D.C Cross Terabithian No Drums Records Bridge To Terabithia is a 1977 novel (and 2007 film) about two kids who discover an abandoned treehouse and create their own fantasy world to escape the trauma of their daily lives. Darren Cross has dialled into his own sonic Terabithia, in this unprecedented time of upheaval, and created … Continue reading
Some classic cowboy serenading on this new track from American songwriter Kyle Cox. There’s some Willy in the jazz-influenced, soft-shoe shuffle and a subtle doo-wop element that gives it an old-timey feel. Apparently the song was written for Cox’s 2.5 year old son – “Working through the emotions of everything in my life changing, missing the … Continue reading
The Forresters are a Sydney band that combine a melodic power-pop sound with a light Americana touch that recalls everyone from Tom Petty, Wilco and The Jayhawks to fellow locals Fallon Cush. ‘I Need To Know’ is a brief two and half minute song but they cut to chase quickly finding the melodic sweet spot … Continue reading
Man, what a song. Ridiculously catchy and most effectively it’s all delivered with an effortless and breezy, light-headed and heavy-hearted, sway and swagger. Like The Lemonheads and The Jayhawks – that nexus of sweet Americana and power-pop. Just a perfect country-rock, guitar pop nugget. Russel Taine Jr. is a band from Austin, TX comprised of … Continue reading
Simple, sad and sombre sounds courtesy of Minneapolis resident J.E. Sunde, taken from his upcoming new album 9 Songs About Love, due out on 20th November on French label Vietnam (distributed by Because Music / Universal). ‘I Don’t Care To Dance’ is clearly in debt to the work of Leonard Cohen but one can also … Continue reading
Wyatt C. Louis is a Cree-Métis folk singer-songwriter, based in Moh’kinstsís (Calgary). ‘Dancing With Sue’ is the first taste of his new album, due for release in the next few months via Canadian label Slow Weather. The song is one of those comforting, nostalgic sounds that draws you in. There’s a strong melodic thread that runs … Continue reading
It was the voice of Arkansas songwriter Jonivan Jones that struck us when we first heard this new song, ‘After The Sunset’, with its acoustic blues/country sound that reminded us of fellow gravelly troubadour Ryan Bingham. Tough yet heartfelt, the song is written from the perspective of a veteran who has recently departed the service … Continue reading
Melbourne’s Team Love have released their second single from their forthcoming debut album. Guitarist and singer Shaun Stolk takes the lead vocal on ‘Wasted Time’. Over a country/folk rhythm, evocative violin (Ruby Cattell) and piano (Monique Bricknell), his melodic, high and lonesome voice sings of lost opportunities and regret. It’s a song richly and equally imbued with a melancholic ache and … Continue reading
We like the dark side of folk music, the weird and wonderful sounds that conjure up spirits from the shadows of the heart and mind. Underworld Orchard are a group featuring Hannah Olivegren (Zomes), Steven Strohmeier (Arbouretum, Beach House) and Baltimore experimental music fixture Liz Downing. Together they weave a magical, hypnotic sound, a serenade … Continue reading
In this Q&A, Favours takes us inside the album’s writing and recording process, his musical influences and the challenges and rewards of running an independent record label. Given that this album has been ready for release for a year now, how are you feeling about it finally seeing the light of day on April 3rd? … Continue reading
Here’s a great, ramshackle country song that rolls along on the momentum of its melody, sung by a certain Evan Dando. As songwriter Nic Dalton explains, the song came about when ex Lemonheads bassist Jesse Peretz asked Dalton to compose a song for a short film of his. From one Lemonheads bassist to the next, … Continue reading
With her famous surname and the album’s opening shimmering tremolo guitar chords you’d think you were in for a straight country trip. There’s certainly a strong country streak, of the Nikki Lane kind, that runs through Walking Proof, but just as equally there’s an indie rock aesthetic that runs from Liz Phair to Jenny Lewis … Continue reading
Melbourne alt-country/Americana songwriter Mitch Dean released his debut solo album Holding Back The Levee last Friday. “I wanted to make something that sounded like all the albums I love to listen to. From Neil Young through to The Jayhawks.” Evocative storytelling, rich musicality and the heartfelt conveyance of human emotion. Those are some of the hallmarks … Continue reading
Lucinda Williams Good Souls Better Angels Highway 20 / Cooking Vinyl Australia After a year spent looking back with her Car Wheels On A Gravel Road 20th anniversary tour, Lucinda Williams has now turned her mind to the modern world in the here and now, from internal battles of individuals to the heartless idiocy of … Continue reading
‘The Lonely Hunter’ is the third track released from The Wine of Youth, the new album by San Diego-based singer-songwriter Zach Phillips. Based around a simple repeating guitar motif, Phillips weaves some sublime vocal melodies that rise and fall, circling those exquisite guitar notes and the subtle rhythm section. Lovely stuff. “The Wine of Youth” is … Continue reading
