Alt-country’s Dead Beat Daddios Premiere “The Letter” On CHQ

‘The Letter’ is the second single from the upcoming album Further Away by the Victorian alt-country band Dead Beat Daddios and thanks to the band, CountryHQ has the premiere of the single for everyone to listen to first.

A loose conglomeration of country and roots musicians hailing from Melbourne, Dead Beat Daddios is fronted by Jim Carden and Hugh Martin. Following 2010’s Dashboard Elvis and 2015’s Third Time Around and 2023’s House For Sale, their latest EP, Further Away, is their fourth studio album.

‘The Letter’ is the band’s new single, following the languid and nostalgic ‘Stonehaven Road,’ which was played on ABC Country. Acoustic guitar chords introduce the song, which starts with Martin singing about discovering a long-lost letter buried in a stack of old photographs. The band then gradually enters the scene.

The song has a classic, mournful alt-country vibe, with Martin’s gently worn voice set against a chorus of beautiful backing harmonies, Rod Berglund’s exquisitely tasteful guitar solo, and Mick Collopy’s warm Hammond organ backdrop.

“The song is about how memories of those who were closest to us change over time,” says Martin. “And how we try to hold on to the little things about them when they’ve gone, the way they walked, or a certain mannerism that was unique. So often it’s these small things you forget first.”

Some of Melbourne’s most beloved country, blues, and indie bands have featured Daddios on their albums, which Martin and Carden compiled for this project. All the way from Chequerboard Lounge and the Warner Brothers to Rich Webb, the illustrious Elroy Flicker (real name Paul Cumming), the Pheasantry, the Tonalists, Mr. Cassidy, and the Melbourne Ska Orchestra.

Martin has been a part of Melbourne’s music scene for a long enough time to recall a time when Roccos was the sole retailer of good boots. He has performed with several groups, including the T-Bones, Paul Cumming, Rich Webb, the Dufranes, and The Cracked Jaffers, where he played bass, guitar, and keyboard.

In addition to his roles as drummer for the Rich Webb Band and the long-running Melbourne band The Warner Brothers, Carden was formerly the T-Bones’ drummer.