Live Review: Brendan Maclean presents cathartic dance-rock with 'Where's the Miracle'

Sydney singer-songwriter BRENDAN MACLEAN has dropped another taste of his upcoming debut album AND THE BOYFRIENDS with 'Where's the Miracle'. Featuring Donny Benet on bass, and backing vocals from Montaigne and Ainslie Wills, it follows the quirky dance-rock stylings of previous single 'Hibernia' while proving to be Brendan Maclean's most personal song yet.

With four EPs and countless singles under his belt, Brendan Maclean has firmly established himself as an Australian pop powerhouse. With a sound ranging from minimal acoustic to glitzy electro-pop, he's known for blending genres and pushing boundaries, a fact best expressed with 'House of Air' and its accompanying video which garnered controversy and acclaim alike over its celebration of queerness. Released earlier in the year, 'Hibernia' displayed a more rock focused sound, with live drums and guitars taking prominence over synths and drum machines. Sounding like a cross between Midnight Juggernauts and Talking Heads, 'Where's the Miracle' proves to be Maclean's most unique song yet.

Starting slow with bass and minimal drums, the track builds with nervous energy over Maclean's tense vocals, soon erupting with erratic guitar strums and pounding percussion. This midsection is where the track really comes together: Maclean manically shouts the title over and over like a mantra, while Montaigne and Ainslie Wills' backing move between a B-52's-esque call-and response to Maclean and melodic harmonies.

Lacking a traditional pop structure like much of his work, 'Where's the Miracle' instead feels like a cathartic release of pressure, like dropping a Mentos in a bottle of Coke. Brendan Maclean has said that the track is his most personal: "Growing up a queer in the shire was hard enough, let alone in a house of alcoholics, so it's about those experiences." Working with producer Sarah Belkner, he's shed the electro-pop sound and unveiled a new, fresh and honest version of himself - and it absolutely kills. Out in February, AND THE BOYFRIENDS is looking like it's going to be an absolute delight.

IMAGE: Jonno Revanche

WORDS BY MAX LEWIS

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