Melbourne singer songwriter Nigel Wearne released his album Black Crow at the end of 2012 and this month he will be releasing the title track as its second single. A brisk shuffle with strains of bluegrass and country running through it, Black Crow is a great track that showcases Wearne’s colourful vocal and some wonderful … Continue reading
Category Archives: Stream
Album Reviews / Country / Folk / Stream
ALBUM REVIEW: Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell ~ Old Yellow Moon
by Chris Familton Veritable veterans of country music, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell have been friends ever since she heard a cassette demo of his song Bluebird Wine (covered here) back in 1975. She included the song on her debut album and he joined her band so it is surprising this is their first true … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Americana / Folk / Stream
ALBUM REVIEW: Dawn McCarthy & Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy ~ What The Brothers Sang
by Chris Familton Collaboration isn’t new to Dawn McCarthy and Will Oldham who released an album of demos in 2007 (Wai Notes) as an addendum to the previous year’s The Letting Go on which McCarthy sang. Those songs showed an ethereal synergy between their voices making this new album a tantalising proposition for those who … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: The Weeping Willows ~ Till The North Wind Blows
by Chris Familton Melbourne duo The Weeping Willows released Till The North Wind Blows last year but their superb collection of songs could have dropped at any time in the last hundred years, such is the timeless quality they bring to their music and songwriting. The album drips with authenticity which can be a hard … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Son Volt ~ Honky Tonk
Jay Farrar’s band Son Volt have a new album, just released last week, called Honky Tonk via Rounder Records. The album features eleven new songs that are inspired by the classic honky tonk sound of Bakersfield. Check out the video for the opening track, an Rdio stream of the LP and the band’s upcoming US tour dates. http://rd.io/x/QUN9AiJ31oE … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Dawes ~ From A Window Seat
Dawes released a fantastic album in 2011’s Nothing Is Wrong and impressed many on their tour of Australia supporting My Morning Jacket. They seemed to have space to spare in their music that touched on classic pop/rock and a healthy streak of americana. The good news is that the band have a new album about … Continue reading
NEWS: Iron & Wine to release new LP ‘Ghost on Ghost’
On April 16th Sam Beam’s Iron & Wine will release their fifth studio album in Ghost on Ghost. It follows the excellent swamp folk mantra rock of 2011’s Kiss Each Other Clean. It will be Beam’s first release on Nonesuch Records and below you can check out the first music to emerge from the record … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Drive-by Truckers’ Mike Cooley releases solo LP
In the wake of Patterson Hood’s solo record Mike Cooley has also decided to release a new solo album of some fan favourites in an acoustic style, live. Fool on Every Corner is out Dec 11, 2012 and features Carl Perkins Cadillac, 3 Dimes Down, Marry Me, Shut Up And Get On The Plane and more plus one … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Americana / Country / Rock / Stream
ALBUM REVIEW: Greg Fleming and The Trains | Edge of the City
by Chris Familton Amid the current bountiful run of country and folk music releases coming out of New Zealand is the latest album from songwriter Greg Fleming. Fleming has been writing and recording since the late 80s, exploring his muse and refining his art with each of his handful of albums. His latest, Edge of … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Loene Carmen | The Peach State EP
The highly talented Loene Carmen has a new EP out called The Peach State which she wrote while living over in the deep South of the USA (and recorded in Nashville) earlier in 2012. Born in a heatwave and inspired by a Stella parlor guitar that she discovered in a junk shop, the EP is … Continue reading
Album Reviews / Blues / Rock / Soul / Stream
ALBUM REVIEW: Gary Clark Jr. | Blak and Blu
by Chris Familton Roots music of the kind that encompasses blues, folk and country is often perceived as still living in the past. Most artists choose to work within the boundaries of their chosen genre, maybe mixing in some soul, jazz or funk but still operating in a safe zone. When a musician decides to … Continue reading
NEWS: Davey Craddock & The Spectacles release new EP
Western Australia natives Davey Craddock & The Spectacles are releasing their new EP Going Home on November 2nd and will be marking the occasion with a show at the Fremantle Arts Centre. You can check out the EP via the Soundcloud stream below and if you like what you hear then make sure you pick … Continue reading
Album Artwork / Americana / Country / Folk / Stream
ALBUM REVIEW: Shovels & Rope | O’ Be Joyful
by Chris Familton Country couples have always been an integral part of the genre with the likes of Johnny Cash and June Carter, George Jones and Tammy Wynette and more recently Gillian Welch and David Rawlings mixing business and pleasure. South Carolina duo Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent continue that lineage as Shovels & … Continue reading
Americana / Folk / Stream / Swamp Rock / Videos
LISTEN: Liam Gale & the Ponytails
There is something of a real renaissance of folk and country music going on in Sydney at the moment. Or maybe it has always been there and social media and general trends in fashion, food and music have allowed the artists to get a better foothold in the media and more exposure for live shows. … Continue reading
LISTEN: James Thomson’s debut album
NSW singer/songwriter James Thomson has recently released his debut album on Laughing Outlaw Records to much critical acclaim. The album is a slow growing collection of folk, blues and country songs – stark, brooding, intimate and elegant in the way they carry and convey emotional ache and weight. There are touches of Justin Townes Earle, … Continue reading
POST TO WIRE 