Skip to main content
    forgot password
why register?
The Wonderful Lives
+  Share
+  All Featured Artists 
+  New Tracks 
+  Played on triple j 
Browse By Genre
+ Dance
+ Electronic
+ Hip Hop
+ Indie
+ Metal
+ Pop
+ Punk
+ Rock
+ Roots
+ Indigenous
A-Z of Unearthed Artists
A B C D E F G
H I J K L M N
O P Q R S T U
V W X Y Z #  
artist pic
The Wonderful Lives
Genre: Indie, Rock
Region: Sydney, NSW
Members: Lucas Preddey (Vocals, piano, guitar, harmonica), Tim Mahony (Cello, guitar, backing vocals, melodeon), Scott Cary (Drums, percussion, melodica, guitar), Johnny Graffham (pedal steel and electric guitar), Cameron Jones (Bass)
Influences: Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, Tom Waits
Artist Website: www.thewonderfullives.com

Piano, cello, pedal steel guitar, bass and drums collide in an epic storm of folk-shanties, grimy rock dirges and bittersweet dark country tales.

In a tiny apartment in the north of Tokyo, sweltering in the brutal humidity of a Japanese summer, a feverish man tossed aside his ineffective medication, sat down at a small piano, and started to write some songs. On his return to Sydney in 2008, the songs reached the ears of four other musicians who were drawn to the depth, originality and raw emotion of the music. The Wonderful Lives were born. This exciting new collaboration sparked a creative surge for the members of the band, and the songs quickly began to take shape and multiply. They worked tirelessly in assembling a range of unique compositions, varying in style, emotion and intensity and set out to share their work with audiences that craved music possessing the very same traits that drew the musicians together in the first place.

The band have just released their first full-length album titled “The Human Heart Will Take Your Life”. Recorded over the winter of 2011 the album perfectly captures their alternative folk rock sound and unique instrument combination. From the grimy dirge of 'The Dirty Bride' to the bittersweet 'Way Out To Sea', the harrowing 'Mary Lou' and the demented carousel ride that is 'They Were Waiting For Me' this collection of songs constantly rises and falls, taking the listener on a ride from love to hate, life to death and heaven to hell.

Inspired by such visionaries as Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen and PJ Harvey, these songs possess an insight into the human condition, revealing our failings and flaws, our ability to love and at the same time, destroy. With a tendency to be dark in nature and delivery, the music of The Wonderful Lives has been described as 'cathartic', rewarding listeners with gentle, tender moments and a sense of relief with the calm that follows the storm.

The Wonderful Lives have performed their blistering brand of alternative folk across metropolitan Sydney and regional areas, taking in iconic live music venues such as The Gaelic Club in Surry Hills, the Annandale Hotel, the Sandringham Hotel in Newtown and the Gearin Hotel in Katoomba.

Songs from the band’s catalogue have been selected for rotation on the playlists of Sydney’s FBi radio (94.5FM), 2SER's 'Sideways through Sound' show (107.3FM), Blu FM (89.1 FM) and have also featured in Triple J’s Unearthed showcase.

Sit back, grab a drink, and listen with someone you love. Or hate.

+ contact this artist

Old Man Ocean
Rate
Download mp3 - 3.21 mb
Put down your hands
Rate
Download mp3 - 3.79 mb
Way out to sea
Rate
Download mp3 - 3.46 mb

reviews

read all reviews »

Way out to sea
rating:  5/5
I saw these guys play at Katoomba last night, and I was captured. every song had me. I bought the CD. The band's live performance is engaging, the s...




Way out to sea
rating:  5/5
Fantastic.




Put down your hands
rating:  5/5
Deep meaning lyrics to issues not often spoken. Sounds of Australian folk, truely speaks of a story that exists in the suburbs of our citys and bring...




Way out to sea
rating:  5/5
It's hard for a band to be influenced by their favourite artists (as described above) and yet sound like something wholly original, but these songs b...
more reviews