Sunday July 2nd is the next Red-Eyed and Blue session at The Bearded Tit in Redfern Sydney and we’ve got a great double bill of local folk and country music. THE SINGING SKIES SAM NEWTON + PTW Jukebox DJ sets The Singing Skies, led by Kell Derrig-Hall, have just released their 2nd LP, ‘Head In … Continue reading
Album number three for Melbourne’s Raised By Eagles and a further refinement of their lush, wistful and yearning country rock. Ironing out some of the creases of their earlier releases has resulted in a unified sound across the songs which are mostly only a few shades either side of mid-tempo. So much of it floats … Continue reading
Sydney sextet Dusty Ravens have a new album on the way called Low Down Jimmy. It follows their 2014 album Stories of Love and Death and continues their fascination with, and foray into, Mexican and American roots music. On the title track, and first taste of the album, there’s twang and strum, shuffling country drums … Continue reading
The Canadian songwriter takes the quieter route on this new four track EP. She’s parked the feisty and swinging rockabilly sound she’s built much of her sound around and instead embraced a minimalist, meditative and reflective approach. Opener ‘Til The Goin’ Gets Gone’ is tale of self-encouragement, a sweet, lilting resolute commitment to optimism over … Continue reading
Reportedly the first of two volumes to be released this year, Americana is the first solo album from Ray Davies in nearly decade. It is also a companion of sorts to his autobiography of the same name and it certainly has a nostalgic feel to it – both geographically and culturally – and a predominantly … Continue reading
Ryan Adams & The Unknown Band, Middle Kids @ Hordern Pavilion, Sydney (27.05.17) According to messages on his Instagram account, this was the last AU/NZ tour for Ryan Adams. For 15 years he’s sacrificed his mind and body and battle with Ménière’s disease to make the long flights down to this part of the world … Continue reading
An early start due to the public holiday meant a sparse room at the start of Ruby Boots’ set but by its conclusion the room had filled considerably. Back in town after a year in Nashville, she started off tentatively with a new song, from her forthcoming album and what a superb song it was, … Continue reading
In the current country music world things can certainly get a tad over-earnest at times. A surefire antidote is Jonny Fritz. On Sweet Creep he’s recorded his finest record to date and found the perfect balance between heartache, humour, pathos and musicality. Produced my My Morning Jacket’s and with Joshua Hedley and Dawes’ Taylor and … Continue reading
Old 97’s return with their 11th studio album and it finds them in fine form. From the opening frantic rattle and strum of ‘I Don’t Wanna Die In This Town’ they blast out the cobwebs and immediately re-establish their credentials as one of the pre-eminent alt-country bands – in the same echelon as The Jayhawks, … Continue reading
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
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
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
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
Marty Stuart is one of the bridges between new and old, classic and contemporary country music and this week the Five-time GRAMMY-winner will release Way Out West, his 18th studio album, on March 10 on Superlatone \ Cooking Vinyl Australia, and it will be available on CD, Vinyl, Digital download & streaming. Here’s the album trailer and keep scrolling down to hear the first single … Continue reading
With a songwriters poise and a natural sense of folk and country musicality, Violet Road is a far superior collection of songs to Sam Newton’s debut Set In Stone, which hinted at his potential. Newton focuses on a couple of themes on the album. Most prominently there’s a trio of songs (‘Hold You Down’, ‘Homesick’ … Continue reading
