CJ Shaw releases single ‘Lonely Road’

September 2, 2022

Lonely Road is the latest single from ARIA Award nominee CJ Shaw and is an exciting collaboration with international film and television composer Allyson Newman (The L Word: Generation Q, Kusama: Infinity).

A chance meeting on Newman’s return to Australia in 2020, saw her generously lend her expertise to an orchestral vision for the song. This original score, featuring four violin and four cello parts, brings an emotive depth to a poignant song of solitude. Her composition was brought to life by members of the Canberra Symphony orchestra (Alex Voorhoeve and Timothy Wickham) with backing vocals from Hannah Czaban.

This moving and beautiful song is a highlight of CJ’s latest album ‘All Sorts’. The song was written as a parable for CJ’s experience of the music world and the sensation of falling short. Shot in the heart of winter on the Monaro Plains, south of Canberra, the Lonely Road music video clip sees CJ Shaw taking on the persona of a train guard, walking deserted railway carriages, waiting for passengers that never arrive. With the Canberra Railway Museum and the Michelago Railway Station in the backdrop, this beautifully crafted video clip visually plays on the haunting emotive nuances of the song, leading the audience on his journey of fulfillment.

“‘Lonely Road’ is proof that Shaw is a poignant singer-songwriter” Michael Smith (Rhythms
Magazine 24/2/2022).

Song Description

Lonely Road starts out with soft picked guitar and whistling! Strings, piano and female background vocals add to the magic feeling of this mid-tempo folk tune from CJ. The chorus is truly haunting with violins playing a ghostly counter melody which is reflected in the keys and strings. A timeless classic.

Armed with a guitar and a swag full of harmonicas, singer-songwriter CJ Shaw’s intricate finger-picking, word play and storytelling never fails to captivate his audiences. CJ Shaw’s music is distinctly Australian in style, influenced by Paul Kelly and Slim Dusty. His lyrical storytelling and musicality lends itself to audiences of all ages.

In 2020, CJ Shaw was nominated for an ARIA Award for ‘Music Teacher of the Year’ with Jimmy Barnes as his official ambassador presenting him with the nomination. This prestigious music industry acknowledgement recognised his dynamic and poignant songwriting for primary-aged children. These celebrated songs are woven through his performances and albums, played alongside satirical and storytelling Australiana folk songs.

In 2021 CJ Shaw released his album ‘All Sorts’. Combining the best of his children’s songs with his unique brand of contemporary Australiana, Shaw has dubbed ‘All Sorts’ “the ultimate Family Album”. With over a decade’s experience touring and performing at music festivals in Australia and Timor-Leste, CJ Shaw is an exciting Canberra musician at the top of his game.

CJ Shaw – Lonely Rd is out NOW September 2nd through Foghorn/MGM
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CJ Shaw Releases Single ‘Ain’t Many Like Lennie’ with Animation Video

December 3, 2021 Leave a comment

NEW REVIEW For CJ Shaw’s Album ‘ALL SORTS’

Nominated for a 2020 Music Teacher of the Year ARIA, CJ Shaw is an unadulterated, unashamedly Australiana rather than Americana singer-songwriter, sort of Shane Howard meets Fred Smith if you will. Shaw keeps it all pretty simple too, two and three chords at most as he spins his stories, some aimed at younger listeners – as you’d expect from a teacher – rambling, cheeky ditties full of whimsy – others serving more mature musical tastes with tales that ponder life as it’s lived in this wide brown land. “We would all do a lot less harm,” he suggests in ‘Choose to Chew’, “If we ate our Coat of Arms” – which makes sense of the recipe card for CJ Shaw’s Fair Dinkum ‘Roo Bolognese included! Obviously one of his children’s songs, but hey, we all need a bit of fun once in a while. ‘Werewolves’ straddles the generations, delivered straight-faced yet obviously not to be imbibed in that spirit. The seraphic Hannah Czaben takes the vocal spotlight on ‘Full on Heart’, another gentle two-chord stroll, a rumination on separate lives that could have been more lived more happily together that, along with songs like ‘Lonely Road’, is proof that when he allows himself, Shaw is quite the poignant singer-songwriter.

MICHAEL SMITH

Truth is often stranger than fiction and Lennie Gwyther’s story is no exception. A 9 year old boy who, along with his horse Ginger Mick, traversed 1000 kilometres of Australian wilderness to arrive in Sydney for the opening of the Harbour Bridge in 1932.

Along the way he became a celebrity, admired for his bravery and determination. This was during the depression years and heroes were in demand. This unassuming boy was an unlikely icon that united the country as a symbol of hope.

Checkout the amazing stop animation video to go with the song kindly premiered by Scenestr magazine

This song was written to teach Australian history to primary aged students (and curious adults alike). The storytelling lyrics allow students, the same age as Lennie, to imagine his courageous three month journey to witness a momentous moment in Australian history. One taken without parents, cars, electricity and, most unbelievably, mobile phones.

The stop-motion music video to accompany the song is made by award-winning animators ‘Eleanor & Giovanni’ and features 3D felted puppets who play out the historical story of Lennie Gwyther. These meticulously hand-made puppets and backdrops create a child-like physicality to captivate the audience – drawing them into this inspiring Australian story.

As the song says – “There ain’t many like Lennie”

In 2021 CJ Shaw released his album ‘All Sorts’. Combining the best of his children’s songs with his unique brand of contemporary Australiana, Shaw has dubbed ‘All Sorts’ “the ultimate Family Album”. With over a decade experience touring and performing at music festivals in Australia and Timor-Leste, CJ Shaw is an exciting Canberra musician at the top of his game.

CJ Shaw – Ain’t Many Like Lennie is out NOW December 3rd through Foghorn/MGM
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CJ Shaw – Ain’t many like Lennie(Official Video)

December 3, 2021 Leave a comment

CJ Shaw releases new album All Sorts

September 17, 2021 Leave a comment

Soundslikecafe presents All Sorts – the latest album from ARIA nominated educator and musician CJ Shaw.

Since ‘ANZAC Biscuits’ gained over 30,000 views on social media in 2019, and an ARIA nomination for Music Teacher of the Year, CJ has been busily recording this album. The collection of ten songs affirms Shaw’s position as a creative and dynamic storytelling songwriter for children and adults.

Having spent over twenty years as a songwriter and performer, ‘All Sorts’ draws on the catalogue that Shaw has been performing at folk clubs and festivals. It is an album for the modern eclectic times, containing poignant storytelling, songs of fatherhood, hip-hop, satire and traditional folk. “I wanted an album that could connect people of different ages,” states CJ, “Everyone should be able to enjoy the music”.

‘Terminator Shades’ is Shaw’s hip hop ode to primary school playgrounds and the chaos and characters that it presents. As a teacher Shaw wrote the song to draw his students into the world of hip hop and show the validity of their own experiences in song. “There’s no point in them singing about fast cars in Las Vegas”, says Shaw, “The students have embraced the song and challenge each other to see who can rap the fastest.”

Shaw collected some excellent players to help with the recording. The line-up includes: Allyson Newman who brings her emotive arrangement to the song ‘Lonely Road’ and features Canberra Symphony Orchestra players Steven Fitzgerald, Alex Voorhoeve and Timothy Wickham bringing depth and precision to the record.

A collection of the best songs in CJ Shaw’s repertoire, ‘All Sorts’ is brimming with life and vitality, drawing in audiences of all ages. Dubbed the ‘ultimate family album’ for a reason, ‘All Sorts’ is destined to be a family favourite on long car trips in the foreseeable future.

With over a decade experience touring and performing at music festivals in Australia and Timor-Leste, CJ Shaw is an exciting Canberra musician at the top of his game.

CJ Shaw – All Sorts is out NOW September 17th through Foghorn/MGM

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CJ Shaw releases new single Adelaide from upcoming album

August 20, 2021 Leave a comment

Adelaide
Just added to our playlist here is CJ Shaw.

Acoustic Folk Australian best describes this song which has elements of Slim Dusty and Aussie folk such as The Hussy Hicks and The Beggars. Checkout the video premiere courtesy of scenestr

This story telling song follows the enchanting day which saw the arrival of my first child, Adelaide. The rain tumbled down in Canberra, soaking the city and filling the drains as we marvelled at the magic of being first time parents. As the song suggests the natural world that surrounded us, the animals and birds as well as the gardens and trees were reborn as the result of the 60mm that fell in just under an hour. This is a song that celebrates renewal and new life.

In 2021 CJ Shaw will release his album ‘All Sorts’. Combining the best of his children’s songs with his unique brand of contemporary Australiana, Shaw has dubbed ‘All Sorts’ “the ultimate Family Album”. With over a decade experience touring and performing at music festivals in Australia and Timor-Leste, CJ Shaw is an exciting Canberra musician at the top of his game.

CJ Shaw – Adelaide is out NOW August 20th through Foghorn/MGM

Download or stream:

Connect with CJ Shaw:
www.cjshawmusic.com

Stuart Dwyer-Wait Another Day Single and Video

September 16, 2020 Leave a comment

Here’s the new single from Stuart Dwyer’s Debut EP ‘Before The Night’ featuring on soundslikecafe.

Stuart Dwyer is a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Sydney, Australia.

There are many ways to describe Stuart, unique, talented and charismatic just seem to scratch the surface. However, there is one word that ties them all together and is true to their character: Stuart’s music is Real. Few people sing so honestly from their heart and soul. Stuart’s music does so in just the right way, combining art, story, and song in perfect unison.

You can get a great sense from the video for the song shot in Tasmania

Stuart’s first EP “Before the night” was released in February 2020 with his next single “Nobody Else” due to be released in October 2020.

Listen here

Connect with Stu

Official Site

Andrew Barnum – Dear Ancestor(official video)

August 7, 2020 Leave a comment

New March Playlist

March 23, 2020 Leave a comment

Our new additions and playlist changes for March include new releases from Karissa, Fiona joy and Throwing Shapes as well as tunes lifted from current albums by Graham Gouldman, The Mezcaltones, Steve Kilbey, Gareth Koch and more.

Steve Kilbey / Gareth Koch – ‘Stay Where You are’ (from the album Chryse Planitia)
Big Merino – ‘I Lay Me Down (2020 Remix)’ (remix single from the album Sweet Little Angel)
Graham Gouldman – ‘Standing Next To Me’ (from the album Modesty Forbids)
Karissa – ‘Utopian Coma’ (from the album Light at the End of Darkness)
Park Haven – ‘Take Cover’ (single)
Fiona Joy Hawkins – ‘Bushfire Moon’ (single)
The Mezcaltones – ‘Shango’s Surfwaxxx’ (from the album Mexican Hillbilly Surf Music)
Throwing Shapes – ‘Tranquility Base’ (from the album Tranquility Base)

Have a listen to all these songs on Our Soundslikecafe Digital Playlist On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5r0hsdTsV5N3aZAXUWt6r2?si=FcW9kDa4RcCWwF980x2Iaw

Tim Walker’s Red Velvet Chair

November 9, 2019 Leave a comment

After moving back to his hometown of Adelaide earlier this year, ex-Sydney singer-songwriter Tim Walker set to work to record a new album, inspired by a recent trip to Europe. Tim, who began in folk before evolving into a country rock act, is now a prolific soloist doing gigs around Adelaide.

The first single from the forthcoming album is Red Velvet Chair – a pen portrait of a woman on the rebound and determined to enjoy her ‘freedom’, but also vulnerable at the same time because of it. The song’s narrator invites her to sit down on the ‘red velvet chair’ and collect her thoughts.

The single’s ‘B side’, On The Bridge, will be the opening track on the eventual album, and is a completely different sentiment. A short, classical prelude to all that is to follow, providing the thematic underpinning of the entire album – a beautiful floating spark of hope and redemption for a world in flux.

Walker’s new album, due for release early in 2020, was recorded in a Grange studio according to a strict plan. A spiritual album with more universal themes than his debut, the album echoes the singer’s recent European trip, where he was struck in particular by the European culture, saturated with centuries of spiritual and religious symbols.

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Margaret Anne and The Rock It Man Lay Their Souls Bare

October 26, 2019 Leave a comment

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: