Boorloo/Perth-based singer-songwriter Clay Brown builds on his sound with the release of his second single fronting Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town, “No Place.” It’s much grittier than their laidback debut “All My Friends (Atrophy),” but if you enjoyed that song I don’t think they’ll lose you with this evolution. As with the first single, Clay Brown hooked me with his superb songwriting, which this time explore grief and the way it can paralyse you.
“I wrote this song when I was going through a difficult time after losing someone very important in my life, and at the same time trying to start a new situationship with someone, but I was finding I just didn’t have myself all together yet for it mentally,” frontman Clay explained.
Can we also take a moment to appreciate Clay’s vocals? When so many artists attempt to disguise their Aussie accent, Clay’s is proudly on show. I also love the way he effortlessly moves from the conversational-style verses to high notes in the chorus.
Clay has been a key part of the Boorloo/Perth music industry for the last decade, playing with diverse acts like shoegaze outfit The Limbs, grunge band Filth Wizard, jazz fusion group King Proteus, and heavy stoner rockers MAGE. But his work fronting Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town is a little more personal. In 2023, Clay’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. He began writing poetry, then lyrics to process his emotions through her illness and death. This difficult period became the catalyst for his first solo songs, which he plays as an acoustic artist and with Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town.
Clay has recently returned from London, where he played a string of shows and recorded some music at Soho Sound Studios. Hopefully that means there are many more new tunes on the way. Until then, crank up “No Place.”
Photo credit: Dan Mac Photography
