Julie-Anne Marshall – Featured Artist Interview

May 27, 2022

The new single from Julie-Anne Marshall Let Go has just been added to the soundslikecafe digital espresso playlist and we spoke to her about her music on the interview below

Julie-Anne says “I have learnt to embrace the fluidity of my songwriting and that I am a multifaceted artist…the song says to me, ‘ready’ and I say ‘yep, where are we going this time?’”

‘Let Go’ features slide guitar and piano matched with sassy earthy vocals. She has teamed up again with Matt Williams (from Adelaide) to record a song that is forlorn but also defiant in feel.

Soundslikecafe recently spoke to Julie-Anne about her musical journey

Tell us a little about your writing process, how does a song come along? What gets you going creatively?

It can differ, but my general process is the words and melody come as one in my head when I’m just going about life thinking about something. I can hear it in my head as a song. So, I grab my voice memo and get it down. I then expand it with more lyrics, decide on verses, chorus, structure and make handwritten notes. Then I start putting the chords/music behind it. ‘Let Go’ was different. I was going into the studio and I wanted to write a new song about where I was at. I tried for a few days and nothing came, so I let it be. Then one night I got on my piano and thought if something comes, it comes. I knew inside what I wanted to express. I started on the piano and the words and melody and chords all came at once. Within 30mins I had a song. Tweaks came later.

2. What is the first record you bought and why?

Pretty in Pink soundtrack album. I loved all the songs in the movie – from INXS to The Smiths.

3. What current/new Artists/Bands inspire you and why?

It feels at the moment that everything old is new again, but I also enjoy discovering new Aussie artists and the SLC playlist is a great place to do that.

4. What is the one thing you want/need that you think will make you a successful artist? Why?

Success has a different meaning to everyone, that said, I would say ‘courage’. As an artist all the other things are a given. Love, passion, determination, persistence, dedication, etcetera. But, courage, it takes you to places that you wouldn’t go if you let fear (yours or others) stop you.

5. What are your future plans for 2022/2023

I have two more singles ready for release, they’ll be coming out in the next few months. I’ll also be in rehearsals to get ready for live performances. Exciting times ahead in my new city Melbourne.

Hear the song

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Steve Kilbey – New Solo Album – Eleven Women

August 28, 2020 Leave a comment

STEVE KILBEY PRESENTS HIS FIRST SOLO ALBUM FOR 2020 – ELEVEN WOMEN

Catch the new LIVE SHOW – click image for tix.

Checkout The Latest Review

We’ve become used to seeing many of our favourite artists and acts taking advantage of their enforced isolation to complete albums or other musical projects that might normally have been put aside to fulfil touring obligations, but Steve Kilbey was already well into perhaps his most prolific period to date beforeCOVID overwhelmed us. This year already there have two albums in collaboration with Gareth Koch, another with Kate Ceberano and now comes a solo album, Eleven Women. All the collaborations in which Kilbey has been involved over the past couple of decades have certainly helped him push his muse beyond the expected pop/rock references points, but at the end of the day he’s still the archetypal pop sponge; his love of ‘60s psychedelia and artists like The Beatles and Bowie with a dash of The Small Faces remains paramount, the more exotic elements absorbed providing quirky flourishes and whimsical embellishments – which makes for a very accessible and enjoyable classic record. The references, musical and literary, are replete and once in a while they quite cheeky – Birdeeneven sees Kilbey toss in a little reference to Abba’s ‘Money Money Money’. While the title suggests this collection presents Kilbey’s musings on a variety of women, historical, literary and some perhaps even actual, he’s happy to toss in something more oblique – ‘Lillian in Cerulean Blue’ for instance references a brand of metallic paint, while the aforementioned ‘Birdeen’ seems to be about particularly greedy lorikeet. So Mary Shelley is name-checked in ‘Poppy Byron’, though of course Kilbey’s Mary “was watchin’ the telly/on SBS it was in Mandarin”. Elsewhere he advises his listeners not to cross the “bewitching” ‘Doris McAllister’. Kilbey’s lyrics have never been straightforward of course. The fun has always been to test his listeners, to tease them with possible meanings – and so too with Eleven Women. Professionally enigmatic? Perhaps – and why not?

MICHAEL SMITH

NEW INTERVIEW ON THE EVE OF RELEASE WITH ARUN FROM BACKSEAT MAFIA

Meet: We chat with Steve Kilbey from The Church about celebrating 40 years, acting ‘European’, the fruits of isolation and we review his new solo album

Steve Kilbey has created a fine new album for 2020. His first solo release for an astoundingly creative year reveals a dazzling array of songs brimming with ideas, personality & effervescence. The collection is at once whimsical yet personal, and in a masterful sleight of hand Kilbey’s Eleven Women are not quite as one might expect.

The album leads us through a shimmering whirlwind of encounters. After the disarming love song Baby Poewe are plunged headlong into the dark world of Doris McAllister, an evil witch who takes us ‘by the bells’. We are regaled by the Celtic wistfulness of Josephineas she forbearingly awaits her ‘wine & roses’ while Birdeen, a greedy lorikeet with a sweet tooth, beguiles us with infectious bounce & colour.

Eleven Womenis full of melodic invention & lyrical surprises. Singling out tracks for special mention is frankly impossible since this album consists entirely of highlights. Amongst these bijous however the timelessly beautiful Think of Youshines brightly. This song has the unmistakeable stamp of eternity & evokes a sense of having existed since music began.

From the album’s opening salvo it is clear we are in the most capable of hands. Steve Kilbey is a veteran song writer at the very height of his creative powers.

“Steve Kllbey was born in England a long time ago and arrived in Australia as a ten pound pom with his parents in 1957. in 1980 he formed The Church who have gone on to have many hit singles including Unguarded Moment, Almost with You and international best seller Under The Milky Way. Their 1988 album Starfish sold over one million copies in America alone. Kilbey has released many solo albums and collaborations making him one of the most prolific songwriters in the world. He acts , paints , writes books and juggles dangerous objects . He lives in Coogee Beach NSW and is hoping to one day own a Daschund .”

ELEVEN WOMEN SEPTEMBER 4 via FOGHORN/MGM.

Streaming

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Tailor Birds NEW ALBUM – Where Will We Go To Break Free From The Crows

October 26, 2018 Leave a comment

tailor birds-crows-Artwork high resnewWEB

Sophie Kinston is Tailor Birds.
Tailor Birds newest album is music that soothes the soul, warms the spirit, and ignites your passion.
Even though the content is 6 songs they are each a 7-10 minute ‘Piece’ forming an album length body of work. Following the success of the previous work ‘Stilts on the Water’ (a single 40 minute piece) this release explores further electro/folk/world territory with more instrumentation such as Piano and Flute added to the already lush soundscape. Recorded in various studios throughout Europe while on tour and mixed and mastered at Damien Gerard Studios Sydney the sonic quality is exceptional.

In Sophie’s own words, “Tailor Birds combines electronic violin, live looping, foley art, percussion, and rich harmonised vocals, to create a sound like no other. A sound that is all about the vibe and positive energy, building an audience that is as diverse as much as it is one, you could say that Sophie is a traveling troubadour. She believes that music should not just be about playing one gig after another with just the music making an impact, but is also o about connecting people to something good again, in a world that is constantly changing. Music needs to inspire and placing Tailor Birds in a space that can do just that, it makes an impact greater than you could ever imagine.”

“Faint echoes of Kate Bush here, Enya there but really like neither and often much spookier”
–Michael Smith – Rhythms Magazine

Tailor Birds’ key influences are Sigur Ros, the Kronos Quartet, Bear’s Den, Chet Faker and more.
-=Sophie Kinston

Tailor Birds is currently touring through Australia.

Friday October 26 – Miama Marketta, Miami QLD

Saturday October 27 – Storytellers Festival, Raymond Terrace, NSW

Saturday November 3 – The Sound Society, Rainforest Green, South Bank Parklands, Brisbane QLD

Sunday November 4 – Peregian Beach Markets, QLD

Saturday November 17 – Cooran Acoustic Night, Cooran QLD

Connect with Tailor Birds

Tania De Jong – Australian Soprano – New Album – Flying Free

August 2, 2017 Leave a comment

Flying Free is a classical crossover recording bringing together the angelic voice of soprano Tania de Jong with the virtuosic genius of pianist, composer and arranger Anthony Barnhill. Also appearing on the album is one of Australia’s most acclaimed violinists Zoe Black and baritone Jonathan Morton. The album has been recorded with some of Australia’s leading musicians.

The album includes originals Flying Free and The Everlasting Light with compositions by Barnhill and lyrics by de Jong. There are also reinventions of some gorgeous standards including Shenandoah and Danny Boy and sacred songs including two versions of Ave Maria, Panis Angelicus and the Yiddish prayer Avinu Malkeinu. This incantation seeks compassion and peace and an end to war and famine, hate and oppression. Very timely in a world that is ever more divided.

The recording features the work of Schubert, Handel, Caccini, Dvorak, Lehar, Korngold and Gershwin though not always in the way you may expect. There is a divine and timeless nature to these incredible works and Barnhill has created some magical re-inventions.

The songs speak of love, compassion, hope, peace and light, which are very relevant to Tania’s inspirational work as Founder of Creativity Australia’s With One Voice. These innovative programs use the neuro-scientific benefits of singing and bring the fortunate and the marginalised together as ONE community to reduce growing inequality and create a sense of ‘WE’ rather than the current ‘us and them’ environment.

FLYING FREE RELEASE DETAILS
Official Worldwide Release Date Flying Free Single July 21(MGM) Digital Only
Flying Free Album Release September 1 (MGM) CD and Digital(14 tracks)

Flying Free

Tracklist

Flying Free [4:50]
Shenandoah [4:16]
Avinu Malkeinu [3:46]
Ave Maria [4:17]
Panis Angelicus [3:22]
Ombra mai fu [2:46]
Ave Maria [4:17]
Song to the Moon [4:38]
Danny Boy [4:38]
Summertime [2:45]
La vie en rose [3:53]
Vilja Lied [3:07]

Plus Bonus tracks- 13. Glück das mir verblieb [4:42]
14. Everlasting Light [4:25]

-Social media links
https://twitter.com/TaniadeJong
https://www.facebook.com/taniadejongam

-Official site
http://www.taniadejong.com

YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCo1xm_Sdslk7MytjEHO73Q

Norah Jones – Day Breaks

October 12, 2016 Leave a comment

Norah Jones has come full circle with Day Breaks, a remarkable new album that finds her returning to her jazz roots while also proving her to be this era’s quintessential American artist, the purveyor of an unmistakably unique sound that weaves together the threads of several bedrock styles of American music: country, folk, rock, soul, jazz. Day Breaks is a kindred spirit to Come Away With Me, though it is unquestionably the work of a mature artist who has lived life and grown immensely in her craft. The album features jazz luminaries including saxophonist Wayne Shorter, organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, and drummer Brian Blade who played on Norah’s debut album and became the backbone (and backbeat) of the new album. Day Breaks is a set of 9 originals written or co-written by Jones whose themes range from love in all its guises to the socio-political, as well as 3 covers of songs by Horace Silver (“Peace”), Duke Ellington (“Fleurette Africaine”) and Neil Young (“Don’t Be Denied”).

Get the album here: itunes.apple.com/au/album/day-breaks

Track List

Burn (4:38)
Tragedy (4:14)
Flipside (3:41)
It’s A Wonderful Time for Love (3:53)
And Then There Was You (3:05)
Don’t Be Denied (5:36)
Day Breaks (3:57)
Peace (5:15)
Once I Had A Laugh (3:12)
Sleeping Wild (3:07)
Carry On (2:48)
Fleurette Africaine (African Flower) (5:21)

Links

www.norahjones.com

www.facebook.com/norahjones

www.twitter.com/NorahJones

Josh Johnstone – Call In Whispers

July 13, 2016

After being based in Melbourne and touring throughout the east coast of Australia, he USA, Europe, and Asia in his various bands for several years, Josh moved back to his home town of Fremantle in 2012. For the past 12 months, Josh has been busy in the studio writing and recording his debut album ‘Call in Whispers’ with Eskimo Joe’s Joel Quartermain. The now completed album was released in April 2016 and is by far Josh’s best work to date. Two singles from the album have just been released; ‘Rain Dancer’ and ‘Front Light’ both of which you will find online with a little help from Google… and if you don’t, then you will just have to go and see it performed live.

Get the new album here:

iTunes – itunes.apple.com/call-in-whispers

CD Baby – cdbaby.com/callinwhispers

Spotify – open.spotify.com/callinwhispers

Track List: