South Australian Chris Altmann, now based in Canada, continues to hone his songwriting craft and guitar playing on this, his third solo album. There are dips into traditional West Coast sounding country rock, barroom honky tonk and pastoral folk rock in this varied journey through American roots music. Altmann is entirely convincing and comfortable with … Continue reading
Melbourne alt-country and folk duo The Weeping Willows recorded their sophomore album in Los Angeles and as such it has a lived-in, warm and lush sound. Their authenticity and craft as singers, as songwriters and in Andrew Wriggleworth’s sublime guitar playing makes this a hypnotic and alluring album. They’ve taken a detour down some darker and … Continue reading
Sydney troubadour Sam Newton has been a busy man of late with regular local gigs and a tour. Now he’s taking alt-country to the theatre with a musical role in a new local production called A Man Walks Into A Bar. It kicks off on April 21st at a new theatre space called “The Blood Moon … Continue reading
THE REINVENTION OF NATHANIEL RATELIFF Ahead of his debut Australian shows, Nathaniel Rateliff chats with Chris Familton about the transition from solo artist to leader of the Night Sweats and the ups and downs of being a working musician. A few years ago at the SXSW Festival, Nathaniel Rateliff was recently separated from him wife … Continue reading
Houndmouth’s second LP Little Neon Limelight was released last year and since then they’ve been on the tour circuit playing headline shows, festivals and TV appearances. The success of that album, on the back of their well-received debut From The Hills Below The City, has led them to book the long-haul flights down to Australia and … Continue reading
This was an evening of three shades of solo performance, three acoustic guitars, three bewitching voices and a common thread of dark humour. Aucklander Seth Frightening serenaded the slow-filling room with his fascinating mix of spooky, atmospheric folk music. With an emotive and melancholically angelic voice he stepped out of the standard folk singer paradigm … Continue reading
Heartbreaker Sessions returns to the bricked walls and sky-high shimmering stage of Freda’s for an Easter Special. Myself and Daz will be on the decks spinning classic and deep-cut country tunes all evening while The Sweet Jelly Rolls and Whiskey Jeff help kick off the long weekend with some fine live music. From 6PM and it’s … Continue reading
Adam Young has been on the Sydney music scene since the 90s heyday of alternative and indie rock, playing with bands such as The Daisygrinders and Big Heavy Stuff. He’s fronted Grand Banks in recent years and now he’s finally released his debut solo album Elementary Carnival Blues that includes the guest vocal talents of … Continue reading
Ruby Boots And the Balance Of Self-Preservation Amid a run of national dates and ahead of a USA tour, Ruby Boots talks to Chris Familton about writing new material, casts her opinion on the Australian country music scene and looks back at 2015. 2015 was a landmark year for Ruby Boots (Bex Chilcott) with numerous … Continue reading
Steve Earle hits town this week for a couple of shows ahead of his appearance at Bluesfest over the Easter long weekend. We’ve got a double pass to his show with band The Dukes at the Metro Theatre on Thursday March 17th. In support are The Mastersons. To enter, just head over to our Facebook page. … Continue reading
This was a night of rock ’n roll, blues, country, folk and soul, those landmark styles that set the ground rules for the last six decades of music and it showed that artists who trade in those genres, with authenticity, respect and reverence, continue to attract devoted fans. A Man Called Stu and pedal steel … Continue reading
With the change in weather from high temperatures to blustery storms, the Hyde Park festival village became a somewhat deserted and mud-laden location. That didn’t deter the committed and curious fans of Chicago’s Ryley Walker from scurrying beneath umbrellas to the steps of The Famous Spiegeltent for what would be a spellbinding set of acoustic … Continue reading
Sydney band Fallon Cush have a brand new album Bee In Your Bonnet coming out on May 20th and here’s the first and very fine single from it – Useless Friend. On their third album they’ve continued the refinement and evolution of the Fallon Cush sound by introducing a more alt-country, wide-open-road feel to the … Continue reading
William Crighton has been gaining a reputation over the last couple of years for his solo and band performances that trade on intensity, honest songwriting and passionate delivery. There are country and folk influences at work in his music but it really boils down to the songs and the brooding yet melodic sounds he shrouds them in. … Continue reading
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