All posts by Marshall Cullen

Screen Shot 2022-10-18 at 8.51.45 pm
News and Touring

Halfway Homebuoy Release Single ‘1000 Others’

This second single from the band’s forthcoming album, following on from the first single ‘Sheets’. This song was penned during lockdown by the Homebuoy writing team of Jack Davison (lead singer and rhythm guitarist) and Curtis leigh Murray (lead guitar).

It was recorded over a succession of sessions in and out of lockdown at Damien Gerard Studios on the NSW Central Coast which luckily is the band’s current home base. The studio’s in house producer/engineer Andrew Beck took the reins across those sessions and then the final recording was sent to long time Homebuoy ‘mix guy’ Russell Pilling now living in Tasmania who pulled it all together into the tight, cohesive and very rocking final tune. As Jack said: ‘Big Rusty knows us so well and always makes us sound like we know what we are doing’.

Screen Shot 2022-10-31 at 3.57.17 pm

About

It’s been a strange path for Halfway Homebuoy to finally end up as ‘based’ on the NSW Central Coast, an hour north of Sydney.  The band was formed almost 10 years ago on the ski slopes of Switzerland where all of the (then) members were working the season and playing shows at night.

With three Englishmen and one Aussie the band moved out here and were recommended to Foghorn Records where they quickly found a home. As things happen after a few years, the visas ran out, the Aussie moved back to Europe and the sole remaining member, principal writer and singer, Jack Davison, married an Aussie and stayed here. Unfortunately, he was left without a band.

Not to be deterred, Jack found local musicians, new songs were written, live shows booked, a new album released, the band continued on. Now based on the Coast and with a new record almost finished the guys are ready to reboot post lockdown into 2022.

Song Description

This sonically exciting single features striking and clear drum, bass, guitar and vocal parts. Jack’s brilliant vocals are offset by the multi layers of guitars supplied by Curtis, all highlighted by a great mix from Russell Pilling.

Stream 1000 Others here

1000ffm

Connect with Halfway Homebuoy

Facebook F

Screen Shot 2022-10-18 at 9.27.17 pm
News and Touring

Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy Release Album ‘The Strange Life of Persephone Nimbus’

Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy follow up their acclaimed album Jupiter 13 with the epic ‘The Strange Life of Persephone Nimbus’, a sprawling Pink Floyd-ish concept album that shimmers with darkly beautiful musical undercurrents, oblique lyrics and spooky spoken word pieces. It is the second chapter of an eventual trilogy and this one has already garnered  strong reviews leading to release.

ALBUM REVIEWS
http://bigtakeover.com/recordings/KilbeyKennedyTheStrangeCaseofPersephoneNimbusFoghorn

https://www.backseatmafia.com/album-review-steve-kilbey-the-church-and-martin-kennedy-all-india-radio-are-kilbey-kennedy-and-they-combine-forces-again-to-weave-their-aesthetically-jaw-dropping-sci-fi-sonic-magic/

The album was recorded in Tasmania overlooking the ocean, peaceful and crystal calm one day, dark and stormy the next, a dynamic that inevitably worked its way into the music and lyrics.

Returning to the mixing desk is Simon Polinski (Paul Kelly, The Church, David Bridie, Stephen Cummings, Underground Lovers) who skilfully brings the story of Persephone Nimbus to life.

Steve Kilbey writes: ‘Persephone Nimbus was just an ordinary woman living an ordinary life, with a promising job at Eternity Incorporated. Until one day she was kidnapped by the Plutocracy.
There she reigned for 6 months of the year, a sad cold queen of the dark webbed world. But for 6 months of the year she was allowed to ascend to the Overworld with its marvellous technological illusions, and it’s towers that pierced the very sky. But on the first day of every autumn she must take the long staircase back down, down into the Plutocracy, with their frozen lakes and above them, a sky of iron.’

In 1981 a teenage Martin Kennedy stumbled upon Steve Kilbey and The Church at Tanelorn, an oddball old world meets new world music festival, and fell in love with their look and sound. He recorded their set on a walkman, and the songs helped spark the beginning of his music career. Just a year before, an equally fresh-faced Steve Kilbey formed The Church in Sydney, the very beginning of their public life as accidental hit makers.

Forty one years later Martin and Steve find themselves working together on their sixth studio album, the epic The Strange Life of Persephone Nimbus. As ever with these two, the deal is simple: Martin writes the music and Steve writes the words. No argument, no egos, just a matter of pressing the record button. The results are an effective balancing of Kennedy’s haunting and melodic tunes with Kilbey’s mysterious, witty and intelligent lyrics, melded together by his heavenly voice. Martin keeps his teenage love of The Church out of the equation in fear of it skewing his songwriting but it’s there if you listen closely.

“Sumptuous meeting of Australian soundscaper and the head Churchman…Apart from having a voice of characterful cool poise and an imaginative lyrical lexicon, Kilbey can make a strong melodic song out of simple elements.” (MOJO)

“Occasionally side projects can be something really spectacular. This isn’t an album where you pick favorite songs – you simply immerse yourself in the whole lush experience. The good news is they’re recording a follow up” (Reverb magazine 4.5/5).

Kilbey/Kennedy – The Strange Life of Persephone Nimbus(Fog/MGM)

Out Oct 28 CD and Digital

Vinyl LP release Early 2023

Stream Below

kk nimbus ff

Connect with Steve Kilbey

Screen Shot 2022-10-18 at 9.06.46 pm
News and Touring

Steve Williams Releases New Album ‘Deja Vu’

The new album from Steve Williams (Wa Wa Nee, Matt Finish, Choirboys) ‘Deja Vu’ has songs ranging from Glam Rock, Funk and Blues. The tunes have something for everyone including an amazing dream romance story that actually came true, different perceptions of reality, persecution, inequality and some characters who have done jail time or simply gone bad.

All songs were written by Steve except ‘Pump’ with Pat Powell and ‘Ronnie’ with John Kenny. Steve played all instruments but with the help of a few very talented guests: Gus Fenwick, Nic MC, John Kenny, Pat Powell, Glen Muirhead, Ralph Franke, Raechel Summers, and Mac Johnson.

The album was recorded entirely by Steve in his home studio which he has been refining for years.

Steve Williams came to prominence as the lead guitarist in the 80’s pop group Wa Wa Nee, who had top 5 hits and ARIA Nominations in Australia and chart action in Europe and the USA. Following Wa Wa Nee’s breakup Steve worked with prominent local artists, James Freud and Richard Clapton, beforerelocating to Europe.

In London, Steve built a successful career as a session guitarist working with Jon Lord from Deep Purple, Ray Parker Jr, Real Life and many more. He returned to Australia in 2005 and continued session and production work including musical theatre and television appearances playing with The Choir Boys, Matt Finish and others.

In 2020 Steve released the ‘Surry Road album’. All the tracks were co-written with musicians that he has worked with over his many years of touring and recording. Tracks feature guest vocals from Pat Powell (Melbourne Ska Orchestra and many more) and other well-known vocalists such as: John Kenny (Rockmelons), Tim Watson (Taxiride), Vince Contarino, Terry Slesser (UK), Louise Person as well up-coming Melbourne singer Nic MC.

Stream and Download

sw ffm

Connect with Steve Williams

Screen Shot 2022-09-18 at 5.35.40 pm
News and Touring

Darlene Koldenhoven Releases New Album ‘Traveling the Blissful Highway’

Travel with GRAMMY® Winner and 3 times Nominee Darlene Koldenhoven

Back in the late 1980’s Darlene had some memorable experiences (including a brush with a  Roo!) on tour in Australia early in her career

The early days of Darlene’s career include work as a “sideman” in former soap opera star, Gloria Loring’s band. Darlene played synthesizer keyboards and sang background vocals and stepped up front and sing duets with Gloria. “Days of Our Lives” was in full swing in Australia at that time. Touring Australia with Ms. Loring led to several memorable adventures from Sydney to Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and the Gold Coast in August/September of 1987 where it was quite rare to have it rain 48 out of the 50 days they were there. On one of the sunny days, the whole band drove south of Melbourne to the coast to see the 12 Apostles. Darlene cherishes a photograph she took of the waves crashing into them; seen daily in her home in Los Angeles.

On the other sunny day off, at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Darlene was feeding the kangaroos when suddenly, the large grey reared up on his tail, dug his front claws into her back shoulders, and kicked with both back legs on her ‘backside.’ She tried to slowly walk away but the buck was determined and hopped on his tail while still boxing her backside! She yelled, “Get him off, get him off!!!” Finally, Gloria’s music director yelled and rushed at the ‘roo’ and got him off of her. The rest of the tour Darlene had two giant bruises on each cheek and had a difficult time sitting for a while. She said it was the strangest feeling having a larger than herself animal on her back. (Darlene is 5’10’ and short compared to the marsupial on his tail.)

In Perth, Gloria threw out the ball at a championship rugby game and Darlene saw her first rugby match. Darlene was amused by the scrum and flabbergasted that the game went on with players jumping over the player who was down on the active field with a doctor!

Besides the bruises, her return home souvenirs were a few Aboriginal musical instruments she purchased while there: didjeridu, bullroarer, rainstick, clapsticks. On her new upcoming album, “Traveling the Blissful Highway” (10/14/22), Darlene played Australian Aboriginal rainstick. On her very first album, “Keys to the World,” she played the bullroarer and traditional didjeridu. Having been unaware at the time she purchased the instrument, no one mentioned it was considered cultural appropriation for a non-Aboriginal woman to play or touch a didjeridu. Upon recent study, Darlene sincerely apologizes  Aboriginal and other groups who consider that taboo and adds that it was only used in a secular setting with great respect.

With the use of Zoom & Skype, Darlene taught voice and sonic therapy to Australian clients during the pandemic and has many fans of her and her music on the continent. She hopes to return someday to perform her own concerts and workshops, enjoying the rich culture of the country.

Nominee Darlene Koldenhoven and her musicians on the blissful highway with her upcoming New Age instrumental album, “Traveling the Blissful Highway”. There are twelve instrumental tracks including four with her angelic, harmonic vocalese, occasionally used as background instrumentation. All of her compositions and arrangements invite us to go out and see the world and have a good rest at the end of an exquisite day.  Darlene performs on keyboard synths, creating a culture of calm: half the album has ethnic influences to gently keep you going on the road and half lets you exit to the rest areas. Even when real travel is not in the picture, pack these traveling soundscapes for your inner and outer journey. With this album, the only passport you’ll need for these destination cities – peace, calm, happiness and bliss is your own mindfulness to visit them and the album as your tour guide.

Darlene says, “After being cooped up so long in Los Angeles, I ventured to London, Las Vegas and Denver during the spring this year for some appearances and was so excited to travel again that when I came home, I started writing to process my emotions from it all and I just couldn’t stop! I hope the listener will enjoy the musical adventure and immerse in the sonic benefits from Traveling the Blissful Highway with me.”

Screen Shot 2022-09-18 at 5.35.40 pm

About
GRAMMY® Award Winner and 3 time Nominee, Darlene Koldenhoven is a vocalist, pianist, composer, arranger, lyricist, speaker, and sonic therapist from Studio City, CA, born and raised in Chicago, IL. Her last two albums, “The Grand Piano Spa” and “The Grand Piano Spa: Legacy” debuted on the prestigious Billboard Classical Crossover Charts at #4 and #8, respectively in May & November 2021.

This past May & June gifted Darlene with a Lifetime Achievement Award from One World Music Radio and Outstanding Legacy Award from the Akademia Awards. She was inducted to the Indie Music Hall of Fame at the GRAMMY® Museum in 2019 by the Indie Music Channel Awards and the COVR Award hailed her “Chromatones” as Album of the Year a few months later.  Several of her albums ranked #1 on the worldwide ZMR Radio Charts and she has 2 Best New Age Vocal Album and Best Holiday Album from ZMR.

Darlene is best known worldwide as the featured soprano in “Yanni, Live at the Acropolis” and for her role as the tambourine-waving choir nun in both “Sister Act” films with Whoopi Goldberg. Ms. Koldenhoven has authored “Tune Your Voice: Singing and Your Mind’s Musical Ear,” a comprehensive music education book with 7 CDs or downloads. She performs her music worldwide.

Darlene Koldenhoven – Travelling the Blissful Highway is Out Now October 14

STREAM

Connect with Darlene

worldwideweb logo

Facebook F

Twitter logo

Screen Shot 2022-10-05 at 5.41.26 pm
News and Touring

Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy Release Single ‘When Time Has Run Out’

With echoes of The Wall-era Pink Floyd, ‘When Time Has Run Out’ is the first single from Steve Kilbey & Martin Kennedy’s new album, ‘The Strange Life of Persephone Nimbus’. Steve Kilbey of psych rock legends The Church and writer of magical hit ‘Under The Milky Way’ once again joins forces with Martin Kennedy of atmospheric ambient stalwarts All India Radio for their seventh studio album.

“A sumptuous meeting of Australian soundscaper and the head Churchman… a voice of characterful cool poise and an imaginative lyrical lexicon, Kilbey can make a strong melodic song out of simple elements.” – MOJO

The first single from the new KK album begins with powerful guitars, keys and vocal layers before the drums and bass break in. Soaring electric guitars and strings layers drive this mid-tempo tune along while Kilbey’s iconic and instantly recognizable vocal. A must add to playlists.

In 1981 a teenage Martin Kennedy stumbled upon Steve Kilbey and The Church at Tanelorn, an oddball old world meets new world music festival, and fell in love with their look and sound. He recorded their set on a walkman, and the songs helped spark the beginning of his music career. Just a year before, an equally fresh-faced Steve Kilbey formed The Church in Sydney, the very beginning of their public life as accidental hit makers.

Forty one years later Martin and Steve find themselves working together on their sixth studio album, the epic ‘The Strange Life of Persephone Nimbus.’ As ever with these two, the deal is simple: Martin writes the music and Steve writes the words. No argument, no egos, just a matter of pressing the record button. The results are an effective balancing of Kennedy’s haunting and melodic tunes with Kilbey’s mysterious, witty and intelligent lyrics, melded together by his heavenly voice. Martin keeps his teenage love of The Church out of the equation in fear of it skewing his songwriting but it’s there if you listen closely.

Stream Below

kk-ffm-single

Connect with Steve Kilbey:

Screen Shot 2022-09-26 at 2.50.45 pm
News and Touring

Drawing Arrows Release EP ‘Pinch Me’

Powderfinger, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, Nothing But Thieves and Queens of the Stoneage all inspire an authentic live sound from Drawing Arrows that sits as well on stage as it does in your headphones.

With influences of jazz, alternative rock, punk, Spanish flamenco and pop, Drawing Arrows stay focused on crafting music that makes you want to press rewind and listen again.

This is the second EP that Drawing Arrows have put together and it holds a lot of importance for the band.

The first track, ‘Pinch Me’, has been a work-in-progress since the boys first started playing together. Despite the fact that it changed format a number of times, it remained a favourite of Sidney’s. With its soulful lyrics and cool groove you can understand why.

‘Lights Out’ provides a little light chaos and fits in well with the energy you’d see in their live shows. The driving bass and drums keep the crowd going as the post-punk guitars keep them inspired.

‘Good Grief’ explores the ideas of dealing with things that you just can’t change. Instead of a melancholic ballad this track hits all the big notes. Another huge, live-sounding song.

Drawing Arrows is a love letter to rock music. Not one band, not one decade, but the whole effect. With multiple influences – from Australian rock’n’roll, US grunge and flamenco guitar to Britpop rock and amped-up punk.

With band members from Spain, the UK and right here in Australia, each member brings their own unique influences. Sidney (vocals) and David (bass/guitar) have previously worked on an experimental dubstep project (Milo Firewater). Drawing Arrows is a creative outlet – a way to channel all their experiences – not just musically. The aim – to create music that feels good to play and to listen too.

Song Descriptions

Pinch me
The most chilled of this 3-song offering from the boys. This is a mid-tempo cruise with clean guitars and a lighter touch on the drums. You can really hear the song writing skills of the band on this one, as well as some superb background vocals and guitar work throughout.

Lights Out
Drawing Arrows have come up with a modern up-tempo rock formula that really works on this tune. There’s plenty to like early on with a great ear catching intro, then Sid’s distinctive vocals and the snare popping chorus. A total winner.

Good Grief
Arpeggio electric guitars along with fast and furious drums and bass start this song off before the vocals kick in.  Some very Radiohead sounds pervade this song in a great way. Up-tempo, hooky and technically challenging but the band get away with it no problems.

Stream/Download
pinch full

Connect with Drawing Arrows:

Screen Shot 2022-09-19 at 6.13.24 pm
News and Touring

Daxton Releases New Album ‘50% Grit’

A long-time friend asked Daxton to produce a stripped back, raw but lively and psychedelic dirty blues song. ‘Just something I can really get into as I drink my bourbon to late at night please mate’.

Dax took on the job with gusto and was so engrossed that before he knew it 7 new tunes were born. The song, Rise Above, fulfilled the original request and opens the album. The rest of the tunes don’t disappoint and range from dirty, stompy, bluesy slide pieces to slightly more grungy but poppy tunes with some snare and percussion added in.

Song Descriptions
Rise Above
Dirty scratchy psychedelic harp and cigar box guitar feature in this mid-tempo track from Daxton’s new offering.  Distorted, rough and ready vocals set the tone for the next six tracks on this mini album.

Nothing to lose
A more up-tempo blues tune. Bass, slide cigar box guitar and some simple drums flesh out this one with his life-worn vocals and lyrics filling in the story.

Right On time
Guitar riffs and electric slide stabs plus some nifty catchy vocal lines abound in this mid-tempo song. There’s some stomp box keeping time and enough changes and interesting sounds to keep you rocking all the way through.

Producing and playing music since his early teens, Daxton’s passion has kept him continually creating new material both for his band and solo career. On stage, Daxton comes across like he was born to play, his unique guitar style blending perfectly with heart-warming vocals.

Daxton has appeared at major festivals including the Sydney Blues & Roots and Tamworth Country Music Festival where he supported artists such as Kasey Chambers and Beccy Cole. He also has had one of his tracks ‘Moody Liz’ featured in the popular American TV series Doll House.

Based in Sydney, Daxton is best described as a blues/rock artist with a twist of pop and rock. He plays slide guitar rock/blues songs with a fresh and innovative sound.

Daxton – 50% Grit is out NOW September 23rd
Foghorn/MGM

Download or Stream:
dax grit

Connect with Daxton: