Martha Tilston – Lucy And The Wolves

The sixth album for British folk songstress Martha Tilston, Lucy And The Wolves, is a poetic ode to nature with songs like Rockpools, Seabirds and Wave Machine inspiring pastoral yearning for grey English skies over the rocky British coast. Opener The Cape is dramatic, emotive and showcases her striking voice in a somewhat traditional folk style, setting in motion the album’s musical journey.

Cloud Control – Bliss Release

Since meeting at a rehearsal for a local musical, Blue Mountains four piece Cloud Control have been producing whimsical tunes culminating in the release of their aptly named debut album, Bliss Release. Opener Meditation Song #2 begins sweetly and softly with singers Al Wright and Heidi Lenffer’s unique voices melding together perfectly, particularly on the higher notes.

Devendra Banhart at Billboard

“I want your babies,” screamed one enthusiastic lass when Mr. Banhart stepped on stage. Although, who could blame her? The man is damn fine. With a musician’s compulsory longish dark hair, a scraggly beard, leather vest and a spanishy accent to boot, it’s no wonder girls go wild. Raised in Venezuela until he moved to America in his teens, his accent is a weird mix of U S of A and South America, but when the band began speaking in Spanish to one another, girls in the audience audibly swooned.

Naked In The Woods

The gang at FReeZACentral, a government initiative involving a mentoring program for those new to the music industry, has bottled up a surge of girl power. They’ve recorded a diverse array of tracks to introduce some little-known but talented female artists to our welcoming ears, alongside some more familiar names.

The Mountain Goats at the Corner Hotel

John Darnielle is probably one of the nicest musicians I’ve spoken to. When I saw him on stage at the Corner Hotel last week fronting his band the Mountain Goats, I was reminded why.

Mumford and Sons sigh no more.

When the softly strumming guitar and the harmonious voices of Mumford and Sons fill the room, I immediately assume that I’m in for a record of calmly earnest folk music. Little do I know that the opening title track of Sigh No More will build to dark, driving bluegrass. When the lyrics tell me “love will not betray, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free,” I imagine my fist punching the air like an impassioned revolutionary.

Sarah Blasko at The Abbotsford Convent

Once Whitley left the stage, Australian ARIA-award winning singer-songwriter Sarah Blasko emerged with her band. Her unique, husky voice rang through the hall and although the crowd was politely quiet now, unfortunately they still weren’t particularly receptive. As many of them were there as part of a Nova radio competition, I think a lot of them weren’t very familiar with her work. After her second song, Bird On A Wire, driven by a classic swing rhythm section with violins, an electric double bass and a keyboard filling the sound out, she remarked in her soft speaking voice that the crowd were “very quiet tonight”.

Whitley – supporting Sarah Blasko

Amongst the scattering of austere, old buildings at The Abbotsford Convent, a tangle of fairy lights hang from one of the trees. The lights draw people towards them. Soon, a large group of people are milling around beneath the tree, some smoking and some waiting in line at the makeshift bar, a table behind which servers pick drinks out of great big ice buckets. No one wants to venture inside the church-like building nearby. We are all content to remain outdoors on one of the first balmy spring evenings Melbourne has seen all year. My bare arms haven’t felt twilight air for a long time.