Available on 10" vinyl via Kleine Untergrund Schallplatten
www.discogs.com/de/seller/KUS-2015/profile

Scott Stevens – vocals
Pam Berry – vocals
Bart Cummings – guitar
Louis Richter – guitar, organ
Mark Monnone – bass
Jeremy Cole – drums
Gary Olson – trumpet

Recorded and mixed by Jeremy Cole in Tolmie, VIC
Pam's vocals recorded by Michael Jones in London, UK

Track 3 written by Tim Sendra

Artwork by Frederik Jehle


In the history of pop music, many artists are proud of their often surprising metamorphoses. On the other hand, music lovers rejoice when their heroes remain true to pop ideals, assembling a great oeuvre over many years and sometimes in different incarnations. Bart Cummings is a fine example of this.

It all started in the early 90's in Melbourne with Girl Of The World, who released a few singles and a compilation CD. It was released by Parasol Records in the USA, one of the more important US labels in the tradition of Sarah Records alongside Bus Stop. Summershine Records was also founded in Melbourne at the time, where Australian indie pop heroes such as The Sugargliders but also international indie pop gems such as East Village (UK) and Honey Bunch (USA) appeared. So Bart Cummings was part of a global indie network early on, which was more than remarkable in the pre-internet era.

The next station was The Cat's Miaow, who achieved cult status in the international indie pop underground in the mid-nineties with a few cassette albums. Their very lo-fi and handcrafted-sounding releases hit the nerve of Sarah et. al. Community. The sentiment conveyed by the band reaches into the post punk bliss of The Gist and Young Marble Giants and breathes the spirit of early 80's DIY.

Cummings started Bart & Friends in 1998, but took a break of more than ten years after the debut, perhaps a typical case of Life Got In Your Way.
Released in 2010, Make You Blush is as short as it is exquisite. In less than 15 minutes, the band presents 8 little pop gems that range between Brighter and the more spartan early Belle and Sebastian. I can't decide whether to prefer Pam Berry's female lead or Bart Cummings' baritone. The former is reminiscent of the best moments of Saint Etienne's Sarah Cracknell, the latter is reminiscent of Gary Olson. Stories With The Endings Changed, released the following year, continued this style. Calm, fine pop songs with echoes of the Go Betweens or The Lucksmiths, to which part of Bart's Friends (Mark Monnone and Louis Richter) originally belonged.

Two very nice EPs followed on Shelflife and Matinée, the latter of which features Pam Berry languishing to early Johnny Marr-inspired guitars.

And now in 2021. The Tolmie Wild Thymes Mini LP will be released in a very cool 10" format on Kleine Underground Schallplatten, Ronny Pinkau's meritorious label in Augsburg. Scott Stevens, a veteran of the Australian indie scene and also touring with The Earthmen since the early 1990s, approached the label. We can now look forward to another successful release on KUS.

The cover is chic and reduced and the opening This is Where My Love Goes with its ringing Rickenbacker sound immediately captivates you. A journey back in time to the era when classic songwriting was still the order of the day and cultivated vocals were laid over catchy melodies, Wait In Tune is a prime example of this sound. The Best That I Can energetically demonstrates that they can also play the Power Pop card. All The Stage Belongs To You sees a reunion with Pam Berry, who whips up a ravishing vocal performance to an Under The Boardwalk groove, accentuated nicely by the accompanying horns. This is contributed by Gary Olson, who had a 7” on KUS before his album on wallpaper. The high point of the record, the antiphonal vocals in It's Not Your Fault testifies to the great pop feeling and ends with the title track, a jangle pop instrumental.

The record combines classic songwriting with the charm of timeless indie pop. Bart Cummings has proven his class many times before and adds another masterpiece to his catalog raisonné.

An absolute recommendation!

– Andreas Hess, Berlin 2021