Ben Mastwyk has just released his excellent solo LP Mornin Evenin and was kind enough to take the time to undergo our Six Strings Q&A. We discover the canine influence in his songwriting process, who he’d love to jam with and his favourite recent Americana album. What was the album that first led you down the dusty path … Continue reading
Over the years Tex Perkins has become a versatile musician, a gun for hire traveling from one band project to another tribute show and so on. Beasts Of Bourbon has been revisited though Cruel Sea hasn’t but a group that Perkins keeps returning to and one where he sounds the most relaxed and free from … Continue reading
On her sophomore album there’s a subtlety to Ribeiro’s music that finds form in both her voice and the sonic qualities of the songs. She shares a deadpan singing style with Courtney Barnett but it contains darker shades of sensuality, folksiness and coyness with ethereal qualities that at different times bring to mind Hope Sandoval … Continue reading
Hi Jason, what’s been happening in the lead-up to the new album coming out? We just finished a few shows with Dwight Yoakam and got home yesterday and we’re leaving tomorrow to go to my guitar player’s wedding in Charleston. I love what Dwight does. His voice is still really good and he still writes … Continue reading
Joshua Seymour (Cherrywood) has stepped out on his lonesome for a solo album that digs deep into emotive and dark Americana. There’s a touch of Bon Iver, Iron & Wine and occasionally the band Spain in Seymour’s gothic sounding songs that are ornamented with stately piano, pedal steel, handclaps and all manner of stringed instruments. … Continue reading
After dalliances with an orchestra and antique lo-fi recording equipment Neil Young is back to playing rock n roll with a band. Not Crazy Horse this time but a group that includes Willie Nelson’s sons Lukas and Micah. It’s a political statement in the vein of Young’s other strident environmentally themed albums but even if … Continue reading
Melbourne musician Ben Mastwyk is an integral part of that cities’ Americana music scene, playing with Jemma & The Clifton Hillbillies, Sweet By & By and The Shotgun Wedding. Now he’s in the process of releasing his debut solo LP, conceived both in Melbourne and while traveling through the American South. He’s pulled in a … Continue reading
This was billed as The Wild Wild Inner West Revue featuring a lineup of local Americana flavoured acts curated by musician and producer Michael Carpenter. Not Good With Horses opened the night and showed a commanding presence on stage with their mostly slow and atmospheric country soul. They mixed up originals with covers of Townes … Continue reading
Yours truly (Chris – PTW editor) and the mysterious shadowy figure known as Daz have joined forces to introduce a new regular evening of live alt. country, folk and blues music to Sydney. From early August Heartbreaker Sessions will take place fortnightly on Sunday evenings at Freda’s in Chippendale. Nice and handy to Central Station we’ll … Continue reading
Matt Walker has been a stalwart of the roots music scene for more than two decades now and with Lost Ragas he may have found his perfect musical marriage. The quartet truly embody the phrase ‘cosmic country’, serving up a sound that mixes classic country, power pop and rock n roll. It’s like Sturgill Simpson … Continue reading
Shane Nicholson is gearing up for the release of his new album Hell Breaks Loose on August 7th (Lost Highway Australia/Universal) and first cab off the rank is the single ‘Secondhand Man’, a brisk and breezy track with a melancholic undercurrent. Catchy as hell too. It also features backing vocals from Katie Brianna. Tour Dates Aug … Continue reading
Attempts at an authentic presentation of traditional music can show up pale imitators pretty quickly but, on the flipside, those tagged as the real deal quickly rise to the top. The Deslondes are just that with five singer/songwriters blending country music with New Orleans soul and honky tonk with thrilling results. Their songs swing and … Continue reading
After the release of their double live LP Live From Atlanta in 2014 Lucero return with a new album All A Man Should Do on September 18th. Here’s the first taste of the album with a tribute of sorts to the late great Warren Zevon. Album Pre-Order Continue reading
Ferrier’s sophomore album finds her with a full band, recording the instrumental tracks live to tape in two days. As a result there’s an immediacy and presence to her emotionally rich songs of relationships – good and bad. Ferrier’s voice is an easy fit with her folk and country-styled compositions, able to swing sweet and … Continue reading
Mark Lucas normally fronts the Dead Setters but here he steps out on his own with a collection of intimate and restrained songs. Lucas has decorated his compositions with fiddle, banjo, piano and even tuba without ever distracting from the personal and sometimes socio-political content of his lyrics. ‘Stranger’ possesses a beautiful, lilting melody, ‘Small … Continue reading
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