Geoffrey O'Connor

Geoffrey O'Connor brings ample cleverness, expertise, and melodic creativity to his output, whether through his contributions to the beloved Australian indie pop band the Crayon Fields or via standalone releases that frame him as a more relatable Bryan Ferry, resulting in a very distinctive quality throughout. Lovers of sophisticated indie pop continue to treasure the Crayon Fields' 2009 album All the Pleasures of the World, while his solo work favors a lush, very '80s sound that steers clear of tired nostalgia. The 2021 release For as Long as I Can Remember found him collaborating with an impressive cast of female duet partners to produce a timeless heartbreak classic.

A Melbourne native, O'Connor started creating music in high school within Crayon Fields, whose lo-fi indie rock style echoed the approach of bands from the Elephant 6 collective. The group formed in 2002 with bassist Brett Hudson, guitarist Chris Hung, and drummer Neil Erenstrom. They backed acts including the Unicorns, Deerhoof, and Architecture in Helsinki during live shows and delivered their debut album, Animal Bells, in mid-2006 through Chapter Music and Trifekta. Concurrently, O'Connor began capturing solo material as Sly Hats via a more lo-fi, home-cooked method, issuing the very poppy Liquorice Night album in 2007.

Crayon Fields maintained momentum with their second album, All the Pleasures of the World, in 2009 before undertaking their initial U.S. tour in 2010. O'Connor abandoned the Sly Hats name and issued 2011's Vanity Is Forever under his own name, pivoting from indie pop toward a slick, synthesizer-based '80s approach heavily indebted to groups like Roxy Music and Prefab Sprout. Fan Fiction arrived in 2013 along similar lines, after which Crayon Fields reconvened to record and release their third album, No One Deserves You, in late 2015.

Across his career O'Connor contributed behind the scenes to projects by Twerps, Summer Flake, Fair Maiden, and Sarah Mary Chadwick. The last of these joined his album of duets featuring female musicians from his home country. Initially captured with the vocalists in supporting roles, the collection was reworked to grant his guests co-starring parts on songs exploring heartbreak and remorse. Slickly crafted yet pulsing with human warmth, For as Long as I Can Remember appeared in August 2021 via Chapter Music.