Geoffrey O'Connor Signs To Dinosaur City; Announces New LP And Shares Title Track

Mon, Oct 21, 2024

Melbourne’s celebrated suave-wave songsmith Geoffrey O’Connor returns with his fourth solo album I Love What We Do, set for release on February 14th, 2025. His first for much loved label Dinosaur City (Emma Russack, Workhorse, Punko, e4444e, Simona Castricum, bodies of divine infinite and eternal spirit and more), I Love What We Do sees an emboldened Geoffrey expanding his musical palette and collaborating with some of Melbourne’s finest instrumentalists.

The title track, out now, comes alongside a perfectly buoyant video, directed by the artist himself. On the video direction, Geoffrey explains:

"I’m hoping this lands somewhere within the Bermuda triangle of Mary Poppins, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and You Can Call Me Al. I hired an animator who specialises in Disney’s golden age to make the adorable penguin throw some shapes. I was going for a bored, listless vibe for myself, to contrast with the raw, uninhibited energy of the penguin. I shot the music video by myself in my living room in front of a very confused greyhound. In retrospect, it’s kindof an insult to the greyhound that a cartoon got the role instead of her."

The title track, which Geoffrey describes as "a big song and dance about my own mediocrity and the joy of finding someone to share it all with", offers the first taste of his most collaborative body of work to date. “The album involves more guest musicians than anything I’ve been involved with previously,” says Geoffrey, “including harp, flute, singing saw, cello, viola, violin, choral harmonies and duet vocals. Following my most recent duets-only album, it felt like a good idea to again commit to a new and distinctive sonic palette.”

Geoffrey’s 2021 album For As Long As I Can Remember was a collection of darkly romantic duets with artists such as Laura Jean, HTRK’s Jonnine Standish, and Becky Sui Zhen, and was awarded album of the week with 3RRR and 2SER. Geoffrey in turn received Best Song and Best Pop Act nominations at the 2021 Music Victoria Awards.

Now, Geoffrey turns that collaborative impulse towards his music, working with the virtuosic Hank Clifton-Williamson (Sarah Mary Chadwick, Mystery Shopper) on piano, violin and flute, Genevieve Fry (King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard) on harp, Jessica Venables (Jessica Says) on cello, and Emma Kelley on musical saw and violin. Backing vocalists include 80 year old folk/blues legend Margret RoadKnight, as well as Emma Russack and Chloe Sanger (Good Morning). He also returns to duet mode on album closer 'It’s Nice To Think' with the inimitable Sarah Mary Chadwick.

The album is dominated by themes of rain, from Geoffrey’s Spy-In-A-Thunderstorm look on the Darren Sylvester-photographed cover, to the atmospheric field recordings that permeate the album. But it’s also Geoffrey’s sunniest record in a long time, at points harking back to the wide-eyed technicolour pop of his much-loved 2000s group Crayon Fields.

I Love What We Do sees a few sunbeams piercing through Geoffrey’s usually pensive, reflective, adult-oriented pop. “I find rain both exciting and soothing - two very different yet complementary feelings,” he says. “Similarly, the title I Love What We Do makes me think of both the wild and mundane things lovers do. This all feels appropriate for a collection of songs about small moments that feel big.”

Geoffrey O'Connor I Love What We Do
1. I Love What We Do
2. Let's Make Love Feel Good Again
3. I Don't Want To Be Loved
4. With You I Have Time
5. I'm So Lonely I Could Fall In Love
6. Love Takes What It Takes
7. Late To Love
8. Thank God I'm Not Good
9. Amuse You
10. It's Nice To Think (featuring Sarah Mary Chadwick)

To celebrate the release of his new single 'I Love What We Do', Geoffrey will be hosting a series of intimate ‘dinner and show’ concerts in his personal studio in Fitzroy, Melbourne / Naarm.

These 'dinner and show' events will be held on Friday November 1, Saturday November 2 and Monday November 4. To secure yourself a ticket head to this ticket link – all funds raised via ticket sales will go to Act For Peace, Gaza Emergency Appeal.

You can also catch Geoffrey performing with Donny Benet at The Night Cat, Saturday November 23rd. Tickets HERE.

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