3RRR Trip Magazine

3RRR Trip Magazine
October 2001

Andrew McCubbin
Dead Pilot
(1am Independent)
review by Lex Cran

Andrew McCubbin cut his teeth in Western Australian/Melbourne dirty pop outfit, Lamia, in the early nineties, and has more recently been playing sweet pop in Philippa Nihills band. Over the years, he’s also been quietly doing solo shows around Melbourne, and the release of Dead Pilot sees him deliver eleven songs of restrained beauty and quiet observation.
Playing most of the instruments on the album (vocals, guitars, bass, piano, Hammond and percussion) and recording it himself, he’s joined by guests Julitha Ryan on Cello and former Lamia band mate Kate Kelly who sings backing vocals on two tracks.
McCubbin’s vocals are understated and melodically simple. He stays within his lower register throughout, which gives his voice a smoky, breathy quality, and coupled with the generally stripped back instrumentation, the songs acquire a certain eeriness.
He seems to have really captured a mood here: on Universal One, he sings: ‘I think I’ll have another lazy day/ I’ll sit around the fire/ Waiting for my life to change’, the music really matches that headspace of fireside reflection. The Fog Song was a good choice for a first single, and as the opening track, it sets the pace for the songs to follow.
There are four instrumental pieces included here, as well as a great cover of the pixies classic Gouge Away, which is sure to offend some die hard Pixies fans on principle.
Perfect for a quiet night with a buddy or as an accompaniment for your own moments of reflection, this accomplished LP contains tasteful arrangements, and the presence of strings and piano set it apart from the pedestrian soloist records-all-their-songs-because-they-can terrain. This is not one of those collections of instantly accessible hook laden pop tunes; like most of my favourite recordings, it’s one that grows on you as you notice more things with each listen and appreciate the intricacies at work. Beautiful.