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
A long time between drinks for Keith Richards solo albums, the last one was 23 years ago, and he’s even used the same band for this checklist of the usual ragged blues, low slung rock ’n’ roll and even a dodgy Gregory Isaacs reggae cover. That aside, the quality quota is high across the board. … Continue reading
Papa Pilko & The Binrats come charging out of the gate with ‘On Your Own’ and lay down a rip-roaring swampy blues-funk testimonial that sets the scene for the rest of their debut album. Tried and true influences are at play but the way the band combines them is a winning formula. John Lee Hooker, Tom … Continue reading
Kris Morris released his album Ruins last year but like all good things it just keeps giving. This time in the form of a new clip for the single ‘Bury My Bones’ with the dark reverend Morris testifying the blues. Continue reading
After dalliances with an orchestra and antique lo-fi recording equipment Neil Young is back to playing rock n roll with a band. Not Crazy Horse this time but a group that includes Willie Nelson’s sons Lukas and Micah. It’s a political statement in the vein of Young’s other strident environmentally themed albums but even if … Continue reading
My Morning Jacket’s mystical musical powers seemed to be waning on their last two albums. There was a restlessness at play, a desire to shrug off the shackles of cosmic Americana rock and show they could do anything, or at least whatever they wanted. It didn’t work when they swung the pendulum too far outside … Continue reading
After the release of their double live LP Live From Atlanta in 2014 Lucero return with a new album All A Man Should Do on September 18th. Here’s the first taste of the album with a tribute of sorts to the late great Warren Zevon. Album Pre-Order Continue reading
On their second album Raised By Eagles eschew some of the ragged country rock moves of their debut and head for classic songwriting territory with excursions into power pop and acoustic balladry. The intimate and explicitly emotional storytelling of ‘Sugar Cane’ and the warm breezy sway of ‘Honey’ act as counterpoints to Window Seat’s Ryan … Continue reading
My Morning Jacket have been quiet since their last album Circuital in 2011 but finally they’ve announced their new record Waterfalls will be released on May 1st via Capitol Records/Spunk. The first track to be released is ‘Big Decisions’, a typically widescreen song that draws from rock, soul and spectral psychedelia. TRACK LISTING 01 Believe … Continue reading
In terms of rock n roll myths and legends The Basement Tapes is one of the most fascinating. A songwriter unwillingly held up as a spokesman for a generation, and seemingly close to burning out in 1966, has a motorcycle accident and retreats to the rustic surrounds of upstate New York where he holes up … Continue reading
Many would assume that Lewis is well past his best years but this new album shows he is still in rude musical health at the age of 78. He delivers a tight and rollicking selection of co-writes and classic covers like ‘Little Queenie’ and ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and brings on board a raft of guests … Continue reading
Last week Norwegian space cowboys Dig Deeper released their new LP How You Spend Your Days and to accompany it there’s a video clip for the second single ‘Dreaming With Einar’. The band trade in spacious, widescreen music that draws equally from the worlds of alt-country and psychedelia, the single in particular bringing to mind Pink Floyd and … Continue reading
Melbourne’s Pony Face have taken on the massive task of covering Bruce Springsteen’s masterpiece LP Nebraska – in full. They haven’t cut corners either, releasing it on CD, digital and Tri-Colour State Trooper edition Vinyl LP. On the evidence of this first clip for the title track it sounds quite magnificent and suitably dark and … Continue reading
2014, what another great year for Americana music, especially here in Australia where the scene seems to be growing in leaps and bounds. An example of that was Love Police launching the inaugural Out On The Weekend festival in Melbourne with a smaller version in Brisbane and a ton of sideshows in Sydney. All reports … Continue reading
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