Meech Brothers Release Fourth EP + New Single
The Meech Brothers are proud to announce the release of their fourth EP, By The Bye. Opening track Hope is By The Bye is the lead single and is a heartfelt acoustic ballad with subtle touches of melodica, muted ukuleles and hushed drums. It is an atmospheric indie-folk tune and would be quite at home on a Beirut, Iron & Wine or Bon Iver album. A video filmed in the cabin where the EP was made will be released alongside the single.
For over a decade Gareth and Clint have been making music as the Meech Brothers. They have focused on releasing EPs every few years – each with their own character and sense of place.
Lo-fi debut Lost At Sea was recorded in Clint’s flat in inner-city Wellington. It set a blueprint for their sound – a subtle combination of acoustic folk roots, close-harmony singing and electronics.
It’s follow-up – the punchier ‘poco’ – was recorded during their residency at Toi Poneke Arts Centre and echoed some of their earlier outings in guitar bands. EP number three – Brown Owl – recorded in a bungalow in the hills of Poneke was singular in it’s low-key, slightly off-kilter moodiness
In the years since that third EP, Gareth built a cabin in his backyard and slowly filled it with instruments and recording gear and along the way a new set of songs emerged. The songs on By The Bye have DNA that can be traced back to those earlier works – but they also push into previously uncharted territory. After Hope is By The Bye opens the EP we career off into the Summerteeth-era Wilco chamber-pop of ‘Follow’ and the upbeat (and relatable) ‘Phone it in’.
One of their 2025 singles – A to Z of Me returns as A to Y – now chopped into a barely recognisable short instrumental (fun fact: Meech Brothers EPs always include an instrumental track).
EP closer I Know You So Well had it’s debut live performance at a Sofar Sounds show in 2024. Gareth’s teenage son Luca stole the show that night when he guested on the song, and he reprises his part for the EP-version.
By The Bye is testament to the Meech Brother’s unwavering musical curiosity and a never-ending desire to make something new. Even after all these years, the joy is still there and you can hear it in every track.
