Love is always grand, but it’s not always easy.
That’s the underlying theme of the sweet, sometimes soaring ballad from Seal Prince and the Roof Rats, released this weekend; real love needs commitment to survive through the inevitable tough times every relationship endures.
The local band – more a collective gathered by singer/songwriter Lachie Chomley – falls under the broad genre of folk-rock, but Barwon River Song draws firmly on both Americana and honest, Australian acoustic pop.
With the band’s regular guitarist Josh Docker on drums, the track features sound engineer Zac Barter on double bass, Hannah Reeves on piano and industry veteran Dave Steel on lap steel.
Over this sensitive accompaniment floats Chomley’s voice, drawing in the listener with its clarity and honesty.
The dreamy tune starts with the story of two people entranced in their newly-found love by the banks of the Barwon.
However, what is worthwhile is rarely easily attained, as the young lovers discover.
Chomley said the song was inspired by the real-life love story of he and wife Michaela.
“I wrote the song two years after we’d been together, and obviously those early days are just complete bliss,” he said.
“It’s kind of like you’re setting sail into the unknown with this really beautiful sense of possibility and excitement. (But) the challenges inevitably come up when that initial zone of bliss is done.
“Facing the realities and struggles of being a human and sharing a relationship with someone else… how to accept those challenges without running away from them. That, I guess, is the crux of the song.”
Barwon River Song hits streaming platforms on Saturday, December 14.
