There’s an interesting back story to Alynda Lee Segarra, the 26 year old songwriter behind the rather non-Americana nom de plume. She ditched home at 17, travelled the USA by thumb and jumping trains before settling in New Orleans, focusing on music and discovering her own style with quite breathtaking results. Her voice is the … Continue reading
Sydneysiders doing Mexicali folk music? On the surface that may sound like a genre exercise but Dusty Ravens prove themselves to be dealers in the authentic, mixing up styles and mood just enough to let a subtle Australiana sound filter through the mariachi flavours, as they do on the Richmond Fontaine meets Paul Kelly vibe … Continue reading
Fanny Lumsden & the Thrillseekers have announced an exciting new residency for the month of May at Marrickville’s Vic on the Park. It’s being billed as Swamp Thursdays at the pub and entry is free of charge. Lumsden has an array of guests lined up for the month including some of favourite Americana artists, Katie … Continue reading
Wagons are saddling up to hit the trails in support of their brand new LP Acid Rain & Sugar Cane which comes out on May 16th. Check the tour poster below for details and while you’re waiting for the gang to hit your town you can enjoy being serenaded by the epic bombast of the … Continue reading
De’May has just released her debut album If We Don’t Leave Now, a record that announces the arrival of an intriguing new talent on the local scene. The album weaves it’s way through blues, country and folk styles with her voice the unifying element. She sings with real conviction and the ability to sound both tender and fragile (‘Tell … Continue reading
Simone Felice returns with a new solo album that includes contributions from his kin The Felice Brothers and Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers. It finds him sounding more relaxed, mature and carefree than ever before and at under 40 minutes it’s a masterclass in economical, emotive and melodic songwriting. It harnesses the … Continue reading
Pulling a crowd for an Americana gig in Sydney can be a struggle at times yet the paltry turnout of a dozen people for a gig with a trio of fine, critically lauded acts was disappointing to say the least. To their credit the bands seemed relaxed and grateful for the enthusiasm of those in … Continue reading
Nikki Lane has a new album called All Or Nothin’ (her 2nd) coming out on New West Records on May 6th. The first taste of it is ‘Right Time’, a catchy guitar track with heavy bass and an almost rockabilly groove to it, no doubt a result of the production style of Dan Auerbach (The … Continue reading
Beverley Martyn has a new album out on April 22nd. The Phoenix and the Turtle includes the song ‘Reckless Jane’, a co-write with songwriter Nick Drake. Started just months before Drake died, the two wrote the lyrics to the folk song together and first began working on the music during a jam session in Martyn’s home in Hastings. … Continue reading
Nickel Creek, featuring Chris Thile (mandolin/vocals), Sara Watkins (fiddle/vocals), and Sean Watkins (guitar/vocals) release their new LP A Dotted Line today (April 1st) via Nonesuch Records. This is their first album since they went on hiatus in 2007 and marks 25 years since they first formed back in 1989. Check out three of the album tracks below. Continue reading
It was surprising to see that this concert was sold out given that Pokey LaFarge’s profile is only starting to grow in this part of the world. Put it down to a strong roots community with their ears to the ground and word-of-mouth buzz from his other Australian festival and headline shows perhaps. Regardless, … Continue reading
Here’s the first clip/single from Little Bastard’s forthcoming self-titled debut album. High For You captures the band’s ramshackle good-time vibe on-stage and as a lead single it sets the bar pretty high for the new album which comes out on May 9th via FOUR | FOUR. Continue reading
Next week Merle Haggard’s live album Okie From Muskogee gets reissued on CD by Capitol Nashville to mark its 45th anniversary. It is also paired with another live album previously unreleased on CD, Merle Haggard & The Strangers with Bonnie Owen, The Fightin’ Side of Me. Disc 1: Merle Haggard & The Strangers, Okie from … Continue reading
Thursday March 27th is the launch of a new weekly night at the Marrickville Bowling Club dedicated to country music – old time, roots and bluegrass. Regular events like Folk club showed that a genre-specific night is definitely sustainable and one catering to the Americana community is long overdue. PTW raises it’s hat to Fun … Continue reading
Neko Case’s journey from alt-country chanteuse and indie songstress (The New Pornographers) to something that now resembles a symbiotic fusion of the two has been one that has sometimes found her struggling to find a niche and suitably broadminded audience. On her most recent album she sounds the most settled and of herself and so … Continue reading
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