Jason Isbell has huge expectations on his shoulders ahead of the release of the follow-up to his critically acclaimed Southeastern album. On the evidence of this first song to emerge from Something More Than Free he’s continued his great songwriting and lyrical deftness. Continue reading
Here’s the first taste of the new Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell duet album due for release via Nonesuch Records on May 12th. The Traveling Kind follows their successful 2013 LP Old Yellow Moon. ‘You Can’t Say Were Didn’t Try’ is another sweet heartstring duet from the pair. Australia Tour Dates June 21, Perth, Concert Hall … Continue reading
Queensland songwriter Brad Butcher certainly doesn’t take too many risks, nor does he hit too many emotional highs on Jamestown. His style is a calm and measured approach to his music but too often that is a recipe for songs blending together without enough dynamism across the eleven tracks. Occasionally his songs do excel, particularly … Continue reading
Sam may be an outlaw by name but by nature he comes across as more of a soul searching, sensitive guy on his debut album. It’s a country record complete with sparkling pedal steel and tales of love won and lost and while he can write a good song within those parameters it often sounds … Continue reading
Throw The Band and The Felice Brothers into a roots music blender and you’ll end up with something resembling Houndmouth. On their second album they’ve taken their already impressive Americana sound to another level with rousing, infectious choruses, heartbreaking harmonies and a looser rock ’n’ roll feel. This is modern suburban Appalachian music that sounds … Continue reading
Marlon Williams has released a clip for ‘Strange Things’, the first single that preceded the release of his brand new solo LP. Watch Williams and Aldous Harding muck about in some sort of surreal interplay that has a nice plot twist late in the piece. Williams is currently playing a trio of record store solo gigs to … Continue reading
Calexico have just released their new album Edge of The Sun via Spunk Records and it is shaping up as their finest in years. A great example of that is the soaring ‘Falling From The Sky’ featuring Ben Bridwell of Band Of Horses. Here’s the weird and disturbing clip for the track… Continue reading
We are proud to present three of the Americana music scene’s finest troubadours live at the Petersham Bowling Club in Sydney next month. Petersham Bowling Club, 77 Brighton St, Petersham May 29th @ 7pm $10 at the door or via Sticky Tickets James Thomson: In 2012, James Thomson released his debut, self-titled album to a … Continue reading
The two outlaw country legends Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard have teamed up for a new album (Django and Jimmie) and on the evidence of this clip for the first single they had a barrel of fun recording it. I’t’s All Going To Pot’ is a lively and funny play on words and Willie’s infamous … Continue reading
The duo who have a sideline in standup comedy onstage between their songs are about to release their new album Monterey on May 19th via Anti Records. i was very impressed by The Milk Carton Kids when they played Sydney’s Factory Theatre a couple of years ago but on record they haven’t yet nailed it, unable … Continue reading
Dan Parsons is something of a go-to guy on the Melbourne scene for his guitar playing. Recently he’s hit the six strings for Marlon Williams, Tracy McNeil and others but he is an established songwriter in his own right. He has a third solo record coming out this year, here’s the first taste of it … Continue reading
Like a straighter American cousin to C.W. Stoneking’s more esoteric old-timey sound, Pokey LaFarge blends all manner of traditional musical forms – from jazz and swing to folk, country, doo-wop and mariachi. It’s all woven together in LaFarge’s authentic style on this, his most realised album to date. With a band that he’s been playing … Continue reading
Ben Horder’s set started with some guitar issues and forgotten lyrics but that was quickly overcome and he set about delivering a batch of honest, observational songs that chronicled everyday life in Australia. With a style reminiscent of Neutral Milk Hotel and The Tallest Man On Earth his set concluded with two thirds of the … Continue reading
Ahead of the 30th anniversary of their 1985 debut, Valley of Rain, the Howe Gelb-led Giant Sand have released the first taste of their new album Heartbreak Pass. ‘Transponder’ features Grandaddy’s Jason Lyttle and the upcoming album also has appearances from Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley, Grant-Lee Phillips, John Parish and more. Heartbreak Pass is due out on May 5th via New … Continue reading
Shelby Lynne’s new album I Can’t Imagine is due for release on May 5th via Rounder Records. You can pre-order the CD/LP/Digital (plus bundles with her remastered classic I Am Shelby Lynne album) HERE and in the meantime you can check out the great clip for the equally wonderful title track. Continue reading
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