News and Touring

Steve Kilbey and Gareth Koch New Album Chryse Planitia

January 28, 2020 Marshall Cullen

New Reviews

Adam Jones Melbourne Writer

Redback Rock

Backseat Mafia

What unites the musical spheres of an Australian rock icon

and a Viennese-trained classical musician?

The answer lies in a shared aesthetic and approach to their craft. There is a wistful and haunting lilt to the Kilbey/Koch songs, as they float seamlessly through a narrative of fallen crowns, fatal hours, and enchanted gardens. To compliment the poignant lyrics is a delicious instrumentation, weaving and wafting, ghostly and waif-like, alternately brimming with rhythmic drive, present yet somehow elusive.

Hot on the heels of two critically acclaimed singles, the debut album Chryse Planitiapulses with a strong and immediately recognisable musical identity. Kilbey and Koch have forged an entirely new sound characterised by a fluid and elegant movement across genres. Their partnership draws inspiration from medieval music to post-modern psychedelia, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, with every imaginable influence in between.

Steve Kilbey, also known as the frontman of veteran rock band The Church, has generated a lifetime of beautifully crafted songs. His subtly esoteric lyrics create an aura of mystery, posing questions and teasing the listener with riddle-like answers. Kilbey’s words evoke a succession of images, half-remembered whisperings at the edge of our consciousness. He is a poet-master of unsaid things whose writing arouses the dreamer within us.

Gareth Koch is a European-born classical guitarist and composer who has recorded most of the major repertoire. His compositional style reflects a lifelong engagement with classical, folk and flamenco music. Although not easy to define, Koch’s music is often characterised by medieval gestures, influenced by the unrequited longing style of the French Trouveres (singer-poets) of the 12^thcentury.

Expertly tracked by Andrew Beck and mixed by Russell Pilling of Damien Gerard Studios and superbly mastered by Grammy Awardwinning King Willy Sound, Chryse Planitiais a feast for the ears.

Out Now

Connect with Steve Kilbey:

Connect with Gareth Koch:

For further information, and Interview requests please contact:
Marshall@foghornrecords.net
0416 143 030

News and Touring

10cc Star Graham Gouldman Released First Solo Album in Eight Years UPDATE

January 28, 2020 Marshall Cullen

10cc Star Graham Gouldman Released First Solo Album in Eight Years plus Tour In Australia and New Zealand.

On February 21 2020, 10cc’s Graham Gouldman released ‘Modesty Forbids’ here in Australia to coincide with the 10cc Australia / New Zealand Tour.

UPDATE – with the release of the album now, a new review by Michael Smith:

http://soundslikecafe.com/graham-gouldman-album-modesty-forbids-new-review/

Released on British independent record label Lojinx, Modesty Forbids is the fifth solo album of Graham’s career, and his first since 2012’s ‘Love And Work’.

Listen now on your preferred service

Featuring eleven tracks, the album’s release will coincide with 10cc’s 14-date Australia and New Zealand tour, ahead of the rest-of-world release in March 2020.

With Graham’s 10cc tours enjoying ever-increasing success around the world in recent years, in 2018 he was invited by former Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr to join his All Starr Band for tours of Europe and the USA, during which the band played three 10cc songs, elevating Graham’s profile yet further.

That relationship continues, with Ringo making a very special guest appearance on Modesty Forbids, playing drums on a song called ‘Standing Next To Me’.

Graham said, “Playing with Ringo Starr and The All Starr Band was absolutely brilliant, and having Ringo play drums on one of my new album’s songs was the icing on the cake. In it, I write about how I came to be asked to join Ringo’s band and about my experience of being on the road with him, alongside Steve Lukather, Colin Hay, Gregg Rolie, Warren Ham and Gregg Bissonette, who also plays drums on three of the album’s tracks.”

Ringo Starr added, “It was such a thrill for me to have Graham in my All Starr Band in 2018, with his great songs and great bass playing and his very British personality! And look what happens – he goes home and writes a great song and then asks me to play drums on it! It was my honour because the track is fab and I want to congratulate him on such a good album too.”

Co-produced by Graham Gouldman and Graeme Pleeth, all of the songs on Modesty Forbids were recorded at The Pleeth Station Studios, except for ‘Waited All My Life For You’, which was recorded at Astral Drive London. Additional recording also took place at London’s Hoxa HQ to complete the track ‘That’s Love Right There’. The album was then mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios. The album’s cover artwork was design by StormStudios, with illustrations by Dan Abbott.

The album’s eclectic mix of song styles includes swing (something Graham’s never tried before), the blues and gospel is something he hopes everybody enjoys as much as he did making the album.

Graham said, “I can’t begin to tell you what a pleasure it was making Modesty Forbids and to be able to work with so many fine musicians. When listening back to the album I realise that there are two recurring themes. One is about climate change awareness and the other is a call for ‘peace and love’. These two subjects may be clichés, but I don’t care – as long as we take action on the first and practice the second we’ll all be ok.”