Darren Cross (musician)

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For the Marvel Comics character, see Darren Cross.

Darren Cross
Darren Cross, July 2021
Darren Cross, July 2021
Background information
Birth nameDarren James Cross
Also known as
BornSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • songwriter,
  • record producer
  • music video maker
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active1992–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websitedarrencross.bandcamp.com

Darren James Cross is an Australian songwriter, musician, record producer and video maker. Cross is the founding mainstay lead vocalist and guitarist of alternative rock group Gerling (1992–2007). He started the E.L.F. project in 2007, which issued an album, Plankton Icke and Tina Turner David City Limits (2010). His folk noir duo Jep and Dep were formed in 2012 with his domestic partner, Jessica Cassar on co-lead vocals, which have issued two albums. Under his own name he has issued four studio albums, _Xantastic (2016), Peacer (2018), Keeping Up? (2020) and Distorder (2021). The artist's instrumental folk guitar project, D.C Cross released two albums, Ecstatic Racquet (2019) and Terabithian (2020).

Cross has collaborated with other artists, the Apartments, Kylie Minogue, the Avalanches, Jagwar Ma and Kool Keith. The musician has worked in diverse genres from commercial house music, indie rock-style detuned guitar pop, abstract electronica with Gerling to Americana-style traditional folk music. Cross has a music and video production studio, Bernstein studios and performs live in Jep and Dep and as Darren Cross or D.C Cross.

Career[edit]

Gerling (1991–2007)[edit]

Main article: Gerling
Gerling on tour in United States at Devils Tower Wyoming, 2002. Darren Cross at left.

Darren James Cross,[1] as Darren E. Spielberg-Cross, on lead vocals, guitar and synthesiser founded the Australian alternative rock group, Gerling, in 1993.[2] He had attended secondary school in the western suburbs of Sydney, at the height of Grunge. Other founders were Presser (a.k.a Paul Towner) on drums and Brad Herdson on guitar and vocals.[2] Gerling's early music was influenced by Pavement, Sonic Youth, Boredoms, Beck and Mercury Rev; writing with two guitars and drums. The group provided experimental guitar pop, on their debut single, "Sedatives for Dead Radars" (1995) via Steve Pavlovic's Fellaheen Records label. This was followed by their extended play, A Day of Research (1996). Their repertoire moved towards dance music and sampling. Gerling released four studio albums, Children of Telepathic Experiences (February 1998), When Young Terrorists Chase the Sun (September 2001), Bad Blood!!! (2003) and 4 (March 2006).[3][2] The band toured Australia extensively, and also toured the United Kingdom gaining positive reviews in NME,[4] Japan and New Zealand.

Guest vocalists on When Young Terrorists Chase the Sun were Kylie Minogue on "G-House Prokect",[5] Kool Keith on "Brother Keith on Destructor Mountain (4001)",[6] Solex on "Windmills and Birdbaths" and Inga Liljeström on "Dust Me Selecta". Bad Blood!! was more in the dance and electronica genres due to use of sampled programmed drums, vocoders and computer plugins and distortion.[7][8] Gerling went into hiatus by 2008.[9] According to Cross, he wrote lyrics for 26 out-of 57 Gerling songs.[10] Both he and Presser, created the group's album artworks and collages, as the Deli Bros.[11]

The E.L.F. (2007–2012)[edit]

Main article: The E.L.F.
Cross as the E.L.F., April 2012

After Gerling announced an indefinite hiatus in 2007, Cross began working as the E.L.F., providing dance and electronica material. The E.L.F.'s debut extended play, Stevie Nicks Hearts (2008), was recorded at his home studio in Sydney. He released a second EP, Sunray in the Rave Cave (2008) and an album Plankton Icke and Tina Turner David City Limits (late 2010).[12] The album received 9.2 out-of 10 from Jonny of Polaroids of Androids.[13] Cross performed, produced and wrote all material himself; he also toured and DJed throughout Australia. His track "Cockroaches" was played on Triple J and its music video had nearly 250000 hits.[14][15]

Jep and Dep (2012–present)[edit]

Main article: Jep and Dep
Cross at left with Jessica Cassar, performing as Jep and Dep, January 2014

In 2012 Cross started a folk-noir duo with his domestic partner, Jessica Cassar on co-lead vocals, Jep and Dep.[16][17] They are often compared to Lee Hazlewood / Nancy Sinatra and Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue on Murder Ballads, with The Sydney Morning Herald's Jeff Apter stating, "ballads with the right balance of creeping menace and painful regret."[18] In late 2014 the duo independently released their debut album, Word Got Out received 4 out-of 5 stars in reviews at Rolling Stone Australia,[19] and The Sydney Morning Herald.[18] The duo adopt a film noir-aesthetic for their music videos, photographs and artwork and perform live with Cross on acoustic guitar and both on vocals.[20] They supported Johnny Marr (the Smiths),[21] Jessica Pratt, Mirel Wagner,[22] Courtney Barnett,[23] Kristin Hersh from Throwing Muses, Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals[24] and Blackeyed Susans.[25] Cross produced Word Got Out at his Bernstein Studios.[26]

Solo work (2012–present)[edit]

Cross, under his own name, released two independent folk, Americana EPs, Freak Out Inn III (April 2013)[27] and No Damage (2014).[28][29] He wrote, performed, produced the recordings; he also made the related artwork and most of the music videos himself.[30][31][32] Cross co-wrote "That Loneliness" on Jagwar Ma's debut album Howlin' (2013) with the band's Jonathan Ma and Gabriel Navidzadeh (a.k.a. Gabriel Winterfield).[33][34] He issued a single, "And the New York Rain Came Down" in December 2014.[35]

Cross described his debut album, _Xantastic (9 September 2016) (pronounced: ZAN-tas-tic) as "probably the closest thing I have done that would be a come close to a Gerling album… "[36] Cross wrote, recorded, produced all of the music at his Bernstein Studios, Sydney.[37] It was released by independent record label No Drums Records for the Australian market. The label Rockers Die Younger issued it on vinyl in France in January 2017.[38][39]

Apter detemined it is "an intriguing album... [with a] dark and stark mood."[38] Rhythmns magazine's Chris Familton said "melancholy, plaintiff and downbeat in the vein of Nick Drake, Beck, Neil Young and Bill Callahan – yet he has found clever and unobtrusive ways to incorporate samples, synths, drum machines and effects that add a dystopian, sci-fi quality to the music".[40] Rolling Stone Australia's Jonny Nail reviewed its track, "Highway Lights in the Night" and felt it is a "nostalgic synth-folk tilt, with his lonesome vocals, unmistakably his own."[41]

Darren Cross 'PEACER' (2018)[edit]

Cross officially released his second solo album 'PEACER'[42] to critical acclaim on his own No Drum Records early August 2018. Described as the bastian of a modern polymathic D.I.Y artist: writing, recording, performing and producing the album himself at his Bernstein Studios. Special guests on the album include R. Stevie Moore and Jessica Cassar from Jep and Dep.[citation needed] 4ZZZ radio said "PEACER is a crazy mix of dream pop, retro pop, indie-folk and avant pop, but somehow it cohesively comes together to deliver a cracker of an album".[43] The album jumps between anarchic gospel-krautrock-indie guitar pop tunes to neo-folk fingerpicking spaced out meltdowns.[44]

D.C Cross - Ecstatic Racquet (2019)[edit]

In 2019 Cross announced his debut project under the D.C Cross moniker, an Australian fingerstyle guitarist and composer who plays the steel-string acoustic guitar as a solo instrument. His new direction has been influenced by American Primitive Guitar and the British folk revival. There are obvious influences at play – Bert Jansch, John Fahey, Leo Kottke – the titans of the American Primitive scene who progressed acoustic guitar playing from classical, folk and psych into new areas, as well as newer progenitors such as Ryley Walker and Steve Gunn, this instrumental folk acoustic guitar album is called Ecstatic Racquet .[45] Rhythms magazine said "Finding beauty in small details, despair in others. It’s a special thing to be able to create these wordless stories with such lyrical qualities, and in the context of contemporary Australian music this stands as a rare and quite unique album".[45][46]

D.C Cross - Terabithian (2020)[edit]

Cross, July 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic, April 20, 2020, Cross released his sophomore solo album under the guise D.C Cross.[47][48] Equally parts ambient and Instrumental folk guitar influenced by American Primitive Guitarists, British folk revivalists and 90's new-age ambient music.[47][48] Tone Deaf said "To put it simply though, if you’re a fan of instrumental music, Terabithian is not only an album you should experience, it’s a record you must experience...with the record serving as one of the most mesmerising instrumental releases you’ll hear for some time. D.C Cross’ ‘Terabithian’ is a high watermark of instrumental music".[48]

Darren Cross - Keeping Up? (2020)[edit]

The first purely electronic album for Cross since 2008. Using an obsolete drum machine, computer and operating system, Cross created a world of nostalgia inducing woozy electronic music. Rolling Stone magazine gave the album 4.5 stars out of 5 and said "blissful ocean of nostalgia, with hazy instrumentation, vocoded vocals, and echoed drumbeats and electronic blips immersing the listener in a devastatingly unique, yet warmly familiar world of musical euphoria". Doubtful Sounds wrote "There's an overwhelmingly immersive quality to the music. Drug-like, womb-like - that intrinsic memory of holding your breath underwater as a child and feeling at peace in the aquatic cocoon".[49][50][51]

D.C Cross - Stolen Police Vehicle Down The Great Western Highway (2021)[edit]

Released April 28, 2021, Stolen Police Vehicle Down The Great Western Highway is an Antipodean Instrumental Guitar composition that was premiered on ABC Radio National Morning Show with Fran Kelly. Darren was the first live music on the ABC in over a year since the Covid pandemic began.[52][53][54]

Darren Cross - DISTORDER (2021)[edit]

With comparisons to his former band he formed in 1992, Gerling,[55] Cross released his new record "DISTORDER", July 19 on bandcamp exclusively.

Rolling Stone magazine stated "the album is in fact one which feels like a true breath of fresh air – an escapist’s paradise made, fittingly, within Cross’ own studio utopia" and Backseat Mafia giving the album 8.7/10. "DISTORDER is a brilliant expression of our times: discordant, unsettling and at times bleak, but delivered with a swagger and a panache. Cross puts on display his musicianship and creativity, creating something dark and elusive yet touched with a certain element of wry amusement. A panoply of sonic expression, a bitter confection of dissonance but a thoroughly enjoyable and cathartic whole".[56]

Discography[edit]

Studio albums[edit]

Gerling[edit]

The E.L.F.[edit]

  • 2008 : Stevie Nicks Hearts
  • 2008 : Sunray In The Rave Cave
  • 2010 : Plankton Icke and Tina Turner David City Limits

Jep and Dep[edit]

  • 2012 : Through The Night
  • 2014 : Word Got Out
  • 2017 : THEY'VEBEENCALLED.

Darren Cross[edit]

  • 2013 : Freak Out Inn III
  • 2014 : NO DAMAGE
  • 2016 : _Xantastic
  • 2018 : PEACER
  • 2020 : Keeping Up?
  • 2021 : DISTORDER

D.C Cross[edit]

  • 2019 : Ecstatic Racquet
  • 2020 : Terabithian
  • 2021 : Stolen Police Vehicle Down The Great Western Highway [SINGLE]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "'Darren Cross' at APRA search engine". APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association, Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society). Retrieved 11 November 2021. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Filter Results' and then enter details 'Title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  2. ^ a b c McFarlane, Ian (2017). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Gerling'". The Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Jenkins, Jeff (Foreword) (2nd ed.). Gisborne, VIC: Third Stone Press. pp. 185–186. ISBN 978-0-9953856-0-3.
  3. ^ Hegarty, Khalil (29 August 2003). "The Splice Gerls". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 4 June 2006. Retrieved 12 November 2021. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  4. ^ "NME Reviews - Gerling : Enter Space Capsule". NME. 12 September 2005. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  5. ^ Bychawski, Adam. "Go on Gerl!". NME. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  6. ^ ITM HQ (30 July 2001). "Call Gerling". inthemix. Archived from the original on 18 June 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Gerling". Trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  8. ^ "Gerling: "Bad Blood!!!" – The Japan Times". The Japan Times. 25 July 2004.
  9. ^ Mann, Tom (12 August 2015). "Gerling tease fans by launching nostalgic new website". FasterLouder. Archived from the original on 26 December 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Alt-Country Music Blog Dashvilled: Darren Cross – 'And the New York Rain Came Down'". Dashvilled.tumblr.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  11. ^ "Featured Artist: Dead Galaxy". The Finders Keepers. 10 February 2010. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  12. ^ "Track by Track Breakdown – The E.L.F. on Zoloft, Audrey Tautou and Landing Gears". Pedestrian.TV. 22 February 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  13. ^ Jonny (14 February 2011). "The E.L.F. – Plankton Icke and Tina Turner David City Limits – Record Reviews". polaroidsofandroids.co. Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  14. ^ 'Cockroaches' E.L.F. Darren Cross. Youtube.com. 21 June 2007. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  15. ^ "triple j music news: Darren from Gerling's Solo Project : E.L.F." Abc.net.au. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  16. ^ Kingsmill, Kate (4 December 2014). "Jep and Dep launch debut album". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  17. ^ Thomas, Les (22 October 2014). "Jep and Dep: Taking nothing for granted (interview)". unpaved.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 March 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ a b Apter, Jeff (6 November 2014). "The Shortlist album reviews: November 7–13". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved subscription. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  19. ^ "Rolling Stone Australia". Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  20. ^ "Jep & Dep Newtown Social Club Chris Familton ♫ theMusic.com.au – Australia's Premier Music News & Reviews Website". theMusic.
  21. ^ "Johnny Marr Oxford Art Factory Chris Familton ♫ theMusic.com.au – Australia's Premier Music News & Reviews Website". theMusic.
  22. ^ "the AU interview: Jep and Dep (Sydney) talk folk noir, single launch and the big trip to Europe! – the AU review". the AU review.
  23. ^ "Courtney Barnett Birds of Tokyo Lead Twilight at Taronga 2016 Program ♫ theMusic.com.au – Australia's Premier Music News & Reviews Website". theMusic.
  24. ^ "Gruff Rhys @ Newtown Social Club". Thebrag.com. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  25. ^ "Black Eyed Susans". Unpaved.com.au. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  26. ^ "Album Focus Jep And Dep ♫ theMusic.com.au – Australia's Premier Music News & Reviews Website". theMusic.
  27. ^ Staff writer (13 March 2013). "New Noise: Wild Oats, Parading, Bad//Dreems, Jep & Dep". Mess+Noise. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  28. ^ Jones, Martin (April 2015). "Darren Cross – No Damage". Rhythms Music Magazine. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  29. ^ "Greta Mob Factory Floor Francesca Palazzolo". theMusic.com.au.
  30. ^ Gough, Paul (1 May 2013). "Mavis Staples & Sean Foran from Trichotomy". Radio National. Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  31. ^ Clelland, Ross. "Darren Cross No Damage". theMusic.com.au.
  32. ^ Byzantine, Jimmy (31 July 2014). "Exclusive: Stream Darren Cross's debut solo EP No Damage". Rip It Up. Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  33. ^ Lay, Sarah (14 February 2015). "New Artist of the Day: Darren Cross". Louder Than War. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  34. ^ "'That Loneliness' at APRA search engine". APRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association, Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society). Retrieved 12 November 2021. Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Filter Results' and then enter details 'Title:' &/or 'Performer:'
  35. ^ "Premiere: Darren Cross – 'And the New York Rain Came Down'". theMusic.com.au. 18 December 2014. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  36. ^ "DARREN CROSS". Dcdarrencross.tumblr.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
  37. ^ Jones (Operations Coordinator). "Darren Cross". 2SER. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2021. Note: podcast may no longer function
  38. ^ a b Jeff, Apter (24 August 2016). "New albums: Kasey Chambers, Kevin Brady, Cat's Eyes, Wild Beasts, Darren Cross". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  39. ^ "Is Darren Cross..._Antastic ?". 10 January 2017.
  40. ^ Chris, Familton (21 September 2016). "Album Review: Darren Cross – _Xantastic". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  41. ^ Nail, Jonny (9 September 2016). "Five for Friday: Darren Cross, Gold Class, Lanks, Mere Women, Fascinator". Rolling Stone Australia. Archived from the original on 2 May 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  42. ^ "Release group "PEACER" by Darren Cross - MusicBrainz".
  43. ^ "4ZZZ".
  44. ^ "Darren Cross: Peacer". 8 August 2018.
  45. ^ a b Doubtful Sounds (6 August 2019). "Album Review: D.C Cross – Ecstatic Racquet". Post to Wire. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  46. ^ "Amrap - Australian Music Radio Airplay project". amrap.org.au.
  47. ^ a b "Terabithian, by D.C Cross". Darren Cross.
  48. ^ a b c Jenke, Tyler (29 April 2020). "D.C Cross' Terabithian is a high watermark of instrumental music". Tone Deaf. The Brag. Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  49. ^ "Darren Cross Blissfully Ventures into Ambient Nostalgia with Keeping Up?". 6 November 2020. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 8 November 2021. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  50. ^ "Darren Cross". Darren Cross.
  51. ^ Sounds, Doubtful (10 November 2020). "ALBUM REVIEW: Darren Cross – Keeping Up?".
  52. ^ "Stolen Police Vehicle Down the Great Western Highway., by D.C Cross". Darren Cross.
  53. ^ "A Night Of Underground Folk Music with Darren Cross and friends". ABC Radio National. 29 April 2021.
  54. ^ "Release "Stolen Police Vehicle Down the Great Western Highway." by D.C Cross - Aliases - MusicBrainz". musicbrainz.org.
  55. ^ "Darren Cross Escapes Into a Musical Utopia with 'DISTORDER'". 19 July 2021.
  56. ^ "Album Review: Sydney's Darren Cross (Gerling) creates a little 'DISTORDER': a splendid electronic fugue for our dystopian times". 24 July 2021.

External links[edit]

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