“TIME catches up with you,” Ken Kunin said. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing – but it’s a bad thing if you waste that time.”
It’s a sentiment that sits at the heart of Time Is a Cruel Master, the new album from father/daughter duo The Kunins.
The title is striking, confronting even – and as Ken explains, it came straight from the music itself.
“It’s the title track – the third song on the album,” he said.
“When I wrote it, it was really about getting older and realising you’ve got fewer days ahead than behind. You’d better enjoy some of those days.”
Unlike their previous record Waiting for Lily, which was recorded in another studio, Time Is a Cruel Master was recorded, mixed and produced in the duo’s home studio – a decision that shaped both the sound and emotional honesty of the album.
“We got to sit with the music for longer and let it develop naturally,” Ken said.
That patience shows in the layered but restrained arrangements – songs that feel intimate without being fragile.
“Our first album was very experimental,” Ken said. “Some of it was so densely recorded that once we finished, we realised there was absolutely no chance of replicating it live.
“We realised the songs – and Lily’s voice – shine most when there’s piano, acoustic guitars, and that intimate communication.”
Lily Kunin’s voice is impossible to ignore. Powerful, controlled, and deeply expressive, it feels both seasoned and startlingly assured for a 21-year-old.
“I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember,” Lily said.
“I grew up in choirs and musical theatre. I always knew I loved singing – it was never really an ‘a ha’ moment. It was just always there.”
Although she’s been a songwriter for most of her life, she and her father only began making music together in the past few years – a collaboration that unlocked something unique for both of them.
“I think of it as three voices,” Ken said.
“Voice number one is Lily. Voice number two is me. And maybe the most powerful voice is voice number three – both of us together.”
For their upcoming tour, The Kunins have chosen community halls over traditional venues – a deliberate move that reflects how they want their music to be experienced.
“We’re not a bar band. We’re not a club band,” Ken said.
“We’re a sit-down-and-take-it-in band. Community halls were created to bring people together – they have stories.”
The duo’s origin story is quietly perfect. It began in their kitchen, when Ken revisited a song from a band he was in back in 1997.
“Lily started harmonising,” he said.
“And suddenly it was like, wow – there it is.”
After releasing three full-length albums in two years, both agree a pause is needed.
Ken hints that the next phase may include bringing a team onboard – easing the DIY load that comes with independent artistry.
When asked what they hope audiences leave with after a Kunins show, the answers are simple – and telling.
“I hope people feel like it was a great use of their time,” Lily said.
“Like watching a really good movie – you sit down, absorb it, and walk away with something.”
For Ken, it’s about connection.
“Whether there are 20 people or 200 in the room, I want advocates,” he said. “I want us to grow the Kunin family.”
The Kunins play Manly Lota RSL on March 7 with a waiting list on their webpage thekunins.com.
