Today acclaimed Wonnarua Country/Hunter Valley-based singer-songwriter Melody Pool releases her gorgeous third album Our Eternal Garden. Coming nine years after her last, this stunning psychedelic-folk album sees Melody channelling her grief, trust, and curiosity into songs that build on her sound and take it in new directions. I caught up with Melody to chat about this beautiful new album, how she feels making music after an extended hiatus, and her exciting touring news.
You’re releasing your new album Our Eternal Garden today. What can you tell me about it?
I guess mainly that I’m extremely proud of it. I wrote a lot of the songs when there were heaps of life changes happening for me, my dad getting sick etc. It was an exercise in surrendering to grief really and trying to redirect my approach to pain and existential dread by working with it rather than pushing up against it.
This is actually your first album release since Deep Dark Savage Heart in 2016. You were really honest about needing to step back from your music career and prioritise your mental health not long after you released that album. How does it feel to be making music again after that time away?
That break was exactly what I needed to be able to get back into music. I was really lost beforehand and so disconnected to why I was doing it. Those years helped me realign with the ‘why’, and I fell back in love with creating, and problem solving and challenging myself musically which is what I’d lost. So, rather than it just feeling good, it actually just feels right now.
The press release says this album is “a bold expansion of her sonic and lyrical world.” How would you say that your music evolved between this album and Deep Dark Savage Heart?
I’d say it’s wildly different haha. I don’t know, I hear DDSH now and I just hear a lost little girl who let others listen and decide things for her, who didn’t value her own opinion or taste. I feel like the sound has really been formed into something that reflects me now, and lyrically/musically it’s just far more realised. But that’s just my opinion lol.
You recorded Our Eternal Garden entirely to tape, which is such an old-school way of doing things. What influenced that decision?
There is a record by Linda Perhacs called Paralellograms that I adore, and I’d said to Chris [Dale] (my producer, who’s also my partner), that I was obsessed with that vocal sound and the density and warmth of it and he was like “Maybe we should just go to Golden Retriever and record to tape,” so we did. There wasn’t some huge determined decision really, it kind of just worked out that way and became something we just said “Yeah, let’s try that” to.
As a music buff, I was really impressed to read that the album’s photos were shot by Henry Diltz, who has photographed music legends like The Doors and Joni Mitchell. How did you get him on board?
Through a publicist I was working with at the time. It was such a beautiful experience getting to share some time with Henry, and he gifted me a beautiful print of Joni he had signed at the end of it. He is a really beautiful man with a very special spirit. I feel so lucky to have gotten to chance to spend some time with him and hear his stories.
You’ve actually been compared to Joni and Leonard Cohen. What is it like to hear those sorts of comparisons?
In some ways you just shrug it off because they’re the greats, you know? It feels like, yeah right. I wish. Haha. In others, it kind of makes sense. They’re huge influences for me, I’ve spent years absorbing and pondering on their songs and whatever you expose yourself to, you tend to lean toward when you start creating for yourself.
You’ll be playing some international shows to support the release of Our Eternal Garden. Where can fans expect to see you?
I’m kind of bouncing all over the UK, and then heading to Germany. So I’ll be in Ayr, Scotland, London and surrounds, Bristol, Staffordshire, Yorkshire. I have always wanted to spend a lot more time in the UK as I have heaps of family there so I’m very excited for that. And then we’re doing some shows in Germany around Frankfurt, Bremen, some smaller towns like Eisenach and Lübeck and Dedesdorf, a few that I visited last year and LOVED. So excited to head back there too.
I assume Australia will always be part of those plans. Do you know yet when you’ll play locally?
Yes! Through October and November we’re doing a little city run which will include Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and then my hometown show in Newcastle, and we have a little gig regionally in Grenfell as well.
What can music lovers expect from your upcoming shows?
A lot of heart, emotion as allllways with me. Also I’m from regional NSW so a fair bit of gasbagging too haha
Have you got a message for your fans out there?
Love ya’s. Come see a show. Always love to hug a fan x
Our Eternal Garden is out now on all your favourite streaming services. You can also purchase a vinyl copy through Melody’s Bandcamp page. She’s also just announced her world tour dates, so make sure you see her anywhere you can.
9 August 2025 – Fresh Ayr Folk Fest @ Ayr Town Hall, Ayr
12 August 2025 – Paper Dress Vintage, London
13 August 2025 – To the Moon, Bristol
14 August 2025 – The Wren, Stone
17 August 2025 – Platform Tavern, Southampton (Tickets on door)
19 August 2025 – Breaking Sound @ The Star of Shoreditch, Shoreditch
20 August 2025 – The Sun Inn, Beverley (supporting Lachlan Bryan and the Wildes)
21 August 2025 – The Bluebird, York (supporting Lachlan Bryan and the Wildes)
23 August 2025 – Cafe Lebermann, Eisenach (contact venue for tickets)
24 August 2025 – Schalander, Hochstadt
31 August 2025 – Litfass, Bremen (FREE)
1 September 2025 – Tonfink, Lubeck
2 September 2025 – Weserperle, Dedestorf (FREE)
4 October 2025 – Dashville Skyline Festivalle, Wonnarua Country/Dashville
18 October 2025 – The Cordial Factory, Wiradjuri Country/Grenfell
20 October 2025 – The Vanguard, Eora/Sydney
24 October 2025 – Trinity Sessions, Tarntanya/Adelaide
26 October 2025 – Brunswick Ballroom, Naarm/Melbourne
5 November 2025 – Songwriters Cafe, Walyalup/Fremantle
6 November 2025 – Mojo’s Walyalup/Fremantle (supporting Jeff Lang)
8 November 2025 – Bridgetown Blues Festival, Geegelup/Bridgetown
12 November 2025 – Lyrics Underground, Boorloo/Perth
14 November 2025 – Hamilton Station, Mulbinba/Newcastle
Photo credit: Henry Diltz