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5. New releases 5 February 2025
32:04||Season 4, Ep. 5Well, my intention to release episodes of this 'new releases podcast' on a weekly basis went out the window immediately. So at least I'm setting low expectations! And I did come back for another episode. These are the singles released since the last episode that I reckon are worthy of closer attention - and you can listen to the songs within the episode. Faith Williams – ‘Queen of Hearts’ [NB explicit content - one word]Tom Curtain – ‘Just Give it a Crack’Katelann Maree – ‘Australia My Home’Jen Mize – ‘Neon & Nothin’ Else’Andrew Swift – ‘Nothing Better’Rachael Fahim – ‘Good Luck’Follow Sunburnt Country Music on InstagramFollow Sunburnt Country Music on Facebook Sunburnt Country Music website
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4. The Seasons of Andrea Robertson
45:35||Season 4, Ep. 4Andrea Robertson is a singer-songwriter from the Geelong area in Victoria who released her latest album, Seasons, in 2024. She is also the founder of Americana on the Bellarine, a one-day festival which will be held on the Bellarine Peninsula, near Geelong, on 22 February this year.We had a wide-ranging chat about her development as an artist, which started when Robertson was very young, influenced by the musical environment she grew up in.‘I've just always loved singing,’ she says. ‘As a kid I was the youngest of three girls and music was very much a part of our house.’Seasons was originally planned as a four-volume release, although it was affected by the pandemic, during which Robertson’s songwriting suffered.‘I think I wrote a lot of music,’ she says, ‘but just lyrically I'd really dried up so it sort of just started filtering in again.’After she started writing again, what emerged was a full-bodied work that is about life and love in all their complexities. Something else that suffered during the pandemic was Americana on the Bellarine – the inaugural festival was due to take place in 2020. Now that it’s well underway, it has developed a reputation for bringing the finest Americana artists to the Geelong area. This year it’s headlined by Matt Joe Gow & The Dead Leaves, and features Robertson and her band, Jasmin Adria and Mojo Corner. ‘I wanted to keep it small. I didn't want it to grow too big. I felt like just keeping it as a nice, intimate, micro festival.’The festival takes place at the Potato Shed in Drysdale. Tickets are available here.The interview is a long one but that’s because Robertson has such a rich musical life that there was a lot to talk about. Her dedication to music, to performance, to the musical community, is impressive and inspiring. And if you’re in Victoria on 22 February, you can see it in person.Listen to Andrea Robertson on Apple MusicListen to Andrea Robertson on SpotifyFollow Sunburnt Country Music on InstagramFollow Sunburnt Country Music on Facebook Sunburnt Country Music website3. James Johnston on new single 'Hell Boy' and Tamworth show
13:52||Season 4, Ep. 3From the first interview I did with James Johnston, a little over three years ago, it was clear he had put in the time to learn his craft as a songwriter and a performer, writing dozens of songs before even recording one, and playing at any venue that would have him even if he was just playing to bar staff. It took years, and his patience meant that when he started releasing songs he knew who he was, what the songs were about, and who they were for. As a live performer he is the same, embodying confidence without arrogance, engaging wholeheartedly with the audience, giving them songs that mean something and are also entertaining. This was most starkly clear when I saw him play support for Kip Moore in Sydney yesterday at a large venue, the ICC, where it seemed like everyone knew the words to Johnston's songs and he looked like he was having the time of his life on stage.All of that experience and that thought – and thoughtfulness – turns up in Johnston’s recorded songs. His debut album, RAISED LIKE THAT, was a full-spectrum offering of stories, and while some songs were serious they were all entertaining. Entertainment is at the core of who he is as an artist but it simply would not be effective without that intention and thought behind it.Which brings us to his new single, ‘HELL BOY’, released today, 23 January 2025, which is a song to his sons and about embracing life. It is released just after Johnston has travelled on foot from Armidale to Tamworth to raise money for Ronald McDonald House, Tamworth and ahead of his show at Tamworth Town Hall. Johnston and I spoke about all of that and it was, as ever, great to catch up with him. If you miss James Johnston in Tamworth you can see him on the following dates:APRIL 5: MELBOURNE MUSTER, Caribbean Park VICMAY 3: QLD MUSIC TRAILS - OUTBACK SOUNDS, Charleville QLDJUNE 27: COUNTRY FEST, Bloomsbury QLDListen to James Johnston on Apple MusicListen to James Johnston on SpotifyFollow Sunburnt Country Music on InstagramFollow Sunburnt Country Music on Facebook Sunburnt Country Music website2. New releases 19 January 2025
31:24||Season 4, Ep. 2Songs mentioned in this episode – with links to listen/watchLyn Bowtell – ‘Paper Cut’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YLu7Naws1EKasey Chambers ft Shane Nicholson – ‘The Divorce Song’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cafdtL4Sa88Jenny Mitchell – ‘Square & Plain’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls-0mQyVOeE Aleyce Simmonds – ‘Things I’ve Learned’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LccnUJp_2Xw Wade Forster with Max Jackson – ‘Denim’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JilD6V32_kA Piper Rodrigues – ‘Heartbrakes’https://open.spotify.com/track/0r3cJRKEc3UzXujwNk2MBt?si=902cf4fad1de4e94Follow Sunburnt Country Music on InstagramFollow Sunburnt Country Music on Facebook Sunburnt Country Music website [No YouTube link available]1. The Kunins on their enchanting new album Waiting for Lily
33:33||Season 4, Ep. 1**Stay tuned to the end to listen to 'Birdwatcher' from Waiting fror Lily**There’s something to be said for family harmonies. Anyone who has heard Fanny Lumsden sing live (or recorded) with her brother Tom, or who is rapt in the voices of The McClymonts, or a fan of The Buckleys, will appreciate that there’s a particular magic when family members sing together. Ken Kunin is an American musical artist who moved to Australia several years ago; he has several albums behind him as a solo artist and with the band Davis Waits, and now he makes music with his daughter Lily Maia as The Kunins. While the musical acts mentioned above all feature siblings, The Kunins’ album Waiting for Lily proves that parent-child harmonies can be just as enchanting.Waiting for Lily is their second album – and actually the second released in 2024. The first was self-titled and was, says Ken, a process of defining what our sound actually is.’ The decision to focus on a more acoustic arrangement came from their live performances, which emphasised simplicity and connection. ‘The first album was so multi-layered with genres; we realised that an acoustic setup really conveyed what we wanted in a song,’ Ken adds.Lily Maia echoes this sentiment, noting, ‘When you listen to the music, it feels like you’re in the room. You’re just a part of the music that’s being created.’ The Power of Live PerformanceLive performance is the key for both Kunins, and performing isn’t merely about showcasing their talents; it’s about genuine connection with the audience. ‘Music is meant to be shared,’ as Lily Maia states. Ken adds, ‘Playing live is definitely an important part of what we do … It’s fun to show what you’ve been working on with the people around you.’Together, they create a space where listeners can engage with the music authentically. Ken explains, ‘I like the idea of renting out halls where you control the bill. It’s about creating the culture we want to bring without the distractions of a bar or a venue.’Writing and Collaborating as a DuoIn their creative process, Ken and Lily Maia often write songs individually, before merging their ideas during arrangements. ‘Sometimes we disagree,’ Ken admits, ‘but we often seem to come to the same conclusion.’ Their aligned music tastes help to guide their decision-making.While still young, Lily Maia has been writing songs for several years, and likes to push boundaries with each song. ‘When I was about 14 or 15, I started writing songs that were actually decent,’ she shares. Since then, her craft has evolved significantly, reflecting both her individuality and her shared experiences with her father.Upcoming Projects Releasing two albums in 2024 did not tire out The Kunins – to the contrary, they have plans for more projects. ‘We’ve been throwing around ideas for electric records and possibly Nashville,’ Ken says.Meanwhile they will continue doing what they love best: performing live together, at shows in their home town of Brisbane.Listen to Waiting for Lily on Apple MusicListen to Waiting for Lily on Spotify116. PepperCreek Revival on their debut album and long musical histories
36:39||Season 3, Ep. 116What happens when you combine the talents and experience of 2022 Blues Music Victoria Hall of Fame inductee and award winning producer / bass player Barry Hills, three other award-winning musicians in the forms of Brian Fraser on lap steel, electric and acoustic guitars, vocals; Roland Kretschmer on electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, banjo, Dobro, ukulele, vocals; and drummer and vocalist Nick Carrafa, and multiple award-winning singer/songwriter Kelly Auty? This is, of course, a leading question because the answer is, as the title of this post may suggest, PepperCreek Revival! But it was also the most efficient way to introduce the calibre of players who are on this self-titled debut album which is anything but the work of beginners. Recently I spoke to Hills and Auty and while I wanted to find out about the band I was also keen to ask them about their individual musical histories, and it’s worth watching or listening to the interview for these alone, as they have such rich stories. PepperCreek Revival was Hills’s idea and the nine songs that are on the album are the result of the band creating the music then taking it to Auty, who writes the lyrics then sings lead vocals. Like Hills, Auty’s background is in the blues, yet her voice is versatile and more than suits the country, folk, roots and rock styles of these songs (as well as some blues). Given the musicians in PepperCreek Revival, this is definitely an album for music aficionados; it is also an album for those who want songs that reflect life and love, challenges and joys – which is all of us, really. Listen to the album here: https://peppercreekrevival.com/music-videoBuy the CD here: https://peppercreekrevival.com/shopFollow Sunburnt Country Music on InstagramFollow Sunburnt Country Music on Facebook Sunburnt Country Music website115. Lullaby of a Breaking Heart: Rose Zita Falko's musical journey
42:15||Season 3, Ep. 115**Listen to the end to hear the song 'Lullaby of a Breaking Heart'After releasing the EP Original Son in 2018, Victorian artist Rose Zita Falko found herself in an enforced break from recording and releasing music due to the pandemic and all the upheaval it wrought. In 2022 she released the single ‘The Plan’ (which is a heartbreaker itself) and actually had another song up her sleeve – but it has only come into the world now.‘Lullaby of a Broken Heart’ is an exceptional piece of work – as its title suggests, it has a gentle rhythm but that is overlaid with Falko’s irresistible vocal that, even if it did not intone the words ‘breaking heart’, captures the feeling of it. The song originated from a recording on Falko’s phone, a sonic improvisation that had been tucked away for years which she happened to find one day. She collaborated with her mother to refine the lyrics and structure, and the result is an unforgettable song.Voice is at the centre of Falko’s work – apart from her original music, she teaches singing and is a stage performer. So it’s no surprise to learn that singing has been at the core of her life from a very young age. Indeed, she sang before she could talk. She also comes from a rich musical heritage, with her grandmother hosting a radio show that spanned genres from classical opera to Welsh folk music and gospel.While the singing voice may come from the ether, and talent is impossible to define – or capture – in talking to Falko it became clear that there is a powerful inevitability to her life in music. It was there before she was born, through the generations before, and it’s been in her from the start. She wouldn’t be able to hold back its tide even if she tried, and thankfully for us she goes with it – and hopefully shall continue to do so for years to come. Listen to Rose Zita Falko on Apple MusicListen to Rose Zita Falko on SpotifyFollow Sunburnt Country Music on InstagramFollow Sunburnt Country Music on Facebook Sunburnt Country Music website