On the Couch with Ratfink!: Heroes Who Stay
In Ratfink!'s world, there is a particular point where the rules of the game begin to unravel. It is comparable to hearing a guitar out of tune; it is similar to the smell of spilled beer on carpet; it emits a feeling of inhaling static and concrete dust or tasting ash on one's tongue. This space where Here Be Heroes exists isn't about proclaiming a great victory, but rather an unassuming shoulder shrug, transforming into something courageous.
Liv and Raph are Ratfink!; they became accidental archivists of all of those feelings that come with adolescence after becoming lifelong friends during high school. They record their DIY pop songs in their Melbourne share house whilst they wait for the kettle to boil and their laptop sounds like it is wheezing. Beer has become synonymous with their laptop which is also still functioning...SORT OF...and therefore it holds a great deal of significance. WHEN U WERE MINE was recorded using a $50 microphone, a $100 guitar and an old-school-looking underwater-tinged "machine". You could refer to it as lo-fi, you could claim that it is a matter of "survival" or that it is a "textural" item, either way, there is beer...there is static...and there is concrete.
Here Be Heroes takes a by-the-book approach, without posturing or yelling. Rather than looking like an effort to impress or coerce its audience, Here Be Heroes stands alongside all previously released music by calling in the honest narrative of "About Ya" and the rebellious affection of "Gay Song". In contrast to previous releases that depicted an environmental horror in "Plastic Bits," Here Be Heroes reflects the centre of a hero's journey without exaggerating. Here Be Heroes features no mythical beasts; rather, it portrays ordinary humans learning to be vulnerable and approachable.
Much of the lyrical content of the songs on Here Be Heroes are true stories about friendships, the experience of coming out, and the changing nature of love. The songs are recorded in Ratfink!'s trademark style that includes elements of rock 'n' roll rebelliousness, and dream-pop tranquillity; Here Be Heroes sounds like a collection of songs that have been recorded with care rather than products of a commercial studio.
The strength of Here Be Heroes lies in its understated approach to storytelling. The recording successfully generates a sense of connection and trust between the songwriter(s) and the listener. Instead of viewing the hearsay accounts of the hero's journey from afar, the listener sits close to the artist as they listen to each song while enjoying a drink and the company of friends. The hero(s) are not larger than life; rather, they live among us.