Always one for following his own muse, impulses and stylistic influences, Ryan Adams cuts a wide path through contemporary rock ’n’ roll. Not content to be the poster boy for alt-country he’s increasingly explored hardcore, 80s MOR, metal and pop music and now on Prisoner he continues the sound of his previous self-titled album and … Continue reading
Willie Watson + My Bubba + Imogen Clark @ Factory Theatre, Sydney March 16th 2017 To a smattering of punctual punters, Imogen Clark, accompanied by her father on bass, rode a wave of post-Nashville jet lag to showcase songs from her debut album and a preview of her next one. She’s a bubbly, confident performer … Continue reading
A long-time fixture on the Sydney folk music scene, The Morrisons have finally released their debut album and it both cements their status as a highly accomplished group of players and highlights the strength of their songwriting. Jimmy Daley contributes most of the songs with James Morrison penning three, before they round out the album … Continue reading
It’s an intriguing premise – gather a group of some of the finest singers, songwriters and players on the Melbourne alt-country scene and record them singing each other’s songs backed by a studio house band. That approach ensures continuity of style and feel from a musical perspective but there are still plenty of pleasant surprises … Continue reading
It feels like the week of The Morrisons around here. With their new self-titled album garnering great reviews they’re back in Sydney for their album launch this Sunday night (March 12th) at Newtown Social Club with guests Andy Golledge Band and Women’s Auxiliary Choir plus I’ll be spinning folk and alt-country tunes between sets. In fact … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
Liam Gerner has dug in deep on his new album Liam Gerner and the Sunset Pushers, stretching as a songwriter and a recording artist. There are widescreen heartland revelries amid contrasting songs built on tender subtleties and Gerner’s trademark emotive and passionate delivery. Here’s the new video clip, shot in Tasmania, for the single ‘Huon Boathouse’. It’s … Continue reading
Double albums certainly aren’t in vogue these days but Kasey Chambers, Australia’s queen of Americana music, isn’t one to shortchange her muse. Dragonfly covers two recording sessions, the first helmed by Paul Kelly and the second by brother Nash Chambers. The first disc covers a range of styles, from the throwaway ‘Talkin’ Baby Blues’ to … Continue reading
Small Town Romance are a five-piece band but at their core they are Jim Arneman and Flora Smith, an Australian duo who weave authentic country sounds into a modern Americana context. Two beautiful voices that intertwine and tell tales of heartache populated with people and places. On their self-titled album of last year they created a … Continue reading
Chris Shiflett’s main gig might be as guitarist for the Foo Fighters but he’s slowly but surely been establishing himself as a country musician with his band Dead Peasants and now his new Dave Cobb-produced solo LP West Coast Town, out on April 14th via SideOneDummy Records/Cooking Vinyl Australia. Rolling Stone has already said the new … Continue reading
The Morrisons have been a mainstay of the local Sydney Americana scene for a number of years now. They’ve played headline shows, supports, festivals and performed special tributes such as their acclaimed Brother Where Art Thou shows. Now they’ve finally released their debut, self-titled album and it both cements their status as a highly accomplished group … Continue reading
Rich Davies & The Low Road are heading out on tour through March and April, taking in regional and metropolitan venues in NSW, QLD and VIC. He’s touring his new album Ghosts which shines a light on human stories and social struggle, traversing foot-stomping epics to sombre ballads. Think Springsteen meets The Pogues, glorious and visceral folk … Continue reading
Born of a fractured and unsalvageable relationship, yet blessed by the birth of a child, Freya Josephine Hollick’s second album is a deep emotional record that sounds at times desperate and fragile, yet often also defiant and optimistic. The album dials into a sound of pure, unadorned folk and lonesome country music. With just three … Continue reading
Time Is Golden is an often melancholic yet sometimes euphoric album, tragically shadowed by singer/songwriter Adrian Slattery’s diagnosis of terminal cancer and subsequent passing in May 2016, only weeks after he recorded his final guitar track for the record. Widescreen Americana is the best description of this set of songs that take in Wilco, The … Continue reading
Aldous Harding blew many people’s minds with her debut, self-titled LP three years ago. Since then she’s been keeping busy with plenty of live shows and more recently, completing the recording of its follow-up, Party. It was recorded by PJ Harvey’s right-hand man John Parish and the first single is the dramatic Horizon. It’s a … Continue reading
POST TO WIRE 