Jessie-May Kitchen Debut EP Zone Out
"Jessie-May Kitchen Debut EP Zone Out"
Here we present a fantastic new young artist – Jessie May Kitchen
Jessie-May was born in Hobart and grew up on the NSW Central Coast. She started writing songs at five and Performing Arts became her escape from a tough family life.
The debut EP Zone Out follows her successful singles and videos-
Teen Love, Coffee Shop and Star Child from 2018-2019(see YT link below)
Have you ever been so deep in thought that the world disappears and suddenly you are detached from the physical plane, and all you know is what you are thinking about? Like a switch has been flicked and the real world just isn’t there anymore. Most people say they do occasionally or brag that they scandalously day dream whilst doing chores and leave their body on autopilot for a little while.
Ever since I can remember, I have been switching back and forth from this world to my own, I just Zone Out. It’s an integral part of who I am. Zoning out has brought me so many brilliant ideas, inspirations and creations to my life.
There are many different ways to be smart and tuning out reality, tapping into your imagination is a skilled, worthwhile cleverness. I wanted to use this EP to bring my world to you. My stories, thoughts and philosophies in every song, courtesy of tuning out the rest of the world and tapping into my own.
So, give it a go! Find a safe place of your own, listen to the music, let your imagination run wild and Zone Out.
[photo by Tony Mott]
Track Descriptions:
Blue Skies
Along with the video Jessie’s new single features a lyrical story of optimism and happiness, overlaying a hybrid acoustic and keyboard driven rhythm track.
Calm In The Eye Of The Storm
Some more great messages in Jessie’s lyrics – “it’s all lies within your perception of your own reality – you either choose defeat or to be calm amidst the chaos.” With a more uptempo and guitar driven backing track, along with a catchy keys melody – another great track.
Head In The Clouds
A note to her younger self, this song features similar production values to the rest of the EP, lush keyboards, full guitars, solid beats and hooky melodies.
Jessie May Kitchen – Zone Out is out NOW through Foghorn Records / MGM Distribution.
Download or stream:
Connect with Jessie May Kitchen:
For further information, Cd’s and Interview requests please contact:
Marshall Cullen at Foghorn Media
0416 143 030
marshall@foghornrecords.net
Review of Steve Kilbey and Gareth Koch album Chryse Planitia
"Review of Steve Kilbey and Gareth Koch album Chryse Planitia"
By Adam Jones 24/3/2020
Some artists and bands change like a slow-moving chameleon. Listen to Bowie’s first and last albums, and Queen’s, and the Rolling Stones. None of them gathered any moss, but did they gain any shine?
In Australia we have some extraordinary and treasured original artists who consistently deliver creative fodder for the music loving Aussie cattle, and all those other beautiful creatures herding around this great continent and across the world. Enigmatic riders on the dragons of fiery passion and creativity.
Some amazing dragon’s sons also have a long tail that lashes our ears with a quirky but blunt sentiment, along with a hearty serving of provocative ideas. It takes a true lover of the art of contemporary music to really appreciate the legend that is Steve Kilbey, the master of The Church, and a maestro for the lovers of exceptional songwriting and performance. But he is still somehow pleasingly familiar. When you get this close to musical utopia, the worst thing you can do is change too much!
But wait, there’s more!! Another shiny dragon egg has borne a different, but kindred spirit, conjured up by the masters of fantastic melody and classical classiness, and his name is Gareth Koch. Wow, this Aria award winner plays the guitar better than the best lover in the world tinkers with the sweet body of the object of his desire. Gareth relentlessly pleased my ears, and they were suffering gladly from his incandescent acoustic sensory overload.
Their incredible collaboration, helmed by the solid and laconic vocals and songwriting from Steve, is a somewhat different, but just frigging awesome, version of those fantastic albums we were treated to last millennium in the only Church I would every prey in.
So what can we find between the pews, up in the mural-covered arches, and hidden in cobwebbed bell-towers? Well, I tell you right now. There is still so much to discover, even after a few listens I feel like I need to spend 6 months with this album hitting my ears at least a few times per week, before I could do it some real justice with my review. But with only a few spins on my digital turntable, I will do my best, and give it a go!
‘Chryse Planitia’ is a smooth round golden plain, found north of the equator on the planet Mars, AND probably one of the most interesting and original album names I’ve seen since Pink Floyd in the late 60s. Well, I suppose its a very appropriate name, because it definitely rocketed my mind to another planet!
This collection of great songs opens with the fast-paced band expression that is Fallen Crown. “Hey baby, I’m a billionaire! Woah! She said I’ve got everything I need”. Well, lucky her, but her crown has fallen to the ground, because “her broken King don’t know what to say, clinging to the throne by a piece of string”. Surely this is a critical appraisal of greed and power, but “wow, you look so pretty!”.
The Fatal Hour strikes early on, “still sour in its cage, while fools come out to promenade”. This slower, and darker song is modern folklore. With multiple acoustic guitars plucking along, this is moody melodies galore. Then a bit of Didge introduces us to that misnamed Tassie Tiger, the Thylacine, mourning the extinction of that weird native dog from the map of Tassie. “Somebody came and took them all away, but still I wonder where they are tonight”. Next comes Tears of The End Of The World, a ballad for all that we seem to have lost and destroyed on planet Earth. And some people want to go and live on inhospitable Mars! Why, so they can “smile at the end of the day, mean everything, mean anything, give nothing away”?
In ‘Ophelia Without Wine’ Steve is “dying for the chance for her to come my way”. Gareth is once again amazing on the nylon strings. This whole album has so much to offer. Rest assured that the rest of the album, with songs that are so easy to indulge in, and with titles such as ’Heart is Heavy’, ‘Lady Ishtar in her Garden’, ‘Broken Toys’, and ‘Lost At Sea’, are sweet or sour treats that just keep coming, like a bottomless bowl of your favourite dessert or chilli con carne.
Honestly, this album has just been added to my ‘Essential Listening List’. Say no more.
(photo credit: Tony Mott)
Listen to the album on your favourite platform:
Connect with Steve Kilbey:
Connect with Gareth Koch:
Tim Walker’s New Album Bridge of Angels
"Tim Walker’s New Album Bridge of Angels"
Ex-Sydney singer-songwriter Tim Walker moved back to his hometown of Adelaide earlier this year and immediately began recording this new album, his first for a while.
The album was inspired by a recent trip to Europe, where Tim was struck by a culture saturated with centuries of spiritual and religious symbols, strivings and sentiments. The new album has more universal themes than his first (Fellow Traveller), which was very Sydney-oriented.
Beginning in folk, he went into a country rock act, and now is a prolific soloist, doing gigs around Adelaide. He was a regular on the Sydney live circuit and played at several NSW festivals. He found a SA recording studio in Grange this year, and immediately began laying down tracks according to a careful plan, devised over many months.
Track list with Descriptions:
- On The Bridge (a prelude): This is a crossroad, of civilisation, of history, the course of your own life, a juncture, a leap. The “bridge” refers to Rome’s Bridge of Angels of the album’s title, which is lined with 10 angels and overlooked by a castle, on the River Tiber. A short classical piece, it provides the thematic underpinning of the entire album – a beautiful, floating spark of hope and redemption for a world in flux.
- The Loving Arms (those we love): The race is on from the day you are born as time and love play off against each other, and the kindness of strangers. The real currency of life, more valuable than gold or silver, never to be taken for granted.
- Every Story Tells a Picture (the plague): With 7.8 billion people on Earth and millions more being added every year, we are running out of everything, including our humanity and our judgement.
- Mirror of Love (a reflection):A photograph can lie, but love cannot lie. It is the ultimate mirror.
- Red Velvet Chair (a friend in need): When you sit in this chair you tell the truth, and the truth is told to you. It’s the advice of a friend, the helping hand. But hey, you can have some fun with it too!
- Streets of Rome (eyes are opened): The ancient capital was no stranger to the album’s themes. Without the benefit of science, its original citizensinvented their own answers to life, preserved today with respect and awe, embedded in every stone of the city. And they had to deal with the same spiritual questions as us. Rome was therefore the accidental epicentre of the album.
- The Bolshie Swing (the dance): Time for a break. This track started off as a playful riff and expanded into a mini-orchestra, was left on the shelf for a while, then rushed into action as track 7. It was the understudy.
- Face Without a Name (stare inside): Ultimately we are just one of the crowd. It’s a big world and that crowd is made up of billions. Not often can we roar; more often at most we can squeak. Not invisible -but maybe only a “hill of beans”, as Bogart said in one of his films.
- Fly into the Sunrise (flying home): You have been away, seen many things. Now you wing your way on a long flight home, from the nighttime behind (the past) to the sunrise ahead (the future). The huge jet streams past, its passengers look out and simultaneously look in, through half-asleep eyes; the moment is sublime.
- Star (inspiration): Maybe it’s love at first sight; maybe it’s the inspiration that keeps alive a distant flame. Perhaps it’s fate.
Listen on your favourite platform:
Eldafyre – Stylist Acoustic Poet
"Eldafyre – Stylist Acoustic Poet"
Soundslikecafe is proud to present our first feature artist for 2020 – Eldafyre
Heres the most recent review
Music review of the album ‘Raw’ by ELDAFYRE
Author: Adam Paul Jones
Lie back in bed with quality headphones wrapped around your head and escape into a meditative state with the grooves from ELDAFYRE’s ‘Raw’, an opus of 7 expansive modern jazz masterpieces. Mind you, I’d have this album, an indulgence for your ears and mind, blasting out of loudspeakers whilst spring cleaning the house!
38 year-old Mark, who hails from the central Victorian country town of Shepparton, and now more likely calls Byron Bay his spiritual home, is ELDAFYRE, with those dreamy and nasally new folky vocal tones reminiscent of Boy and Bear. This is a very fine album featuring sultry saxophones and trumpeting horns, that blend effortlessly with stereophonic keyboards, complimentary guitars and a beautiful dark rhythm section, topping off this modern catchy jazz-rock-funk outing.
Imagine if an old creative Melbourne songwriter with jazz, blues and folk influences met Steely Dan and Patti Smith’s love-child, well, they would give birth to ELDAFYRE, and this ‘Raw’ album that opens quite naturally with ‘Welcome Around’ – getting that bass guitar popping with some twangy guitar and smooth trumpet before we are introduced to ‘why don’t you come inside?’, an invitation few could refuse, with that voice! As this song progresses I want to get up and dance with my special one and celebrate our love.
We can have ‘Another Wholesome Night’ with what now sounds like Rikki Lee Jones’ backing band, and yes mate, we will “be so kind to see it through”. As we keep dancing, ‘The Evening Came Together’ and we stopped to marvel at the conversation going on between Mr. Trumpet, Mr. Sax and Mr Keyboards. This is ‘Where Connection Bonds’ and we swing together like willows swaying in a warm breeze.
There is so much more to come, including some rock electric chords playing with a sax in ‘Phat Lines Down’, then we are treated to a ‘Long Pause’ (which is anything but), before ending appropriately with yet another work of art, ‘A Last Goodbye’.
Listen up lovers of fine music, do yourself an ELDAFYRE favour….
Describing himself as a ‘Sylist Acoustic Poet’ and with his new album of Dark Smokey Jazz Noir “RAW” featured on soundslikecafe we managed to get him sitting on the couch and asked some in depth questions of this aspiring new artist –
- Tell us about the moment you decided to become a singer/writer/artist/musician? What did your family/friends have to say about it?
When I was very young I watched ‘the little shop of horrors’ and ‘the lion king’. I got my hands on the soundtrack and used to sing it over and over. The first time anyone becomes a singer is when they first start to sing. For me it was these songs to the walls of an old bungalow in Shepparton. Near the showgrounds. Down a street called Williams rd. My families way of support was to call me names and force me as far away from them as possible. Then I found myself locked in the car so they couldn’t stop me from singing. They call it hard love.
- Who are your early influences?
Brian Transeau. Patti smith. Rodriguez. Melanie Safka. John Butler Trio. Jeff Buckley. Xavier Rudd.
- Tell us a little about your writing process, how does a song come along? What gets you going creatively?
Being alone. Where nobody can possibly here a word I’m singing. This happens in quiet spaces with just me and my guitar. Being together in the moment. Finding a ‘jam night’ and making up music in the heat of the moment. Being surrounded by a dancing crowd. I create many unheard songs this way. People tell me I look possessed. I literally have no concept of space and time. When I come out of the creative coma its like I am born again. The song is always complete the first time. If it doesn’t complete itself.. then it gets thrown away.
- What is the first record you bought and why?
Offspring – Smash. It made me jump around the room and forget about school.
- What current/new Artists/Bands inspire you and why?
Brian Transeau. True music lovers have an artist they resonate with the most. ‘Movement in still life’ Was a transitional album for my life. Every-time I listen to that album I am transported to walking Melbourne streets. I treasure it. Its my life and blood. Ill never love an album more.
- Tell us a little about what a crowd can expect at a live show?
Currently I do only live acoustic poetry sessions at some pretty cool restaurants and cafes. Some magical festivals. Expect music therapy. Expect to be relaxed. Expect to forget about your worries. Most report a deep sense of healing and restoration after my performances.
‘Eldafyre’is a stylist acoustic poet. Sending out euphoric melancholia infused with the deep passion of love, from all things. Eldafyre grew up in Shepparton and now resides within the northern rivers of NSW or deep in the mountains near Melbourne. With four mastered studio albums we see a vast range of genres. The RAW album was 3 years in the making. Eldafyre wrote every song in one evening. Recreating the same lyrical stories to a dark jazz smokey noir band. Hand selected and collaborated with some of the best session musicians available in Australia. After three years absorbing the creation, a remix was made with an intention to finalize the work of art. Filtered organically with all ego and unwanted material omitted. With influences from Patti Smith, Rodriguez and Melanie Safka. Eldafyre thinks of himself as a storyteller. Telling this story as a studio musician.
Check what it’s all about now-
.
Margaret Anne and The Rock It Man Lay Their Souls Bare
"Margaret Anne and The Rock It Man Lay Their Souls Bare"
Margaret Anne and The Rock It Man’s debut album is called Soul Laid Bare. Lyrically it’s an intensely personal exploration of emotional turmoil after a marriage breakup, while musically it’s an exciting blend of Americana, country, roots, blues, funk and rock.
The title track is due for release on the soundslikecafe October Playlist ahead of the long play album march 2020.. It was written while singer Margaret Anne was making the agonizing decision to leave a 20 year marriage, break up a family and family home. The song conveys a search for clarity and expresses the fear and recklessness in making such a massive and life changing decision for all involved.
Growing up in a seaside town on the south coast of NSW, she was blessed to belong to a musical family so classical piano, guitar and song became a big part of her life.
Margaret Anne says she was heavily influenced by her surfing brothers as she grew up. “We would pool our pennies to buy the latest records. My favourites, and certainly most early influences were Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, The Stones, Carol King, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac, Hair! Anything Woodstock!”
Adventurous and a passionate singer songwriter, Margaret Anne continually touches her listeners with her inclusive heartfelt singing, dynamic stage presence and empowering songs. She currently manages and performs in the successful band Firefly.
Soul Laid Bare is a collaboration with Doug Weaver, a talented multi instrumentalist, producer and screenwrite. He has produced and written music for over 200 episodes of the American TV show The MythBusters and also many local programs including Border Security and Beach Cops.
Margaret Anne has always been an adventurer, having previously travelled the world for 11 years and visiting 56 countries. This time her attention is turned inwards and the result is an emotive album full of vulnerabilities and strength.
Soul Laid Bare (the single) is out on October 25.
The album of the same name is due in March 2020.
Download or stream from October 25:
Watch Soul Laid Bare here:
Connect with Margaret Anne:
REBECCA DANIEL AND FIONA JOY HAWKINS – THE LIGHTNESS OF DARK
"REBECCA DANIEL AND FIONA JOY HAWKINS – THE LIGHTNESS OF DARK"
REBECCA DANIEL AND FIONA JOY HAWKINS JOIN FORCES TO CREATE THE LIGHTNESS OF DARK –A POWERFUL MUSICAL EXPLORATION OF LOSS, MOURNING AND FINDING BEAUTY AMIDST LIFE’S SADNESS
Blending New Age and Contemporary Classical Crossover Music, Daniel (Violin/Voice/Piano) and Hawkins (Piano/Voice) Will Be Supporting Their Cathartic and Healing 11 Track Album With A Tour in Fall 2019
Leonard Cohen once said, “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
Australian instrumentalists Rebecca Daniel and Fiona Joy Hawkins place this insight on the back cover of The Lightness of Dark to illuminate their creative and spiritual vision behind the project –their first dual album after many years of live and studio collaborations. The two explore the many facets of life and loss, the search for something positive in the crippling shadows and the potential beauty that can emerge from mourning and sadness
The Lightness of Dark weaves its lush, cathartic narrative via music with varying instrumentation depending on the emotions the two are expressing. The opening track “Heavenly Voices” blends string quartet (featuring The Kanimbla Quartet)with organ, piano and vocals. Other tracks feature solo piano (“Ghosts, Insanity, Angels”), piano/violin duet (“Elegy”), piano with quartet pads (“Lake of Contemplation”), string quartet only (“Interwoven Threads of Chance”), string quartet featuring piano (“Empty Moments”) and other combinations uniquely fitted for the compositions they imbue.
“We believe our album will connect with everyone because we all experience loss in varying forms,” Fiona says. “It can be the loss of youth, a loved one, a pet, your health…Life changing events where we are left to mourn because of loss. People only face their own issues when you lead them to a safe place to do this.”
Rebecca and Fiona have enjoyed a long history of collaborations and are looking forward to working with renowned Australian Producer Llew Kiek. They have performed over 50 concerts together including at the Sydney Opera House for the 2012 MusicOz Awards, New Orleans for 2014 ZMR Awardsand 2017 Sydney Women’s International Jazz Festival-and Rebecca has appeared on nearly every one of Fiona’s solo albums. The two have played together as part of Fiona’s Blue Dream Ensemble, and Rebecca produced the group’s album Live at the Q.
Rebecca Daniel studied violin and chamber music with Emanuel Hurwitz and the Amadeus String Quartet at The Royal Academy of Music. She worked withTrevor Pinnock and Simon Standage, and The Australian Chamber Orchestra, and was Orchestra Leader for Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, The Sound of Music and Beauty and the Beast. She has recorded and performed with, John Denver, Bread, James Galway and the Chieftains, Will Ackerman, Shirley Bassey, Barbra Streisand, Men at Work and INXS.
Fiona Joy Hawkins, a Conservatorium-trained pianist, renowned for her romantic, melodic songs and lush arrangements, is a prolific composer who regularly tours China and the USA and is also a member of the Contemporary instrumental group FLOW (Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt, Jeff Oster, Will Ackerman). Fiona’s song “Grace’ is on a 2014 Grammy Winning album, and in 2016 she won two Independent Music Awards at the Lincoln Centre in New York. She has several Best Piano Album ZMR Awards and has worked with Producer Will Ackerman (Founder Windham Hill Records and Cookie Marenco (Blue Coast Records) for hi-resolution audiophile recordings.
Soundslikecafe is proud to feature this brilliant album and the leading single Elegy appears on the July Playlist.
Checkout the entire album here
Social
Carlyle Christopherson-Follow Me-(Official Video)
Daxton – ‘Live In The Studio’ Acoustic Album Release
"Daxton – ‘Live In The Studio’ Acoustic Album Release"
Central Coast musician and singer-songwriter Daxton has recorded a bunch of live acoustic songs which will be released on his ‘Live In The Studio’ album, which was recorded by Russell Pilling at Damien Gerard Studios in Sydney. Daxton’s chilled out dreamy songs and moody, driving vocals make for a brilliant acoustic album which oozes a summery vibe.
‘Sanctuary’ is a great acoustic rendition of one of his most popular songs from the recent ‘In Verses’ album. Hearing it as simply vocal and guitar really shows the quality of the song.
Another album highlight is ‘Perfect Day’, a more country up-tempo and happy song featuring vocals and acoustic guitar, but still managing a strong catchy chorus, snappy verses, and even some “da da da’s’ to sing along to. Perhaps, best of all, its less than 2 minutes, which means it’s perfect to squeeze into playlist spots.
For some really nice bluesy slide acoustic and a catchy riff, go no further than ‘Ball and Chain’. It combines a great falsetto verse with a baritone chorus, adding to the rich tonal feel of the song.
With songs like ‘I Don’t Mind’, singing in high falsetto with jangly guitar line to the bubbly low tones of ‘Good Time Friends’ with its’ grungy sounding chords, ‘Live In The Studio’ covers all flavours.
Daxton’s music has been influenced by Captain Beefheart, The Dead Kennedys, The Church, David Bowie, Tom Waits, Neil Young, The Killers, Mud Honey, The Pixies and Arcade Fire.
Hear the music:
Connect with Daxton:
Adam Jones – Little Death Acoustic Anniversary Edition
"Adam Jones – Little Death Acoustic Anniversary Edition"
Following a recent move to Melbourne Adam has just released his Anniversary Edition of his 2017 Debut Album -Little Death. This version of the album is live in the studio acoustic featuring some pedal steel as well – a great new version of his well received first release.
The acoustic backing has given the album a new lease of life as easy listening cafe music, more accessible than the original Rock album.
Already proving popular online, you are sure to hear it in a cafe nearby soon.
Heres some words from Adam….
What inspired you to become an artist and who are your early influences?
Feedback and responses from others has always inspired me. My early influences include listening to a lot of Beatles, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, Rodruigez, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple. Plus anyone with a melodic, meaningful, simple acoustic song inspired me as well.
Tell us a little about your music and what a crowd can expect at a live show?
My music is quite dynamic and I write in different styles such as modern blues, rock, folk and some country styles (more Eagles and Neil Young than traditional country). People always seem to comment on my energy on stage, that I always look like I’m really into it and having fun while performing well. I have some quieter songs that people seem to really warm to as well. So lots of fun, energy, variety, some songs to dance to, some to listen to with interesting lyrics.
Check Out The Album
