Chasing Ghosts - Homelands EP (Track By Track)

Chasing Ghosts - Homelands EP
Released: June 4, 2021

Lineup

Jimmy Kyle // Vocals
Josh Burgan // Guitar & Vocals
Aaron Schultz // Guitar & Vocals
Jake Dargaville // Drums
Chris O’Neill // Keys & Vocals
Rohan Welsh // Bass

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We've been following the story of Chasing Ghosts throughout 2021 in the lead up to the release of their latest EP Homelands (which came out on Friday) and to keep the momentum flowing, we've invited frontman Jimmy Kyle to share with us a track by track explanation of each song on the new release, so you can get a better understanding of the story behind the music.

Kyle, a proud Koori man, a descendent of the Thungutti mob from the mid-north coast of NSW, was fearful at the start of the writing process he explained: “I was scared to write these songs, because a lot of the topics are challenging… But that’s how I knew I was onto something. It made me feel nervous.” Now, with release day behind him and his collection of songs and stories finally at our grasp, it's time to go deep into the music and see it all through a new perspective...

'Busted Lung' – Inspired by a true story of a random act of violence towards a young Gay man in a hate crime which took place in inner-city Melbourne. The survivor, in an act of courage, forgave his attackers; both facing a potential 15-year sentence and advocated they maintain their freedom and be given a second chance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7trBraEdkeQ&t=33s

'Summer' – Journeys through the grieving eyes of an Aboriginal Elder retelling the true story of the 1856 Towel Creek Massacre on the Thungutti Nation, NSW. A sole child survived - Baaba (Babaang) Jack Scott. This song explores white nationalism, the Frontier Wars, colonisation and assimilation. It asks White Australia to come and reconcile the true history of the country and invites non-Indigenous Australians to come and build a personal and respectful relationship with Aboriginal Peoples.

'Hometown Strangers in an Urban Dreaming' – Tells of onetime childhood friends who had grown up in a rural town together and then became disconnected - one non-Indigenous and the other proudly Koori. This song discusses a very revealing chance encounter on the ‘dirty mile’ in Collingwood, near the Grace Darling Hotel where the community of Parkies often gathered to yarn, connect, drink and sing. A suburb which was once the heartland of Victorian Blak-tivism and now slowly eroding away by gentrification. This personal account and clash of world views is used metaphorically to comment on the gap in knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal Peoples that can often reduce our presence to “Just airport souvenirs”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zpgMQKleXk

'Kids Raise Kids' – This song is inspired by a true and universal story. It addresses themes of young parents who are struggling to co-parent after separating, often at the emotional expense of their child Ruby, family members and one another.

'Wear My Medals' – Is inspired by the true story of a young Afghanistan War Veteran who returned home to Australia hunted by a tragic incident of a civilian causality and after a long struggle with PTSD tragically took his own life.

If you or anyone you know needs help with their own mental well-being call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or find your closest Suicide Prevention/Crisis Support Organisation on Google…

We've said it before and we'll say it again, when it comes to addressing indigenous affairs in the music scene, no one does it quite like Chasing Ghosts frontman Jimmy Kyle. Whether you've been following Chasing Ghosts for years or are just discovering them for the first time this year, there's no better time to immerse yourself in their world than right now.

Grab Homelands EP here

Chasing Ghosts – Homelands EP

1. Busted Lung
2. Summer
3. Hometown Strangers In An Urban Dreaming
4. Kids Raise Kids
5. Wear My Medals
6. Dig