Phillipe Bronchtein recently released Me And The Moon, his first album under his own name but not his debut solo LP, he’s previously recorded as Hip Hatchet. Bronchtein has lived all over the place, he was born in Montreal, raised in New Jersey, went to college in Vermont, and relocated to Portland, OR before settling … Continue reading
BEYOND THE BORDERS OF ALT-COUNTRY From alt-country to blues to soul, Matt Joe Gow covers all bases on his third album. Across his first two albums, Matt Joe Gow laid down some accomplished alt-country, the kind that showed a lifetime growing up on the songs of Whiskeytown, The Jayhawks and Wilco alongside his parents’ record … Continue reading
Matthew Baird’s 2014 album, Fall, caught these ears as a great example of how to absorb influence from varying genres and scenes with subtlety. Now, on the followup Time, Baird has again subverted the obvious and recorded a set of songs that dig into a number of musical corners with darkly rewarding results. Many of … Continue reading
Sydney quartet Copperline recently released their debut album Rusty Fords And Weatherboards and celebrated with a wonderful night of music at LazyBones Lounge in Marrickville, NSW. We’ve got a full review coming soon but both the album and their live show highlights the band’s fine musicianship and the range of styles they bring to their music, … Continue reading
This sounds like a pretty special musical project. Mercury Rev have announced the release of Bobbie Gentry’s The Delta Sweete Revisited, on February 8 via Bella Union. The record is a “reimagining” of Bobbie Gentry’s 1968 album The Delta Sweete and features an impressive cast of guest vocalists: 1. Okolona River Bottom Band ft. Norah Jones 2. … Continue reading
There’s that age old conundrum with live albums – it’s never going to be as good as actually being there but you get to hear different versions of songs and and the nuances within them. Jason Isbell released a live EP back in 2008 and the Live From Alabama album in 2012 so it’s clear he’s … Continue reading
The stars have certainly aligned for Lucero on this, their ninth album. It marks their 20th year as a band and was recorded by Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Drive-By Truckers) at the auspicious Sam Phillips Recording Service studio in their hometown of Memphis. Most importantly, it stands tall as one of their strongest … Continue reading
Australian country music can stay true to its American roots and also sound like a product of its antipodean environment. While the big names chase the sales figures and follow well-worn formats there others that carve out a sweet niche of inner city honky tonk and heartworn laneways. James Ellis’ imagination was captured on a … Continue reading
It’s been nine years between albums for Sydney’s Lost In The Woods. A reinvigorated lineup has seen them gigging more often and slowly but surely working towards the release of their third record. Campfire Radio finds the expressive and emotive group adding a rich palette of colour and detail to the songs of Brian Yatman. … Continue reading
The celebrations marking the release of Take Me To Town, our self-proclaimed landmark compilation of contemporary Australian alternative country music continues next week with a very special showcase evening at Australian Music Week in Cronulla on Wednesday Nov 7th at El Sol Restaurant. Facebook Event Tracy McNeil and her band The GoodLife take the songwriting … Continue reading
It’s always great to hear new music from Tracy McNeil. She never fails to dial into a nostalgic feeling – whether it’s one of blooming love, fading romance, the innocence of youth or the optimism of future possibilities. ‘Stars’ does some of that and more, sounding like Fleetwood Mac and The War On Drugs in … Continue reading
Newcastle’s Ben Leece has building a name for himself as a solo artist over the last 12 months with songwriting awards and support slots for artists such as Tim Rogers and Courtney Marie Andrews. On his highly accomplished debut album he’s brought together some of this country’s finest in producer and musician Shane Nicholson, singer … Continue reading
Here’s a lovely ambling slice of country-folk courtesy of Memphis songwriter Mark Edgar Stuart. ‘Mad At Love’ is the title track from his new album (released Oct 12th) and is written from the point of view of a widow who lost her husband to cancer. It rides on a brisk rhythm and breezy melody that belies … Continue reading
Skyscraper Stan has built a name for himself over the last few years as a beacon of songwriting on the Australian music landscape. He’s part of the Americana scene but he nimbly traverses the genre without pitching his tent in any one corner. He’s a little bit country, a connoisseur of folk music and an … Continue reading
Real Ponchos hail from Vancouver, British Columbia and a couple of weeks ago they released their album Sunshine, a languid collection of nine songs that sway and shimmer via soul grooves and a light psychedelia that at times shares a similarity with the hypnotic qualities of Kurt Vile, albeit in a slower and more folk … Continue reading
