Playwrite: Cathedrals

Much of Playwrite’s debut album Cathedrals deals with the death of guitarist Patrick Holcombe’s parents during the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. With such a powerful origin, it’s no wonder the album they’ve delivered is an incredibly powerful listen.

From beginning to the, the record resembles the feel of a mind in chaos. Psychedelic sounds push and pull the music in different directions all at once, before dropping away for moments of intense clarity as Jordan White’s vocals cut through, true and clear. This works to startling effect on songs like ‘Driver’s Seat’, ‘Whittaker’ and ‘Rivers’.

The difficulty with this album is that the raw emotion can be too much for some. You can’t casually listen to these songs else their beauty escapes you. Even if you listen to Cathedrals without having any knowledge of Playwrite, the record is so tragic and real and serious that the enjoyment is sapped out of it somewhat, in the same way you wouldn’t watch a documentary on Auschwitz unless you were in a serious mood.

But while Cathedrals may not be a casual listen, it is an immensely enjoyable one that captures the beauty that can come from a personal tragedy.