Nick Payne of Sydney folk/bluegrass combo Dear Orphans has been immersed in the writing and recording of his debut solo album and now the first track has emerged in the form of ‘Old Sydney Town’, a song that describes the hardships of a newly arrived convict in the penal colony of Sydney Australia in 1789. Riding on some brisk banjo courtesy of Jenny Shimmin and Jolyon Gray’s dobro the song captures an authentic sound with both an Australian quality and echoes of the convicts’ origins. Payne’s voice convincingly carries the desperation and raw frustration of the condemned prisoner, banished across the oceans.

Check out ‘Old Sydney Town’ below and click for a free download…