As usual, new music has been coming thick and fast. We’ve been reviewing albums from Patty Griffin, Keith Richards, Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes, Papa Pilko & The Binrats and Jemma & The Clifton Hillbillies. Jasper Shelton Hollis has released an excellent first track from his new EP, Jep and Dep have released a new video and Sarah Humphreys & Kris Morris have begun previewing some of the songs that will appear on their just completed album. Another new clip is a single from Suzannah Espie‘s excellent new album Mother Isn’t Feeling Herself Today (review).

There are two major local Americana music festivals only a matter of weeks away now and both are gearing up with promo and info. Out On The Weekend held an on-site event to introduce media and others to the Sydney location at Bella Vista Farm. They previewed the food offerings with Porteno, Mary’s, The Baron and more. One of the headliners Kasey Chambers also made an appearance ahead of the festival that happens on the 17th Oct in Melbourne at Seaworks in Williamstown and Oct 24th in Sydney with Dawes, Robert Ellis, Sam Outlaw, Jamestown Revival, Jonny Fritz, Ruby Boots, Barna Howard, Shelly Colvin, James Thomson and many more.

We’ve been doing some support promo for the inaugural Dashville Skyline Festival that’s happening in the Hunter Valley in two weeks time. We’ve profiled three of the acts appearing, with a couple more to come. First up we talked to Melody Pool, then Fraser A. Gorman and most recently Leo Rondeau, asking them about their recent releases, future plans and festival experiences. We also interviewed headliner Bahamas for a feature piece over at The Music.

As is the usual bonus with festivals, sideshows are beginning to be announced with acts like Leo Rondeau working East Coast tours around their festival appearances. Rondeau in particular is hitting a whole range of locations and venues See his dates on the poster below which includes a very special Dashville warm-up gig at the Petersham Bowling Club in Sydney with Chris Pickering, David Garnham & The Reasons To Live and Dan Waters.

Sundays roll around fast and we’re already up to the fourth Heartbreaker Sessions that myself and Darren Cross are curating at Freda’s bar in Chippendale every second Sunday. This week we have the equally brilliant James Thomson and Katie Brianna. We rate Thomson as one of the finest in his genre in this country and an equal of many of the best new Americana acts internationally. Of his recent album Cold Moon we said:

The balance and symmetry of Thomson’s writing is a standout facet of his music. From blues to country, folk to New Orleans flavours, through the positive vibe of love songs to the darker desolation of characters at the end of line he nails them all in mood and lyrical imagery.

We’ll leave you with our clip of the week from Lucinda Williams who deservedly took out Album Of The Year a few days ago at the Americana Honors & Awards ceremony in Nashville. You can read the full list of winners HERE.