If Aldous Harding’s debut album was her introduction – a musical germination – then Party is her blossoming. It’s a glorious shift from sombre introspection to expansive exultation, an artist having the tools and confidence to fully realise her thoughts and ideas without losing an ounce of the essence that defines her creativity. The first …
Sunday July 2nd is the next Red-Eyed and Blue session at The Bearded Tit in Redfern Sydney and we’ve got a great double bill of local folk and country music. THE SINGING SKIES SAM NEWTON + PTW Jukebox DJ sets The Singing Skies, led by Kell Derrig-Hall, have just released their 2nd LP, ‘Head In …
Reportedly the first of two volumes to be released this year, Americana is the first solo album from Ray Davies in nearly decade. It is also a companion of sorts to his autobiography of the same name and it certainly has a nostalgic feel to it – both geographically and culturally – and a predominantly …
Ryan Adams & The Unknown Band, Middle Kids @ Hordern Pavilion, Sydney (27.05.17) According to messages on his Instagram account, this was the last AU/NZ tour for Ryan Adams. For 15 years he’s sacrificed his mind and body and battle with Ménière’s disease to make the long flights down to this part of the world …
Across these thirteen new songs, Sam Outlaw hits more consistent territory than he did on his debut album. The music is fuller and finds a greater synchronicity with his voice and the required sympathetic tones for his tales of affairs of the heart. Outlaw’s wordplay is in fine form, “trading looks and gossip over bottomless …
Marty Stuart has been long considered as one of the key links between the traditional country world and the Americana side of town, having played in Johnny Cash’s band and previously with Lester Flatt and Doc Watson. Way Out West finds him corralling all of those influences and more into a dream-like paean to the …
An early start due to the public holiday meant a sparse room at the start of Ruby Boots’ set but by its conclusion the room had filled considerably. Back in town after a year in Nashville, she started off tentatively with a new song, from her forthcoming album and what a superb song it was, …
FROM FORMATION TO PRESERVATION Nadia Reid has made good on the promise of her debut album and ahead of a run of Australian shows she talks with Chris Familton about the emotional investment in her new release Preservation. Avoiding the much talked about second album syndrome is a big thing, given that it has unraveled …
Burnt-Out Pedalboards & Fucked-Up Guitars Prior to entering Ryan Adams’ hotel room I had preconceived ideas running through my head about what I might encounter. Will there be a pinball machine in the corner? Will Adams be reclining on the bed strumming a guitar, having just written a dozen new songs? The reality of the …
Nothing Is Ever Too Personal Lucinda Williams talks to Chris Familton about challenging songwriting, freedom as an artist, and taking advantage of being on a roll. Since her mother’s death in 2004, Lucinda Williams has found herself constantly writing and producing music at a much faster rate than ever before. As such, 2014’s Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone was …
The driving force behind The Singing Skies is Sydney songwriter Kell Derrig-Hall, who has previously worked with Melodie Nelson and Moonmilk. This is his second album as The Singing Skies and it’s quite the immersive, mesmerising and atmospheric listening experience. Evocative moods via a lush and swooning sonic palette afford Derrig the ability to paint … Continue reading
Album number three for Melbourne’s Raised By Eagles and a further refinement of their lush, wistful and yearning country rock. Ironing out some of the creases of their earlier releases has resulted in a unified sound across the songs which are mostly only a few shades either side of mid-tempo. So much of it floats … Continue reading
Sydney sextet Dusty Ravens have a new album on the way called Low Down Jimmy. It follows their 2014 album Stories of Love and Death and continues their fascination with, and foray into, Mexican and American roots music. On the title track, and first taste of the album, there’s twang and strum, shuffling country drums … Continue reading
Brad Butcher has announced his new album, From The Bottom Of A Well, will be released on August 4th. Butcher’s third album was produced, engineered and mixed by Matt Fell at Love HZ Studios, Sydney and features musicians such as Glen Hannah, Josh Schubeth, Fell and others. TRACKLISTING 1. From The Bottom Of The … Continue reading
The Canadian songwriter takes the quieter route on this new four track EP. She’s parked the feisty and swinging rockabilly sound she’s built much of her sound around and instead embraced a minimalist, meditative and reflective approach. Opener ‘Til The Goin’ Gets Gone’ is tale of self-encouragement, a sweet, lilting resolute commitment to optimism over … Continue reading
If you can get past the self-deprecating cover with Smith as a leather-jacketed, sunglass-wearing and sax-tootin’ dude then you’ll find a whole range of styles on show. The songs are either Harry Nilsson-styled piano barroom tales, Jack White keening blues, Dylan-esque wordplay or loose-hip Stonesey rock ’n’ roll. It all adds up to a varied … Continue reading
Fallon Cush‘s Bee In Your Bonnet was a real highlight among the Australian album releases last year with their blend of power pop and country rock. They’ve backed it up with this new single ‘Long Shot’, the first taste of their forthcoming fourth album, which continues their love of chiming guitars and sweet melodies. Think … Continue reading
Here’s ‘High Is Not The Top’, the new heavy-plucking and trippily-picked acoustic song from Chris Robinson Brotherhood. It comes from their new LP Barefoot In The Head, out July 21st on Silver Arrow Records. Continue reading
Sydney-based singer/songwriter Steve Wernick has just released his debut full length solo album Love Is A Gamble (via RPM Records). Drawing from the rich history of folk, blues and country with a punk spirit, Wernick deals with pain and heartbreak across a dozen songs drawn from personal experience over a seven year period. Wernick’s history on … Continue reading
Chris Shiflett is a busy man, dividing himself between Foo Fighters duties, hosting his Walking The Floor podcast and working on his solo career. He’s increasingly immersed himself in country music and this, his third solo album, is his finest yet. He pulled together a master team including producer Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell), … Continue reading
On May 19th, Justin Bernasconi releases Barefoot Wonderland, his second and fine new album of folk guitar music that explores bluegrass, country, the American Primitive style, folk and the blues. It’s a wonderful blend of English and American styles and a showcase for his exemplary playing – full of colour, control and tone, mixed with strong … Continue reading
The latest single to come from Jen Mize’s fine Warnings & Wisdom LP (2016) is “Forget Her’, a devastating, slow-burning duet with Duncan Toombs. It’s the sweet yearning ache in their voices and the blend of tones that makes this such a great song – sung from two sides of the same coin. It’s beautifully … Continue reading
In the current country music world things can certainly get a tad over-earnest at times. A surefire antidote is Jonny Fritz. On Sweet Creep he’s recorded his finest record to date and found the perfect balance between heartache, humour, pathos and musicality. Produced my My Morning Jacket’s and with Joshua Hedley and Dawes’ Taylor and … Continue reading
The intensely mesmerising Lucy Roleff has released a clip for the beautiful, melodious song ‘Hotel Interstate’, taken from her 2016 album This Paradise. We love the album, saying in our review “This is a wondrous album of meditative and transportive folk music”. The video, directed by Alex Badham, depicts the Melbourne artist taking a sole-stroll … Continue reading
Old 97’s return with their 11th studio album and it finds them in fine form. From the opening frantic rattle and strum of ‘I Don’t Wanna Die In This Town’ they blast out the cobwebs and immediately re-establish their credentials as one of the pre-eminent alt-country bands – in the same echelon as The Jayhawks, … Continue reading
