Gram Parsons is something of a golden inter-connector, a conduit between the worlds of country music and rock ’n’ roll. You can add folk music to the mix to, given his late teen years as a member of the Shilohs in South Carolina. Through the International Submarine Band, the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, … Continue reading
Dashville Skyline Dashville, Lower Bedford, NSW 4-6 October Arriving at the Dashville property instantly feels like the perfect respite from the city and a healthy disconnect from the digital world. After campsites are established it quickly becomes apparent how easy it is to move around and access all the onsite amenities. From the bar to … Continue reading
Blues & Alchemy: Remembering Chris Whitley’s ‘Dirt Floor’ 2000 was a particularly big year for me personally. I’d finished high school in rural NSW the previous year and had transgressed to the metropolis of Sydney. I spent the year between two share houses, one in La Perouse, the other in Petersham. I’d be embarrassed to … Continue reading
The Canadian songwriter takes the quieter route on this new four track EP. She’s parked the feisty and swinging rockabilly sound she’s built much of her sound around and instead embraced a minimalist, meditative and reflective approach. Opener ‘Til The Goin’ Gets Gone’ is tale of self-encouragement, a sweet, lilting resolute commitment to optimism over … Continue reading
LIVE REVIEW: Tiny Ruins, Flowertruck, Stolen Violin @ Oxford Art Factory, Sydney (25/11/15) The evening at the portioned and reduced capacity OAF began with a solitary figure cross-legged on-stage with a twelve-string acoustic guitar, microphone and effects pedals. What followed was a brace of only three or four songs from Stolen Violin (Jordan Ireland from … Continue reading
Bayden Packwood Hine’s earlier releases were more rooted in traditional folk forms which makes this expansion into a beautifully ornate and intimate sound palette even more rewarding. He conjures up pastoral qualities via the instrumentation (woodwind, strings, banjo and many more) and wordless vocal harmonies that bring to mind wind, birdsong and other elements of … Continue reading
Gretta Ziller has already generated a great deal of critical and industry acclaim in the 2013 Telstra Road to Discovery Grand Finals at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, as well as her 2013 TSA/APRA New Songwriter of the Year award. Now she has released her debut EP Hell’s Half Acre which captures the essence and graceful Americana beauty of … Continue reading
Darren Cross has been steadily building an impressive body of work as a solo alt-country singer/songwriter (and as half of Jep and Dep) in the wake of a long musical history in Gerling, as a DJ and many other projects. This feels like the most genuine channelling of his muse. The solo platform suits his … Continue reading
by Chris Familton Two years on from Jordie Lane’s well received second album Blood Thinner, the Melbournian returns from some overseas jaunts with a new EP of warm, bucolic folk and alt-country songs that further enhance his stock as a quality singer/songwriter. Lane is one of those contemporary singers who sounds very much like the … Continue reading
by Chris Familton It has been two years since Hollie Fullbrook released her critically acclaimed debut album and since then she has been touring it through Europe and slowly but surely working on new songs. Haunts is an EP comprised of demos and b-sides mostly written prior to Some Were Meant For Sea so even … Continue reading
by Chris Familton On their new EP Hollywood, Sydney folk duo The Falls have captured both the organic and ornate essence of their heart-laid-bare songs. This EP is the documentation of Simon Rudston-Brown and Melinda Kirwin’s romance from its beginnings to its dissolution one Valentines Day. It is a fascinating background story but nonessential information … Continue reading
written by Chris Familton Mavis Staples rose to fame in the 50s and 60s as a member of the gospel group The Staple Singers before releasing a string of soul and spiritual albums as a solo artist. In 2007 she worked with Ry Cooder and now Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy has been assigned the producer task … Continue reading
written by Chris Familton Isobel Campbell (ex Belle & Sebastian) continues her collaboration with Mark Lanegan and over six years she has produced three albums that delve deeper into brittle Americana blues, folk and dark country at each turn. With the latest, Hawk, the good news is that she has produced her best work yet. … Continue reading
written by Chris Familton This was the first show for A Casual End Mile as a duo, now with added drums, and it worked well adding another dimension to the delicate Mazzy Star-like folk songs of Madelaine Lucas. Through the warm and intimate PA her voice was up front and engaging though it would be interesting … Continue reading
written by Chris Familton The intimacy of songwriting is a difficult skill to master for the best of musicians. When they do you find yourself pausing, experiencing a physical reaction to the music as it halts your progress and you allow it to wash over you, taking hold of your emotions and ushering them inside … Continue reading
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