CLEWS

Haven’t Got a CLEWS?

Here in the UK it’s cold, dark and wet. The vibrant colours of autumn have given way to cigarette ash grey skies, a beige landscape, mud and lockdown. Covid is running through the country faster than Usain Bolt, and there’s no chance of seeing live music in a pub near you any time soon. It’s fair to say that most of us haven’t a clue where things are heading.

Enter stage left, Lily and Grace Richardson; aka CLEWS. Most of us haven’t had a vaccination yet, but these Aussie siblings are the perfect cure for Covid. Their music is the injection your soul needs right now. The girls have achieved this remarkable feat not through soapy lyrics and boy band beats, but from a far more traditional source – beautifully constructed guitar melodies.

Their songs have been described as anthemic, which they are, but there’s far more to CLEWS craft than that. In short, they perfectly match vocal harmonies with thoughtful, poignant lyrics and beautiful tunes. Imagine a mashup of Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Waters’ with Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Go Your Own Way’ and you get the picture.

Songs such as ‘Crushed’, ‘Museum’, ‘Feel’ and ‘New Age’ are rousing toe tappers that will instantly leave you feeling better about life. Even ‘Hollywood’, with its melancholy lyrics (“Every day I wake up my only pastime is to lay back down”) has a way of helping you see life anew.

Creating music that captures fondness, gratitude and regret – often all in the same song is a heck of an achievement. So, if you’re struggling to relax during these difficult days, don’t take a Temazepan and slide down the sofa. Put on some CLEWS, turn the volume to 11 and dance like nobody’s watching – which shouldn’t be difficult in lockdown Britain.