Another 365 days of alt-country, Americana, folk and rock ‘n’ roll gems to sink one’s ears into and these were the ones that hit the spot with me, inspiring repeat listens. There are plenty more of course, ones that I haven’t spent enough time with and one’s I’m yet to hear. You can click HERE … Continue reading
Claire Anne Taylor – Giving It Away There’s so much new music that comes down the information superhighway, a veritable landslide of songs and singer-songwriters opening up their hearts and baring their souls. To be honest, most of it is bland and derivative and you have to wade through an avalanche of mediocre to find … Continue reading
Last month I wrote about Rufous Whistler‘s single ‘Honey’ and now I’m very pleased to premiere the video clip for the new single ‘I Mean It‘, released this week. The song, detailing the complex journey of self-conviction, comes complete with a loping rhythm section and a really nice blend of mandolin, fiddle and bouzouki that … Continue reading
Next week (Nov 20th) sees the release of the self-titled fourth album from Victorian folk/blues singer-songwriter Luke Watt and today I’m very pleased to premiere the video for the song ‘In Plain Sight‘. Luke cites artists such as Chris Whitley, Richard Thompson and Kelly Joe Phelps as influences and you can hear them in his … Continue reading
Irish/Australian songwriter Peter Baxter recently released his new EP The Dark Familiar and tomorrow sees the release of the latest single/ video from it, ‘A Thousand Dreams‘, on Bandcamp, You Tube and streaming services. ‘A Thousand Dreams’ is a re-recording, with some new lyrics, of a song that first appeared on Peter’s 1997 album The Miracle … Continue reading
Named after the bird found throughout mainland Australia, Rufous Whistler (Vinny Russell) has released ‘Honey‘, his second single of 2024, and he and his band will be celebrating with a powerhouse, six-piece headline show at the Wesley Anne in Melbourne on October 31st – TICKETS Rufous Whistler’s sound bears a strong similarity to his namesake, … Continue reading
Ahead of the release tomorrow of Aotearoa/New Zealand songwriter Arthur Ahbez‘s new single ‘A Simple Medication‘, we’re very pleased to premiere the video clip that features Ahbez immersed in the NZ landscape under the Antipodean sun. The song is a brilliantly woozy slice of psych folk – wandering dreamily through space and time with woody … Continue reading
When it comes to the incorporation of ‘noir’ into country and folk music, the reigning king of capturing the essence of that sound in this part of the world is New Zealand artist Delaney Davidson. A prolific artist both in the recording studio and on stage, he recently released his album Out Of My Head … Continue reading
Over the last couple of years, Melbourne-based New Zealanders Matt Joe Gow & Kerryn Fields have been writing, recording and touring together, harnessing the undeniable musical chemistry they have and channelling it into their sublime new album I Remember You. Right across the record, even when things get busier, there’s a wonderful sense of space … Continue reading
Taken from Mark Moldre‘s exceptional 2023 LP Nambucca Fables, I’m very pleased to exclusively premiere the video clip for ‘I Saw You Last Night‘, a highly personal song set amid the grief and process of dealing with the death of a parent, in this case Mark’s mother. The video clip, rendered in black and white … Continue reading
It’s been a long time between drinks (13 years!) for a new album of originals from Gillian Welch & David Rawlings. She last released The Harrow & The Harvest in 2011 and Rawlings released Poor David’s Almanack in 2017. The new 10-song album Woodland (August 23rd, Acony Records) mingles full band tracks with intricate duet … Continue reading
Released late last year, the debut self-titled album by the duo Valley Road is a distinctly Antipodean folk affair, courtesy of both the lyrics and richly rounded accents of Rebecca Jane Howell and Marty Mckenna – two friends based in Central Victoria. The pair really understand the power of space and pacing in a song. They … Continue reading
The Deslondes are back with the single ‘Take Me Back‘, their first new music since their 2022 Ways and Means LP. The new album Roll It Out will be released on September 6, 2024 via New West Records. Check out the first single ‘Take Me Back’ and its Joshua Shoemaker directed video clip. The band’s Sam … Continue reading
Dashville Skyline, my favourite Australian music festival, returns for its tenth iteration in 2024 and today they’ve revealed the first batch of acts for the Wonnarua Country/Hunter Valley NSW cosmic country weekender in October (4th-6th). In terms of personal highlights, across a very impressive line-up, The new Hurray For Riff Raff album The Past Is … Continue reading
Sydney songwriter Mark Lucas has been treading the boards of Sydney bars, clubs and cafes for roughly four decades now, since emigrating from England in 1981. Along the way he’s released something like 14 albums, both with his band The Dead Setters and under his own solo name. Barely a year has passed since he … Continue reading
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