Image Courtesy of The Weeping Willows

Chaika – “Arrow”

Listening to Arrow, the new album from Sydney based world and folk band Chaika, I was absolutely taken by the title track. A little bit of Googling turned up tis video for “Arrow” which I just had to share. This is Chaika at their best – incorporating the world of rhythms and sounds of traditional music and channeling them into something beautiful. The fiddle and piano riff that plays over the song, the jazzy clarinet solo, the syncopated rythms, the harmonic backing vocals – all of these pieces come together to create a really fun and completely danceable song.

Hayden Calnin – “Fuck Collingwood”/”Late”

We have two beautiful new singles from indie-folk favourite Hayden Calnin, “Fuck Collingwood” and “Late”. These tracks are just stunning – “Fuck Collingwood” is a paired back track that builds to a crescendo rife with emotion while “Late” shows Calnin at his most atmospheric and experimental.

“I’d been living in and around Collingwood, a suburb of Melbourne, for the last 10 years,” Hayden Calnin explained. “I’ve loved it, I’ve hated it, and finally I’d left it. “Fuck Collingwood” is a reflection on my time living there, and about me realising that I had to get out of the city and find some space for a while, and go live near the ocean. At least for a little bit.”

JEFFE feat. Ro, Didirri, Washington – “Road to Nowhere”

Indie pop artist JEFFE teams with some of our favourite singer songwriters – Ro, Didirri and Washington – to cover The Talking Heads. This modern take on the classic “Road to Nowhere” pulls in elements of modern pop and indie-folk (think Bon Iver in his more glitchy moments) to create a track which elevates the original.

“When I think ‘road trip’ I think of a group of mates driving down the highway singing along to their favourite tunes,” JEFFE explained. “The idea of bringing a few friends on board with this song comes exactly from that image so as the idea grew, I decided to reach out to a bunch of my friends in music and asked them to get on board which they all jumped on the idea!”

JEFFE will be taking on the Listen Out shows in September and October and Didirri is on tour with Ro this August – full dates here:

JEFFE
Friday 27th September – Listen Out, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday 28th September – Listen Out, Brisbane, QLD
Sunday 29th September – Listen Out, Perth, WA
Saturday 5th October – Listen Out, Sydney, NSW

Didirri w/ Ro
Thursday 22nd August – Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney, NSW
Friday 23rd August – The Zoo, Brisbane, QLD
Friday 30th August – 170 Russell, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday 31st August – UC Hub, Canberra, ACT
Saturday 7th September – Lions Arts Factory, Adelaide, SA

Seeker Lover Keeper – “Wild Seeds”

More new music from Seeker Lover Keeper? How good is this! The Australian supergroup follow up their return to the spotlight with the announcement of their new album (Wild Seeds, due on the 9th August), a bunch of tour dates this September and their new video “Wild Seeds” staring acclaimed actor Yael Stone.

The track is somewhat of a departure from Seeker Lover Keeper’s indie folk roots, instead embracing 70s rock while still maintaining focus on their gorgeous three part harmonies.

The full dates for the upcoming tour are below:

Thursday 5th September – Blue Mountains Theatre, Springwood, NSW
Friday 6th September – Canberra Theatre, Canberra, ACT
Saturday 7th September – Small Ballroom, Newcastle, NSW
Friday 13th September – Narrabeen RSL, Narrabeen, NSW
Saturday 14th September – The Heritage Hotel, Bulli, NSW
Friday 27th September – The Altar Bar, Hobart, TAS
Saturday 28th September – The Gov, Adelaide, SA
Sunday 29th September – Freo Social, Fremantle, WA
Thursday 3rd October – The Triffid, Brisbane, QLD
Friday 4th October – Caloundra Music Festival, Caloundra, QLD
Saturday 5th October – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns, QLD
Thursday 17th October – Factory Theatre, Sydney, NSW
Friday 18th October – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
Saturday 19th October – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC
Sunday 20th October – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave, VIC

The Morrisons feat. William Barton – “Poor Spine Me”

Sydney based bluegrass favourites The Morrisons have teamed with didgeridoo master William Barton on their amazing new single “Poor Spine Me”. This is The Morrisons doing what they do best – presenting bluegrass music in the Australian context – and dialling it up with the inclusion of Barton and the wonderfully evocative lyrics writer Gareth Hipwell.

The Weeping Willows – “Devil’s Road”

The final single and video from their amazing second album Before Darkness Comes A-Callin’, “Devil’s Road” is bluegrass and Americana duo The Weeping Willows at their very best. The bluesy, dark track is simply The Weeping Willows’ harmonies alongside Andrew Wrigglesworth’s masterful guitar, with some background instrumentation and production to accentuate but never overpower.

The Weeping Willows are taking the new single on the road from this weekend – full dates are here:

Saturday 6th July – Union Hotel, Melbourne, VIC
Sunday 7th July – House Concert, Sassafras, VIC
Tuesday 9th July – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra, ACT
Wednesday 10th July – FolkSwagon, Sydney, NSW
Thursday 11th July – The Junk Bar, Brisbane, QLD
Friday 12th July – House Concert, Sawtell, NSW
Saturday 13th July – City Sider, Tamworth, NSW
Friday 19th July – Burrinja, Melbourne, VIC