I feel like Perth has always produced great bands. For the last 25 years that I’ve been going out to see live music, I have seen a lot of bands come and go. Ghost Care, formed in 2019, are a trio of musicians producing catchy indie rock that you can’t help but groove to.
‘Home Run’ is a song about domestic violence, the almost cheerful guitar in this song could fool you into thinking that everything is fine. I think it’s important to write songs like this about difficult subject matter, even if you’re worried you’re going to bring the mood down. In this case, the vibe is good.
We begin with an electric guitar riff, which feels like a breezy Perth summer’s day and after 2 bars the bass, drums and vocals (Beau Torrance) kick in.
He used to write your name
On the side of his arm sometimes
And you can barely look away
But when you did he was on your mind
Then he took you to a nice place
And showed you the good life
He said that he would love you
In the beginning of all relationships there’s a honeymoon period, a settling in where you learn about this person you fancy. The contrast of this first verse with the chorus shows how things can change when suddenly the person is not who you thought they were.
The chorus comes in, the drummer (Luke Del Fante) hitting the cymbals to provide a tonne of sizzle, while the backing vocals work well to accentuate the melody. The chorus seems to have 4 chords which are repeated in 2s, I love the simplicity of that. The rhyme of “home run” with “shotgun” is a particularly satisfying one with the imagery illustrating his violent nature.
The second verse is sung by a female vocalist (Tanaya Harper), which is a nice contrast that I honestly wish more people did that kind of thing, as it brings a different story telling aspect to a song. Its almost like the two of them are reaching out to a friend in intervention.
The chorus is extended with additional lyrics which show the contrast between who this guy used to be and how he acts now. A new instrumental section comes in with some well placed “Oohs” with everything except the electric guitar stepping back. The electric guitar plays a solo before the final extended chorus takes us out, with an unresolved chord to finish.
And there’s your 2:56 of awesomeness. If you’re in Perth, its easy to catch Ghost Care playing somewhere near you, and I recommend that you do, you wont be sorry.