The Lucksmiths were an influential indie pop band formed in Melbourne, Aust… Read Full Bio ↴The Lucksmiths were an influential indie pop band formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1993. The members are Martin Donald (Guitar), Taliesyn 'Tali' White (Vocals, Drums), and Mark Monnone (Bass) and in 2004 they acquired Mid State Orange's guitarist Louis Richter on second guitar. Whilst originating from beach-side Melbourne, the original three members of The Lucksmiths moved to inner Melbourne and fell in love with its charms. The songs Under the Rotunda, The Cassingle Revival and Tmrw Vs Y'Day all demonstrate as much. In the early 90's, they met Chris Crouch who had founded Candle Records. Crouch consequently began releasing their records, and they began to play the Melbourne indie circuit, most notably the Punters Club. This venue clearly holds a special place in The Lucksmiths' history as seen in the song Requiem for the Punters Club, written after its conversion to hipster bar Bimbos. While the others still reside in various inner Melbourne suburbs, Mark now lives in coastal Tasmania. This has not harmed the quality of The Lucksmiths' work nor is it a reflection of intra-band tension.

The Lucksmiths are noted for their simple melodies rich in humour and ironic verse. The majority of songs are written by Marty Donald. Although, both Tali White and Mark Monnone have written some of the band's finest songs. Many of their lyrics are based on the eccentricities of the everyday. Several songs also deal with the more usual pop-song issues of romance in relationships, but in a unique, gentle and easy-to-relate-to way.

There is also a persistent theme of Melbourne culture, most notably that of the inner city, as seen in frequent references to Melburnian placenames and themes. For examples, see the song The Sandringham Line, and many others. The Lucksmiths are also renowned for their creative use of language. English idioms and proverbs are referred to, played with and utilised to create poetically spontaneous verse. The songs virtually define clever lyricism. Whilst many of the idioms and references are distinctly Australian, their coupling of fantastic narrative lyrics with melody makes them so internationally accessible. Further, their songs almost always maintain a solid narrative with sensible and relevant choruses. When the narrative is abandoned, it is with good cause and in support of a more simple point (see T-Shirt Weather).

Marty Donald's lyrics in particular are filled with wordplay and puns, in particular the device of twisting a common phrase or cliché. In Frisbee, he says "that was the winter of my discount tent". "The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco" refers to "the non-specific northwest". Untidy Towns says "I got some mail I didn't open / It's an unread-letter day". Sometimes this can go a bit overboard, as in 'Synchronized Sinking', which contains the lines "why don't you let go of your boy and see / You've lost none of your bouyancy"; but that song also contains "Silhouetted in the smoke / From the shipwrecks at the bar / of the Anchor and Hope", which is, what many would refer to as poetic and skillful use of the English language.

Their musical setup, however, remains unusual and refreshing in a world of drum machines, synthesisers, and other elaborate gear. Tali sings and plays a minimal drum kit standing up at the front of the stage, with Marty to his right, Mark to his left, and Louis behind. This is often seen as a novelty, but nonetheless works perfectly, with their live performances being incredibly tight.

The Lucksmiths have been critically associated with indiepop, anti-folk and retro-pop. However, the band and their fans would consider The Lucksmiths as simply a pop band. This is a much fairer (and accurate) assessment.

In 2009 the band announced their breakup, with their final shows played in August.

Discography

Albums:
* First Tape (1993)
* The Green Bicycle Case (1995)
* What Bird Is That? (1996)
* A Good Kind Of Nervous (1997)
* Happy Secret (1999)
* Why That Doesn't Surprise Me (2001)
* Where Were We? (2002)
* Naturaliste (2003)
* Warmer Corners (2005)
* First Frost (2008)

EPs:
* Boondoggle (1994)
* Staring At The Sky (1999)
* A Little Distraction (2003)
* The Chapter In Your Life Entitled San Francisco (2005)
* A Hiccup In Your Happiness (2006)

Cassingles:
* Greatest Hits (?)

A Downside To The Upstairs
The Lucksmiths Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was a fine idea in autumn
On the palest afternoons
Parallelograms of sunshine fell across the room

I woke up and it was winter
With the rain across the roofs
And the weather turned me into a bit of a recluse
If I needed an excuse

That mistake was mine to make, I know
Even so
Seasons come and seasons go

I threw open both the windows
With the coming of the spring
There were weeks I didn't want for anything

I guess I should have seen it coming
But summer caught me unawares
I found out there was a downside to the upstairs

That mistake was mine to make, I know
Even so
Seasons come and seasons go

Oh! the humidity
Oh! the stupidity

Overall Meaning

The Lucksmiths's A Downside to the Upstairs is a song that discusses the changing seasons and how they can affect one's mood and daily routine. In the beginning of the song, the singer is filled with inspiration in autumn when the sun is shining palely through the windows, creating parallelograms of light in the room. However, when the singer wakes up and realizes it is winter, he becomes a bit of a recluse due to the dreary weather. The singer reflects on how the mistake was his own to make, acknowledging that seasons come and go.

As spring comes around, the singer is filled with newfound energy and throws open both windows, expressing how he doesn't want for anything in those weeks. But then, summer comes and catches the singer off guard with its humidity and challenges of living upstairs. The singer realizes there is a downside to living on the upstairs floor. The repeated line, "That mistake was mine to make, I know, even so. Seasons come and seasons go" highlights the cyclical nature of the seasons and how they can be both inspiring and limiting.

The song is a commentary on how the natural world can affect one's psyche and perspective on life. The singer understands that the changing seasons are out of his control but also acknowledges that his reactions to the seasons are his own responsibility. The lyrics are filled with imagery and metaphor, evoking a sense of nostalgia and wistfulness. The universal message of the song is that life is always changing, and we must adapt and learn to navigate the ups and downs of our surroundings.

Line by Line Meaning

It was a fine idea in autumn
The idea seemed good during the fall season

On the palest afternoons
During the least bright afternoons

Parallelograms of sunshine fell across the room
The sunlight created geometric shapes on the floor

I woke up and it was winter
Winter arrived suddenly

With the rain across the roofs
Rain was making its way across the rooftops

And the weather turned me into a bit of a recluse
I became more isolated during bad weather

If I needed an excuse
In case I needed a reason to stay inside

That mistake was mine to make, I know
I take responsibility for the mistake I made

Even so
However

Seasons come and seasons go
The changing of seasons is inevitable

I threw open both the windows
I opened up all the windows