Take Me To Town, the 3CD, 47 track compilation of contemporary Australian alt-country music is heading to Tamworth 2019, with a very special showcase gig featuring an all-star line-up of Ben Leece & Left Of The Dial, Katie Brianna, The Weeping Willows, Hana & Jessie-Lee, Lachlan Bryan, Jen Mize and Mitch Power. If you are … Continue reading
Here’s a great new (to us) voice – the six-piece James Edwyn & The Borrowed Band. Elements of folk rock, soul and country collide in this song that tumbles into a fine chorus before drifting back out into more reflective verses and shades of The Felice Brothers. The Glaswegian band released their second album High … Continue reading
Hailing from Amarillo TX but now Nashville-based, Jacob McCoy excels at cutting to the emotional core of his songs with concise lyrical elements, lilting guitar phrasing, heavenly pedal steel and piano, and a voice that balances grit and sweetness. ‘Rear View Mirror’ comes from his 2018 LP Questions. Continue reading
“I’m going to quit, just not today.” Great sounds from Mr Samuel Herb, a 25 year old singer/songwriter who originally hails from Jacksonville, FL. ‘Someone Else’s Dream’ fuses a swingin’ honky tonk with soul vamps and a killer New Orleans trumpet sound to wonderful effect. We look forward to hearing where Herb goes next with … Continue reading
ACROSS THE DITCH In musical terms, and to Australia audiences, New Zealand may be best known for its indie exports (based around the Flying Nun label), the various pop shapes of Neil Finn and associates and heavier acts such as Shihad. Yet there is, and always has been, a fertile country & folk scene throughout … Continue reading
Yesterday we revealed our favourite 2018 local releases from Australia (and NZ). Today we go global with our 40 favourite albums of 2018. We were going to make it a list that excluded the local albums, seeing as we’ve already published those favourites, but as with previous years we decided we don’t want to separate … Continue reading
Kevin Welch has built a career both as a songwriter, respected and covered by his peers, and a solo and collaborative recording and touring artist in his own right. It’s his songs that are his calling cards, that and an open approach to the way he dresses and dances with each of them. On his … Continue reading
For Kevin Welch, it seems like a lifetime ago that he rolled into Nashville in the late 70s, one of the countless budding songwriters seeking fame and/or fortune. In the cut-throat country music capital it’s usually the best that survive and it wasn’t long before Welch became recognised for his songwriting and gained respect from … Continue reading
Album number three for Melbourne-based songwriter Matt Joe Gow and this one finds him hitting his stride with his most compelling and realised set of songs to date. Gow co-produced the album and it certainly sounds world class with space for the songs to breathe and backed up with some wonderful and stylistically varied playing … Continue reading
Country music is so often built on voices, distinctive personalities that convey wisdom and experience. Willie, Waylon, Johnny, Dolly – iconic names that all had their own unique sound. Each new generation throws up one or two artists that join that illustrious company. Sturgill Simpson is a recent one that comes to mind. Another is Colter … Continue reading
BEYOND THE BORDERS OF ALT-COUNTRY From alt-country to blues to soul, Matt Joe Gow covers all bases on his third album. Across his first two albums, Matt Joe Gow laid down some accomplished alt-country, the kind that showed a lifetime growing up on the songs of Whiskeytown, The Jayhawks and Wilco alongside his parents’ record … Continue reading
Sydney quartet Copperline recently released their debut album Rusty Fords And Weatherboards and celebrated with a wonderful night of music at LazyBones Lounge in Marrickville, NSW. We’ve got a full review coming soon but both the album and their live show highlights the band’s fine musicianship and the range of styles they bring to their music, … Continue reading
Danny Golden is a songwriter based in Austin, TX and going on these tracks he draws from a wide stylistic palette. Aching country balladry mixed with acid-tinged guitar solos, Americana, astute lyric writing and a sense of humour. This year he release his album Old Love, featuring Spencer Garland (Black Pumas, Matthew Logan Vasquez, PR … Continue reading
A new track from Pete Mancini, the second single from his forthcoming second solo LP due out early in 2019. ‘DUI Blues’ rides a classic country sound with a catchy hook of a chorus, touches of honky tonk and a tongue-in-cheek cautionary tale of driving after a night at the bar. Continue reading
Jim Lauderdale is now 30 albums deep into his career and his latest is indeed a pearl of a record, blending his customary mix of country, soul and swing with sweet and subtle ease. The title track opens the album on a high with an aching sway that blossoms into a soaring chorus reminiscent of … Continue reading
