‘TAKE ME TO TOWN’
An Australian Alternative
Country Compilation
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47 TRACKS ON 3 CDS
CURATED BY POST TO WIRE, MOTHER HEN TOURING & STANLEY RECORDS
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In 2018, country music is still well and truly alive and kicking. We’re not talking about the alien world of mega festivals and musical compromise for the sake of commerce, we’re talking about the art of songwriting, the rootsy pull on heartstrings and mainlining of heartache and devotion through the songs and stories of musicians from across the wide Australian expanse. Take Me To Town lays its mission statement out with its title. It’s a collection of alternative country songs. 47 of them. They’re the kinds of songs you’ll hear in pubs, bars, cafes and bowling clubs on any day of the week. Whether there are five people and a dog in front of the artist or a raucous room, packed to the gunnels, hot and noisy; these musicians sing their stories and play their instruments with heartfelt conviction.
The songs gathered on this compilation are an attempt to document a scene and celebrate a musical movement that stays true to its origins while authentically reflecting its audience and their life experiences. An inspired idea from Stanley Records’ Dave Favours set the wheels in motion for Take Me To Town. His motivation and enthusiasm was shared by Areatha Bryant of Mother Hen Touring and music journalist Chris Familton of Post To Wire. In the watering holes of Sydney’s Inner West, the trio put together a long list of acts they wanted to feature across what has grown into three full CDs.
“When I started this label, I always wanted to do an alt-country compilation to showcase how much great talent we have in this country. Once I decided to push ‘go’, the first two people that I thought of were Areatha from Mother Hen Touring and Chris from Post To Wire. Half the shows I go to are put on by Areatha and Chris’ site is my one-stop shop to find out about new artists, releases and gigs. Like me, they also do what they do for the love of it. It just made sense for them to curate it with me.” – Dave Favours, Stanley Records
Established musicians mix with new songwriters, well-seasoned bands share space with raw and affecting solo artists. Listening to each CD there is a real sense of the sun and the shadows, both of the heart and the landscape. Nick Barker’s Heartache State, Charlie Horse, Hana & Jessie-Lee’s Bad Habits and Michael Carpenter all sing directly about loneliness. Offset that with the hope of Mark Lucas’ ‘Silver Sun’, the sass and strut of Amber Rae Slade & The Mighty Big Noise and the haunting beauty and cautious optimism of Lachlan Bryan’s ‘Peace In The Valley’.
STANLEY RECORDS PO BOX 3693 MARSFIELD NSW 2122
“I’ve always been aware of the abundance of talent in our local alt-country scene but working on this compilation really hit home just how diverse and world class these songwriters and musicians are.” – Chris Familton, Post To Wire
On Take Me To Town, alt-country isn’t presented as a narrow and restrictive genre. Within it there is ample space for the gothic honky tonk of A Man Called Stu, the ragged country rock of The Buck Loner Revue, the dreamy soundscapes of Jo Meares and the sweet 70s country pop sound of Tracy’ McNeil’s ‘Paradise’.
The ties that bind all the songs together are the consistently impressive songwriting craft on display and the strength of musicianship throughout. The playing of the many guitarists, such as Zane Banks of Cruisin’ Deuces, is virtuosic, weeping pedal steel is a recurring joy and the streaks of soul music via the keyboards on Den Hanrahan’s ‘Church of The Lowly’ and the sublime voices of Jen Mize and Peta Caswell add depth and colour to the collection.
“Alt-country first struck a chord (or three) with me when I started to really listen to the lyrics of songs. I love the unique personalities that show through their songs. That’s what inspired me to get involved and it’s a wonderful opportunity to share them on Take Me To Town.” – Areatha Bryant, Mother Hen Touring
You’ll hear familiar voices, be stopped in your tracks by new names, fall in love with songs and be reminded over and over again of life’s joys and tribulations. Take Me To Town is a snapshot of Australian alt-country in the 21st century, where the ghosts of those who created the template of the music still echo through the city bars and country towns, filtered and reimagined through the songs and stories of this sunburnt country.
Take Me To Town is out September 28, 2018 on Stanley Records (home of Ben Leece, Adam Young etc…).
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TAKE ME TO TOWN
LAUNCH DATES
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Friday October 12 – The Stag & Hunter, Newcastle (from 7pm)
(The Heartache State, Dan Brodie, James Thomson, Ben Leece & Left of the Dial, Jen Mize, Dave Favours & The Roadside Ashes)
Facebook Event
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Saturday October 13 – Marrickville Bowling Club (from 5pm)
(Spurs For Jesus, The Heartache State, Dan Brodie, Adam Young & Brielle Davis, Jen Mize, Dave Favours & The Roadside Ashes, Ben Leece)
Facebook Event
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Sunday October 14 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla (from 7pm)
(The Heartache State, Jen Mize, Dan Brodie, Peta Caswell, Dave Favours & The Roadside Ashes)
Facebook Event
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Saturday November 10 – The Spotted Mallard, Melbourne
(Upstairs – Eaten By Dogs, Chris Pickering Experiment, Lachlan Bryan & The Wildes, The Weeping Willows, Skyscraper Stan, Adam Young & The Down Main, Dave Favours & The Roadside Ashes Downstairs – Bill Jackson, Katie Brianna, Ben Leece, Mitch Power) Facebook Event
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**more dates tba**
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Follow STANLEY RECORDS
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK
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Follow MOTHER HEN TOURING
FACEBOOK
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Follow POST TO WIRE
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK
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TAKE ME TO TOWN
AN AUSTRALIAN ALTERNATIVE
COUNTRY COMPILATION
*exclusive
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Disc One
MICK DALEY VERSUS THE WAYSHEGOES – Woke Up Sad
ADAM YOUNG – How To Fall
EMILEE SOUTH – My Baby (Don’t Return My Calls)
DAVE FAVOURS & THE ROADSIDE ASHES – There Goes The Neighbourhood
HALFWAY – The Night Sky
CHARLIE HORSE – A Song For The Loneliness
JAMES THOMSON & THE STRANGE PILGRIMS – Odds & Ends
BELLE HARVEY – Crescent City
THE HEARTACHE STATE – NO GOOD ALONE
DAVID GARNHAM & THE REASONS TO LIVE – Worst House In The Best Street
TRACY MCNEIL & THE GOODLIFE – Paradise
HANA & JESSIE-LEE’S BAD HABITS – You Don’t Know Lonely
WILLIAM CRIGHTON – Riverina Kid
DAN BRODIE – I Ain’t Got Nothing (If I Ain’t Got You)
CHRIS ALTMANN – Way Back To You
SPURS FOR JESUS FEAT. LO CARMEN – Curtain Call
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Disc Two
MICHAEL CARPENTER – The Start Of Being Alone
THE RAMALAMAS – Ol’ Bull
THE WEEPING WILLOWS – Devil’s Road
SAM SHINAZZI – Songs You Can’t Hear Anymore
JEN MIZE – OVER THE MOUNTAIN
DEN HANRAHAN – Church of The Lowly
PETA CASWELL – Hard Work
HANDASYD WILLIAMS & THE BROTHERS PRIMITIVE – Heresy
MATT J. WARD & THE RISING SONS – Neil Young
SKYSCRAPER STAN – A Tune I Might Remember
EATEN BY DOGS – Lowest Of The Low
CRANK WILLIAMS Y LOS PISTOLAS – Joni Mitchell
RICH DAVIES & THE LOW ROAD – Covered In Dust
LACHLAN BRYAN & THE WILDES – Peace In The Valley
NOT GOOD WITH HORSES – Always Begin
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Disc Three
AMBER RAE SLADE & THE MIGHTY BIG NOISE – Yippie Ki Yo Ki Yay
BILL JACKSON – ROLLIN’ INTO ROSINE
CRUISIN’ DEUCES – Put The Flame Out
HELEN TOWNSEND – Promised Land
A MAN CALLED STU – This Fire
JO MEARES FEAT. MADELAINE LUCAS – The Sun Is In My Eyes
ROLAND KAY-SMITH – New Girlfriend
MARK LUCAS – Silver Sun
SAM NEWTON – Gategal Falls
THE BUCK LONER REVUE – Never The One
KATIE BRIANNA – Sticks & Stones
CHRIS PICKERING – Andalusia
BEN LEECE – Twenty One
PEASANT MOON – Leaving Tonight
MITCH POWER – Nowhere Else
E. BAIRD – Full Of The Devil
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