Over the last few years Liam Gale’s sound has evolved into a darker and more hypnotic form of psychedelic folk and blues music, culminating in the majestic and hypnotic The Lonely Throne. There are shades of Devendra Barnhart and Tim Buckley in Gale’s explorations in building trance-like mantras around songs via a range of instrumentation … 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
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
In terms of rock n roll myths and legends The Basement Tapes is one of the most fascinating. A songwriter unwillingly held up as a spokesman for a generation, and seemingly close to burning out in 1966, has a motorcycle accident and retreats to the rustic surrounds of upstate New York where he holes up … Continue reading
Nicholson has become something of a lighthouse on the Australian country music scene, bridging both the mainstream and alt-country scenes with his solo releases, albums with Kasey Chambers and production work. Now signed with Lost Highway as an artist and Staff Producer (incl. A&R), this solo acoustic live set is the precursor to a new … Continue reading
Many would assume that Lewis is well past his best years but this new album shows he is still in rude musical health at the age of 78. He delivers a tight and rollicking selection of co-writes and classic covers like ‘Little Queenie’ and ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ and brings on board a raft of guests … Continue reading
On her third album Humphreys continues to explore confessional folk music, this time with a dash of country thrown into the mix. Kasey Chambers produced New Moon and though there are elements of twang on songs such as ‘Read My Heart’, Humphreys is more of a fellow folk sister to Caitlin Harnett and Melody Pool. … Continue reading
Bob Dylan has recorded many covers over the years but never has he arranged and performed them with such reverence and austere beauty as he does here. Produced by Dylan under his pseudonym Jack Frost and recorded live with no overdubs, the ten songs are reduced to the essence of their storytelling form. Dylan’s voice … Continue reading
A quirky and eccentric voice instantly rises out of the swirl of delicate finger-picked acoustic guitar and wafting organ and instantly one is placed within the hypnotic surrounds of ethereal folk music. Think Nick Drake, Tiny Ruins, Vashti Bunyan and even a pastoral Portishead at times. Pratt’s light psychedelia has a sometimes lo-fi yet consistently … Continue reading
It was Ryan Bingham’s visit to Australia last year that made me a believer. Prior to that I’d shown mild interest but I’d written him off as something of a generic journeyman troubadour. On stage he flipped that preconception and reminded me how visceral and rewarding rock ’n’ roll can be when played with real … Continue reading
Sydney’s Sam Newton released his crowdfunded debut album a few months ago and it’s an accomplished collection of beautifully played and recorded songs that shows Newton’s wistful way with folk and sometimes country melodies. There’s an ornate quality to many of Newton’s songs with strings, piano and a number of other instruments all playing their … Continue reading
In New Zealand over the last five years there’s been a noticeable groundswell of talented alt-country/Americana songwriters and musicians releasing albums to rival the best coming from overseas. Tiny Ruins, The Eastern, Aldous Harding, Bernie Griffen, Tami Neilsen, Marlon Williams and Delaney Davidson have all garnered hard-earned critical acclaim and many have links with Lyttelton … Continue reading
Will Oldham hits a real sweet spot on his thirteenth full-length release under the Bonnie “Prince” Billy pseudonym. It sits comfortably between his folk and country domains and is laden with austere poetic tales that explore the search for individuality and forging one’s own destiny. Nearly all of these tracks have been released elsewhere, primarily … Continue reading
POST TO WIRE 