TALL TALES FOR DARK TIMES Skyscraper Stan reveals why his new album is called Golden Boy Vol. I and Vol. II and discusses the joys and frustrations that come with committing to a life in music. Stan Woodhouse has always performed under the name Skyscraper Stan, ever since staff at the Wine Cellar in Auckland, … Continue reading
COSMIC DREAMING WITH LOST RAGAS On their new album This Is Not A Dream, Melbourne’s Lost Ragas return with a new band member and their most realised set of songs to date. Shane Reilly provides a fascinating insight into the band’s collective sound and the recording of the new album. Lost Ragas are a band … Continue reading
Lozz Benson has gained a strong reputation as a musician in recent years, having toured as part of the Jon Butler Trio and played alongside Urthboy, Missy Higgins, Fanny Lumsden, Nathan Cavaleri and Tonight Alive. As a songwriter and singer, she has collaborated with Paul Kelly and Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil) but now she’s revealed her exciting new … Continue reading
THE LIFE OF A BIG BOSS MAMA The Australian market is becoming more of a priority for Tami Neilson, she’s was recently here in May for the Blues On Broadbeach Music Festival and now she’s set to return for the Dashville Skyline and Out On The Weekend festivals. Chris Familton gets the lowdown on all the … Continue reading
Possessing one of the finest voices on the Sydney music scene, Peta Caswell has finally stepped out under her own name, with her band The Lost Cause, and released her debut self-titled EP (on Stanley Records). Blending country rock, soul and alt-country, Caswell knows how to belt out a rich, soaring chorus as confidently as … Continue reading
“…inhabiting a sweet spot right at the nexus of country, soul and psychedelia.” Magpie Diaries released their impressive debut album Sanctuary last year (read our review) and with it came some wonderful singles – ‘When Love Comes’ and the latest, ‘Honey’. They’ve been getting out a lot lately with plenty of live shows in 2019, … Continue reading
A DECADE OF MAKING SWEET SOUNDS After a decade of relentless touring, from street corners to bars and festivals, The California Honeydrops have forged a strong bond with their audiences. Drummer Ben Malament discusses the band’s achievements with Chris Familton, ahead of their return to Bluesfest in 2019. This will be the third year in … Continue reading
BOOKMARKS IN TIME Mark Lucas charts the last two decades of his solo career on a new retrospective, Prisoners Of The Heart. In June of 1981, Mark Lucas stepped off a plane at Sydney Airport and before they’d got home, the girl that he’d followed across the world dumped him, which he half-jokingly says “got … Continue reading
THE MIRROR OF TRUTH On his new album The Crossing, Alejandro Escovedo takes an unflinching and poetic look at America and the immigrant experience. By Chris Familton Alejandro Escovedo has been surrounded by music his entire life. His father played and listened to Mexican music, his mother loved big band jazz music and his rocker … Continue reading
Callum Wylie caught our ear the first time we heard him sing, that forlorn ache of a voice that folds country and folk music into each other, with a touch of weary soul. It perfectly suits his minimal and lyrical guitar playing and songs that have a way of painting evocative characters in often difficult … Continue reading
TALES FROM TWO CITIES Jo Meares reveals the complicated process of recording his new album and how he learnt to embrace his own voice. By Chris Familton Over a series of albums, Jo Meares has slowly whittled away at his craft of songwriting and the delicate placement of those songs on atmospheric musical canvases. Dark … Continue reading
A DIFFERENT SKYLINE Paul Andrews took a leap of faith and boarded a plane to Nashville with the finest songs he could write. The result of that experience is the new Family Fold album Ashfield Skyline. Rising from the ashes of 00s indie band Lazy Susan, Family Fold released their first album Lustre Glo in … Continue reading
For Kevin Welch, it seems like a lifetime ago that he rolled into Nashville in the late 70s, one of the countless budding songwriters seeking fame and/or fortune. In the cut-throat country music capital it’s usually the best that survive and it wasn’t long before Welch became recognised for his songwriting and gained respect from … Continue reading
BEYOND THE BORDERS OF ALT-COUNTRY From alt-country to blues to soul, Matt Joe Gow covers all bases on his third album. Across his first two albums, Matt Joe Gow laid down some accomplished alt-country, the kind that showed a lifetime growing up on the songs of Whiskeytown, The Jayhawks and Wilco alongside his parents’ record … Continue reading
Sydney quartet Copperline recently released their debut album Rusty Fords And Weatherboards and celebrated with a wonderful night of music at LazyBones Lounge in Marrickville, NSW. We’ve got a full review coming soon but both the album and their live show highlights the band’s fine musicianship and the range of styles they bring to their music, … Continue reading
