If you’ve not heard of Sydney’s The Flowers, the question needs to be asked if you’ve really been paying attention to the music scene.
Having been in several bands over the years, Dylan Clark and Leighton Cauchi found themselves couch-surfing their way through Los Angeles in 2017, searching for a vocalist for a new project. Returning home somewhat crestfallen, the band stumbled upon Agnes O’Dwyer via triple j Unearthed, and the rest – as they say – is history.
Since the birth of The Flowers, the group have been going from strength to strength, scoring triple j rotation for their debut single ‘Truly Madly Sleepy’, and now releasing their wonderful new track, ‘Origami’.
“‘Origami’ is an ode to anxiety – social anxiety, insecurity within relationships and a little existential panic to top it all off” the band explain of the track..
“After years of feeling like I was made differently, made wrong, I decided to write this song,” Agnes offers. “It was an attempt to try and make sense of my conflicting needs to both be wanted and alone at the same time.
“The song explores the lengths we go to in order to seek the answers to “‘fix” the anxiety instead of actually, truly listening to it.”
Now, with the band having made their live debut earlier this month, we spoke to The Flowers about who they, what they do, and to learn more about just what makes them tick.
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Check out ‘Origami’ by The Flowers:
Get To Know: The Flowers
How did your artist name come about?
We dig the idea of having a ‘The *insert noun here* name, it’s such a timeless thing – The Beatles, The Doors, The Smiths, The Who, The Jam etc.
We were sitting on Dyl’s floor naming inanimate objects we saw around the room – “The Kitchen Towels, The Coat Hangers, The Soaps, The left-out-dinner-from-last-nights etc…”. Luckily there were a bunch of flowers sitting on the table and the rest is history.
How would you describe your music to your grandma?
Songs you’d want to run through a field to…. we hope ?
Tell us about a few of your tracks; their titles and what they’re about?
‘Truly Madly Sleepy’ – This track is about the overly sentimental and romantic feeling you get when you’re travelling in New York. Things just seem to MEAN more when they happen in an unknown, fantastical place.
Mix that with a bit of jetlag and disorientation and you’ve got yourself a truly, madly, sleepy holiday.
‘Origami’ – This track is about the paradoxical desire to both be wanted and left alone at the same time. The verses and bridge explore how anxiety can manifest itself in different forms (social anxiety, relationship insecurity, self loathing, jealousy).
The chorus is about listening to this panic – instead of feeling defeated by it, you can actually get something out of it.
The chorus references Descartes, famed for the phrase “I think, therefore I am.” I love this, because it kicks self doubt in the ass and makes you realise that your thoughts, no matter how anxiety driven they are, mean that you exist and that is pretty damn neat.
What do you love about your hometown?
Sydney is so bloody huge, it keeps surprising you. There’s always an area you haven’t yet explored or a suburb you haven’t even heard of.
Career highlight so far?
Richard Kingsmill playing ‘Truly Madly Sleepy’ on triple j and reviewing it on our Unearthed page. We were BUZZING after that happened.
Fave non-music hobby?
Dyan: Surfing
Agnes: Chilling with my dog. His name is Jeff.
Leighton: Sitting in a sauna.
What’s on your dream rider?
Agnes: Toasted bagels
Leighton: unlimited Mexican food
Dylan: a toaster and a really large table
Dream music collaboration?
Jeff Buckley, if he were alive.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Owning a house that’s chicken poxed with framed records ;)
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
Agnes: ‘Tainted Love’ – Soft Cell
Leighton: ‘I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing’ – Aerosmith
Dylan: ‘4’33”’ – John Cage
Check out ‘Truly Madly Sleepy’ by The Flowers:
