“Like the late Van Zandt, Earle uses a base of acoustic blues and prewar folk to build his own brand of American roots music.” Nashville Scene

With Justin Townes Earle’s pedigree come mixed blessings. As the son of legendary singer/songwriter Steve Earle, high expectations are the name of the game, and he’s shown that he is up to the task on The Good Life, crafting stark portraits and narrative tales with elements of blues, classic country and rock n’roll. A modern-day troubadour, Earle blends genres seamlessly, framing his songs in warm musical settings and creating tunes that could easily be mistaken for classics. “I started out to make an old timey country record, but I listen to so many other kinds of music,” Justin explained. “Some of the songs were rearranged on the spot and took on other lives and album is now more of an exploration of southern music.” Earle approaches universal topics like traveling and matters of the heart (“Hard Living”, “The Good Life”) with the same fervor with which he evokes the bleak loneliness of a Civil War soldier on “Lone Pine Hill”.

The Good Life is produced by RS Field (Billy Joe Shaver, Sonny Landreth) and Steve Poulton. The album was recorded (with the exception of “Ain’t Glad I’m Leaving”) at House of David studios, the legendary room that has hosted sessions with George Jones, Elvis Presley, Neil Young and countless others. Joining Earle in the studio are a cast of all-star players including longtime cohort Cory Younts (Bobby Bare, Jr) on banjo and mandolin, pedal steel player master Pete Finney (Dixie Chicks, Patty Lovelace), bassist Bryn Davies (Patty Griffin, Guy Clark), drummer Bryan Owings (Buddy Miller, Shelby Lynne), keyboardist Skylar Wilson and fiddle player Josh Hedley.

Justin Townes Earle is 25 years old and his age belies his experience. Growing up in Nashville he mis-spent his youth playing in bluegrass/ragtime combo The Swindlers and the louder, more rocking The Distributors and developing some very bad habits. During tours as guitarist and keyboardist (“…and not a very good one,” laughs Earle) in his father’s band, his problems became untenable and he was fired. Ultimately he cleaned up his act, dropped his self-destructive habits and began to focus on songcraft. “You don’t have to be fucked up or torture yourself to write songs,” explains Earle, “I used to write a lot, a whole lot, and half those songs I don’t even remember. Now, I sit there and I write it and I finish it and I keep it.”

With inspirations as diverse as Townes Van Zandt (he was named in honor of the elder Earle’s hero), Jimmy Reed, Kurt Cobain, The Replacements, Ray Charles and The Pogues, Justin forged his own brand of American roots music. Going through life with a namesake of Van Zandt’s stature cannot be easy for a young songwriter, but Earle takes it in stride,” saying, “Anyone who tries to live up to Van Zandt is a fool. I’m honored to carry the name, but if I spent my life trying to live up to it, I’d have a pretty miserable life.” Likewise, his father’s incredibly acclaimed, prolific career casts a huge shadow, but Justin Townes Earles makes a name for himself by focusing his writing on the personal rather than the political, narrative tales instead of protest. The Good Life melds the qualities of a short story with the lyrical acuity of excellent songs, celebrating grand southern traditions and blowing a fresh breeze across the musical gardens and dive bars of Nashville.

HOWIE DAY FIRST HEADLINE TOUR OF AUSTRALIA

The release of his second album “Stop All The World Now” (2003) felt a lot like graduation day for singer, songwriter Howie Day. “In a weird way I’ve come full circle,” says Howie Day. “After high school, I decided to skip college, but wound up spending a lot of time touring college campuses. Four years later, I’m releasing a new record instead of getting my degree.” Album number two, his first for Epic Records was produced by Youth (The Verve, Crowded House, Dido) and mixed by Michael Brauer (Coldplay, David Gray, Starsailor), Chris Lord-Alge (Goo Goo Dolls, Shawn Mullins, Eric Clapton), and Clive Goddard (Sneaker Pimps, Marianne Faithful).

“Stop All The World Now” explored Day’s experiences from the road as he toured for four years as a solo artist and opened for artists like Sting, Jack Johnson, Sheryl Crow and more recently, Tori Amos.

Day returns to Australia this summer. He was introduced to Australian audiences earlier this year as special guest on tour with Whitley where he received such an amazing response that he had to come out for his own headline shows, a mere 6 months following his first visit.

In 2000, Day independently released his self-financed debut, “Australia”. Impressed by the 30,000 albums he sold simply by word of mouth, Epic Records signed Day and began distributing the album.

The key to Day’s growing success has been strong grassroots support from enthusiastic fans who helped spread the word about his music. It began with the Rep Program, an innovative approach to marketing, says Day’s manager Shawn Radley.

Through the program, fans who came to Day’s first shows were given an opportunity to take 10 copies of Australia-on the honor system-to sell. Members who sold all 10 discs were allowed to attend Day’s shows for free. As word spread about Day’s unique live performances, tapers-some with microphones strapped to their heads-became permanent fixtures in the audience. Robert Helms helped establish the Howie Day Trading Board (www.thehdtb.com), a Web site that allows fans to trade concerts online.

“It’s such a huge compliment to think people like what I’m doing enough to record it and pass it along to their friends,” says Day. “It keeps me on my toes too because I can’t go out and play the same show night after night. There will be even more opportunities to improvise as Day returns to Australia to tour this summer.

$10

Aftershock Records is proud to present Amber Cashel, with her debut folk/rock Album “One Iota & Everything That Follows”

Soul deep and wrapped in raw emotion, a fusion of acoustic guitar driven choruses, thought provoking lyrics and stick in your head melodies, an inhale and exhale of life’s loose ends, the highs and lows and even highers. Commonly compared to Missy Higgins, but with more edge, she is a 25 year old Daughter of a truckie and hippie, a middle child born into the generation of Doc Martins, Rage TV and Big Day Out’s, and these days are definitely reflected with The sounds of Neil Young, Ani DiFranco, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, PJ Harvey and Tori Amos shining through.

Triple J radio gave Amber Cashel the thumbs up in 1999, making her a main subject of the “Unearthed” documentary, which was aired nationally on ABC Television and gave viewers an insight into the lives of young musicians in the Central West.

In 2001 Amber crept into the hearts and lounge rooms of thousands of “Channel V” viewers, when she was announced the winner of the “Channel V Music Bus” competition, Amber performed “Creep & Loom” which is featured on the album. Amber can also be found on the “4 On the Floor” compilation CD, a product released to showcase Central West musicians.

In April 2006, Amber Cashel was officially signed to Aftershock Records, with the company giving her the chance to release an album of all original material. Amber spent 6 months in the recording studio, laying down the tracks that would lead to the national release of “One Iota & Everything That Follows”

Amber’s debut single from the album titled “Simple Complication” is currently circulating on various radio stations across NSW including Triple J, where she has become a part of the Triple J Unearthed website, where fans and other music lovers can explore her music and give it a rating and review.

Aftershock Records shot a music video for the single, and it has been circulating across Australian TV and internet since May 2008.

In early August 2007, another song from the album “Letters” began to show amazing popularity among the Australian public, with the song entering the Triple J Indie charts. In February 2007, Amber kicked off her first national tour to promote the album, starting with a farewell show in her home town, bringing more than 100 local and surrounding fans to the venue. The tour consisted of more than 30 venues, stretching from Sydney to Brisbane and everywhere in between. The tour was a great success and saw Amber sell close to 1000 copies of the album. In June 2007 and May 2008, Amber was a hand picked by Sony BMG to support the amazing Kate Miller-Heidke in front of massive crowds in both Albury & Wollongong. Amber was also support in August 2007 for Adelaide emerging artist Emily Davis.

In November 2007, Amber came 4th in the national “Wotnext” music competition which was organized by Spiderbait vocalist / drummer Kram.

With three national tours under her belt and a high number of record sales, Amber Cashel is making her mark on the Australian music scene, continuously captivating fans with her stunning live show, sense of humour and tales of love, loss and life.

Sydney quartet Mercy Arms are currently touring around the UK and have already notched up a killer support to Ladyhawke at her London album launch. They have their own shows coming up at hipster venues Whiteheat, Proud Gallery, and Artrocker. Next month they step on the tour bus with friends Cut Copy, before heading Stateside to play New York and Los Angeles.

Just a week into the UK, the band has picked up a single release on the prestigious Loog Records label. Run by ex NME editor James Oldham, the label has seen debut releases in the past from The Bravery, The Horrors and Patrick Wolf. Oldham signed UK sensation Duffy last year, and was previously most known as the journalist first to pick up on both The Strokes and The Vines.

In 2008 Mercy Arms are making the transition from promising newcomer to a revered and established act. Their self-titled debut album was selected as “Album of the Week” on Triple J, FBi, 4ZZZ, Brag, Beat, Drum Perth and others.

“As rare as it is for a young band to pull their spirit from our country’s fairly humble band pop legacy, it’s even rarer for them to lead it to new and wondrous places. Ladies and gentlemen, may you be properly introduced to one of the finest new bands this country has to offer.” – Adam Curley, Street Press Australia

This week will see the release to media of the first single from the album ‘Half Right’. Produced by legendary studio wizard Tony Cohen (Nick Cave, Dirty Three) and mixed by modern day music saint Tony Espie (Cut Copy, Avalanches), the song comes with a video directed by young creative gun Joel Kefali (Cut Off Your Hands).

To accompany the single, Mercy Arms are also pleased to announce a national tour for December, including a sought after berth on the Homebake music festival.

Can you name this Australian Songstress?

Her new album “Complicated Sweetheart” is produced by Aria award winning producer Paul McKercher (Augie March, Crowded House, Little Birdy, Pete Murray), to be released Sept 6th 2008.

She toured Australia with USA’s Jason Mraz in August and has shared the stage to support Powderfi nger’s Bernard Fanning, Irish supergroup The Frames, Lou Rhodes and Josh Pyke, not to mention Laura Imbruglia, Red Ghost. Bertie Blackman, Peregrine, Old Man River, Lior, and the list goes on. She showcased at the 2007 CMJ Music Festival in New York.

Her debut album “The Adventures of …” was released in Europe before Australia and was nominated “Album of the month” on Radio France?

Australia’s Triple J selected her as a feature artist for Ausmusic Month . Her songs “Beautiful Excuse” and “If You Wanna Be Mine” from her debut album feature in the Australian movie “The Caterpillar Wish”.

She has toured Europe four times, the USA and Singapore promoting her debut album and playing to capacity audiences. In February-March 2008 completed a hugely successful 20 gig, six-week tour of Europe. Whose angelic voice can be heard on the haunting theme for the Aussie movie “Ravenswood”?

Her track “Pink High Heels” featured in the TV movie Little Oberon, while “Beautiful Excuse” and “Sometimes” featured in Channel 9’s Canal Road, “I Just Want Some Love” featured on 10’s Big Brother.

Five of her songs featured in the soundtrack of the Aussie movie “Love in the First Degree”, including the signature track “I Just Want Some Love”.

Her songs featured on the soundtrack of Aussie surf movie “Living the dream” and the new Roxy video “Shimmer”. Her Single “Kiss You Again” was the itunes (Australia/NZ) single of the week in July 2007 and “Mary Mary” is feature single of the week on Nokia Music in early August 2008.

Her name? Melanie Horsnell.

She’s a sensation in Paris, an exciting new catch in New York and a much-loved talent at home in Sydney, Australia. She’s Melanie Horsnell, Australia’s ‘complicated sweetheart’, a writer and singer of tender, heartfelt, simply beautiful songs.

After some ten years of performing across Australia, Melanie has of late been basking in global adoration. Her debut album, The Adventures Of.. was a feature album on French national radio, after she learned and recorded a French language version of her beatlesque pop hit “I Just Want Some Love”

Melanie has since performed repeat tours across Europe – the last being a massive 20-show slog that won hearts from Amsterdam to Edinburgh.

And while tracks from her debut album have earnt her all kinds of accolades – glowing reviews, iTunes single of the week, a feature artist on Triple J’s Ausmusic month, and supports with Bernard Fanning, Jason Mraz, The Frames and The Panics among others, her best work is still to come. Earlier this year, Melanie and band returned to the studio, this time with ARIA award winning producer Paul McKercher (Augie March, Crowded House, Little Birdy, Eskimo Joe) to record her next chapter, “Complicated Sweetheart”.

“Complicated Sweetheart” is Melanie Horsnell doing what she does best, bravely baring her tales of love lost and found, sung in sweet whispery melodies and plucked delicately on nylon strings.

Already, tracks previewed from the new album such as the up-tempo pop gem “Mary Mary” and bittersweet “Breakup” have seen Melanie invited to play the CMJ Music Marathon in New York and showcases in Los Angeles. At home, she was asked in April to discuss her new songs as a feature presenter at the inaugural APRA Sydney Songwriter Summit. With her independent spirit, her shy charm, an endless supply of catchy melodies (and an even deeper bag of bad jokes!), Melanie Horsnell is undeniably one of Australia’s most unique musical artists.

HAWKSLEY WORKMAN TAKES LOS MANLICIOUS ON THE ROAD

His second album in eight months, Juno-winning Hawksley Workman releases a power-packed follow up to Between the Beautifuls, with Los Manlicious. Originally intended as the rock-edged follow-up to 2005’s gentle Treeful of Starling, Los Manlicious is a gritty underbelly with an itch to be scratched. Its dark places are shining examples of his artistry, and its soft spots are all the hard facts you need to cut a rug with. January’s release, Between the Beautifuls, spawned massive tours in both Canada and Europe, where Hawksley sold out bigger and better venues across the country including two magical nights at Danforth Music Hall.

Now Hawksley is back for more with an album that hits us below the hipline. Harkening back to his days as a Delicious Wolf, Los Manlicious plays upon our sexual confidence, our vices and our crutches, and the places beauty can rub off onto, go unnoticed for a while, and grow into a cultish stew of prowling sexual innuendo, anthemic city crashers, and rousing heart-pounders. Full of catchy pop-panty-hooks, gritty bass beats, 50s-esque doo-wop rock, and bouncing electro-pop for the body-image-shakers, Los Manlicious delivers a proud set of boldly inspirational songs that span age, genre, colour, creed and sex.

Melbourne’s gangster swing act Frankie Wants Out is touring Australia to launch their debut album ‘Prohibition’ and they’ll be hitting B-Town for the Rockabilly vs Swing night, coming up on Saturday January 17.

Frankie Wants Out is a nine-piece swing band playing original, red hot tunes guaranteed to make you jump about the room, regardless of whether you’re in a rocking pub or a classy cocktail lounge like The Troubadour.

Forming in September 2005, Frankie Wants Out is heavily influenced by the music of the New York dance halls of the 20’s and 30’s with a modern impact from acts such as Royal Crown Revue and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Rockabilly fans can expect just as much energy from the intergalactic Men Into Space and the hot rod rockin’ Ten Fours. Hosting the night will be DJ Lori Lee who will be spinning rockaswing tunes to keep the joint jumping.

Rockabilly vs Swing ~ Frankie Wants Out, Men Into Space, The Ten Fours, DJ Lori Lee

$20 presold
$25 at the door

Spiral Stairs (Scott Kannberg) was a founding member of 90’s Lo-Fi indie band Pavement. Hailing from California, Pavement’s 11-year career produced five highly memorable records and established them a cult following around the world.

Since the dissolution of Pavement in 2000, Spiral Stairs has put out two albums with Preston School Of Industry. The first one, ‘All This Sounds Gas’, was everything fans hoped for – an immensely tuneful, memorable album that MOJO called “an album of joyful, desperate and messy songs, as honest and delicious as any on Pavement’s 1992 classic, ‘Slanted And Enchanted.’”

The second album, ‘Monsoon’, continued in the vein of many of Spiral’s classic songs, setting a confident, effortless beat to a literate and mischievous rock sound as informed by Echo and the Bunnymen, the Clean, The Fall, Neil Young, Lou Reed, and John Prine.

Currently in the final stages of recording the next ‘Spiral Stairs’ album, it will take a different path to previous recordings with Pavement and Preston School. We look forward to hearing it in May 2009.