Parallel Lions - 'Separated'

I can't think of an Australian frontman with a better voice than Ollie Browne. The Art Of Fighting songwriter has a golden set of vocal chords that are that rarest of thing: evocative of a classic line of singers with soaring, high voices, as well as being utterly unique. And seemingly completely effortless. I could listen to Browne sing me my mobile phone contract and be enthralled. The fact that his songwriting credentials are unassailable, his also being a phenomenal jazz drummer (for the likes of the Hoodangers and CW Stoneking; something to do with his father perhaps) is just overkill.

Art of Fighting have been on hiatus for about a year now (although they did provide the score to the Australian film Ten Empty in 2008, the soundtrack of which you can check out here.) In the downtime of that band, Browne has been toying with a side project that has now become a fully fledged concern.

Parallel Lions features Browne on vocals and guitar, Hamish Michael on guitar, keys, computer and vocals, and Sam Bates on drums. Forgoing live shows, the trio worked up an album's worth of material at home in the northern 'burbs of Melbourne before employing Sydney producer/engineer Tim Whitten - he of Art Of Fighting's three albums in Runaways, Second Storey and the ARIA Award winning Wires, as well as jobs for Augie March, Crow, Bluebottle Kiss and The Necks - at Birdland, Newmarket, and BJB Studios during May-September 2009. Aka fresh.

The result is Parallel Lions debut album Holding Patterns, tol be released on October 23rd via Bird Music/Shock, and this is the first taste of it: lead single 'Separated'. With Browne's voice up front alongside his clear, jangly telecaster it's unmistakebly evocative of Art Of Fighting. But with a few electronic flourishes and some decidedly muscular drumming care of Bates it's definitely a fresh new turn for the songwriter and co. Ie: this should be good. 

The group are currently playing their first shows supporting Paul Dempsey around the nation, more to come soon.

www.myspace.com/parallellions