistically there are strong connections to the balladry of Paul Kelly and Bruce Springsteen as well as Augie March.

The accompanying video shows Denton at work during a normal day – at his workshop building furniture and rehearsing – there is an enthralling confluence as the melodic pop provides a mesmerising soundtrack to the creation of beautiful, tangible pieces of art formed by his hands. Denton says of the clip:

I was lucky enough to have my friend Simon Fazio make a video for me at the same time as taking some press pics. It is a bit of a day in the life concept. I tinkered around in the workshop, had a Velcro rehearsal (my friend Curtis’ project in which I play drums) and went to the post office at the same time as taking my dog Sam for a walk. I told Simon I liked the bleak yet pretty vibe of the film Nomadland, and also that I like film clips where people are talking but you can’t hear them because of the music. That was the brief. I look like a bit of a dork at times, which I think is quite funny, and I like it.

It’s a perfect accompaniment to an exquisite song that sparkles and shimmers. Creativity in all its manifestations is compelling and transfixing.

‘Braeside’ is a short exquisite spoken word piece that is poignant and raw over tinkling guitars while ‘Changed’ travels over a synth arpeggiated thrum and rolling drums as if suspended in the air, with an anthemic chorus that rings out as the song builds up a momentum as a chorus sings nothing new nothing’s changed fringed by distant horns. Denton says of the track:

Musically it began as a classic strummer on an acoustic guitar but was heavily shaped by the production of Tori Holleman (Retiree/Douglas Fur). After sending the raw demo off to Tori, he was able to take the song in any direction he saw fit before we returned to Tori’s studio to finish the track together.

Final track ‘Mum’ is a moving tribute delivered in Denton’s tenor vocals. Trembling guitars and a poised delivery creates something eye wateringly beautiful.

Furnishings are those things that add practicality and joy to our everyday lives – filling our empty spaces and environment with our personalities and a sense of home. ‘Furnishings’ is a fitting epithet for Denton’s beautiful album: each song a profound dedication to those people, places, memories and possessions that fill the void in our lives and provide comfort and joy.

‘Furnishings’ is out now and available through the link above and through all the usual download and streaming sites and released through Osborne Again and Spunk Records. Excitingly, the release will be accompanied by an exhibition of Denton’s work today, April 14, at Schoolhouse Studios in Coburg between 5-8pm (free entry).

To record the album, Denton enlisted help from friends Anila Hasnain (Partner Look) and Dom Kearton (Skydeck), on Bass and Guitar respectively. The producing of the album was split up between sessions with Liam Halliwell (The Ocean Party, Snowy Band), Liam Parsons and Stefan Blair (Good Morning), Dainis Lacey (Cool Sounds) and Tori Holleman (Douglas Fur, Retiree). For each session the engineers became quasi members of the band, playing singing and arranging collaboratively. 

Feature Photograph: Simon Fazio