CLEWS are a band fronted by two NSW south coast sisters, whose studio sound leans in on mood and mystery.
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On stage in Newcastle, however, they were all charm and wit. Their sibling banter betraying the mystique they had built around themselves, in a delightful way.
Following in the footsteps of their father Hamish Richardson, who toured the world in Celtic-rock band Brother with his own siblings, Lily and Grace Richardson built their reputation on a series of spectacular rock singles.
Reminiscent of the more commercial leanings from indie artists like Veruca Salt and PJ Harvey, as well as the solo work of '90s gun-for-hire Melissa Auf der Maur, Clews still manage to find a unique sound.
The key ingredient? Their transcendent sibling harmonies that blend and glide over crisp rock guitar, their voices often landing an octave apart, doubling each other for added effect.
While their studio sound is a tight mix of that vocal harmony with chugging guitar rhythms, tied up with production from legendary Byron Bay-based rock producer Nick DiDia (Powderfinger, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen), last Saturday's stripped back "duo mode" set revealed a much wider palette of influence and personality.
Between songs of heartbreak and adolescence, played in sparse arrangement, Lily and Grace gently picked on each other in the way only siblings can.
The sisters poked fun at themselves and spun yarns, all while graciously thanking the crowd for their presence as if they were hosting a grand dinner party.
The Cambridge Hotel's COVID-safe setup was perfectly suited to Clews "Table for Two" tour concept. The candlelit, socially-distanced cabaret feel allowed their sound to wash over the crowd, and their warmth and humour to land in a way that a regular rock show might not make room for.
Chief songwriter Lily rolled through each song with a clean electric guitar chime, more Jeff Buckley or Julia Jacklin than riff rock. While Grace complimented her older sisters' work with crisp lead guitar and a constant compliment of harmony.
For a preview of this sound, check out Crushed II, the acoustic B-side of Clews' single Crushed, that beautifully fills the alt-country void Ryan Adams left in the music scene last year.
Through the set, their five singles took on new life, but it was their unreleased material that gave the audience a glimpse of their potential. Clews revealed to the room at least an album's worth of songs worthy of release.
Cycling through their unique brand of minor-key indie pop, alt-country acoustics and their next single, Want You That Way, it was easy to imagine the kind of record Clews could one day unleash.
Maybe it was growing up around their father's Brother, or the in-sync nature of close siblings, but Clews are incredibly accomplished.
They're also just one of a crop of new artists like Egoism, Jack River and Ali Barter delivering '90s music that's easily as good as the decades' actual commercial output. Having grown up with the sound and the benefit of hindsight has allowed them to filter only the best of its broad-reaching influence.
Aside from a few forgotten chords (which earned Lily a roasting from her sister), Clews delivered a note-perfect live set of material to rival both their contemporaries and many artists they admire.
So if you're into the handful of indie female voices that conquered mainstream music at the cusp of the new millennium, check out this band next time they're in town (hopefully with a full line-up in tow).