Review: Methyl Ethel’s Mysterious and Addictive Alt-Pop
Coming from the remote coastal town of Perth the enigmatic and mysterious alternative rock/pop band Methyl Ethel has recently debuted their sophomore album Everything Is Forgotten. The follow-up to their debut Oh Inhuman Spectacle is a polished, well structured, and magnificent production that showcases the unique talents of these three musicians that leave you absolutely addicted to them after first listen.
The album kicks-off with “Drink Wine” full of juddering synths, a prominent bass, and Jake Webbs genderless vocals. Webb states that much of his musical influence comes from early tapes he heard in his parents’ car — “doo-wop, the Beatles, the Everly Brothers, Del Shannon, the Beach Boys, Harry Nilsson,” he lists his favourites. “All my knowledge of songwriting is the old way. But I play with the form, to try and push the boundaries.”
There is much to be said about the deliriously addictive and hypnotic track “Ubu” which repeats a chorus of “why’d you have to go and cut your hair, why’d you cut your hair?” to the point that no matter how often you hear it you’ll still find yourself singing the chorus in your head days after. Methyl Ethel deliver a cut that is hard to beat with “Ubu” but then you hear “No. 28” and it’s dèjà vu all over again. This track is classic rock n’ roll with catchy riffs and lyrics that transcend the song itself and a pretty psych dressing to go with. While “Groundswells” eerie synth and slowly creeping vocals are a perfect recipe for a twisted love tale.
“Hyakki Yakō” has the same darker tone but with a thumping bass and snake-like guitar riff throughout the song. Following is “Summer Moon”, which is a triumphant, darker song with the drums and bass very prominent here. Ending the album with a gentle psych-pop song is “Schlager.” Methyl Ethel really have superseded themselves with Everything Is Forgotten. This is a band we can definitely expect a lot more from in the future. Check out “Ubu” below:
