My friend recently got an app that gives you a new word per day. One of the words they told me was “amble”, meaning “to walk or move at a slow, relaxed pace.” Everyone ambles, and if you don’t – you should.
Mess Esque wants you to drop everything and succumb to this notion of wandering. Their new album, Jay Marie, Comfort Me feels like a constant exploration of uncharted territory. It’s a rainy afternoon, drenched concrete sidewalks enveloping your feet, ambling towards a destination you don’t know, in a city you’ve never been in.
Helen Franzmann and Mick Turner are Mess Esque. The former also makes music as McKisko, the latter is guitarist of legendary band Dirty Three. Drawing on this lineage of meandering, DIY Aus indie/post rock, both show a comfort in straying from the beaten path. ‘Crow’s Ash Tree’ pulls you into a meditative state, violins and guitars keeping pace. ‘Liminal Space’s’ guitar feels like a song about to be born, trying out different licks and progression till one fits the part.
There’s also a touch of jazz improvisation throughout the album; each instrument building off each other, guiding itself towards an undecided end. When the songs on Jay Marie, Comfort Me end, they end unexpectedly; not abrupt, nor sudden, but natural.
Words by Rafael Enriquez