Baby Cool, aka Nice Biscuit's co-front woman Grace Cuell, tells us about the tight-knit community informing her shimmering psych-pop sound.
I am lucky enough to be a part of a beautiful musical community coming out of Brisbane QLD and the Northern Rivers of NSW. The following collection of bands is a small snippet of this community – we all play in each other’s bands or are connected in some way or another, and it’s super nice.
Read up on all the latest interviews here.
JB Paterson
I’ve said it a hundred times and I’ll say it again – JB is a world class musician. He released an absolute ripper of a record last year titled ‘Springtime Is Coming’ via Holiday Maker Records.
I’ve cried a lot to his music over the years. Local shred lord/Baby Cool live guitarist Conor McDonald often joins JB on stage when he plays with the full band, alongside Luke Hanson on the kit (who’s iconic mullet can be seen on stage with Full Flower Moon Band).
Family Jordan
They’ve been my number one band on spotify wrapped two years in a row, and I’m not even mad about it. Also a part of the Holiday Maker family, this beaut bunch have released four incredible albums over the last eight years. I’ve always been a huge fan of Jordan’s lyricism and it has had a huge influence on my own work. Family Jordan guitarist Sam Joseph is the production whiz behind the Baby Cool record. Sam recorded and mixed the entire album, as well as played pedal steel and guitar on a bunch of songs.
I’ve been bugging these guys for a collab, so maybe that could happen soon? Who knows.
The Flamingo Jones
Easily my favourite psych outfit coming out of Brisbane, The Flamingo Jones are an ever evolving band with a steady groove. I don’t think I’ve ever heard them play a song the same way twice, and I love that.
The brains behind this project is Johnny Mort, who you might recognise from behind the keys at a Baby Cool show. Mort is probably the most prolific musician I know, he has his fingers in many musical pies. One of which is the next band on my list…
The Morts
Probably the best band that you’ll never see live- The Morts is another project lead by Johnny Mort. Playing mostly 60s style psych, Mort has gathered an all star cast of Kellie Murphy (Family Jordan), Billie Star (Nice Biscuit) and me (Grace Cuell- Baby Cool, Nice Biscuit). We play maybe one show a year and it’s usually pretty chaotic but very fun. Fun Fact: the name Baby Cool actually came from a Morts song of the same name!
Gabriella Cohen
I have been a big fan of Gabriella ever since her debut LP in 2016. She’s since released 2 more albums, all of which are such beautiful bodies of work. There’s a real integrity behind all of Gabriella’s writing that I think has been lost in a lot of other parts of the industry today.
Nice Biscuit
Seeing as the band that brings Baby Cool to life is pretty much Nice Biscuit 2.0, I thought I should chuck it on the list. I feel grateful to have worked alongside my besties on this project for the past 6 years. There’s a bit on the horizon for us this year so keep an ear out.
Earthling on the Road to Self Love is out Friday 10 February 2023 via Virgin Music Australia, Bad Vibrations (UK/EU), and Greenway Records/Levitation (US). Listen to more Baby Cool here.
