The latest album from Hobart singer-songwriter James Parry has its roots in Bali.
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The Burnie-born musician had moved to the Indonesian island for one year with his then girlfriend, and was, self-declared, a “kept man”.
He’d taken a break from music, after releasing an album in 2011, but with freedom and time stretching ahead of him, he found himself ready to start creating again.
He began the process of crafting a concept album, something he said he had wanted to do for some time.
“(The album) is basically a story, it’s very much inspired by Tasmania, Burnie, and Hobart – that island-small town mentality,” Parry said.
“(Here) people feel limited a lot and especially in smaller communities there’s no anonymity, and they can feel like they’re always under scrutiny.
“People make bad life decisions in terms of their own long-term personal happiness, based on fear of being judged. So it’s basically an album about that.”
Parry explained said that the album explored a small, fictional town through a series of songs.
Although it is a story in its entirety, Parry said the links from song to song were not always excessively obvious.
“The heroes (in this town) are the footy players, and there is lots of pressure to be masculine,” he explained.
“There’s a lot of pressure to be what they’re told they should be.”
In The Lights was officially launched this month after a three-year journey, and Parry will be bringing it to Launceston this weekend for its Northern debut.
Parry said he was also interested in releasing a concept album because of the changing way in which people were consuming music.
As well as CD, streaming, digital downloads and (eventually) vinyl releases, Parry has created postcards to accompany the release.
“I’ve got a nice set of envelopes and beautiful cards with artwork on the front, and the lyrics on the back for each song,” he said.
“I have always enjoyed the experience of album art and reading lyrics.”
- See James Parry on his In The Lights tour in Launceston at Club 54 on Friday from 9pm. Entry is $5. He’ll be supported by Cuban Heel, and Isla Ka.