One album to their name and already they’re releasing a live album? That’s right – Parcels, aka Australia’s coolest quintet and Daft Punk’s protégé’s, released their debut album just a year and a half ago. This new release features over an hour of music recorded live on tape in the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, where some of the greatest musicians have recorded albums, including David Bowie (Low and Heroes), Iggy Pop (Lust For Life), U2 (Achtung Baby), the Pixies (Bossanova) and all the albums from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds whilst they were based in Berlin. On their first album, Parcels, Jules Crommelin (guitar), Patrick Hetherington (keyboards), Louie Swain (keyboards), Noah Hill (bass) and Anatole ‘Toto’ Serret (drums) unveiled their simple and sincere passion for jamming out. The hedonistic musicians fuse effortlessly and their passion for playing together is accentuated even further in this second album Live Vol.1 due to its unconventional setting, its versions often similar to the originals. The band’s influences range from Steely Dan and Chic’s funk to The Beatles’ pop basics and The Beach Boys’ vocal harmonies. Their live studio set was also filmed, as the band explains: “This video was already being planned two years ago before we’d even started making our first record. A lush 24 track tape recording of all the album songs being performed in a classic studio. Did I hear you’re interested in experiencing some more bells and whistles? Well I’m sorry, there’s none to be found here. For us two years ago, this idea was the perfect bookend to the debut album. Surprisingly it still feels like a good idea now, which never really happens unless it’s the right thing to do.
You might not get much out of intently watching it through start to finish. Rather treat it like a private house concert to soundtrack your dinner preparations, with no pressure to applaud, no hiked up beer prices and the sweet option to pause for a bathroom break without missing the best bit. The performance isn’t edited in any way, just mixed, mistakes and all, so we’re concentrating hard in the video on making it sound nice. There’s a lot of nervous eye communication, a little bit of polite dancing and occasionally moments of just enjoying being right in the zone together. We’re stoked with how it turned out.” © Marc Zisman/Qobuz