“When the Tree Bears Fruit” is the debut album from Melbourne four-piece Parsnip. Following on from two 7-inches singles in the last two years, Parsnip’s first full-length album is playful, poetic, propulsive punk. An album perpetually in motion, When the Tree Bears Fruit is just over half an hour of absurd, understated energy. There’s an immediacy to the sheer joy, velocity and whimsy of Parsnip’s delivery.
The band formed in 2016, and played their debut show in a sharehouse living room. When the Tree Bears Fruit was recorded over three days, and truly captures the energy the group are known for live, of a cannily controlled chaos. This is an album that invites its listener to join in its celebration: the record’s title, inspired by the ideas of guru and poet Sri Chinmoy, refers to the idea that a tree will grow fruit and it will be offered for anyone and everyone to share in. The band see this principle as it applies to their work – to sharing their joy and nonsense with the world, and hoping people will enjoy it.
Off-kilter, absurdist, dream/nightmare, 1960s pop forms form the basis for Parsnip’s sound. The fresh Melbourne quartet’s debut album is a fun, funky jaunt that seems all about creative mixing-and-matching, in a minimalist style riddled with quirky organ and singy-songy, art-school nursery rhymes. Not to mention exuberant group singalongs, all four women seemingly joining together for a chorus of delightful weirdness. Parsnip’s been around just a few years, and seems to be having a blast.
Second single from Parsnip’s debut LP, “When The Tree Bears Fruit”, released August 9th in AU/NZ through Anti Fade and out worldwide August 30th through Trouble In Mind.
The Fat Angel Sings 