Album Notes

On their self-titled debut, Sofa Mecca have combined conventional acoustic sounds and instruments with electronica / sampling and programming to produce an interesting 'fresh' mix of musical styles. What began as a series of self-recorded demo sessions in their lounge room (hence Sofa Mecca) has since evolved into their debut release through Laughing Outlaw Records.

Sofa Mecca have had a strong 'do-it-yourself' ethic to all facets of their music from writing through to producing, recording, mastering and artwork to retain the essence which is Sofa Mecca. Drawing on their individual backgrounds in live music/recording/ production/film/stage and graphic design, Sofa Mecca have combined their talents to create an eclectic mix of genres.

Each member of Sofa Mecca has had more than ten years of musical experience and they have all previously performed at Australian festivals such as The Big Day Out and The Livid Festival in previous acts. They have all released recorded material as part of other bands or in collaboration with other Brisbane and Melbourne-based artists and have been actively involved in the production of several compilation albums to promote Australian-made artists.

Their involvement in film and acting has also allowed them to produce their own videos and allowed songs to be incorporated into several short films. The film 'Wilfred', written and co-produced by singer Jason Gann and featuring the song 'Ashen' from Sofa Mecca's debut, won 'Best Comedy' and 'Best People's Choice' awards at the 2002 Tropfest short film festival and Jason Gann won the best actor award.

The first song on the Sofa Mecca CD, entitled 'Poster of You' is being released as the debut single - an unusual mix of acoustic guitar, mandolin, sampled beats and a free-form 1930's Beach Boys'esque Theremin. Music on this disc is best appreciated in the same way it was written - from the comfort of your favourite sofa...

REVIEWS

"Jason Gann's fragile, otherworldy vocals sound, a la Jonathan Donahue or Steve Kilbey, like they're beamed in from Alpha Centauri, and the band has a steady grasp on where ambience ends and real late-night, bruised-hearted atmosphere begins." - Rolling Stone

"For the curious at heart, Sofa Mecca offer an unusual but remarkable release." 4 stars - Americana-UK Website

"This debut do-it-yourself effort from four experienced artistic veterans is one of the more encouraging and diverse Australian efforts of late... Incredibly experimental and DIY, yet there are still at least 3 or 4 songs from this album, which demand heavy Triple J time. One to listen out for." - Scene Magazine

"Riding to the rescue of everyone who hasn't really loved a record since 1997, however, is an Australian foursome whose precocious debut album has a more-British-than-Brit-Pop sheen about it... A tremendously winning debut, and well worth exploring if 'Heathen Chemistry' leaves you cold." - Pennyblack Website

"It's rewarding to see a band this resolutely independent exercising full creative control and producing powerful, complex yet inviting music and it's a great slap in the face to those who like to pigeonhole Australian music." - Logged Off

"They've taken the influences of bands like Coldplay and Doves and made a CD of tasteful acoustic/electronic pop. There's a trendy but tasteful '80s flavour and sophistication too. Not alt.country, then, and not power pop; but pretty, and pretty good." - Comes With A Smile Magazine


"Sofa Mecca's widescreen mix of acoustic rock and deft electronic programming hasn't gone unnoticed back home in Brisbane. Their music has been used in movies, while singer/guitarist Jason Gann recently won an award at a film festival for playing a talking dog in the short Wilfred. Here, any pigeon-holes are out as their opening Poster OF You clearly indicates. A waltz-time tumble, featuring a theremin, it builds almost psychedelically, setting the scene for the appealing jangle of Forest Fires. And so it goes, guitars sometimes to the foreground, elsewhere, synths. The songs are both strong and diverse, maintaining interest over the long haul. Whatever the standard of the singer's mutt-like acting, the music's certainly worth investigating." Q Magazine

"It's a lousy name, but this Sydney four-piece may well have hit upon a genre. The production process for this, their debut apparently began in their front room, and the perfect environment for this lush techno-infused acoustic pop could see them turning full circle. Crediting three of the band with "programming" on the sleeve might suggest that they're more experimental than they actually are. There are no real boundaries being broken here - the off skittering drum pattern, the occasional bleep and boop among the myriad loops. But that doesn't make it any less delightful. If one were to be brutal, "Ashen" is a rewrite of The Korgis' classic " Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime". But those turned on by the recent wave of French pop, who hark back to the days of Moon Safari, and are sick of waiting for new releases from Phoenix and Tahiti 80, would achieve no small amount of pleasure from Sofa Mecca." - Bucketfull Of Brains