Pete Murray has a new album out. It’s called “Summer at Eureka” and listening to it for the last couple of days has convinced me that it is his best work to date. This album is a keeper.

By the time Brisbane born Pete Murray released his independent 2002 debut album “The Game” he was developing his gentle introspective song style and after the release of his first commercial release “Feeler” on Sony BMG he was ready to take the Australian music industry and music buying public by storm.

Well earned success followed to the point of overexposure but this mainstream star has retreated to the bush to rest, write and record after touring extensively both at home and abroad. Settling into domestic life with his family has obviously been good for him. In a recent interview he explained that he challenged himself to write an uptempo, positive album and would pull himself up whenever he felt himself slipping into melancholy.

Recorded in his home studio to overcome the usual shortcomings of recording commercially, he has managed to pull off a lovingly crafted album that sounds intimate and slick. With a voice that catches in just the right places and a bunch of versatile musicians, Pete Murray and band make for fine listening.

‘Capturing that spark and recording the songs in a great sounding room where everyone felt comfortable is what Summer At Eureka is all about.’ Helping out at these casual sessions were friends like Darren Middleton of Powderfinger and Murray’s long-time live band of Ben McCarthy on keys, Andy Sylvio on drums and bassist Jonathan Zion. Sanity.com.au

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An album bursting with singles like the title track “Summer At Eureka” or the uplifting and gently wurlitzer washed “King Tide” and of course the first official single below “You Pick Me Up”.

His website is located at www.petemurray.com and yes he has got a MySpace site. He’ll be touring Melbourne later in the year but check out his current tour list – maybe he will be playing in your part of the world.

It’s a good time to tell you about Bob Fox because he is currently touring our shores and those of our little sister New Zealand. His farewell gig will be on Friday the 28th of March at the Albert Park Yacht Club. The venue is quite small and intimate – so booking early is recommended. I hope my tickets have been booked.

Now then, Bob Fox is a Geordie from the North east of England. He is a singer of traditional songs with a very fine set of singing equipment and guitar player to match. His repertoire is from the Scots and Irish and many songs from his own part of the world, including those songs celebrating the rich culture of coal mining and steelworking as well as varied clutch of contemporary material.

He worked for many years in duos first with fiddler Tom McConville and then with Stu Luckley but has since struck out on his own as a solo performer. He has played at folk festivals and clubs in Britain, continental Europe, north America, and Australia.and won audiences over with his rich voice. He also has an impressive collection of albums that he has recorded over the many years of his career.

So on to the samples – let’s just say that is a bit of a misnomer as there are almost complete songs that just end very abruptly. I really suggest that you have a listen if you are not familiar with this English singer. First I suggest you take a stroll over to Iconic Music for a listen to the beautifully picked My Love Is In America and Dance To Your Daddy, then move over to his MySpace site to pick up another three songs of which the Northumbrian A U A Hinny Burd is my choice, follow that with a video recording of Taking on Men.

Artist: Bob Fox – Saturday Samples
Website: www.bobfoxmusic.com/
Playback: mp3 + flash
Download?: Yes + No

Ember Swift is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Her music, which fuses elements of folk, pop, rock, punk and jazz, is frequently compared to Ani DiFranco. Swift runs her own independent record label, Few’ll Ignite Sound. Her touring and recording band consists of bassist and partner Lyndell Montgomery and drummer Adam Bowman. They perform approximately 150 dates a year bringing their politically charged music to stages across Canada, the U.S. and Australia. Ember Swift has also done the Woodford Folk Festival a few times over the years, hosting music and activist-related workshops there.

She is pulling (I think it’s a solo) gig down at The Corner Hotel in Richmond on Sunday the 24th September.

Tapped & Wired is off her previous album “Disarming” and is fairly indicative of what to expect at the show.

I really like the quote on her website…

The music (peformed in both English & French) sounds like: “The bilingual love child of Paul Simon and Laurie Anderson who is being raised by Joan Jett.”

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The Flood. You have to love a band who can sell a line like “Would you like fries with your kangaroo”, the song is called 2003 and it’s one of those “fall in love on the first listen” ones.

The band scored a well deserved Golden Guitar Award early this year and here is a great quote that sums it all up nicely…

Proudly independent and unswayed by musical ‘fashion’, The Flood keep close to their hearts the most important thing – the music. Influenced by Dylan, Tim Buckley, Leonard Cohen and John Prine, The Flood are a must for roots music fans.

So. Here’s a band who write great original material along with an interesting array of “roots” music. The Flood are a 4 piece Sydney band comprising Kevin Bennett (vocals and guitar), James Gillard (bass, Guitar, Vocals), Steve Fearnley (drums) and Tim Wedde (vocals, keyboards and accordian).and have been together for around five years These dudes know their rock’n'roll and country history backwards and have managed to assimilate all their influences into something distinctively their own.

If you are in Melbourne the band is playing at the East Brunswick Club Hotel on Wednesday 26th July ( yes I know it’s a school night). Might be worth booking ahead.

Rarely do groups pieced together using individual solo performers equal the sum of their parts.
This group of three singer/song writers is not only an exception, it is a revelation – albeit with a life span limited to their current tour.

As the name suggests, THE CROXTON NEAPOLITAN SHOWCASE TOUR features the talents of three artists from the Croxton Records stable, Sarah Carroll, Dan Warner and Marcell Borrack.
All three are exceptionally talented writers and performers in their own right with new or recent releases.

Beautifully constructed harmonies, tastefull use of electric guitar by Marcel and the good sense to leave plenty of space further highlighted the quality of their songs and turned their differing styles into a strength rather than a hindrance.

The performance is very laid back, the singers letting the songs do the talking – and with songs of this calibre you wouldn’t want it any other way.

THE CROXTON NEAPOLITAN SHOWCASE TOUR began in Victoria on the 9th of June and will tour nationally, winding up in Melbourne on the 6th of August at the Prince of Wales.
Full itinerary available at www.croxtonrecords.com/neapolitan.html

A limited edition tour CD is available at the Croxton Records website.
However no playback or downloads are available, which is a real shame given this genre gets precious little exposure from mainsteam media.
Check the dates and go!