The Mezcaltones Release Album ‘Big Hat No Cattle’

"The Mezcaltones Release Album ‘Big Hat No Cattle’"

Big Hat, No Cattle is the fifth studio album from the Mezcaltones and it comes together for an early 2025 release.

The Mezcaltones’ songs are mined from the rich seam of Alt Country, Roots, Rockin’ Blues and Surf Guitar with a nod to two of their favourite artists; and it’s all wrapped up in their inimitable Mezcaltones Hillbilly Surf Music Style.

Big Hat, No Cattle was recorded at Damien Gerard studios in West Gosford with Andrew Beck at the engineering controls; mixed by Russell Pilling; mastered by William Bowden; produced by the Mezcaltones; and artwork by Stephen Awdry & Melinda Nassif.

The CD is available for purchase at gigs and The Mezcaltones website or can be streamed via your favourite online format.

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Northern Beaches Band The Mezcaltones perform regularly at Sydney venues – The Orient (The Rocks), Marrickville Bowlo, Collaroy Beach Club, Brighton RSL to name a few. They have also performed at eight Tamworth Country Music Festivals; Groundwater CMF; Blues on Broadbeach; Sydney Blues & Roots Festival; Dashville Skyline Festival; and Greazefest.

Their last album ‘Agave Soirée’ entered the Australian Blues and Roots airplay charts at #7 before spending five months embedded in the Top 20.

Their sound can be difficult to describe – mixing original songs with rare tracks you might find on Robert Rodriguez/Tarantino movies or B-Grade 60’s Sci-Fi Flicks the guitars are richly infused with surf tones and 60’s Twang served up with a healthy dose of Cowpunk brashness. One booker described them as “Mexican Hillbilly Surf Music”. One punter said “lf Johnny Cash surfed he’d have sounded like you guys”.

Their antics are captivating. The band is fronted by vocalist Col Padre (who engages in tongue in cheek choreography) and dancer/singer/percussionist Mimi. Mimi is renowned for her routines involving gymnastic ribbons used as whips, hula hoops, fans and whatever else she can lay her hands on. Big Daddy K from 2RRR’S Sydney Sounds show described the Mezcaltones as the best live band in Sydney.

The costumes make for an outstanding visual – four guys dressed as party hire Cowboys and two girls dressed as Spanish gunslingers with several minor costume changes throughout the show involving masks, veils and mirror shades. Sounds corny… sure is.

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Steve Kilbey & The Winged Heels Release Album ‘The Road To Tibooburra’

"Steve Kilbey & The Winged Heels Release Album ‘The Road To Tibooburra’"

Steve Kilbey: During the early days of Covid 19, I met a guy called Julian who asked me to be in a short silent film he was making called ‘Space Junk’. ‘Space Junk’ was about a stranger (moi) who comes to a remote-ish Australian town during the pandemic and has a number of adventures including aliens and angry villagers and other various kinds of weirdness.

The film got kinda finished and had a couple of screenings in a room but then seemed to be abandoned and never properly completed. Julian then repurposed it for a musical about a washed-up and ageing rockstar called Lord Jim (moi again) who takes a strange crew off to Tibooburra searching for his comeback.

Julian asked me to write all of the songs for the musical, which I did and enjoyed doing too. I recorded them all with a wonderful band of players who also appear on my albums 11 Women and The Hall of Counterfeits, whom I dubbed the Winged Heels.

Well then after sitting in the can for ages I have decided to release this weird collection of tunes. They are in no particular order so you’ll just have to figure it all out for yourself. Or just make up your own plot and story and sit back and enjoy. I have also thrown into the mix some contemporaneous songs I was working on with the Heels at the time but I now look upon them as perhaps part of the musical and let you try to make some sense of all this.

Steve Kilbey, band singer, songwriter, bassist, painter, writer, poet, actor, sage, dispenser of
arcane wisdom is one of Australia’s most loved artists.

The popular song “Under the Milky Way” won the “Best Single of the Year” award at the
Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) awards event in 1989. For his work with
The Church, Kilbey then accepted, together with his bandmates, an induction into the ARIA
Hall of Fame.

Steve got his first bass guitar at age 16, joined a band at 18 and went on to form a number of different groups before forming The Church in 1980. He has gone on to release many solo albums and collaborations with recording artists from around the globe.

“Kilbey’s solo recordings are challenging and evocative. . . joyous and dreamy to saturnine
and sardonic” – Ian McFarlane.

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Gareth Koch and All India Radio Release ‘Song For Philip Glass’

"Gareth Koch and All India Radio Release ‘Song For Philip Glass’"

Philip Glass looms large as a pioneer & exponent of the minimalist movement in 20th century music. In ‘Song for Philip Glass’ Gareth recorded a series of repeated sequences to emulate the Glass style, gradually adding layers of classical guitar, acoustic guitar & bass. Each of the sequences is preserved throughout the track & the layering of new motifs, or ‘riffs’, generates the evolution of the track. ‘Song for Philip Glass’ seeks to evoke the spirit of the composer’s work, while integrating pop, folk & ambient music styles.

Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

All India Radio have created shimmering aural edifices that cross genres across 30+ releases since the late 1990s. All India Radio albums have featured cameos from many of Kennedy’s favourites: Steve Kilbey (The Church), prog metal legend Devin Townsend, Ed Kuepper (The Saints), Graham Lee (The Triffids), and David Bridie (Not Drowning Waving).  Martin’s music has featured in CSI, One Tree Hill, The Lying Game, Emmerdale, Bondi Rescue and many more.

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Refinery Drive Release Single ‘Headlights’

"Refinery Drive Release Single ‘Headlights’"

Sydney pop-punk band Refinery Drive are a passionate mix of attitude, power and energy. Their unique sound blends pop, punk, metalcore and jazz. They’ve been referred to as the “Aussie Paramore” and definitely draw inspiration from Tonight Alive and New Found Glory.

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Their single ‘Promises’ released in early 2024 set a fresh tone for the band and picked up Triple J airplay courtesy of Josh Merriel. Their follow-up release ‘Fool Me Twice’ premiered on Triple J Unearthed TOPS, was featured as Unearthed Track of the Day and received Triple J airplay courtesy of Ebony Jade. Their latest single “Headlights” released in early 2025 found it’s way to Apple Music’s “The New Rock” editorial playlist.

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The Mezcaltones Release Single ‘City Lights’

"The Mezcaltones Release Single ‘City Lights’"

Don’t worry if you missed their sell out run at Tamworth Music Festival last month , you can catch The Mighty Mezcaltones at any of the following dates:

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The latest single ‘City Lights’ from The Mezcaltones’ fifth studio album is Chapter One of ‘The Trials of Don and Jenny’. This swampy tune about north coast surfers visiting the emerald city is a cautionary tale about moths and flames.

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Northern Beaches Band The Mezcaltones perform regularly at Sydney venues – The Orient (The Rocks), Marrickville Bowlo, Collaroy Beach Club, Brighton RSL to name a few. They have also performed at eight Tamworth Country Music Festivals; Groundwater CMF; Blues on Broadbeach; Sydney Blues & Roots Festival; Dashville Skyline Festival; and Greazefest.

Their last album ‘Agave Soirée’ entered the Australian Blues and Roots airplay charts at #7 before spending five months embedded in the Top 20. The band are putting the finishing touches to their fifth album ‘Big Hat No Cattle’, scheduled for release in March.

Their sound can be difficult to describe – mixing original songs with rare tracks you might find on Robert Rodriguez/Tarantino movies or B-Grade 60’s Sci-Fi Flicks the guitars are richly infused with surf tones and 60’s Twang served up with a healthy dose of Cowpunk brashness. One booker described them as “Mexican Hillbilly Surf Music”. One punter said “lf Johnny Cash surfed he’d have sounded like you guys”.

Their atics are captivating. The band is fronted by vocalist Col Padre (who engages in tongue in cheek choreography) and dancer/singer/percussionist Mimi. Mimi is renowned for her routines involving gymnastic ribbons used as whips, hula hoops, fans and whatever else she can lay her hands on. Big Daddy K from 2RRR’S Sydney Sounds show described the Mezcaltones as the best live band in Sydney.

 The costumes make for an outstanding visual – four guys dressed as party hire Cowboys and two girls dressed as Spanish gunslingers with several minor costume changes throughout the show involving masks, veils and mirror shades. Sounds corny… sure is.

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The Bentley Project Releases Album ‘Kind As The Shade’

"The Bentley Project Releases Album ‘Kind As The Shade’"

“Kind As The Shade” is an Ambient Tone Poem and expression of love for the Earth inspired by the epic American poet John Neihardt and his poem, “The Sound My Spirit Calls You”.

As you listen, notice the hints of early music combined with Impressionism and romanticism. These influences blend with world music, traditional New Age music and jazz chords to create a hauntingly beautiful ambient album.

“The Bentley Project music is magnificent! It is so hauntingly beautiful that it makes me unexplainably emotional. Their music gives me a soothing, ethereal backdrop to everything I am doing and makes me feel like everything is going to be ok. I love the group’s amazing talent and appreciate them sharing it with the world! “

– Linessa, The Frazier Collaborative, Founder

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The Bentley Project is an innovative harp and guitar duo that seamlessly blends the sounds of new age, classical, and folk music. Formed in 2018 and based in Parkville, Missouri, the group features the combined talents of Theresa and Mark Bentley. Together, they compose, record, and perform throughout the Midwest, bringing a distinctive fusion of traditional and contemporary sounds to venues large and small.

A classically trained musician, Theresa Bentley performs on Celtic Lever Harp, Pedal Harp, Italian Baroque triple harp, synthesizers, piano, and voice. Holding a Bachelor of Music from the University of Missouri-Columbia and an MBA in Finance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, her experience includes membership in The Kansas City Symphony Chorus, The Kansas City Chamber Orchestra, and The St. Joseph Symphony, as well as engagements with The Kansas City Symphony, Roger Daltrey, Ray Charles, and John Tesh’s Olympic Orchestra. She currently serves as a driving force behind The Bentley Project’s creative output.

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Mark Bentley, owner of Bentley Guitar Studios, is accomplished on classical and acoustic guitars, mandolin, Baroque guitar, and ukulele. With a Bachelor of Music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, he has served as a Professor of Guitar at Missouri Western State College and Park University. His professional history includes roles as the Kansas City Hyatt Regency’s staff guitarist and as a touring artist for the Missouri Arts Council, performing throughout the United States and Europe.

Produced by Bentley Guitar Studios, The Bentley Project offers listeners a refined yet adventurous musical experience that spans centuries and continents. Their performances invite audiences to “listen with intent,” capturing the essence of an ambient, soulful journey in sound.

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Matthew Labarge Releases Album ‘Windy Starry Blue’

"Matthew Labarge Releases Album ‘Windy Starry Blue’"

The sky is never bluer than on a crystal clear evening half an hour or so after the winter sun has gone below the horizon. The moon won’t be up for hours yet and the heavens express a sweet melancholy.

On my last visit to Montreal, I spent time in four fantastically beautiful cathedrals and recorded ambient sound in each of them. The music of Windy Starry Blue is built on these sounds.

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Matthew Labarge has released seven albums of solo piano music, eight albums of mixed instruments as Larkenlyre, and an album of pirate-themed lounge music as Cane Bay Cabaret. He works tirelessly in a tiny studio in Blacksburg, Virginia to bring you albums that unfold like a novel, are worth listening to carefully, and still yield new insights after many listens.

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Orchestra Indigo Releases Album ‘Hearing Visions’

"Orchestra Indigo Releases Album ‘Hearing Visions’"

Hearing Visions is a deeply emotive and sonically transcendent journey crafted by Orchestra Indigo. Inspired by the artist’s mother, who experienced vivid aural hallucinations in the decade preceding her dementia diagnosis, this album explores the mysterious interplay between memory, imagination, and sound. Her “visions” of orchestras, Christmas carols, and fleeting melodies—sounds she often joyfully embraced—became a profound source of inspiration for this evocative release.

Blurring the lines between the real and the imagined, Hearing Visions invites listeners into a world where music acts as a bridge to the subconscious, a way to connect to beauty and solace even amidst life’s most challenging transitions. Lush orchestral layers, ethereal melodies, and an undercurrent of heartfelt nostalgia come together to create a soundscape that is as meditative as it is emotionally stirring.

Through its blend of serene harmonies and evocative instrumentation, Hearing Visions reflects not only the wonder of its inspiration but also celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the healing power of music. Orchestra Indigo has created a work that resonates deeply with anyone who has found solace in sound and seeks to honor the invisible threads that connect us through memory and love.

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The fascinating story behind the emergence of new age artist Orchestra Indigo and its beautifully melodic and deeply inspiring debut album Farewell to Memories, has its roots in the lockdown early in the pandemic, when musicians around the world, with their regular gigs suddenly stripped away, were trying to figure out their next creative steps.

Having released his fifth blues rock oriented album Night Songs in February 2020, multi-talented singer/songwriter, guitarist and keyboardist Rick Randlett had every intention of hitting the road in support of the project. That had been his m.o. for years, playing up to 125 regional club and festival dates in and around his adopted home state of Florida for nearly a decade and a half after launching his solo career in 1999 with All Alone. Three of his releases reached the Top Ten on the Roots Music Report charts, and he collaborated on the album Hauntings with fellow blues singer Cassie Keenum in 2017.

Turning his anxiety over the sudden work stoppage into a fresh stream of creativity, he began exploring ambient, new age style compositions on a home studio setup that includes a Mac Book Pro, Studio One for DAW, Roland Juno synthesizer and a Modal Cobalt 8 synthesizer. His first idea was to create short instrumental pieces for music libraries, but besides learning about the fierce competition in that field, he realized there were too many restrictive rules. Rick embraced the freedom of composing longer pieces combining piano melodies with an array of dynamic colors he created using synthesized strings. Extensively researching the new age genre, he realized not only that these pieces he was composing were a perfect fit, but also that the audience for instrumental music was much more expansive than that in the blues world that was his home for so long. In creating his albums, he chose the artist branding name Orchestra Indigo because, after considering various word combinations, he thought it sounded unique and a little mysterious – and he didn’t want to confuse fans of his work in either genre by using his given name on the new age material.

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The Mezcaltones Release Single ‘Big Hat No Cattle’

"The Mezcaltones Release Single ‘Big Hat No Cattle’"

Don’t worry if you missed their sell out run at Tamworth Music Festival last month , you can catch The Mighty Mezcaltones at any of the following dates:

pdf mez

Big Hat No Cattle is a song about that boss that we all had/have. He (generally a he) is not the owner or the manager, maybe a supervisor, but probably not, just been there longer than you – so he’s your BOSS. Definitely a big hat and for sure – no cattle!

Northern Beaches Band The Mezcaltones perform regularly at Sydney venues – The Orient (The Rocks), Marrickville Bowlo, Collaroy Beach Club, Brighton RSL to name a few. They have also performed at eight Tamworth Country Music Festivals; Groundwater CMF; Blues on Broadbeach; Sydney Blues & Roots Festival; Dashville Skyline Festival; and Greazefest.

 Their last album ‘Agave Soirée’ entered the Australian Blues and Roots airplay charts at #7 before spending five months embedded in the Top 20. The band are putting the finishing touches to their fifth album ‘Big Hat No Cattle’, scheduled for release in March. The title track is the first single released on 17 January to coincide with their shows at this years Tamworth County Music Festival.

Screenshot 2025-01-15 at 2.35.09 PM

 Their sound can be difficult to describe – mixing original songs with rare tracks you might find on Robert Rodriguez/Tarantino movies or B-Grade 60’s Sci-Fi Flicks. The guitars are richly infused with surf tones and 60’s Twang served up with a healthy dose of Cowpunk brashness. One booker described them as “Mexican Hillbilly Surf Music”. One punter said “If Johnny Cash surfed he’d have sounded like you guys”.

Their atics are captivating. The band is fronted by vocalist Col Padre (who engages in tongue in cheek choreography) and dancer/singer/percussionist Mimi. Mimi is renowned for her routines involving gymnastic ribbons used as whips, hula hoops, fans and whatever else she can lay her hands on. Big Daddy K from 2RRR’S Sydney Sounds show described the Mezcaltones as the best live band in Sydney.

The costumes make for an outstanding visual – four guys dressed as party hire Cowboys and two girls dressed as Spanish gunslingers with several minor costume changes throughout the show involving masks, veils and mirror shades. Sounds corny… sure is.

TOUR DATES

Date Venue Location
Saturday, 18 January 2025 West Diggers Club Tamworth
Friday, 19 January 2024 West Diggers Club Tamworth
Saturday, 20 January 2024 West Diggers Club Tamworth
Saturday, 18 January 2025 West Diggers Club Tamworth
Friday, 19 January 2024 West Diggers Club Tamworth
Saturday, 20 January 2024 West Diggers Club Tamworth
Saturday, 18 January 2025 West Diggers Club Tamworth
Friday, 19 January 2024 West Diggers Club Tamworth
Sunday, 16 February 2025 Orient Hotel The Rocks
Sunday, 9 March 2025 Marrickville Bowlo Marrickville
Saturday, 15 March 2025 Railway Hotel Hornsby
Sunday, 23 March 2025 Orient Hotel The Rocks

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‘Washed Away’ Solo Piano EP by Sarah Dukes

"‘Washed Away’ Solo Piano EP by Sarah Dukes"

“Washed Away” presents five original piano solos, each a unique musical journey characterized by stirring energy and resonating melodies. This collection was brought to life through a deeply personal journey of loss and healing. The music delves into a range of emotions, from hopeful optimism to introspective contemplation, inviting listeners to connect with the raw emotions expressed. This EP is a testament to the healing power of music, offering an unforgettable listening experience. 

The music of Sarah Dukes is a genuine reflection of Sarah’s dedication to the discipline of composition. Her joyous, yet technical and respectful approach to the piano provides an attractive mix of what piano composition is all about. She is a bright light in the world of solo piano music.”

Matthew MayerOwner/Founder SoloPiano.com

[Sarah’s] music is melodic, graceful, and very expressive…it communicates from one heart to another.”

Kathy Parsons, MainlyPiano.com 

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Sarah Dukes is a mother of six, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in private practice, and an award-winning composer and songwriter. Sarah’s collection of original music is featured on dozens of global radio stations, international airlines’ in-flight entertainment systems, including Singapore Airlines, and can be heard on TV’s number one daytime drama, The Young and the Restless.

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