Tag Archives: blues

Toadvine are a five-piece blues-rock outfit hailing from Sydney, Australia, who dish up a unique blend of blues-tinged rock’n’roll with generous lashings of rockabilly, country and fuzzed-out garage sounds. Their new five-track EP is called Love Is A Dangerous Game.

The band members draw from hugely diverse musical influences, and together pull together a broad musical palette. At the helm is vocalist Mandy Newton, accompanied by a formidable group of seasoned veterans of the rock scene both here and abroad, including guitarists Scott Mackenzie and Phill Salera, drummer Simon Carnovale and bassist Jeff (El Jefe) Newton.

With influences ranging from the legendary Aretha Franklin, Samantha Fish, Chris Stapleton, The Gun Club, Hillbilly Moon Explosion through to Led Zeppelin, Link Wray and The Baby Animals, Toadvine hurl down the riffs and paint them with their own inimitable style. From Mandy’s huge voice, which has been compared to legends Maggie Bell and Susan Marshall, to fuzzed-out, tremolo laced chords wrung from Scotty’s tele and Phill’s sweet and melodic slide and lead work, all held together with a rhythm section that’s all bite, no bark, Toadvine are a formidable unit, and don’t mind letting people know!

With countless live shows under their belts, in late 2019 Toadvine decided to hit the studios once again to record the follow-up to their previous EP, City Livin’.

The five track EP Love Is A Dangerous Game is set for release on 25 October 2019.

TRACK BY TRACK:

Stones and Bones – The EP opener is a rip snorting bluesy garage rock tale about love gone wrong and revenge, featuring a blues harp solo courtesy of Celia Curtis.

Dead Man’s Clothes – cool country Johnny Cash vibe

Dirty Lies – garage rock with a peppering of country roots

More Than Anyone – fun bar-room classic about boy meets girl

Black Naomi – a blues tinged rockabilly sound with the swagger of the Stray Cats

Toadvine will launch the EP at Moshpit Bar, 642A King Street (south end), Newtown on Saturday November 9.

Download or stream from October 25:

Connect with Toadvine:

News and Touring

The Blind Pilots release debut 3-track EP

August 29, 2019 Marshall Cullen

When describing The Blind Pilots it’s easy to say the same old things about being an explosive four piece Australian Roots, Rock and Blues outfit from the Northern Beaches of Sydney. But the truth is all four members have known each other in previous successful bands, which gives them an advantage in the creative songwriting process. The four friends share a close rapport and have a laugh together every week. They say, “There’s never a dull moment in rehearsals!”

The band members’ camaraderie is largely based on the fact they grew up listening to the same music and share common influences like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Van Morrison, Jimmy Hendrix, Cat Stevens, Led Zepplin and Midnight Oil. Together they form a band making the most of dirty slide guitar, hard hitting drums, solid bass grooves, accompanied by a soulful vocal drenched in foot stompin’ harmonica riffs. “We all have an urge to push each other harder to get the best out of our muscianship and are driven to create those magic moments,” says lead guitarist and vocalist Owen.

In a live format, the band produce an energetic show full of intense commitment, whilst still maintaining a laid back vibe.

The lead track of their brand new EP is called Tell Me I’m Wrong, which offers frontman Owen’s perspective on the current political landscape. Accompanying tracks are Telephone – a hard-hitting blues rock tune about breakdowns in relationships, complete with dirty blues harp and riffing electric guitar. The swampy southern blues rock style of Howling at the Moon fits perfectly with the lyrical lament about longing and yearning.

Between them, their experiences have seen them performing at festivals including Byron Blues, Woodford Folk, Festival Of Sun, Echuca Blues Festival, Mud Run, Harley Days, Throttle Roll, Sydney Blues Festival and has found them on the Australian Blues charts. With new ideas consistently being brought to the table this group will continue to make inroads in the Blues and Roots World and be one to watch.

The Blind Pilots members are: Owen Mancell – Guitar/Vocals; Matt Hough – Drums; Ryan Stone – Harmonica; Daniel Changas – Bass/Vocals

“Owen brings the spark, Matt is the conductor and reconstructs, Changas adds the bottom end whilst Stony waves the magic which is the icing on the cake.”

The Blind Pilots EP is out on August 30.

Download or stream from August 30:

Connect with The Blind Pilots here:

News and Touring

Big Merino’s second album Sweet Little Angel is out now!

August 8, 2019 Marshall Cullen

Big Merino’s second album to follow Surbuban Wildlife is Sweet Little Angel and it’s out now!
It features the singles that have already made an impact at radio – Hummingbird and the title track, as well as a cover of the classic Neil Young track Ohio.
The band recently played a successful launch for the album at the Marrickville Bowling Club and next Canberra audiences will have their turn. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than hanging at Smith’s Alternative with Big Merino!
Show starts at 4pm.
Sunday August 25 @ Smith’s Alternative, Canberra

Bruce Elder at the Sydney Morning Herald gave the album a glowing review recently – have a read below.

ADULT ROCK Big Merino
SWEET LITTLE ANGEL (Foghorn) ???½

It has long been an orthodoxy that second albums are more problematic than debut offerings. Here’s the exception. If Big Merino’s debut, Suburban Wildlife, was scattergun in its approach, this is a tour de force of, for want of a better term, classy adult rock, funk, soul and pop. It’s the kind of music Jo Camilleri and Van Morrison see as their bailiwick: a clever and sophisticated blend of heart-stopping gospel-style harmonies (I Watched the Light), and classy lead vocals (courtesy of Stuart Davis, a long-time member of Sydney-based choral masters Cafe of the Gate of Salvation).

Instrumental features include beautiful interplay between acoustic and electric guitar (the title track is seductive); searing guitar solos from Alex Craig (I Lay Me Down); delicious horns courtesy of James Greening (Satellite) and some pulsating funkiness on This Song and Living in the Past.

Oh, yes, and there is an astonishingly good reading (with blistering guitar solos) of Neil Young’s Ohio. The result is a deeply satisfying collection of songs which, while they defy any easy categorisation, sit happily at the richly mature end of popular music. Hear them at Marrickville Bowling Club, July 27. Bruce Elder

******************************************

Sweet Little Angel was recorded at Damien Gerard Studios.

Watch the video for Sweet Little Angel at YouTube:

Sweet Little Angel is out now on Foghorn Records through MGM.

Stream or download:

Connect with Big Merino:

Videos

Big Merino-Sweet Little Angel(Official)

Video July 24, 2019 Marshall Cullen

News and Touring

Big Merino Release New Single and Album ‘Sweet Little Angel’

June 29, 2019 Marshall Cullen

Big Merino have put the finishing touches on their second album at Damien Gerard Studios in Sydney. It’s official release date is July 27 but you can pre-buy the album ahead of time by heading to the band’s online shop.

The first single to be lifted from Sweet Little Angel is the balladesque title track, while it’s B-side accompaniment is a cover of the politically-charged protest song of 1970, ‘Ohio’. Penned by Neil Young and recorded with his band Crosby Stills Nash and Young, the song is a guitar-led melodic track that will be familiar to most music lovers.

The single will be released on June 28.

Tracklisting for the album is:

Sweet Little Angel
I Watched The Light
I Lay Me Down
Mama’s Gonna Fall
Satellite
Ohio
This Song
Hard Lesson
Living In The Past
Day Without You
Hummingbird

Guest musicians on the record are:

Alice Papademetriou & Lisa Spence : additional vocals
John Gauci, Mike Gubb : Keyboards
James Greening : Horns
Jess Ciampa : percussion

Watch a sampler video by clicking on the YouTube link below:

UPCOMING SHOW DATES ARE:

Sat June 8 @ Gasoline Pony, Marrickville
Fri June 28 Murringo NSW
Sat June 29 Quandialla NSW
Sat July 27 @ Marrickville Bowlo

Big Merino is a genre-busting band featuring Stuart Davis (lead vocals/guitar), Alex Craig (lead guitar), Peter Richardson (bass) and Colin Sevitt (drums).

Their songs blur the lines between rock, country, blues, soul and pop. Despite an obvious passion for Americana (blues, country and Gospel) their music somehow also sounds quintessentially Australian, shaped by our landscape and their own stories.

“Great songs, great songwriting and best of all – full of a real sincerity and commitment”

Michael Smith – Rhythms

The album will be released on July 27 on Foghorn Records through MGM.

Stream or Download Big Merino’s music:

Connect with Big Merino:

MadCds4PanelDigiPack+Pocketsideentry FINAL

News and Touring

John Kennedy Raining Treasure Tour Update

June 7, 2019 Marshall Cullen

Following the Successful Melbourne Show last weekend including an appearance from Kim Salmon,
The Sydney Launch is Friday June 21 Next Week at the fabulous Patersham Bowlo

And for Brisbane folks there are still last minute tix available for tomorrow night at The Junk Bar

Sydney musician John Kennedy’s new album Raining Treasure celebrates the golden era of Australian independent music from the late ‘70’s and the 80’s. Kennedy compiled a list of classic indie songs (and some obscurities) from that era and with his band, John Kennedy’s 68 Comeback Special, has recorded songs from The Go-Betweens, The Triffids, The Scientists and many more. Some of these acts were contemporaries. Some were inspirations. All had some great songs.

The idea for this release sprang from the 2017 album, JFK and the Midlife Crisis. It was a concept album about a middle aged Sydney musician looking back over his life to the glory days of the Australian indie music scene. It explored the joys and disappointments of being part of the thriving music culture that was centred around Surry Hills at that time. The logical next step was to cover some of the great songs from that fertile period. These songs take you back to the Trade Union Club and the Strawberry Hills Hotel.

The tracklist is:

1. Swampland* – The Scientists
2. Raining Pleasure – The Triffids
3. Leilani – le Hoodoo Gurus
4. Come On – The Atlantics via The Wet Taxis

5. Stuck On You – Sardine v

6. Girl In The Sweater – The Hard Ons

7. King Street* – John Kennedy’s Love Gone Wrong
8. Ocean Liner – The Lighthouse Keepers

9. Lee Remick* – The Go-Betweens

10. Refugee – The Apartments
11. When The Birdmen Fly – The Fun Things
12. Brisbane (Security City) / Electrical Storm – The Saints / Ed Kuepper
13. Nothing Grows In Texas* – Sacred Cowboys

14. Don’t Go To Sydney – The Zimmermen
15. St Kilda to Kings Cross – Paul Kelly
( * Suggested airplay tracks)

An enthusiastic young music journalist once described John Kennedy as a humble genius. Kennedy is neither a genius nor particularly humble. He is the writer and performer of many fine songs, some of which have found a place in the hearts of music fans of the golden era of Australian independent music. Kennedy started his music career in Brisbane in the ‘80’s with his band JFK and the Cuban Crisis. The band moved to Sydney and after establishing itself on the indie music scene broke up leaving Kennedy to pursue a solo career with his band vehicle, John Kennedy’s Love Gone Wrong. Despite numerous indie hits, commercial crossover proved to be elusive leading to his decision to leave Australia. Kennedy spent the ‘90’s living and playing music in Berlin, Hong Kong and London before returning to Sydney’s Inner West in 2000. He formed a new band, John Kennedy’s 68 Comeback Special and continues to perform and produce independent releases.

Over the years Kennedy has shared stages with many of the acts covered on this new album. His band members have come from or gone on to the Triffids, Paul Kelly, the Go-Betweens and Ed Kuepper. The current line up of the band boasts its own fine indie pedigree. Long time drummer, Peter Timmerman was an original Love Gone Wrong member before moving on to the Widdershins. New bassist Phil Hall played with Sardine v, the Dropbears, the Lime Spiders and many others. Guitarist Murray Cook started out in Finger Guns before going on to found what is probably Australia’s most successful independent band, the Wiggles. Together with Kennedy they have created versions of these Australian indie classics, reinterpreting some, expanding some and celebrating them all.

TOUR DATES ARE:

Melbourne ALBUM LAUNCH – Swamplands, 744 High St, Thornbury VIC.
Saturday 8 June, from 8pm.

Brisbane ALBUM LAUNCH – The Junk Bar, 215 Waterworks Rd, Ashgrove QLD
Saturday 15 June, from 8pm.

Sydney ALBUM LAUNCH – Petersham Bowling Club, 77 Brighton St, Petersham NSW
Friday 21 June, from 8pm.

Pre-sale tickets are available via Oztix, or buy tickets at the door.

Raining Treasure (Australian Indie Gold Covers Vol.1) will be released on 7 June 2019,
on Foghorn Records through MGM.

Stream or Download John Kennedy’s music:

Connect with John Kennedy:

News and Touring

UPDATE: Mick Hart Adds New Tour Dates

April 4, 2019 Marshall Cullen

UPDATE: New Tour Dates!

On the heels of Mick Hart’s sold-out Sydney launch at Lazybones Lounge in Marrickville last weekend, some new dates have been added!

New shows:

Sun 4th August – Bondi Diggers Golf Club (Sydney)
Fri 9th August – The Entrance Leagues Club (Central Coast NSW)
Sun 25th August – Gasoline Pony, Marrickville (Sydney)
Sun 29th September – Towradgi Beach Hotel, Wollongong (Sydney)
Sat 12th October – Stag and Hunter, Mayfield (Newcastle)

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED UPCOMING DATES:

Fri 26 July – Winter Blues Festival, Echuca VIC
Sat 27 July – Winter Blues Festival, Echuca VIC
Sun 28 July- Merri Creek Tavern, Melbourne

Community radio is loving the album, with widespread support on the airwaves proving it carries so many brilliant tracks! The Way It Is, 3am Or Anytime, Light My Way, Keep Hold and Peaceful Nest are all being played around the country.

Some great reviews are also flowing in for the album.

Bruce Elder at the Sydney Morning Herald declared that Hart has produced, “a classy, memorable album from a gifted musician at the height of his powers.”

“A delicious collection of blues-folk “toons” inspired by sources as rich as the early Rod Stewart (3am Or Anytime); a nod towards Free and Family (The Way It Is); Muddy Waters’ great version of Got My Mojo Workin’ (Light My Way); the edges of folk blues (Real Thing); that glorious style which involves a slow burn and driving blues with lashings of lap-steel (Time for the New); and inevitably, lots of Dylan-influenced blues and country blues (Back To The Start, Star Bed andKeep Hold).”

Elder also notes Hart’s wide-ranging musical talents – “Playing bass, lap-steel, harmonica, percussion, Rhodes, Mellotron, piano, organ, ukulele and, oh yes, guitars….ranges widely across the rich plains of the blues and American folk music.”

Meanwhile Mark Fraser at Redbackmusic.comcalled the latest single, Keep Hold, “sad, beautiful, perfect”, with the entire album, “a beautiful collection of soundscapes that caress your very soul in their own unobtrusively enveloping way.”

Read the whole review here:

Mick Hart’s new album, ‘Awake’ has just been released. ‘Awake’ is the Sydney-based singer-songwriter’s first recording in five years and features 16 brand new songs – a brilliant and epic mix of soulful indie folk rock, beautiful and intimate acoustic songs to blistering blues.

It has already spawned the two popular singles ‘The Way It Is’ and ‘3am Or Anytime’.

To celebrate the release of ‘Awake’, Mick is playing these dates below, including the official album launch in Sydney on June 21.

Sat 15 June- Harrington Hotel NSW

Sun 16 June- Harrington Hotel NSW

Fri 21 June- Lazy Bones Lounge, Marrickville (SYDNEY ALBUM LAUNCH)

Sat 22 June- The Stag and Hunter, Mayfield Newcastle NSW

Fri 26 July- Winter Blues Festival Echuca VIC

Sat 27 July- Winter Blues Festival Echuca VIC

Sun 28 July- Merri Creek Tavern Melbourne VIC

Mick is currently on tour across Europe – check out the pics below!

ARIA nominated for “Best Blues and Roots” in 2002 for his sophomore album Upside Down In The Full Face of Optimism, Mick Hart occupies a sonic space that’s influenced by Jeff Buckley and Ben Harper, from sparse acoustic songs to wild dirty blues rock and some brilliant lap-slide guitar.

Hart has been touring the world for the past 20 years, playing festivals and concerts all over Australia, the UK and Europe, Japan and the USA. Praised all over the globe, Mick has played support to Bob Dylan, Coldplay, Sting, Van Morrison, Paul Weller, Gomez, The Pretenders, Paul Kelly, The John Butler Trio and many more.

Stream AWAKE here:

Connect with Mick Hart:

News and Touring

The Sheyana Band Release New Single ‘Soul Sister’

March 12, 2019 Marshall Cullen

Tasmanian blues act The Sheyana Band have a new single called Soul Sister that really striking a chord at #CommunityRadio

and as of April has made it to the NUMBER 1 spot of the Soundslikecafe service

The single has just hit number 2 on the Amrap Regional Charts.

Soul Sister is a remix of a track from last year’s Big Love album, for which they won the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society’s Victorian & Tasmanian Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Act/Artist of the Year.

Led by captivating frontwoman Sheyana Wijesingha, the band has recently performed at major music events in Tasmania including Party in the Paddock 2019 and they will also be appearing at the Fruit of the Roots Festival in Turners Beach, Tasmania this April.

The Sheyana Band has also received national & international recognition and airplay, supporting some of Australia’s most respected musicians including Hoodoo Gurus, Neil Finn, Meg Mac, Renee Geyer, Diesel, The Angels, Ian Moss and Bill Chambers.

The band will tour Australia later in the year and will also head to the UK, Europe & Sri Lanka for promo opportunities and some headlines shows.

Soul Sister streaming NOW.

Connect with The Sheyana Band:

News and Touring

Texas Strangers deliver new single: Always In The Rain

March 12, 2019 Marshall Cullen

The second slice of Texas Strangers forthcoming Borderline album is called Always In The Rain and it’s streaming and at radio now.

Rich in harmonies and melody, this rollicking tune bounces from start to finish and is bound to be an instant smash with the band’s loyal live following as well as country radio stations all over the country.

Piano and electric guitar along with strings and slide over the top of a tight rhythm section cap off the classic Nashville style production.

The band’s penchant for a catchy tune is already evident, since their debut EP spawned 3 Number One Singles on the Country Songwriters chart.
The previous single, River Of Tears gained great support across ABC Country and regional radio.

Texas Strangers are from the Central Coast of NSW and are fronted by singer songwriter Steve Killeen, who together with his bandmates create a sound rich in classic Country tradition.

Always In The Rain was recorded during the album sessions for Borderline at Damien Gerard Studios engineered by Russell Pilling. The song was mastered by Sage Audio Nashville Tennessee.

Stream now via your favourite service:

Connect with Texas Strangers:

News and Touring

NEW RELEASE: Mick Hart releases new single ‘The Way It Is’

February 26, 2019 Marshall Cullen

Australian singer/songwriter Mick Hart has a brand new album on the way and its first offering is called The Way It Is.

A “you done me wrong” break-up song with a catchy blues groove, The Way It Is grabs the listener with its addictive chorus that features some blistering guitar and Hart’s determined lyrical growl, “I don’t owe you nothing, that’s the way it is.”

It’s the first taste of his upcoming album, Awake, which is due for release this April 26th on MGM.

Mick will tour in support of the Album starting in Europe in April and following through to Australian dates from May.

Listen to The Way It Is now:

Connect with Mick Hart:

Foghorn News and Media

Tag Archives: blues

Sydney’s blues-rock-rockabilly act Toadvine release new EP

The Blind Pilots release debut 3-track EP

Big Merino’s second album Sweet Little Angel is out now!

Big Merino-Sweet Little Angel(Official)

Big Merino Release New Single and Album ‘Sweet Little Angel’

John Kennedy Raining Treasure Tour Update

UPDATE: Mick Hart Adds New Tour Dates

The Sheyana Band Release New Single ‘Soul Sister’

Texas Strangers deliver new single: Always In The Rain

NEW RELEASE: Mick Hart releases new single ‘The Way It Is’