James Thomson released one of our favourite albums of 2015 with his sophomore album Cold Moon. With his band The Strange Pilgrims in tow he’s about to head out on tour for a run of East Coast dates through February and March including a Sydney gig as special guest of Ruby Boots. Highway Nights Tour: Feb … Continue reading
On RSD 2015 (April 16th) the wonderful Light In The Attic Records will release the Heartburn Highways: 40th Anniversary Edition Box Set. Limited to 1,000 copies worldwide Proudly Made in the USA Hand crafted custom wood box by Boles Studio, Bronx, NY LP-sized 80 page book with exhaustive 20,000 word essay by Sam Sweet interviewing artists, documentary creators and … Continue reading
Photographer and director Lyn Taylor has started producing some great clips of live acoustic performances of Australian folk and alt. country acts with Nick Payne recording and mixing the audio. The pair also form the core of folk/bluegrass group Dear Orphans. Here are three of our favourite sessions so far with Mark Lucas, Katie Brianna … Continue reading
As well as compiling our own 40 Favourite Americana Albums and 20 Favourite Australia & NZ Americana Albums we also decided to widen the net and ask a handful of respected musicians and radio/print media people to tell us their top five albums of 2015 and why they liked their number 1 so much. We … Continue reading
Given our general focus on Americana music in this part of the world we thought we’d publish our favourite local releases from Australia and New Zealand in 2015. Some of these will also appear in our main Americana albums of the year list but until then, here are local folk who released music that caught … Continue reading
LIVE REVIEW: Marlon Williams & The Yarra Benders, Ben Salter @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney (21/11/15) With the sold-out sign stuck to the front window of the venue Ben Salter ambled on-stage, unassuming and with that tousled mop of hair. Sans The Gin Club he’s a riveting performer with loop and vocal effect pedals and … Continue reading
We’ve joined forces with the wonderful Areatha from Mother Hen Touring (M.E Baird, James Thomson, Dan Waters, Leo Rondeau etc) to put on an end-of-year gig/party at the Petersham Bowling Club on December 20th. This will be a chance for the Sydney alt.country and folk music scene to celebrate another wonderful year of music in which some … Continue reading
Lucinda Williams, Dan Sultan @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney (02/12/15) On this night of alt. country royalty returning to Sydney Dan Sultan had the opening honours and with just electric guitar, mic and keyboard he showed the full gamut of his musical CV, from brooding bluesy stomps to anguished and emotive soul music. He admitted he … Continue reading
The Felice Brothers have just released a digital 5-track EP for the festive season. The EP is $5.00 (US) and net proceeds from its sale will be donated to the Food Bank of The Hudson Valley. The band have also announced they’ll be released a new full length album in 2016. Felice Navidad Track Listing: Carriage The Dollar Store … Continue reading
It’s been a long time, way too long, since Welch and Rawlings last toured Australia in November 2004. Finally the good folk at Love Police have managed to hook up a comprehensive tour that will see not one but two tours happening back to back. Starting in Perth the duo (plus 3-piece band) will drive … Continue reading
Nothing Is Ever Too Personal Lucinda Williams talks to Chris Familton about challenging songwriting, freedom as an artist, and taking advantage of being on a roll. Since her mother’s death in 2004, Lucinda Williams has found herself constantly writing and producing music at a much faster rate than ever before. As such, 2014’s Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone was … Continue reading
In the absence of the cancelled Sydney leg of the Out On The Weekend festival it was up to the sideshows to show us what we were missing out on. What we got was a masterclass in playing from the OOTW house band led by the charismatic Robert Ellis. Their first set was backing Alabama’s … Continue reading
Henry Wagons has long been the central figure, the larger-than-life masthead of the band Wagons for 15 years and six albums but now he’s stepped into solo mode for his debut album After What I Did Last Night… due out in Feb 2016 via ABC/Universal. The first single released from the album is ‘Cold Burger, … Continue reading
Marlon Williams is putting in some serious hard yards right now with his album a firm favourite here in Australia and New Zealand and bound to feature on many end of year best-of lists. As such he is still touring like a demon across the country, has played roles in a NZ film and an … Continue reading
On the eve of the prestigious Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival and ahead of an intensive run of touring to promote his brand new album Nashville Obsolete, Dave Rawlings takes our call in the gregarious and generous manner he’s become known for. A passionate and generous interviewee, he talks enthusiastically about the genesis of the new record, its … Continue reading
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