Tied for first in fun: recording pedal steel on Pot of Gold – hearing those tones was just amazing – and then hearing Sarah Humphreys’ vocal on top of mine on the same song, exactly how I’d imagined it, which just lifted it stratospherically. It gave me goosebumps.

If we want to know you, which song do we have to listen to? And why?

New Friends. It’s the simplest song on the album, but probably the tune I’m most proud of in terms of everything coming together: tune, lyric and performance.

Shanie Love is the best soul, country, pop mix ever. These different styles are so similar as they mixed up perfectly. What do you think?

That’s very kind of you to say. I actually recorded the majority of that song on Garage Band on a pretty old iPad. I was just mucking around, trying to record the song a little bit differently, rather than just walk down a similar path to the other tracks on the album. I had a bit of luck and ‘voila’.

It was probably overly electronic sounding when I’d finished it on Garage Band, so we added real drums and bass in the studio which added another texture and a layer of warmth.

The music industry has changed a lot (or so they say). What did it bring you? And what not?

It’s brought me countless opportunities – apart from this album, the ability to record four albums with my previous band, Lazy Susan; tour throughout Australia; play in front of thousands of people – and for which I’m eternally grateful. Frankly, none of the predictable and run-of-the-mill disappointments I’ve experienced in music are enough to undermine the great memories, laughs and the things I’m grateful for.

“How can you only call me …” , is extremely sad. Does inspiration come easy for such sad lyrics?

Most of the time, ‘no’ – lyrical inspiration comes pretty hard to me these days. But sometimes I get lucky and *kapow* the good stuff comes. I was trying to write about a dysfunctional and self-destructive relationship in a small town and for some reason, it all came out pretty quickly.

I was really proud of the title but ended up being slightly deflated when the first person I showed it to said, “Oh? Like the Arctic Monkeys song?”…I was completely oblivious.

Beautiful cover! What’s the story behind it? 

Lustre Glo is actually the name of smash repairs shop in Marrickville in Sydney’s inner west. It has the most magnificent writing – in huge cursive font – across its facade: ‘Lustre Glo’.

There’s a grand tradition in popular music of using the names and facades of shops as album titles and covers. Think Ian Dury’s “New Boots and Panties” or The Beastie Boys’ “Paul’s Boutique”. The moment I saw it, years ago, I thought it would be perfect for Family Fold’s album name and cover.

When I told a friend where the name came from, she had an unexpectedly poetic take: ‘Smash repairers are all about new beginnings, rebirths. They bang out your dings and you’re as good as gold again. It’s a new start, and that’s what you’re doing with this album. It was meant to be!’

I liked it so much I told her I was going to steal her interpretation as my explanation for the album title and cover.

She tells you she will decide on a 5-song-mix tape if there is going to be a second date. Which 5 would you put on?

Ask me tomorrow and it could be a different list:

Olympia – Smoke Signals

What’s up for the next couple of months?

Just trying to write more songs. It’d be good to record a new album next year.

Check the website for updates, but the album here