.

VIKKI THORN
releases her debut solo album
‘THORNBIRD’

.

.

Vikki Thorn, aka ThornBird, today releases her debut self-titled solo album. As one third of legendary Australian folk band The Waifs, ‘ThornBird’ is Vikki’s maiden flight into telling her own stories with her own sound, developed over years of recording, touring, living abroad and in the south of Western Australia.

“I had some stories to tell & I don’t know how to do anything else. Something about songs sitting around in a box or unlabeled voice memos seems like an abandoned game of solitaire. May as well finish up and put your cards away – fortunately the cards lined up and I wanted to,” Vikki said on writing the album.

 “I wanted to make an album that has its own sway and swagger, untethered from a musical past that was defined by a couple of hippy kids traveling in a camper van and went on to have a hit song and win a couple of ARIAs. It’s a good story and it still is a great journey. As a musician and a Mother I’ve lived a few lives since, this collection of songs reflect that,” she continued.

For the band ThornBird’s first choice was Ben Franz (bass player with The Waifs). He was in WA and the two started gigging together as a duo, all the while Thorn was keeping her ears open and reconnecting with the Perth music scene.

“Even though I am from WA I hadn’t lived here for 25 years so I didn’t know a lot of local players,” Vikki said. “One night in my hometown I went to the pub and these guys from Perth were playing some dirty blues/folk in the corner. They were swaying around with their instruments not paying attention to anyone that cared to listen. It was loose, so loose that it felt like they were skating, but they rode that edge for an hour. You can tell when a band has been playing together for a long time – the music is a natural conversation It was raw and edgy. I wanted to make a record with these guys.”

.

.

These guys were Perth stalwarts Luke Dux (The Floors, Kill Devil Hills) on guitar and Todd Pickett (Kill Devil Hills & Southern River Band) on drums. Thorn reached out and they were keen. The album was recorded over 7 days in November 2020 at RADA Studios with Dan Carroll (Southern River Band) in the producer/engineer seat.

‘ThornBird’ side steps the confessional folk of The Waifs to indulge in her love for americana and roots music, country and blues folk. It is with a slightly heavier groove that she moves out on her own. From her experience of living in the canyons of the US, to the inspiring women she met along the way. There are songs about love and friendship and made with a band that just clicked. 

The songs meander between the ‘Stones – esque vibe’ of single ‘Bullets and Heartache’, a wild west ode to love and relationships with big vocal harmonies, to the laid back calypso of the feel-good singalong ‘All the Things’. First single ‘Tempest’ tells the story of a truck stop waitress dreaming of moving to Sydney whilst new single ‘Utah Skyline’ is a driving upbeat song evoking vast landscapes with a 70’s era harmony vibe. (think: America).

With a handful of live shows already under her belt in Western Australia, ThornBird and her band are now on the road along the east coast of Australia. A special album release day show at Queenscliff Town Hall this evening will be followed by shows in Melbourne, Adelaide, Eumundi in Queensland, Byron Bay, Sydney, Bulli, Canberra and Meeniyan in Victoria. ThornBird is also part of the incredible Wildflower Festival, a celebration of Australian women in music alongside Missy Higgins, Kasey Chambers, Sarah Blasko, Kate Miller-Heidke, Deborah Conway and Alice Skye. Wildflower Festival starts on 12th March at Rochford Wines in the Yarra Valley followed by shows in Brisbane and the Hunter Valley. ThornBird will return to the West for a 9th April show at the beautiful Kings Park in Perth alongside John Butler and Kasey Chambers. Full dates are below.

.

.

THORNBIRD
tour dates:

Fri 11 March – Queenscliff Town Hall, Queenscliff , VIC    
Sat 12 March – Wildflower Festival, Yarra Valley, VIC    
Fri 18 March – Imperial Hotel, Eumundi, QLD
Sat 19 March – Wildflower Festival, Brisbane, QLD
Sun 20 March – Byron Theatre, Byron Bay, NSW
Thurs 31 March – The Street Theatre, Canberra, ACT
Fri 1 April – The Brass Monkey, Sydney, NSW
Sat 2 April – Wildflower Festival, Hunter Valley, NSW
Sun 3 April – Heritage Hotel, Bulli, NSW
Wed 6 April – Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne, VIC
Thu 7 April – Meeniyan Town Hall, Meeniyan, VIC
Fri 8 April – The Gov, Adelaide, SA

Tickets available HERE

,

.

Follow THORNBIRD
 Facebook – Spotify – Instagram

.

AMNPLIFY – DB