Sean McMahon You Will Know When You’re There Blind Date Records Melbournian Sean McMahon’s new album is a beguiling affair. It occupies a gently rolling middle ground where songs never explode into wild extremes. Instead, they nestle into a warm and gently rocking vibe. McMahon’s sound is bucolic and forlorn singer/songwriter alt-country, with a dash … Continue reading
1969: A Watershed Year For Americana Music Half a century ago, in a single calendar year, an avalanche of albums were released that would go on to have a lasting and monumental impact on what would become known as alt-country and more recently Americana music. Looking back at 1969 and pursuing the list of albums … Continue reading
Here’s a new song from Sara Rachele, a songwriter from Decatur, GA who trades in some wonderfully atmospheric torch-song, Americana, soul noir. Think Mazzy Star (who she’s covered), Lera Lynn, and Katie Brianna. The new single ‘Allelu (I Found You)’, from her forthcoming album Scorpio Moon (August 2nd), was recorded live to tape in Brooklyn, … Continue reading
NATHAN SEECKTS THE HEART OF THE CITY Independent This is the debut album from Melbourne singer/songwriter Nathan Seeckts. He’s released a string of EPs since 2010 and that slow and steady approach has served him well, going on the impressive and consistent quality of the songwriting and musicianship on The Heart Of The City. Seeckts … Continue reading
THE FELICE BROTHERS UNDRESS Yep Roc Records At their core, The Felice Brothers have always centred on the songwriting of Ian Felice and the musicality of brother James, plus the influence of Simone Felice in the band’s early days, before he moved on to a solo career. They’ve had a revolving door of drummers but … Continue reading
Possessing one of the finest voices on the Sydney music scene, Peta Caswell has finally stepped out under her own name, with her band The Lost Cause, and released her debut self-titled EP (on Stanley Records). Blending country rock, soul and alt-country, Caswell knows how to belt out a rich, soaring chorus as confidently as … Continue reading
An exciting start to a new week with the first taste of the new Lost Ragas album This is Not A Dream. The cosmic country sounds are firmly intact on this superb track with a rhythm section that punches hard and tight beneath the spiralling psychedelic guitars of Matt Walker and Shane Reilly. Great production, … Continue reading
Andrew Phelan is an Australian who relocated to Canada (received a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination) and last week he released his new six song EP Everything Rattles When I Breathe. This one from it, ‘That’s How’ is a catchy and rousing folk dispatch about the perils of booze. He’s got a fine line in … Continue reading
From Tyler Childers‘ forthcoming new album Country Squire, produced by Sturgill Simpson, here’s a new track ‘All Your’n’. Great sound on this song, reminiscent of The Band. It’s a lusher, more country soul sound than much of his last LP Purgatory. Below you can also check out the first single from the album, ‘House Fire’. … Continue reading
Stepping out of the haunting shadows of the likes of Songs:Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co, and Sparklehorse, Danish songwriter Jacob Faurholt delivers on this new track that combines lilting, swaying pedal steel with dark and melancholic folk music. The song comes from the upcoming album Shake Off The Fear, due for release on September 6th. Faurholt … Continue reading
“…inhabiting a sweet spot right at the nexus of country, soul and psychedelia.” Magpie Diaries released their impressive debut album Sanctuary last year (read our review) and with it came some wonderful singles – ‘When Love Comes’ and the latest, ‘Honey’. They’ve been getting out a lot lately with plenty of live shows in 2019, … Continue reading
Oliver Ray has a brand new album out now called Out Passed Nowhere. It’s his debut record and features Howe Gelb, musicians from Sugar Candy Mountain, The Myrrors, Xixa, and China, as well as a very special appearance by the poet laureate of punk, Patti Smith, who Ray has worked with as her longtime guitarist. ‘Ol’ … Continue reading
One positive to come from the recent lineup changes for The Felice Brothers is that we get to hear more new music from the talented members taking flight under their own names. Greg Farley was the fiddle player with the band for a decade and late last year he released his debut solo album Taker … Continue reading
Some people have been dissing the image and schtick of Orville Peck but here at PTW we’ve been really digging his Pony LP, one of favourites of 2019 so far. He’s just released a new video clip for the slow burner ‘Hope To Die’, a shimmering Orbison meets Twin Peaks dream-croon of a song. You … Continue reading
The sound of The Doors, psychedelic blues, gothic country, Lee Hazlewood and even Julian Cope collide on this new song from Australian Jordan Merrick. Also a member of Brisbane band Fugitive & The Vagabond, Merrick has dialled into a swirling, pulsing, dark folk-rock vibe on ‘Low Country’, which bodes well for his forthcoming debut album. … Continue reading
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