The stars have certainly aligned for Lucero on this, their ninth album. It marks their 20th year as a band and was recorded by Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Drive-By Truckers) at the auspicious Sam Phillips Recording Service studio in their hometown of Memphis. Most importantly, it stands tall as one of their strongest … Continue reading
Last week we posted the wonderful new track from Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife and this great new single from Swedish singer/songwriter Marlene Oak falls into the same musical sphere. It’s a perfect example of warm and melodic, 70s country rock with a pop heart. You can hear the Fleetwood Mac influence in the … Continue reading
Newcastle’s Ben Leece has building a name for himself as a solo artist over the last 12 months with songwriting awards and support slots for artists such as Tim Rogers and Courtney Marie Andrews. On his highly accomplished debut album he’s brought together some of this country’s finest in producer and musician Shane Nicholson, singer … Continue reading
Skyscraper Stan has built a name for himself over the last few years as a beacon of songwriting on the Australian music landscape. He’s part of the Americana scene but he nimbly traverses the genre without pitching his tent in any one corner. He’s a little bit country, a connoisseur of folk music and an … Continue reading
This is the latest single from Melbourne songwriter Hamish Anderson who has been picking up a fair bit of buzz in the US over the last few years. It’s a bluesy alt-country track that would sit comfortably alongside the more recent work of Ryan Adams. Clean production and definitely polished but it still has enough alt-country … Continue reading
Originally from from the small southern town of Bolton, Mississippi, Robert Connely Farr is now based in Vancouver, British Columbia and with his group The Rebeltone Boys he’s released the excellent new album Dirty South Blues. It’s chock full of heavy blues-rock, primarily originals plus a cover of Skip James’ ‘Hard Time Killing Floor Blues’. ‘Ode To … Continue reading
Kyle Jenkins of Suicide Swans continues his golden streak of songwriting and prolific releases with this second single from his debut solo LP Meltdown. The track hits a bass-led groove and never lets up. Clever sonic details like a ride cymbal doubling down on the reference to smashing on the keys of typewriters and the … Continue reading
Melbourne musician Ayleen O’Hanlon has a brand new single out now via the good folk at Blind Date Records. ‘Good As Gold’ is a change-up for Ayleen, more country rock than her previous folk leanings. It works brilliantly too. It’s tough and tender at the same time with an ebb and flow, a glorious … Continue reading
Dashville Skyline, held on the same picturesque family property as The Gum Ball, Pigsty In July and Thrashville, returned for its 4th year with its largest festival line-up to date, comprised of 100% Australian acts, spread over three days. The weather gods had threatened through the week but blue skies prevailed for yet another superb … Continue reading
Beard Bates has a new album on the way called The World Is Blown (November 9, 2018) and here’s the latest video clip from it for the track ‘Joyous Season’. The song features the late The Icarus Line providing the dark Americana psych rock atmosphere while Bates delivers a haunting vocal that manages to channel 90s alt-rock and … Continue reading
Something a bit different this morning. This isn’t straight country or dark and earthy folk music. It’s a blast of power pop run through a fervently strummed acoustic guitar topped off with manic vocals courtesy of Mike Pace (Oxford Collapse) and his new project with the Child Actors. It comes from their new album Smooth … Continue reading
Here’s the new single from JP Harris‘ new album Sometimes Dogs Bark at Nothing (due out October 5th on Free Dirt Records), co-produced by Old Crow Medicine Show member, Morgan Jahnig. The song rips and tumbles along, it’s a fun country-rock workout that details touring life with his band The Tough Choices. Fittingly it has a … Continue reading
There’s something about this lead track from Altameda’s (Edmonton, Canada) sophomore LP Time Hasn’t Changed You, due out in March, 2019 via Pheromone Recordings. It cuts across a bunch of different sounds – 70s FM rock, a country swing and strut and a big horn-led chorus, draped in gang backing vocals. It has that soul thing happening too, making … Continue reading
In the wake of the untimely and much mourned passing of Tom Petty there have no doubt been countless concerts in honour of the great man. Sydney songwriter, musician and producer Michael Carpenter has organised some fine tribute shows and now he’s taken it a step further with a full album of Petty covers, in … Continue reading
“Iggy, oh Iggy, I wanna be your sweet sixteen, even though I’m almost 29” sings Mary-Elaine Jenkins on this excellent crunchy blues and struttin’ country rock track, taken from her debut album Hold Still, due out on September 28th via Good Child Music. She’s got one of those lived-in smokey voices, perfectly suited to the blues … Continue reading
