Yep, we’re a third of the way through the year already so we thought we’d have a look back at our ten favourite albums that have been released in 2015. In no particular these are the records that have regularly been on the stereo and provided many of the musical highlights of our year so far. You can hit … Continue reading
On their second album Raised By Eagles eschew some of the ragged country rock moves of their debut and head for classic songwriting territory with excursions into power pop and acoustic balladry. The intimate and explicitly emotional storytelling of ‘Sugar Cane’ and the warm breezy sway of ‘Honey’ act as counterpoints to Window Seat’s Ryan … Continue reading
Ruby Boots is the nom de plume for Perth’s Bex Chilcott and though this is wholly a solo album in terms of songwriting and musical personality she has corralled the talents of a number of accomplished individuals on her spellbinding debut full length release. Co-starring roles go to Vicki Thorn (The Waifs), Jordie Lane, Davey … Continue reading
Over the last few years Liam Gale’s sound has evolved into a darker and more hypnotic form of psychedelic folk and blues music, culminating in the majestic and hypnotic The Lonely Throne. There are shades of Devendra Barnhart and Tim Buckley in Gale’s explorations in building trance-like mantras around songs via a range of instrumentation … Continue reading
Jason Isbell has huge expectations on his shoulders ahead of the release of the follow-up to his critically acclaimed Southeastern album. On the evidence of this first song to emerge from Something More Than Free he’s continued his great songwriting and lyrical deftness. Continue reading
The weather has been fairly chaotic of late here in Sydney and one victim of it’s wrath was the Petersham Bowling Club, one of the finest supporters of roots music with live shows, craft beer and a family friendly environment. They suffered water damage and had to reschedule some shows while they cleaned up the … Continue reading
Here’s the first taste of the new Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell duet album due for release via Nonesuch Records on May 12th. The Traveling Kind follows their successful 2013 LP Old Yellow Moon. ‘You Can’t Say Were Didn’t Try’ is another sweet heartstring duet from the pair. Australia Tour Dates June 21, Perth, Concert Hall … Continue reading
Queensland songwriter Brad Butcher certainly doesn’t take too many risks, nor does he hit too many emotional highs on Jamestown. His style is a calm and measured approach to his music but too often that is a recipe for songs blending together without enough dynamism across the eleven tracks. Occasionally his songs do excel, particularly … Continue reading
Sam may be an outlaw by name but by nature he comes across as more of a soul searching, sensitive guy on his debut album. It’s a country record complete with sparkling pedal steel and tales of love won and lost and while he can write a good song within those parameters it often sounds … Continue reading
Throw The Band and The Felice Brothers into a roots music blender and you’ll end up with something resembling Houndmouth. On their second album they’ve taken their already impressive Americana sound to another level with rousing, infectious choruses, heartbreaking harmonies and a looser rock ’n’ roll feel. This is modern suburban Appalachian music that sounds … Continue reading
It has been a big week for Americana related tour announcements with news that The Milk Carton Kids, Mary Chapin Carpenter & Tift Merritt and Ryan Adams & Jenny Lewis will be touring here over the next few months. Local acts have also got in on the action with Marlon Williams announcing an Australian and New … Continue reading
Marlon Williams has released a clip for ‘Strange Things’, the first single that preceded the release of his brand new solo LP. Watch Williams and Aldous Harding muck about in some sort of surreal interplay that has a nice plot twist late in the piece. Williams is currently playing a trio of record store solo gigs to … Continue reading
Calexico have just released their new album Edge of The Sun via Spunk Records and it is shaping up as their finest in years. A great example of that is the soaring ‘Falling From The Sky’ featuring Ben Bridwell of Band Of Horses. Here’s the weird and disturbing clip for the track… Continue reading
We are proud to present three of the Americana music scene’s finest troubadours live at the Petersham Bowling Club in Sydney next month. Petersham Bowling Club, 77 Brighton St, Petersham May 29th @ 7pm $10 at the door or via Sticky Tickets James Thomson: In 2012, James Thomson released his debut, self-titled album to a … Continue reading
The two outlaw country legends Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard have teamed up for a new album (Django and Jimmie) and on the evidence of this clip for the first single they had a barrel of fun recording it. I’t’s All Going To Pot’ is a lively and funny play on words and Willie’s infamous … Continue reading
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