Music / Premieres
Premiere:
Sarah Mary Chadwick - Sit Down and Pour
Words by Sam Harding
Wednesday 1st July, 2020
Our time in isolation has been an opportunity to reflect and mediate on ourselves, but it has certainly come with confronting and challenging moments. Thankfully, Chapter Music have just announced Midnight Meditations, a masterful collection of contemplative, late-night downbeat and ambient sounds to guide us through our introspective battlefields.

Before the compilation fully drops this Friday, we’ve been given a listen to Melbourne-via-Wellington megastar Sarah Mary Chadwick’s offering, the visceral and enthralling ‘Sit Down and Pour’.
Sarah’s raw and honest performance has the ability to raise hairs on the skin, which I distinctly remember happening when I saw her at the Northcote Social Club last year. On a listen, especially late at night, ‘Sit Down and Pour’ proves itself to be no different.

Immediately, the piano sets a wistful tone for the track. The rhythm almost ushers us into a dimly lit living room, as we sway to a pensive waltz that explores the defeat and triumph of the soul. ‘Sit Down and Pour’ is an invitation for someone to ignite the spirit. Like an outstretched hand looking for relief, it touches on universal vices, existential sentiments and possibly the loneliness that may have accompanied our time in isolation.

As the track slowly unravels itself to sprawl up to the five minute mark, there’s a considered sense of turbulence that flows throughout. However, speaking about the track, Sarah shares that its origins were more straightforward - “’Sit Down and Pour’ was inspired by a J. D. Souther song called ‘Jesus in 3/4 Time' that Esther Edquist (Sweet Whirl) did a performance of just for me at my house a few years ago. I really loved it and wanted to have my own version of that type of song to play."

Supported by a COVID-related grant from the City Of Melbourne, the forthcoming compilation has been curated by Chapter to help listeners through “long dark nights of the soul”, and Sarah’s contribution manages to perfectly fulfil this mission statement. Through ‘Sit Down and Pour’, we’re reminded of the importance of endurance in a time of uncertainty, and amongst a story of a waning flame, there seems to be an underlying sense of hope.

Midnight Meditations is set to be released digitally this Friday, July 3rd, and is available to pre-order here.