Parcels hails from the surfing hotspot in Byron Bay, Australia, yet as a band they stand out among others in today’s musical landscape as a soulful rock band that draws images of ’70s California, complete with shaggy hair, moustaches and bell bottoms. Formed in 2014 when they were fresh out of school, Louie Swain (keyboards), Patrick Hetherington (keys, guitar), Noah Hill (bass), and Anatole “Toto” Serret, created a singular sound that encompasses soft Rock and Soul, with Exotica, Disco and ’60s Pop that focuses on uplifting grooves. Their style has produced over 100,000 in album sales worldwide, and over 200 million streams.
Parcels has performed shows with French royalty Phoenix and Daft Punk and also made their mark on the USA with a TV debut on Conan O’Brien, a slot at Coachella, and a single debut that was produced by Daft Punk, who saw them live in Paris and ushered them into the studio. After releasing two EPs, Clockscared (2015), and Hideout in (2017) with a broken keyboard that caused a kind of “smooshing effect” on the lyrics, in 2018 Parcels acclaimed self-titled debut was released, receiving a 5-star review from NME that called them “timeless and devilish fun.” A follow up in 2020 is an impressive double album, Live Vol. 1, recorded at Hansa Studios, the legendary studio where Iggy Pop and David Berlin hung out during their Berlin Years.
In 2020 when the world shut down commerce and live music indefinitely, Parcels spent time writing and recording a double album, Day/Night, that features catchy Disco-Soul, Prog, pastoral Folk, Laurel Canyon-era classic songwriting and cinematic strings. It is the emergence of a band that has grown up together, found ways to stay together in spite of obstacles placed in their path, including being stranded in Berlin unable to return to Australia due to the pandemic.
2021 sees the return of Parcels with Day/Night’s November 5 release on Because Music, which is huge in scope and sound with its hopeful messages of perseverance through difficult times, which are like a balm for the spirit. The record tracks like a soundtrack or a Classical composition, with its chamber-style elements melded into something fresh and new. Their story at radio begins with WNXP, Colorado Sound, WBJB, KHUM and WUNC.
Photo by Remi Ferrante Hartman