The Witness

Musically, local experimental art-rock quartet The Witness' debut EP is a triumph from first to last.
Built around a deep, Doors-inspired swirl of sound, a bass-heavy groove is crucial in binding together the scattered outpourings of these talented men's fevered imaginations.
The faster songs drive and thrust without ever losing their sense of elegance and poise, while the slower set pieces are loose and serpentine, allowing the words plenty of breathing space.
And my, what words.
On the thick soul-stew of Stampede, vocalist James Walsh roars, "This is the death to her / For now we are awake" as though leading a gang through the doors of Valhalla, while the slow-burning Walk of Shame boasts only one, resounding lyric: "I got you under my skin".
On top of such startling lyrics - which often shift from playful doggerel to poignantly observational, sometimes within the space of a line - the quartet play ferociously, underpinning the verses with scalding, distorted guitar and relentlessly pounding drums.
This is an entire, self-contained world, laden with charming, understated melodies and beautifully turned lyrics. Accessible without ever being easily decipherable, words and ideas spill out all over the place, and if there is one overriding feeling it seems to be that even if the world is burrowing into hell, there is much fun to be had as it does so. - X-press Magazine - Jennifer Peterson-Ward

....And then there was The Witness. Flowing from the obvious amount of effort the guys put into their EP, the set rolled on a wave of emotion. The band have a lot of talent and enthusiasm, which showed through their gradual and carefully constructed tracks. Frontman James Walsh enraptured the crowd with his poignant and sometimes sombre lyrics, while the band as a whole built up a memorable atmosphere, swinging in between sorrowful dirges and powerful, rhythmic drives. They clearly impressed the crowd, being shouted on for an encore. The whole night was one great showcase of flair and fervour. The acts all played with an aptitude that deserved the respect of the friendly crowd. The fact that they showed this by dancing like maniacs, much to the joy of those that performed, only added to it.

CAM FINDLAY - Drum Media 12/05/11

With the track Stampede chosen to be on this year's Kiss My WAMi compilation CD, The Witness are already impressing the right people with their debut EP. Front man James Walsh's signature stage presence bristles through to their recorded work, taking you on a slow journey through five tracks where you can feel the pain and emotion put into the work. Doing what bands like The Cold War Kids and Modest Mouse do well but with a healthy dose of their own unique sound, it's been three years in the making and it would seem like the wait has paid off. - Drum Media 19/05/11 - Beth Parker

Saturday 7th May saw Mojo’s Fremantle come to life in support of local indie rock outfit, The Witness. A crowd gathered early to see The Deep River Collective. They swayed and nodded, drinks in hands, mesmerised by the swelling sounds of psychedelic blues/rock.

Duncan Strachan (guitar/vocals), Sean Thomas (drums), James Dolin (guitar/vocals) and Luke Gaynor (Bass) have been playing shows between Perth, Fremantle and the south coast shore for some time. They have nailed the art of psychedelic, slowly building waves of addictive melody. The Deep River Collective are a very impressive live act and a hard act to follow; the night had started strong.

Hootenanny quickly followed in extraordinary fashion. Equipped with fur hat and Indian head-dress, they tore into their set with boisterous style. Jenny Aslett and Nanwyn Hunt are the punk/rock equivalent of The Black Keys switching between drums, guitar and vocal duties. A thrashy cover of Tequila by The Champs and White Trash London an ode to “anyone who gets ulcers and hates them” were the standout tracks. See this quirky act live; they are a treat to the ears and eyes.

Seams filled the position of second headline act beautifully. Their quirky indie charm and chilling harmonies are hauntingly pretty. It is clear to see why this young band was picked to play Groovin the Moo this year, they are musician’s musicians, who flirt with 6/8 timing and dramatic key changes.

The venue filled quickly, getting to the bar became impossible and the cool breeze disappeared as the crowd transformed into a humid moving organism. Without warning, The Witness fired into their set. James Walsh fit perfectly as the eccentric front-man. Poorly groomed hair, cowboy boots and batman belt helped complete the picture. The Witness have a nostalgic feel, they are a little bit Pink Floyd, a touch of Joy Division with a hint of Jim Morrison. Callum Adcock is phenomenal on lead guitar as are Josh Cutler (drums) and Jesse Hutchinson (Bass) in their roles.

The Witness were joined mid-set by band members from the supporting acts for the crowd favourite Slow Lady, adding depth to the song with a French horn and violin.

The melodic tunes The Witness gracefully delivered on this night were refreshing. The band’s new take on old rock is a welcomed change to the Perth music scene. - Fasterlouder.com.au

The Witness lead singer's modesty and enjoyment in performing created a razor sharp contrast with the previous acts. Similar to Nick Cave, James Walsh is a singer who pours pure passion into his performance to emotionally draw to into the stories woven. Walsh particularly conveys pain enthrallingly when singing, then speaks in-between songs with such charming eloquence. The set superbly showcased the diversity of the band, one moment all uptempo psychedelic guitar riffs and shouts, the next blissfully lulling experimental folk soundscapes and then bluesy, sax-filled soundtracks to martini affairs. To sum, a very impressive band to witness (apologies). - Aarom Wilson - Drum Media