Premiere: McDermott & North - The Hollywood EP

Celebrating love and connection through a melodic lens is The Hollywood EP courtesy of Brisbane-formed, Melbourne-based duo McDermott & North, whose enchanting new EP of lighthearted indie folk sounds is out June 30 but premiering on Pilerats today.

The seeds for Rhys North & Paul McDermott’s new EP were planted back in 2021 when the pair's unique take on 60s folk stylings caught the ear of none other than beloved Australian singer, songwriter and producer Ben Lee. One thing led to another, leading to the pair supporting Lee at a show in Brisbane where he invited the pair to his studio in Hollywood to record.

With logistics proving too great an obstacle, they took the next best route - sending the guitar and vocal stems to Lee to complete the EP in L.A. Bringing in a crack team of session musos with some heavyweight credits including Joey Waronker on drums (Beck, Roger Waters, REM), Roger Manning Jr on keys (Jellyfish, Glen Campbell, U2, Broken Social Scene), and Mike Viola on bass (Panic at the Disco, Dawes, Ryan Adams), The Hollywood EP’s finishing touches came to life with an allstar cast.

Reflecting on their collaboration with Ben Lee, Rhys North shares "Working with Ben was an exhilarating experience filled with excitement and anticipation. From our Melbourne studio, we sent him the stems of our guitar and vocal tracks, which he transformed into fully produced songs from his Hollywood studio. When we received the final tracks, I was instantly captivated by the remarkable production. Each song possesses its own unique personality, and we couldn't be prouder of them."

Paddy McDermott elaborates "Collaborating with Ben Lee was an absolute joy. Despite the distance between us, our musical connection was seamless. We recorded the guitar and vocals in Melbourne and entrusted Ben to add the other instrumental layers with his expertise and musical brilliance. Working with someone I've admired for years was a dream come true, and his creative input elevated the project to new heights."

Take a listen to The Hollywood EP a day ahead of release:

McDermott & North's The Hollywood EP is out June 30 via Weirder Together Records

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