Melbourne group Blackbirds FC return with 'Lake of Stars', the second taste of their forthcoming third album.
Following the highly successful release of their albums Field Recordings and 2022's Magiclands, Blackbirds FC (featuring members of The Hollowmen, Helvelln, the Vanda’s and Flicker) release 'Lake Of Stars', the second new single from album number three.
On the album's first single 'Rings Around The Sun', which received airplay on the International Americana Music Show, PBS, Triple R, 4ZZZ, 2ser and more, the band displayed their innate ability to cut straight to heart with their warm, resonant sound that blends indie rock and alt-country with a distinctly Australian feel.
On Lake of Stars' they again channel Australian rock and literate indie pop/rock and art rock, creating a vivid and compelling musical landscape that intrigues at each sonic twist and turn.
Songwriter Jeremy Gronow often writes songs about places he knows well but in this case he wanted to try writing a song about a place he hadn't been to, using just his imagination and the internet, while musically taking influence from XTC, Tinariwen and the Beach Boys' Smiley Smile album that he'd been listening to during the recording process.
"The name came from a music festival an old friend was involved with in Malawi called the Lake of Stars Festival. I always loved the name so I decided to write about that," says Jeremy.
"I did some reading and found out that lake was really known as Lake Nyasa and was at the end of the East African Rift Valley between Tanzania, Mozambique and Malawi in an area called The Handle. And so the Lake of Stars became the setting for a song about travelling and longing for a person left behind."
"Lake Nyasa (aka Lake Malawi) was called the Lake of Stars by Scottish explorer and missionary Dr Livingstone," Jeremy explains. "He happened upon the lake at night and thought the lanterns on the fishing boats looked like stars in the night sky. Anyway, it seemed like a very romantic and intriguing place and the lake seemed like a good place for the song’s protagonist to find himself and gain clarity about the person left behind."
lyrics
LAKE OF STARS Jeremy Gronow 2023
Verse 1
Down a dusty road at sunset, through the ti-trees to the shoreline
Where we camp for the night
All the fishermen are standing, on their boats all lit with lanterns
Like the jewels in the night
Chorus 1
When Livingston arrived with his European eyes
He thought the stars had fallen from the skies
I hope you find me there, calling to the sky
Let the wild wind blow my loving back to you
From the Lake of Stars
Verse 2
Lake Nyasa, ancient valley, where the rift rejoins the handle
Back in the shadows of time
Watch the constellations turning, until the sun comes softly burning
Sets the morning on fire
Chorus 2
The lake will feed your soul, hide and comfort you
And send you back to where you’re going to
I hope you find me there, calling to the sky
Let the wild winds blow my loving back to you
From the Lake of Stars
OUTRO
We made a lot of love together
But if our kingdom ever falls
Down to dust to and lonely memories
The lake of stars will still go on
Lake of Stars, Lake of Stars.
credits
released August 2, 2024
Credits
Produced and mastered by Cameron Mackenzie at Station Place Studios, July 2024.
Blackbirds FC are:
Jeff Baker – Guitar
Phil Campbell – Drums
Julien Chick – Bass
Jeremy Gronow – Vocals, guitar
Gina Hearnden – Vocals, guitar
Bec Long – Cello
With Cameron Mckenzie - guitars, keyboards, backing vocals.
Featuring members of The Hollowmen, Helvelln, and the Vanda’s Blackbirds FC play
their own brand of alt. country rock inspired by the Go-Betweens, The Church and Wilco.
Formed in 2017, the band released the EP Life Sciences in 2018, the LPs Field Recordings (2019) and Magiclands ( 2022) and Desire Lines in 2025....more
