The Doomed Bird of Providence

The Doomed Bird of Providence

The Doomed Bird of Providence is a group formed in London in 2009. It centres on Australian musician Mark Kluzek, who uses the project to explore early Australian history, focusing on its darker, harsher and more tragic aspects. The music draws on folk traditions and is closely associated with neofolk, with influences from Ennio Morricone, Jacques Brel, Scott Walker and the English Folk Revival.

The group’s arrangements use accordion, ukulele, bass, guitar and violin. Mark Kluzek sings in a style described through ranting and lament, addressing the death and decline of settlers and convicts in an unforgiving landscape. The project presents itself as a way of bringing attention to obscure historical material and turning hidden stories into something mythic, unsettling and vivid.

Line-up

The group is associated with Katie English.