If Aldous Harding’s debut album was her introduction – a musical germination – then Party is her blossoming. It’s a glorious shift from sombre introspection to expansive exultation, an artist having the tools and confidence to fully realise her thoughts and ideas without losing an ounce of the essence that defines her creativity. The first …
Sunday July 2nd is the next Red-Eyed and Blue session at The Bearded Tit in Redfern Sydney and we’ve got a great double bill of local folk and country music. THE SINGING SKIES SAM NEWTON + PTW Jukebox DJ sets The Singing Skies, led by Kell Derrig-Hall, have just released their 2nd LP, ‘Head In …
Reportedly the first of two volumes to be released this year, Americana is the first solo album from Ray Davies in nearly decade. It is also a companion of sorts to his autobiography of the same name and it certainly has a nostalgic feel to it – both geographically and culturally – and a predominantly …
Ryan Adams & The Unknown Band, Middle Kids @ Hordern Pavilion, Sydney (27.05.17) According to messages on his Instagram account, this was the last AU/NZ tour for Ryan Adams. For 15 years he’s sacrificed his mind and body and battle with Ménière’s disease to make the long flights down to this part of the world …
Across these thirteen new songs, Sam Outlaw hits more consistent territory than he did on his debut album. The music is fuller and finds a greater synchronicity with his voice and the required sympathetic tones for his tales of affairs of the heart. Outlaw’s wordplay is in fine form, “trading looks and gossip over bottomless …
Marty Stuart has been long considered as one of the key links between the traditional country world and the Americana side of town, having played in Johnny Cash’s band and previously with Lester Flatt and Doc Watson. Way Out West finds him corralling all of those influences and more into a dream-like paean to the …
An early start due to the public holiday meant a sparse room at the start of Ruby Boots’ set but by its conclusion the room had filled considerably. Back in town after a year in Nashville, she started off tentatively with a new song, from her forthcoming album and what a superb song it was, …
FROM FORMATION TO PRESERVATION Nadia Reid has made good on the promise of her debut album and ahead of a run of Australian shows she talks with Chris Familton about the emotional investment in her new release Preservation. Avoiding the much talked about second album syndrome is a big thing, given that it has unraveled …
Burnt-Out Pedalboards & Fucked-Up Guitars Prior to entering Ryan Adams’ hotel room I had preconceived ideas running through my head about what I might encounter. Will there be a pinball machine in the corner? Will Adams be reclining on the bed strumming a guitar, having just written a dozen new songs? The reality of the …
Nothing Is Ever Too Personal Lucinda Williams talks to Chris Familton about challenging songwriting, freedom as an artist, and taking advantage of being on a roll. Since her mother’s death in 2004, Lucinda Williams has found herself constantly writing and producing music at a much faster rate than ever before. As such, 2014’s Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone was …
Chris Shiflett is a busy man, dividing himself between Foo Fighters duties, hosting his Walking The Floor podcast and working on his solo career. He’s increasingly immersed himself in country music and this, his third solo album, is his finest yet. He pulled together a master team including producer Dave Cobb (Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell), … Continue reading
On May 19th, Justin Bernasconi releases Barefoot Wonderland, his second and fine new album of folk guitar music that explores bluegrass, country, the American Primitive style, folk and the blues. It’s a wonderful blend of English and American styles and a showcase for his exemplary playing – full of colour, control and tone, mixed with strong … Continue reading
The latest single to come from Jen Mize’s fine Warnings & Wisdom LP (2016) is “Forget Her’, a devastating, slow-burning duet with Duncan Toombs. It’s the sweet yearning ache in their voices and the blend of tones that makes this such a great song – sung from two sides of the same coin. It’s beautifully … Continue reading
In the current country music world things can certainly get a tad over-earnest at times. A surefire antidote is Jonny Fritz. On Sweet Creep he’s recorded his finest record to date and found the perfect balance between heartache, humour, pathos and musicality. Produced my My Morning Jacket’s and with Joshua Hedley and Dawes’ Taylor and … Continue reading
The intensely mesmerising Lucy Roleff has released a clip for the beautiful, melodious song ‘Hotel Interstate’, taken from her 2016 album This Paradise. We love the album, saying in our review “This is a wondrous album of meditative and transportive folk music”. The video, directed by Alex Badham, depicts the Melbourne artist taking a sole-stroll … Continue reading
Old 97’s return with their 11th studio album and it finds them in fine form. From the opening frantic rattle and strum of ‘I Don’t Wanna Die In This Town’ they blast out the cobwebs and immediately re-establish their credentials as one of the pre-eminent alt-country bands – in the same echelon as The Jayhawks, … Continue reading
Always one for following his own muse, impulses and stylistic influences, Ryan Adams cuts a wide path through contemporary rock ’n’ roll. Not content to be the poster boy for alt-country he’s increasingly explored hardcore, 80s MOR, metal and pop music and now on Prisoner he continues the sound of his previous self-titled album and … Continue reading
Willie Watson + My Bubba + Imogen Clark @ Factory Theatre, Sydney March 16th 2017 To a smattering of punctual punters, Imogen Clark, accompanied by her father on bass, rode a wave of post-Nashville jet lag to showcase songs from her debut album and a preview of her next one. She’s a bubbly, confident performer … Continue reading
A long-time fixture on the Sydney folk music scene, The Morrisons have finally released their debut album and it both cements their status as a highly accomplished group of players and highlights the strength of their songwriting. Jimmy Daley contributes most of the songs with James Morrison penning three, before they round out the album … Continue reading
It’s an intriguing premise – gather a group of some of the finest singers, songwriters and players on the Melbourne alt-country scene and record them singing each other’s songs backed by a studio house band. That approach ensures continuity of style and feel from a musical perspective but there are still plenty of pleasant surprises … Continue reading
It feels like the week of The Morrisons around here. With their new self-titled album garnering great reviews they’re back in Sydney for their album launch this Sunday night (March 12th) at Newtown Social Club with guests Andy Golledge Band and Women’s Auxiliary Choir plus I’ll be spinning folk and alt-country tunes between sets. In fact … Continue reading
Liam Gerner has dug in deep on his new album Liam Gerner and the Sunset Pushers, stretching as a songwriter and a recording artist. There are widescreen heartland revelries amid contrasting songs built on tender subtleties and Gerner’s trademark emotive and passionate delivery. Here’s the new video clip, shot in Tasmania, for the single ‘Huon Boathouse’. It’s … Continue reading
Double albums certainly aren’t in vogue these days but Kasey Chambers, Australia’s queen of Americana music, isn’t one to shortchange her muse. Dragonfly covers two recording sessions, the first helmed by Paul Kelly and the second by brother Nash Chambers. The first disc covers a range of styles, from the throwaway ‘Talkin’ Baby Blues’ to … Continue reading
Small Town Romance are a five-piece band but at their core they are Jim Arneman and Flora Smith, an Australian duo who weave authentic country sounds into a modern Americana context. Two beautiful voices that intertwine and tell tales of heartache populated with people and places. On their self-titled album of last year they created a … Continue reading
Chris Shiflett’s main gig might be as guitarist for the Foo Fighters but he’s slowly but surely been establishing himself as a country musician with his band Dead Peasants and now his new Dave Cobb-produced solo LP West Coast Town, out on April 14th via SideOneDummy Records/Cooking Vinyl Australia. Rolling Stone has already said the new … Continue reading
