Latest News
Fanny Lumsden Releases Third Single From New Album
“This song has a muse.” So states Fanny Lumsden as she recounts the incredible story behind WHEN I DIE, and the inspiration for its lyrics.
The muse in question is a big, bearded lumberjack and bushy called Brett. This song is about his meticulously planned celebration for his own wake, which involves a hillside with an ‘awesome view’ (as he calls it), a bonfire of an old truck, live music from Fanny to serenade him out of this world – and his ashes getting shot out of shotguns (BYO) during golden hour!
Fanny explains, “Brett bailed me up at the pub one day to ask me how much I would charge to perform at his wake. I nominated an outrageous fee and a down payment of a cow and 2 loads of wood. He rocked up a few months later with the first load of wood and let’s just say it has taken off since then! The song is really about sticking to your guns and being true to who you are both in life and in death. I wrote it sitting around a campfire on my own on the Nullarbor Plain.
The feel-good, hugely fun video featuring of course, Brett – was directed by Fanny Lumsden and Dan Freeman, with DOP Sam Brumby (King Stingray). Listen to WHO’S BRETT: A ‘HEY DAWN / WHEN I DIE’ podcast special with Fanny Lumsden from 7am on June 1 HERE.
Fanny’s fourth studio album HEY DAWN is set to drop on August 4 (Cooking Vinyl Australia). It will be accompanied by a national tour with her band The Prawn Stars, kicking off on July 28 in Bendigo and working along the East Coast, all pre-empted by a late June/early July UK tour, including Glastonbury Festival’s Avalon Stage on June 23 – a genuine pinch-me moment for Lumsden.
Ahead of album release, Fanny has devised the most amazing opportunity for fans – the Golden Fanny Ticket! Hidden inside one Hey Dawn CD and one Hey Dawn vinyl is the ticket that will give the lucky winners a lifetime pass to any and all Fanny Lumsden headline shows – imagine never having to pay for a Fanny Lumsden gig again! To be in the running, fans just order Hey Dawn on vinyl or CD from Fanny’s website, to be the lucky recipient! See here for more.
The album Hey Dawn is a rich character study, with the singer-songwriter reflecting on the stories that have shaped her and those around her. It’s also a more sonically diverse outing than Lumsden’s previous records, incorporating elements such as guitar-based indie-pop into her trademark world of gorgeously crafted, emotionally rich acoustic songwriting.
“I wanted it to feel good, I wanted to have fun,” she smiles. “I didn’t want to think too hard about it – I just wanted to feel.”
Hey Dawn is, in short, Lumsden’s most complete offering to date. Having focused inward lyrically on Fallow, Lumsden was once again interested in telling detail-rich stories – both her own, and other people’s. In particular, she found herself drawn to her childhood, “when obviously I felt no weight of anything”.
“I think that might have been a reaction to the last few years, which were heavy for everyone,” she offers.
Lumsden and her band travelled to Tasmania to work with longtime producer Matt Fell at his studio in the picturesque Gowrie Park, many of the songs were still only ideas and shapes – an unfamiliar scenario for a singer-songwriter more used to being meticulously prepared.
The initial sessions were disrupted by a catastrophic storm that forced them to relocate to the eastern side of the island. It was there, in an Airbnb, that Lumsden awoke one morning just as the sun was rising.
“I literally just said, ‘Oh, hey dawn!’,” chuckles the singer. The seemingly innocuous moment became something more when the sessions returned to Gowrie Park and Lumsden visited a local market in a nearby hall, in which a man was playing piano.
“The only pre-idea I had for the record was I knew I wanted the sound of a piano that felt like you were in a hall when you were a kid, and I walked into this hall and this old man was playing this vision of what I had in my head,” she recalls.
That night she went back to her accommodation and wrote “Hey Dawn”, the stunning title-track that pairs celestial vocal harmonies with gentle piano before climaxing with Bacharach-esque flair. Finally, the album made sense.
Alongside her regular bandmates – husband Dan on bass, brother Tom on backing vocals, Josh Schubert on drums, and multi-instrumentalists Benjamin Corbett and Paddy Montgomery – she also welcomed the input of outside musicians such as EVEN’s Ash Naylor.
It’s a fitting sentiment for an album that is about the here and now, how it’s shaped by the stories from our past, and how they can always be re-written in our future.
“You have to tell the stories of the moment you’re in, and you have to put them out and trust that that is okay,” smiles Lumsden. “It’s a new day, we’re here.”
HEY DAWN TRACKLISTING:
1. Hey Dawn
2. Great Divide
3. You’ll Be Fine
4. Ugly Flowers
5. When I Die
6. Lucky
7. Soar
8. Millionaire
9. Enjoy The Ride
10. Stories
Fanny will hit the road from the end of July to celebrate the release of Hey Dawn, playing with The Prawn Stars across Vic, ACT, NSW and QLD. She also has key global tour dates locked in – from New Zealand to the UK and Ireland. Please see below for all information.
Australian honky tonk troubadour James Ellis has delivered a gem with his latest album, The Party Might Be Over. Packed with sharp storytelling and genuine emotion, Ellis brings his signature blend of wit and heart to this record, capturing the essence of honky tonk while giving it his own unique twist. Recorded remotely between Melbourne and Nashville during the pandemic, this album is a testament to Ellis’s dedication to his craft and his ability to adapt and thrive even in challenging times.
Ellis’s voice is at its finest in Lonely, Sad and Blue, one of the standout tracks on the album. It’s a soulful exploration of heartache that channels the spirit of classic honky tonk but with a modern sensitivity. Ellis’s rich, emotive voice brings out the raw pain in the lyrics, while the subtle twang of steel guitar gives the song a timeless feel. It’s the kind of track that feels both intimate and universal—a tune that makes you want to drown your sorrows in a dimly lit bar, yet find solace in knowing you’re not alone in your heartache.
Another highlight is the cheeky Don’t Drink By Yourself (If You Can’t Be Drunk Alone), a honky tonk anthem with a wink. The song combines clever, playful lyrics with an infectious rhythm, creating a tune that’s both entertaining and oddly comforting. It’s a lighthearted reminder not to take life too seriously, with an upbeat energy that’s impossible to resist. The rhythm section, recorded by some of Nashville’s top talent, drives this track with precision, adding to its barroom charm. This song is honky tonk at its best—fun, relatable, and brimming with personality.
Producer Micah Hulscher, known for his work with top Nashville acts, deserves immense credit for shaping the album’s sound. Hulscher brought together a stellar lineup of Nashville musicians, including legends like Fats Kaplin, Chris Scruggs, and Lillie Mae, who added their own magic to Ellis’s songs. Recorded at the legendary Creative Workshop Studios in Nashville, the album has a warm, rich sound that makes it feel like a live honky tonk performance, even though it was recorded remotely. The musicianship on each track is flawless, supporting Ellis’s storytelling with nuanced, heartfelt instrumentation.
The Party Might Be Over marks a significant evolution for James Ellis since his previous album, Country Lion. While Country Lion showcased his talent and raw potential, this new album feels more polished, more intentional, and more self-assured. Ellis has refined his voice and his storytelling, creating songs that are both relatable and timeless. He’s moved beyond the role of honky tonk storyteller to become a true artist, delivering songs that feel authentic and memorable.
In The Party Might Be Over, James Ellis has crafted an album that celebrates the highs and lows of life with humor, heart, and a whole lot of soul. It’s a must-listen for fans of honky tonk and classic country, and a promising indication of even greater things to come from this talented Australian singer-songwriter.
Listen to the Country HQ Spotlight On Podcast with James Ellis.
Latest News
REVIEW: Barely Blue – Midland
A showcase for Midland’s skill in fusing classic country elements with contemporary sensibilities, “Barely Blue”—produced by the legendary Dave Cobb—contributes to the band’s unified and introspective discography.
A showcase for Midland’s skill in fusing classic country elements with contemporary sensibilities, “Barely Blue”—produced by the legendary Dave Cobb—contributes to the band’s unified and introspective discography.
Song number one on the album, “Lucky Sometimes,” establishes the mood for the whole thing. The album’s profound lyrics and powerful emotional resonance are brought to light by the song’s spare production, which lets the band’s harmonies sing out. Embracing serendipity and the bittersweetness of life’s unexpected twists and turns, the lyrics, “Sometimes, you just get lucky and you don’t ask why / It’s like falling up to heaven and coming up a seven / Every time you roll the dice,” encapsulate the qualities of the song.
The album’s title tune, “Barely Blue,” is one of its memorable moments. It takes a sombre, contemplative look at loss and perseverance, drawing on Midland’s long-embraced sound that was influenced by George Strait. with crisp and interwoven harmonies give the song a deeper meaning, which is both sad and hopeful. Like the rest of the album, this song showcases Midland’s talent for writing music that sounds as good now as it did decades ago.
With its beautiful guitar intro and heartwarming promise of new love, “Better Than A Memory” is another standout. With its upbeat tempo, catchy choruses, and wistful, nostalgic mood, “Vegas” puts a modern spin on the old “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” story .
“Baby It’s You” showcases Midland’s adaptability and desire to explore diverse sounds while the song’s silky vocals and Bee Gees-inspired beat set it apart. The trio’s distinctive harmonies are front and centre on the heartfelt “Old Fashioned Feeling”, setting the mood for a welcoming and comforting listening experience.
“Halfway to Heaven” and “Lone Star State of Mind,” the album’s last two songs, are among its best. “Halfway to Heaven” evokes the music of Waylon Jennings and provides a sparkling slice of country tradition that is at once familiar and new. Mark Wystrach’s powerful lead vocals are on full display in the final track, “Lone Star State of Mind,” a moving and emotionally packed tune. It is one of Midland’s finest songs ever recorded due to its acoustic-driven melody and emotional lyrics.
“Barely Blue” has a few gripes, one of which is its length. There are eight songs on the album, which isn’t very long and leaves listeners wanting more. The album would have felt more finished with a couple of extra tracks, even though the song quality is very excellent. Nevertheless, this small criticism does not diminish the album’s overall influence.
Many consider “Barely Blue” to be the album that really set Midland apart from her peers. With a more mature and contemplative sound that is cohesive and engaging, it is less chaotic than some of their past work. The album delves further into the band’s conventional influences while simultaneously venturing into new musical realms, creating a set of songs that can be played again and again, revealing new nuances and layers with every listen .
On “Barely Blue”, Midland have captured the band’s development as artists and chronicles their journey over the last decade. The album exemplifies Midland’s talent for making music that stands the test of time with its combination of classic country elements and contemporary production. It is layered in emotional depth and complexity, whilst still staying true to the bands signature mature approach to country music.
Country music sensation Tanner Adell is set to make waves this summer with her latest single, “Cowboy Break My Heart”, as the song has quickly become a fan favourite, capturing the essence of heartbreak and resilience with a catchy, upbeat melody.
Adell’s new track is a perfect blend of traditional country and modern pop influences, showcasing her unique style and vocal prowess. Written by Adell along with Akil “Worldwidefresh” King, Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor, Will Weatherly, and Anthony Germaine White, “Cowboy Break My Heart” tells the story of a love gone wrong, inspired by a past relationship with a Dallas Cowboys fan. The song’s infectious chorus and relatable lyrics make it an instant anthem for anyone who’s ever experienced heartache.
The release of “Cowboy Break My Heart” comes just in time for Adell’s highly anticipated performances at the Ridin’ Hearts festival in Sydney and Melbourne. Fans are eagerly awaiting her live renditions of the new single, which promises to be a highlight of the festival. Adell’s energetic stage presence and powerful vocals are sure to make her performances unforgettable.
Produced by LVRN Records, the single marks a significant milestone in Adell’s career. Her debut performance of the song at the BET Awards earlier this year was met with widespread acclaim, further cementing her status as a rising star in the country music scene.
As Adell prepares to take the stage at Ridin’ Hearts, “Cowboy Break My Heart” is poised to become the soundtrack of the summer, resonating with fans across Australia and beyond. With its blend of heartfelt storytelling and catchy rhythms, the song is a testament to Adell’s talent and her ability to connect with listeners on a deeply emotional level.
REVIEW: The Four Seasons – Henry Wagons
REVIEW: Brighter Days – Dwight Yoakam
