NICK BATTERHAM RETURNS IN 2021 WITH NEW SINGLE ‘NO PERFECT MAN’ AND URSULA WOODS DIRECTED MUSIC VIDEO
+ signs to Cheersquad Records & Tapes for forthcoming album Lovebirds
+ final Melbourne single launch residency show
Singer-songwriter and composer Nick Batterham is excited to announce his first single of 2021 with the stunning new track ‘No Perfect Man’. Taken from his forthcoming studio album Lovebirds out this April via Cheersquad Records & Tapes, Nick’s new single follows in the hugely successful wake of his most recent body of work, Empire - the exquisite audio/visual collaboration with street artist RONE for his 2019 exhibition and magnum opus of the same name. To bring in the new year Nick Batterham has been performing a weekly residency throughout January at the aptly chosen local venue, Palace of Magnificent Experiences (P.O.M.E) with this week’s final performance serving as the official ‘No Perfect Man’ single launch. Today Nick is also sharing the track’s visual accompaniment, with a pensive and captivating new video directed by local filmmaker Ursula Woods.
Nick’s undeniable fervour for composing immersive, visceral atmospherics is again paramount on ‘No Perfect Man’. Performed and recorded by Batterham with Ben Wiesner on drums, and featuring strings by David Berlin, Zoe Black and Christopher Moore, with Cor Anglais by Michael Pisani, ‘No Perfect Man’ blends residual classical elements of recent works with poignant lyricism and intimate storytelling. Joined in chorus by long-time collaborators Kelly Day, Nick Murray and Jethro Woodward, ‘No Perfect Man’ is a compelling and exciting first taste of Batterham’s forthcoming sixth studio album. In the Ursula Woods directed clip, Nick’s delicate arrangements of rich orchestration and vivid colour are brought to life by warm lights and subdued shadows like a Caravaggio, enveloping the track’s sombre tones in a beautifully minimal and candid production.
“I was drawn to this song from the first listen. The piano, haunting guitar, strings and the sentiment really spoke to me. Lyrics immediately caught my attention such as "inner monologues", "worries were reality" and of course the title itself. I felt compelled to capture Nick in his natural state, as he sets up to perform and also his performing self. There's an honesty to that, a vulnerability and a truth which I find very beautiful. The drums kick in about halfway through the song so this allowed us to think of two worlds or two parts, letting the music and video bring them together side by side. This video will always be special to me because Nick's performance to camera was magic. I was fortunate to work with Bree Sanders and we had a wonderful time shooting together.” - Ursula Woods, Director
“The song mourns a love not given enough time to grow. It reflects upon modern relationships and how we construct ideals that undermine our own happiness. Parallel to this, looking inward, there is a constant desire to be a better person. That can cause us to under-appreciate our already positive attributes. How good is good enough? I wanted the clip to reflect this sense of self-reflection, of self-observation and scrutiny. I’m not particularly comfortable with being on camera but thought for this song it made sense. I trusted my dear friend Ursula to help me reveal something of myself.” - Nick Batterham
Nick Batterham has been a central figure in bands such as Blindside, The Earthmen and Cordrazine for over 25 years and launched his new project The Bell Streets in 2020, teaming up with fellow musician Josh Meadows on the duo’s debut album Monument. Nick’s solo work bristles with spiky observations and raw emotion, delivered with the world-weariness of Elliott Smith or Nick Drake. With live music halted to a complete standstill for the past year or so, do not miss your chance to join Nick for his final residency show at Melbourne’s P.O.M.E, as he launches ‘No Perfect Man’ with an intimate live performance. Entry is free with registrations essential so be sure to kick off 2021 with the perfect man this month.
Nick Batterham ‘No Perfect Man’ Single Launch
Friday 29 January
Palace of Magnificent Experiences (P.O.M.E)
267 Swan St, Richmond
7-9pm
Free entry, with registrations essential via Trybooking
‘No Perfect Man’ Credits
Performed and recorded by Nick Batterham
Drums by Ben Wiesner
Strings by David Berlin, Zoe Black and Christopher Moore
Cor Anglais by Michael Pisani
Backing vocals by Kelly Day, Nick Murray and Jethro Woodward
‘No Perfect Man’ Lyrics
Love grew weedy in the shade
A season's doubt set seed
Undermining inner monologue
Lead you to believe
All your worries were reality
All your worries were reality
Now your perfect man
Has a heart without a soul
While the light of his foreign land
Illuminates the hole in you
There is no perfect man
There is no perfect man
Love got compartmentalised
The centre could not hold
Diminishing capacity
Has left you on your own
Now you struggle with reality
Now you struggle with reality
And your perfect man
Has a heart without a soul
While the light from his foreign land
Illuminates the hole in you
There is no perfect man
There is no perfect man
There is no perfect man
There is no perfect man