The Mezcaltones Release New Single ‘If I Could Make You See’

January 6, 2023

In the lead up to the band’s no less than 10 live performances at this years Tamworth Country Music Festival here’s the first cut from the forthcoming album.

Key dates
Jan 13 ‘If I could make you see’ digital single release(all platforms)
Jan 14 – 21 CD Album Agave Soiree Pre release available exclusively at Tamworth Live shows
March 1 CD Official release available via MGM
March 17 Digital Release Album Agave Soiree

Lyrically, ‘If I Could Make You See’ is an old story told with a twenty first century bias. Instead of the typical “Man goes off working while woman pines away waiting for his return“, it’s the man left behind to pine and wonder if his love will ever come back. This track bounces comfortably along on the back of some tasty Mezcaltones style bluegrass riffory. While the rhythm section lays down some Buck Owens/Buckaroos vibes, the modal guitar solo gives a respectful nod to the late 60’s Byrds/Flying Burrito Brothers’ style.

Classic country Mezcaltones style on this first cut from the new album for 2023 specially released for the Tamworth Music Festival. A tight snappy rhythm track with plenty of hooky country twang guitar. Col’s signature vocals and some catchy backing vocals in the chorus – what more do you need!

WHAT IS IT WITH THE MEZCALTONES?
Four guys dressed as cowboys and two women dressed like Spanish Mexican Señoritas that you might find in a Quentin Tarantino movie – two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, a crazy front man and a beautiful dancer/percussionist.
Whilst their original songs have an alt country rockin’ blues flavour, the guitar tones also reach into the realms of 60’s surf instrumentals. With the band’s slick look and sharp costumes, THE MEZCALTONES are there to entertain.

THE MEZCALTONES comprise 6 experienced musicians who came together through their love of cool country rockin’ blues, and get down and get dirty Tex Mex sounds.

Don Juan – Texan Time Keeper with a Smooth Tequila Feel
Col Padre – Raspy Lead Vocals dripping with Desert Soul
El Shango – Lead Guitar possessed with tangy, psychedelic blues, magic finger licks
Lucre – Mezcaltonic Groovin’ Bass Sounds
Mimi – Spicy Seductress who shakes it like a Rattle Snake
Neralita – Queen of Southern Rhythm Strummin’

The Mezcaltones have previously played six Tamworth Country Festivals; Groundwater CMF; Sydney Blues & Roots Festival; Dashville Skyline Festival. Their latest album Mexican Hillbilly Surf Music debuted Top 10 in the Australian Blues & Roots charts.

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Celebrate Christmas with Gareth Koch’s Instrumental Guitar Album

December 14, 2022

Imagine timeless European Christmas music played instrumentally, as if upon a choir of lutes. Ancient & exquisite songs, deep within the human psyche, are now newly arranged by ARIA Award winning guitarist Gareth Koch. The interpretations reveal his signature blend of contemporary flair laced with medieval sensibilities.

The arrangements are both elegant & appealing, sidestepping any notion of commercialised Christmas clichés. Re-imagined as troubadour-like ballads or tender Austrian folk songs, each carol receives a unique treatment. The listener is invited into an array of soundworlds, ranging from the early medieval to English folk-revival.

The music of this album leads us away from the bustle of many modern realities. Instead, we are drawn into a gentler universe, filled with subtlety & nuance. In any year, at any time, this album presents a Christmas message we all need to hear.

Song Descriptions
Little Drummer Boy
This timeless mid-tempo classic Christmas carol is dealt with not just using multiple classical guitar parts but with hand percussion and rice shakers.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
A very old piece, dated to the 16th century and referred to in Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’. Gareth recreates the vocal melody perfectly and becomes a terrific hum along piece. Bass guitar rounds out the arrangement featuring multiple guitars: acoustic, nylon string and electric creating a lush sonic tapestry.

About Gareth Koch
Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a diverse repertory across multiple albums spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects & song writing.
Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects. Over the past two years he has released two collaborative albums with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church).

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Jack Nolan Releases New Single ‘Reading Minds’

December 9, 2022

READING MINDS is the second cut from Jack’s next LP set for release March ’23. This is a farewell, a song that sees the flag at half-mast.

There’s a backstory, and in this one instance, I’ve decided to repeat it. We were two little boys with our families buying ice creams. I was more friendly with his younger brother in my schoolyear, but on this day, I recall a tap on the shoulder, to turn around & watch my soon to be friend reach into a cabinet to take a handful of cigarette lighters. It was right then, that very act of delinquency, where I thought “he’s going to be my friend”
We became best friends, and we were lucky to survive as long as we did.

Cut to 1994, we’d reached a nadir & I ended the ride, I wanted him to join me, and for a while he did, but jail cells and more catastrophe awaited him.
It’s been a while now, but yea, he’s been on my mind. Where is he? Maybe he’s in the Bardo. Is it addiction, is it mental illness, is it both? Who knows.
I know for the last five years or so he’d spent a lot of time in and out of a psychosis of some sort, things were said, we lost touch, but we both know what the truth is.

Nobody likes talking about suicide, but I’ve come to thinking that maybe he couldn’t help it, and that horrific act serves as the ultimate statement of the failures we’ve all created, where the only way out for some of us, is to end it.
There’s simply no way to try and make sense of it all but maybe a song will help. Reading Minds is a deep pulse, delivered by the brilliant Jimmy Paxon @jimmypaxon & Chris ‘Cowboy’ Auty @autbra11 that floats my eerie Gretsch finger picker around a masterful Justin Weaver @notnotweaver soundscape & production.

“Farewell friend
Sleep softly now
Sleep softly I will be
Lost in a dream myself
Yeah maybe it was me
That made my mind up like a fool
Call me that don’t call me cruel
It could be worse it could be me
You are reading minds”

Music was our first and lasting bond, I know he would have loved this track.

Basic Credits
By Jack Nolan
Produced by Justin Weaver
Recorded @ Welcome to 1979 Nashville, February, 2022
Engineered by Chris Mara
Mixed by Mitch Furr @ Early Bird Studio Nashville
Mastered by Bobbi Giel @ Welcome to 1979

Personnel Credits
Jack Nolan – Vocals & guitars
Justin Weaver – Electric & acoustic guitars
Jimmy Paxson – Drums & percussion
Chris Autry – Bass guitar

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Julie-Anne Marshall Releases New Single ‘Beautiful Life’

December 2, 2022

‘Beautiful Life’ is the latest single release by singer-songwriter and multi-genre artist Julie-Anne Marshall.

Its already sitting in at #2 on the soundslikecafe spotify playlist.

The song is an upbeat toe-tapper, wind-in-your-hair kind of song.
It has a hint of Nashville sound with guitar and piano supported by sweet and bright vocal harmonies. Julie-Anne continues to surprise us with her ability to move about genres – both in her songwriting and her vocals.
We’re sure this song will be perfect listening for those summer days.

Originally from Adelaide, Julie-Anne is now based in Melbourne. She is a multi-genre artist encompassing pop, rock, blues, soul, folk, alternative, ballads and smooth jazz – all sitting under the umbrella of Easy Listening. Her vocal style is earthy yet ethereal. Her songs melodic and lyric driven.

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Jack Nolan Releases Single ‘Dollar’

November 4, 2022

When it was just you and me, broke, young, and free, that’s love. No houses, no fast cars, no responsibilities.

“And she loved me like no other / When I did not have one dollar / Not a dollar / On me”

They say when you’re on a good thing, stick to it – so why not go back to Nashville, it worked out perfectly pre-pandemic, why not post-pandemic? And what better way to add a bit of hope to 2022 than a 12 string guitar and a nod to the mighty Wilbury’s? Listen out for Justin Weaver’s jangling 12 string intro to herald the first track release from Jack’s upcoming 2023’s album Jindabyne.

Dollar is a story about hope and knowing things would work out just fine.

“See my reputation follow / When I did not have a dollar / Not a dollar / On me”

An up-tempo acoustic/band based track akin to Paul Kelly from Jack Nolan as the debut single from his forthcoming album. The tune moves along very smoothly with some sweet backing vocals, catchy guitar riffs and Jack’s story telling vocals. A hooky chorus sets the spot on vibe of this one.

Based in Sydney, Australia, singer songwriter Jack Nolan has been performing and releasing music since the mid 1990’s. Along with a five-album solo catalogue Jack also fronted The Kelly Gang, with Rick Grossman, bassist for The Divinyls and Hoodoo Gurus along with Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst and guitar player Martin Rotsey. Their 2004 album Looking for the Sun was critically adored along with their energetic live shows.

Once quaintly described as ‘Darlinghurst Country’, his sound unites elements of folk, country, rock ‘n’ roll and ambient atmospheres fusing Nolan’s passion for intensely charged electric guitar and finger-picked acoustic guitar.

The critically acclaimed 2018 album ‘Our Waverley Star’ was followed up by the equally impressive ‘Gabriel’. It was these two American outings that cemented Nolan’s love of Nashville and built from a connection with guitarist/producer Justin Weaver that started with a one-off phone call and developed into an alliance that Nolan describes as ‘Team America’. What’s now become a regular jaunt is an opportunity for Nolan to get away from all the distractions of home, and “arrive in town, in the northern winter, when everyone’s off the road, with my swag of songs to greet all the boys again to collaborate”.

Jack’s new album – JINDABYNE – is set for release in early 2023. This album has waited in the wings while lockdowns and rules meant the guitar took on a whole new meaning. “I arrived home from Nashville in early March 2020 with ‘Gabriel’ ready for mastering. One week later, the world turned on its axis and – lockdown. This created a sense of urgency in me, so I made a conscious decision not to waste the time and went to work writing JINDABYNE. As soon as the plane could fly I was booked and took off back to the US”.

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Halfway Homebuoy Release Single ‘1000 Others’

November 4, 2022

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’.

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.

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US Band Blackfox Release Album ‘Embers’

November 1, 2022

Featuring the songs of lead vocalist and guitarist Stacey Cargal, the album charts a muscular and atmospheric guitar-heavy course through dark Southern Gothic characters and lyrical landscapes.

A true ‘band album’, the tracks are buoyed by exquisite and far-ranging guitar work by Cargal and Ryan Taylor, tasty and musical drumming of Mitch Sosebee, melodic and funky bass of album producer Greg Wright, sonic seasonings and glue from keyboardist/synthesist Jim Combs, and vocal harmonies by Monica Arrington, Andy Gish, and Kendra Bentle Rainey.

“Blackfox play sludgy, guitar-driven rock rooted in a kind of grungy blues that’s dirty yet melodic…they hold their ground, keep the mood dark and eerie, and wait until just the right moment to unleash a blistering solo that’s just plain nasty.” – Latest Disgrace

“As original music gets more difficult to peg with the usual genre signifiers, the challenge to accurately describe what one is hearing gets a bit dicey. Blackfox, an Atlanta band comprised of veterans of the community, pretty much defies any specific labels, while touching on so many in unique ways. At times as sinister as black metal, but then shifting to more melodic and palatable tone, Blackfox maintains an edge that keeps the listener on edge, while providing an entertaining and satisfying experience.” – Creative Loafing

“With a sound reminiscent of early new wave bands (think U2, Simple Minds, and Modern English) performed with an understanding of the British blues bands before them, Blackfox have melded the two styles together to offer a contemporary and original sound.” – Tony Paris, Creative Loafing

Song Descriptions

“What About You” roars out of the gate with a tale of personal darkness and human connection.

“Follow Me On Down” is a hook-ladened rumination on standing up to fears with a sort of Buffalo Springfield meets Eurythmics vibe.

“To Be Real” is a vocal tour de force in a Muscle Shoals vein about the power of two.

“From The Inside” slows things down and gets spooky ala tales of mystery and imagination.

“Strange Anymore” contemplates the aftermath of losing a friend.

“Ah Ah Ah” reconciles a broken relationship.

“Monsoon” drops us into a swampy lake of emotions and commitments.

“I Wonder” is a classic boy-meets-girl, girl-meets-boy song featuring Andy Gish on duet vocal.

“The Night Comes” is a cinematic romp through art rock territory with flanged drums, screaming guitar, and mellotron.

Title track “Embers” is a power ballad about bitter-sweet remembrances down by the river.

“I Need To Know” closes out the album with a simple song about the impact one person can have on another.

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

October 27, 2022

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.

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).

OUT NOW – on Foghorn/MGM CD and Digital

Vinyl LP to come early 2023

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Steve Williams Releases New Album ‘Deja Vu’

October 21, 2022

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.
Steve Williams (Wa Wa Nee, Matt Finish, Choirboys) ‘Deja Vu’ has songs ranging from Glam Rock, Funk and Blues
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, before relocating 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.

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Darlene Koldenhoven Releases New Album ‘Traveling the Blissful Highway’

October 4, 2022

The New Album is due out OCTOBER 14 with the first single Cheerful Mohana already on our playlist this one is gold for relaxing and chilling in downtime

Travel with GRAMMY® Winner and three time GRAMMY® 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. There are 53:46 minutes of colorful timbres and some nature sounds to keep you balanced, focused, refreshed, and joyfully relaxed. 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.”

The first single from the album (and first track), “Cheerful Mohana” dropped July 15, 2022.

“Cheerful Mohana” recently received a nomination from the Hollywood Music in Media Awards for Best Ambient/New Age (ceremony 11/14/22 and won Best World Music Recording from the Indie Music Channel Awards.

Mohana means morning raga (scale) in India and is known there to have the power to calm down anxiety and soothe the depressed state of mind. Venugopala Raju, whom Darlene worked with while performing in Bangalore, India a few years ago, plays tablas and an array of Indian percussion. Ron Korb from Toronto, Canada who plays flute and the Indian bansari has also shared the stage with Darlene in Mumbai, India. Using delicate, multi-layered sounds, Darlene performs her composition and arrangements on keyboard synths, adding a touch of her syllabic singing as part of the ensemble, driving it to its cheerful finale.

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 – Traveling the Blissful Highway is Out October 14

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