Lazy Susan

Lazy Susan

Lazy Susan is an Australian band from Sydney, formed in early 1999 around the songwriting of Paul Andrews and Pete Wilson. The group also includes Dave Keys on bass and Tim Byron on keyboards. Their music draws on pop, indie rock and emo-adjacent melodic songwriting, with clear influences from artists such as Elvis Costello, Paul Weller, Todd Rundgren, Bob Dylan, Aimee Mann, Squeeze’s Difford and Tilbrook, and Australian acts including The Sunnyboys and Happy Hate Me Nots.

Albums and development

The band’s debut album, Long Lost, appears in 2001 and becomes a major success. Three tracks from it — “Bobby Fischer”, “Canada” and “Clumsy” — receive substantial radio play, and the record also brings the band national television and radio exposure. Lazy Susan build a reputation as a live act at the same time.

About two and a half years later, the band records Never Better for release in 2004. This album takes a broader approach than the debut, adding horns and strings and placing more emphasis on arrangement. Singles including “Sometimes” and “Looking Backwards” also receive heavy radio play.

The third album, Every Night, is produced by J Walker of Machine Translations. It shifts the group’s sound further, bringing in folk and roots elements while keeping the band’s pop sensibility. The album is widely noted for its songwriting and for its mid-tempo material. It includes 13 tracks, and the song “Something Worth Waiting For” is singled out in critical praise.

Reception

Lazy Susan attract a large and loyal following in Australia and are described as one of the country’s notable pop bands. Their records receive strong notices from the music press, with particular praise for the strength of the songs, the melodic writing, and the way the band combines pop structure with additional textures. A fourth album is mentioned as part of the band’s later work.