The comparison is immediate but doesn’t condemn: My Latest Novel, on their latest release, Deaths & Entrances, echoes The Frames. Well, not a complete echo, for main singer Chris Deveney has a deeper voice than that of Glen Hansard from The Frames (this Aussie’s ears can’t distinguish Deveney’s Scottish accent from Hansard’s Irish lilt) and My Latest Novel is fond of slower songs. But both bands have a penchant for drama, gradual build-ups and crashing choruses.
Deaths & Entrances comprises a superb set of songs, the lyrics apparently based on literary references. Soaring backing vocals and artfully placed violin complement the tight playing, Deveney’s voice is drenched in emotion, and midsong tempo changes continually surprise. I wondered at first if the angsty songs would wear on me after a while; instead, the songwriting is strong enough to reward much repeated listening. Standout tracks include: the high/low vocals on the opening track, ‘All in All in All is All’; ‘I Declare a Ceasefire, with its stunning lyrical opening, following by a pulsing rhythm building to a climax; ‘If the Accident Will’ and its multilayered, shifting arrangements and simple, sublime ending; and the vocal swapping and relentless climb of ‘The Greatest Shakedown.’
I certainly hope My Latest Novel tours Melbourne.