Big Thief U.F.O.F. 4AD What started with a debut album in 2016, that introduced a fragile and poetic songwriter and her band, has blossomed into a fascinating and quickly evolving career for Adrienne Lenker and the rest of Big Thief. They’ve been touring relentlessly, Lenker even having time to record a well received solo record … Continue reading
Tiny Ruins Olympic Girls Milk! Records “We were only inches away but still I had a long way to go” sings New Zealander Hollie Fullbrook on the opening title track of her new album. It’s a hallmark of Tiny Ruins songs, those lines that hang in the air with poetry and grace, cutting to the … Continue reading
Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand, Albi & The Wolves hit a sweet melodic strain of folk music on their new single ‘This Is War’. It bristles and keens like dancing firefly, circling a relationship in dissolution and emerging with resolve and optimism. The acoustic trio will be over here in Australia in a couple of … Continue reading
Purple Mountains Purple Mountains Drag City / Spunk When indie rock and Americana music crossed paths and found common ground in the 90s, a group of songwriters emerged who shaped exquisite songs from literate, clever, dark and humorous poetry – blending it with electric and acoustic instrumentation. It was a new kind of country rock and … Continue reading
Slow and sad folk music is something we love and Canadian Zach Kleisinger fits the bill perfectly with a sound that recalls Tindersticks, Dan Michaelson and Will Oldham. There’s a twist of country in the mix as well, in the way the song rolls along with a pastoral quality amid the harmonica and pedal steel … Continue reading
Jim Lauderdale From Another World Yep Roc Records By all accounts this is Jim Lauderdale’s 32nd album and it follows hot on the heels of last year’s excellent record Time Flies. From Another World shares many sonic similarities with its predecessor but as the title suggests there’s even more of a cosmic vibe to these … Continue reading
Will Johnson‘s name may be more familiar to you as the main guy behind the alt-country bands Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel and as drummer for Monsters Of Folk. He was also part of the fine 2009 LP Molina and Johnson with Jason Molina of Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co. Here’s his latest single … Continue reading
Perth alt-folk femme trio, The Holy Smoke have just released their new EP The River, featuring the exquisite harmonies of the gospel-flavoured opening track ‘Down To The River’ and the closing cut ‘Will There Be a Light’. The latter is an earthy and soulful folk reverie that again highlights the symbiotic vocal connection that Delilah … Continue reading
Texan Kathryn Legrande has released two superb new tracks. The first, ‘Going Crazy’ is a wonderful Loretta Lynn and Merle Haggard-channeling, hard honky-tonk song topped off by Legrande’s fine vocal. There’s a touch of Nikki Lane in her sound too but less floorboard-stomping extrovert. ‘Making It Up’ takes a smoother and more wistful approach, soaked … Continue reading
‘Sweet Lucinda’, the new track from West Virginian Tony Harrah starts off pleasingly, in a burly troubadour kind of way but when it hits the chorus it locks you in. The shift of the drums and the upward melodic surge will win you over instantly. “Ah yes, this is great,” you’ll nod to yourself as the … Continue reading
Sean McMahon You Will Know When You’re There Blind Date Records Melbournian Sean McMahon’s new album is a beguiling affair. It occupies a gently rolling middle ground where songs never explode into wild extremes. Instead, they nestle into a warm and gently rocking vibe. McMahon’s sound is bucolic and forlorn singer/songwriter alt-country, with a dash … Continue reading
Here’s a new song from Sara Rachele, a songwriter from Decatur, GA who trades in some wonderfully atmospheric torch-song, Americana, soul noir. Think Mazzy Star (who she’s covered), Lera Lynn, and Katie Brianna. The new single ‘Allelu (I Found You)’, from her forthcoming album Scorpio Moon (August 2nd), was recorded live to tape in Brooklyn, … Continue reading
NATHAN SEECKTS THE HEART OF THE CITY Independent This is the debut album from Melbourne singer/songwriter Nathan Seeckts. He’s released a string of EPs since 2010 and that slow and steady approach has served him well, going on the impressive and consistent quality of the songwriting and musicianship on The Heart Of The City. Seeckts … Continue reading
THE FELICE BROTHERS UNDRESS Yep Roc Records At their core, The Felice Brothers have always centred on the songwriting of Ian Felice and the musicality of brother James, plus the influence of Simone Felice in the band’s early days, before he moved on to a solo career. They’ve had a revolving door of drummers but … Continue reading
Possessing one of the finest voices on the Sydney music scene, Peta Caswell has finally stepped out under her own name, with her band The Lost Cause, and released her debut self-titled EP (on Stanley Records). Blending country rock, soul and alt-country, Caswell knows how to belt out a rich, soaring chorus as confidently as … Continue reading
