half/cut's ‘Cricket’ Will Hit You For Six
half/cut. Photo by Jeff Andersen Jnr.
Melbourne dream-pop band half/cut have just released their new single, Cricket, and it’s the audio equivalent of a beautiful straight drive past the bowler. The five-piece band is gearing up to release their second album, Salt An Atlas, in the near future, and this track is a taste of what fans can expect. If you’re a fan of shoegaze/hazy pop, then you’ll enjoy Cricket, because it’s full of slighty drowsy guitar tones that’ll help you space out in the best way possible - much like if you’re sitting in the outer at the MCG during the third session of the Boxing Day Test.
Speaking about the track, band member Jessie says it’s an ode to cricket’s radio commentary. "It's basically the sequel to John Williamson’s Camel Train to Yamba (if only). It's about being a kid, and thinking you can solve all the problems of the world with a homemade book of coupons for household chores. It's also about driving from Brisbane to Lake Macquarie during the Boxing day test match, I don't love cricket, but the ABC cricket commentary always kept me in the best kind of half-sleep/half-dream. The lyrics were originally a joke, but I kept them in the end as an ode to little Jessie.”
Cricket commentary is something I have a strong relationship with, because when I was younger, listening to Australia play Test series away was always experienced through the radio. I had a portable radio that had been passed down from Dad to me, and I have strong memories of listening to Mitchell Johnson tear through South African teams in South Africa - no mean feat. Listening to this track brings back memories of those nights spent listening to ABC’s cricket commentary, and I hope you experience something similar when listening to Cricket.
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Check out Cricket below. I’m really digging half/cut’s brand of shoegaze, and I’m keen to hear how Salt An Atlas comes together. Guitar-based pop always interests me, and when you throw cricket into the mix, I’m sold. Stay tuned for what comes next from half/cut. I’m pretty confident it’s going to bowl you over. Get your friends around for a bit of backyard cricket, and let this track soundtrack the afternoon - you’ll make some memories that last a lifetime.