Tom Lark’s latest single “Dumb Luck” reveals life’s silver linings.
The breezy folk-rock track marks the first release from Lark, AKA Ōtautahi-born, Tāmaki Makaurau-based Shannon Fowler, since his Taite Music Prize and Aotearoa Music Awards-nominated album, Brave Star.
True to form, “Dumb Luck” maintains Fowler’s signature whimsical storytelling and clever production style, along with his Kurt Vile-esque twang.
“When I began writing Dumb Luck I was thinking a lot about perseverance but also how funny ‘dumb luck’ is as a phrase,” says Fowler.
“Despite hard work, sometimes things don’t pay off and other times things work out in total naiveté, for no other reason than some weird cosmic alignment. That said, I don’t really subscribe to the idea of ‘dumb luck’. Instead, perhaps being ‘lucky’ is the ability to make the best of circumstances as they present themselves; maybe luck is no more than finding a silver lining.”
The music video is the work of Aotearoa director Sam Kristofski and is the perfect sun-dappled accompaniment. Fans should expect to see Fowler, sporting a cowboy look, panning for gold and wrangling snakes and spiders amidst the picturesque setting of the Waitākere Ranges.
“We had so much fun making it,”Flower recalls. “A highlight for me was trying to capture the perfect rubber snake movements, so perfect we somehow managed to catch a real eel twice.
“I think the artist way is often not so dissimilar from gold panning; you spend all day sifting through conceptual rocks and dirt to find something of value – and depending on how things go, people say “that’s so lucky” or “that’s hard luck.” And, really, it’s just hard work.”
Coming up, Fowler has a fundraiser gig at The Wine Cellar in Auckland on Friday, May 9th to support him and his band’s performance at The Great Escape festival in Brighton later that month. He will be accompanied by multi-instrumentalist James McDonald (Beachware), and drummer James Dansey (Thee Golden Geese), with opener Paul Cathro (Ha The Unclear, Alizarin Lizard) at the Karangahape Road venue. Tickets are available here.
Tom Lark’s “Dumb Luck” is out now.
