The Orange Humble Band emerged in 1994 as the brainchild of ex Lime Spider and Someloves guitarists/songwriter Darryl Mather. With the Someloves, he and co-founder Dom Mariani (Stems/DM3) had had a stunning debut album in 1990's 'Something Or Other'. The band's demise saw him determined to continue playing and writing, however on his own terms.
'Assorted Creams' was recorded in Sydney using local musicians and completed in the US with the addition of Posies' vocalist Ken Stringfellow and Let'sActive's guitarist/producer Mitch Easter. The release met with acclaim from power pop aficionados who hailed its energy and melodious purity. Genre writer John Borack ranked it the 8th greatest power pop album ever recorded in his definitive power pop guide 'Shake Some Action'. Only the likes of Big Star, The Raspberries, Cheap Trick and Tommy Keene ranked higher.
A second album, 'Humblin' Across America' was completed two years later. Recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis, at its core were Mather, Stringfellow, Easter and Anthony Bautovich (Lonely Hearts) with drummer Jody Stephens (Big Star) and bass player Jamie Hoover (Spongetones). Key guests were the legendary Jim Dickinson and Spooner Oldham assisting with piano and organ. Unlike 'Assorted Creams' pure power pop focus, 'Humblin' was a broader sound, with traces of blue-eyed soul, gospel and country infused within many of its tunes.
At the end of 2000, Mather chose to take an extended break from music, continuing however to sporadically pen songs in the event the band were to ever reform for a third album. And finally that has happened with the result being 'Depressing Beauty', so named after Mather's conclusion that his new material, though overtly melodious, was sad and introspective lyrically.
Recorded in October 2012, again at Ardent Studios, the line up remains largely unchanged from 'Humblin' with Stringfellow, Easter, Stephens and Mather all present. They are joined by the supremely gifted Jon Auer (Posies, Big Star) and highly respected Memphis session men Dave Smith (bass) and Lucero's Rick Steff (keyboards). Pop legend Dwight Twilley and Susan Cowsill make appearances with backing vocals. Mather and Easter shared the production.
