It's not a stretch in the slightest to call Tom Iansek a bonafide genius. He is #1 Dads, one half of Big Scary, one half of No Mono and one third of indie Melbourne label Pieater. His three albums under the moniker of #1 Dads alone, the project we're here to learn more about, has gone from a curious side project to an enduring phenomenon in its own right.
His flawless third album (and our November Record Of The Month) Golden Repair is a pristine collection of melodies and meditations on the human spirit. The title is so apt for the music Ianesk makes - it’s a reference to the Japanese artform Kintsugi, meaning to patch with gold. By repairing broken bowls with this precious metal, fault lines are transformed into borders of beauty and strength. Iansek sings of everyday struggles with tenderness. He invites us to find resilience through the cracks and confusion. Each song is executed with care, layering vocals, plaintive piano figures, acoustic guitar, and understated percussion.
In the time leading into the songwriting for Golden Repair, Tom bore witness to loved ones’ loss; experienced the mystery of new life created; and practised listening to a universe that would bestow peace and progress to those patient enough. There are songs of merciless self-confession, songs of accepting limitations, and songs of romantic, familial and marital love.
