Help me if you can

By Henry Lipput

At some point in a band’s career, they stop being compared to other bands but instead are thought of on their own terms. As far as I’m concerned this has happened with Fallon Cush, the Australian band led by singer-songwriter Steve Smith. Yes, they still have alt-country and jangle pop sounds (along with the occasional rock influences thrown in for good measure) but have definitely made a sound that’s their own.

The band’s heart-felt new single, the country-ish “Grain of Salt” (Bandcamp and all streaming services), is the first new music from the band since their excellent 2019’s Stranger Things Have Happened album. “Grain of Salt” is mostly a solo effort with Steve Smith getting an assist from producer Josh Schuberth but can definitely be considered a band track.

The lyrics for “Grain of Salt” ask for help during a difficult time. But the request seems to be from someone who has cried wolf or misled a friend too many times in the past: “If I came straight out with it/Looked you in the eye,” sings Smith in a voice that’s aching to be taken seriously, “Said that I’m really struggling/To get by/Would you take it with a grain of salt/Or would you listen to me?”

According to Smith, there are two or three Fallon Cush tracks in the works that will be released in the coming months and then an EP or album next year.