SOWING THE SEEDS OF SONGS Family Jordan continue to refine their humid and cosmic country and folk sound on their fourth album Big Grass. Ahead of their appearance at the Dashville Skyline festival next weekend (Feb 25-28th, 2022) we’re adding our interview with Jordan Rochfort of the band from last year. by Chris Familton Following in … Continue reading
Category Archives: Alt-Country
PTW FAVOURITE ALBUMS OF 2021
It’s that time of year where I sit down, create a spreadsheet, list all the albums that caught my ear and had me returning for repeat listens, and then begin the torturous task of putting them into some kind of ordered list. It’s a strange thing to rank artistic endeavours against each other but the … Continue reading
PTW FAVOURITE AUSTRALIAN ALBUMS OF 2021
Despite the endless disruptions, lockdowns, gig cancellations and postponements, there were still plenty of excellent albums released here in Australia in 2021. Most of them had their own unique sound too – drawing from folk, country, psych, blues and indie to differing degrees. There were established artists who continued to mature and evolve as well … Continue reading
SINGLE PREMIERE: Dr Mann – Stubborn Mule
Cosmic psychedelic country vibes abound on ‘Stubborn Mule‘, the beautiful new single from Dr Mann that we have the pleasure of premiering on PTW today. As the guitars chop and stagger, pedal steel wafts along, adding a swirling ambience to the track. Twin vocals complete the intertwined and woven sound of the track as it … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: The Delines – Past The Shadows
The Delines have released the video for single #2 from their forthcoming album The Sea Drift, which will be released on February 11, 2022 via Love Police Records & Tapes (and their new American label home Jealous Butcher Records). It’s yet another in a long list of sublime smokey and soulful songs that pull beautifully … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Fleur Wiber & Chris Carrapetta – Killing The Blues
Sydney artists Fleur Wiber and Chris Carrapetta have come together to record an album’s worth of their favourite alt-country covers during lockdown and the first superb track they’ve released from it is is a version of Rowland Salley‘s ‘Killing the Blues’. Salley is the bassist for Chris Isaak and his best known song has been … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Huck Hayden – Fire Ball
I’m loving the world weary vocal on this slice of melodic country rock by Nashville-based Huck Hayden. There’s Petty in there, a dash of Berman-esque indie rock, the country-leaning side of J. Mascis and the heavier, electrified folk-rock of Neil Young. The push and pull tension between the vocal and the blistered guitar sound on … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Mitch Dillon’s Compulsive Ramblers
MITCH DILLON’S COMPULSIVE RAMBLERS MITCH DILLON’S COMPULSIVE RAMBLERS RAGGED GUM RECORDS Melbourne musician Mitch Dillon has been around the local scene for a while now, backing up other artists and fronting Attractor Beams, a much-missed band who wore obvious influences such as The Replacements on their sleeves. Now stepping out on his own with backing … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Kevin Coons – Rattlesnake Canyon
There’s a big Townes Van Zandt vibe on this new track from Kevin Coons. It takes Townes’ melodic phrasing and relocates it to a tougher, groove-based cosmic Americana place. Rhythmically it buries itself in your short term memory and hits repeat. Killer track! Coons pulled in Dillon Napier from Margo Price’s band on drums for … Continue reading
SINGLE/VIDEO PREMIERE: Suz Dorahy – Tell You
This morning we’re lucky enough to be premiering the video clip for Suz Dorahy‘s brand new single ‘Tell You’ which is released tomorrow. The single is Dorahy’s first since she released the song ‘Margharita’ in 2019 and finds her striking a magnificent alt-country sound that recalls the preeminent sound and swagger of Lucinda Williams in … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Robert Connely Farr – Going Away To Leave You
Dirty, raw, dragged through the dirt and spirited like a life well lived. That’s the sound of this rough and rugged cover of Bentonia Bluesman Jimmy “Duck” Holmes’ ‘Going Away To Leave You’, by Robert Connely Farr. It’s all in the tension and stormy mood of those six strings and Robert’s gruff vocal on this … Continue reading
VIDEO PREMIERE: Dave Wright & The Midnight Electric – Tennessee
Dave Wright & The Midnight Electric have a brand new clip for their single ‘Tennessee‘, taken from their 2021 album Lost Inside A Dream, and we’re very pleased to be able to premiere it on PTW today. ‘Tennessee’ is a wonderfully spirited and freewheeling song that takes one hell of a swing at a big … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Suicide Swans – Reservations
SUICIDE SWANS RESERVATIONS NEAR ENOUGH RECORDS The latest album from the prolific Queensland alt-country band led by singer-songwriter Kyle Jenkins continues their stunning and world class run of releases. It’s also their last album under the SS name. From now on the band, now a quartet, will be known was Mt. Morning. Each of their … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Riley Catherall – When I Go
One of the standout features of Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Riley Catherall’s debut album is that it is the sound of an artist in consummate control of his craft. Born and raised in Yass Valley (NSW), Catherall’s story includes tenures playing jazz and blues before he attended the CMAA Academy of Country Music and received invaluable writing … Continue reading
VIDEO PREMIERE: Georgia State Line – The Ones We Love
Last month Georgia State Line released their debut album In Colour via Cheatin’ Heart Records/Spunk Records and it’s already garnered a nomination for Best Country Act at the Music Victoria Awards 2021. Now Georgia Delves has released the video clip for her most recent single ‘The Ones We Love‘, just one of many of Georgia’s … Continue reading