David Rawlings recently released his third solo LP, Poor David’s Almanack, and on the eve of it’s release he phoned in from a sunny summer’s day in Nashville to chat with Chris Familton about the creation of the new record, his name change and memories of his and Gillian Welch’s 2016 Australian tour. How quickly …
By now Justin Townes Earle has released enough albums and developed his songwriting to the extent where he’s found his own distinct corner of the country music world. He’s developed an identifiable sound, particularly in the effortless swing he places in his music and the way he delivers his lyrics – that fluid and melodious, …
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 …
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 …
Melbourne’s Ben Mastwyk has gathered a new band around him and recorded a new album (his 2nd) called Winning Streak. His band The Millions feature Ben Franz (The Waifs), Josh Duiker (Clifton Hillbillies), Michael Hubbard (The Bluebottles), Craig Kelly (Rich Davies). Also on vocals and honky-tonk piano is kiwi songstress Lisa Crawley. Here’s a live in-studio … Continue reading
Here’s a new track from Melbourne’s Patrick Wilson and his band The Bare River Queens. It’s a big and brassy song, dripping with soul and a country and blues swing, topped off with some great vocal melodies. Wilson and band play Coburg’s Post Office Hotel to launch ’Nobody’ on Saturday 27 August. Continue reading
Pokey LaFarge has always been tagged as an authentic revivalist, from his music to the way he dresses. He’s still cutting a fine sartorial look but on Manic Revelations he’s sounding more contemporary than ever. LaFarge skill is seamlessly melding the cornerstones of roots music – from country and blues to soul, New Orleans jazz … Continue reading
This weekend is the August instalment of Red-Eyed and Blue, the monthly session of live alt-country, folk and Americana music we curate at The Bearded Tit in Redfern, Sydney. Our last session saw a full house being serenaded by Sam Newton and gently rocked and rolled by The Singing Skies and this time round we … Continue reading
On the back of her recent run of Australian shows with Joe Pug, Courtney Marie Andrews has released the new video clip for ‘Irene’, the standout track from her album Honest Life. Continue reading
Steve Gunn, Angie @ The Basement, Sydney 6th July, 2017 Hypnotic music can take many forms, it can be ambient and soothing, heavy and droning or purely fuelled by repetition. Steve Gunn sits right at the nexus of all of these and he took The Basement audience on a varied and dextrous musical journey. Up … Continue reading
The Sydney quartet take a slick approach on their debut album which finds them blending folk harmonies with the retro-tinged indie pop of acts such as Jenny Lewis and Neko Case. Fleshing out their live sound with a fuller band one was a wise move. It gives the songs a greater depth and a lush … Continue reading
Sydney songwriter Taryn La Fauci takes a restrained and intimate approach on her debut album Cycling. She lays herself – her thoughts and emotions – bare on ten songs that have a folk feel in the acoustic instrumentation, paired with a classic singer/songwriter mood. Nothing threatens, with soft electric guitar shimmers, shuffling drums and a … Continue reading
Gretta Ziller builds on the success of her Hell’s Half Acre EP from 2014 with her long-awaited new single ‘Slaughterhouse Blues’. It’s a wonderful slow-build of a song with a Steve Earle stomp and strum and that rich and resonant voice of hers documenting a scene of life’s struggles. The exciting news is that the song … Continue reading
Dashville Skyline in the Belford area of the Hunter Valley, NSW is now in its third year and they’re going from strength to strength. They’ve just unveiled their full lineup for this year’s event and it looks stronger than ever with artists from across Australia plus touring acts from USA, Ireland, Netherlands and New Zealand. … Continue reading
![NEW MUSIC: Chris Robinson Brotherhood – Behold The Seer [Video]](https://posttowire.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/screen-shot-2017-07-19-at-10-45-35-am.png?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "NEW MUSIC: Chris Robinson Brotherhood – Behold The Seer [Video]")
Chris Robinson Brotherhood release their fifth album Barefoot In The Head (Silver Arrow Records) this week and it finds them in fine, carefree form; blending cosmic country, funk, blues, soul, psych and rock with Robinson’s distinct voice tying it all together. Here’s the clip for the single and album opener ‘Behold The Seer’. Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
The driving force behind The Singing Skies is Sydney songwriter Kell Derrig-Hall, who has previously worked with Melodie Nelson and Moonmilk. This is his second album as The Singing Skies and it’s quite the immersive, mesmerising and atmospheric listening experience. Evocative moods via a lush and swooning sonic palette afford Derrig the ability to paint … Continue reading
Album number three for Melbourne’s Raised By Eagles and a further refinement of their lush, wistful and yearning country rock. Ironing out some of the creases of their earlier releases has resulted in a unified sound across the songs which are mostly only a few shades either side of mid-tempo. So much of it floats … Continue reading
