Two of our finest roots rockers, Jordie Lane and Henry Wagons have today each released a new album of original material. Jordie has presented us with Tropical Depression and Henry has offered up The Four Seasons. Both artists are hitting the road individually to celebrate the release of their records.
JORDIE LANE – TROPICAL DEPRESSION
With his back catalog of albums featuring in many Top 50 albums’ lists, 4-star Rolling Stone album reviews, and an AIR Awards nominated album, Jordie Lane returns with one of his finest records yet, in new album Tropical Depression.
After giving us a taste of his fourth solo album with latest singles The Changing Weather, Blame Me If You Want To, Biscuit House, and new single Back, Out There, Tropical Depression sees the folk-roots singer-songwriter at his very best.
Tropical Depression was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, with Grammy nominated producer, engineer and instrumentalist Jon Estes (Kacey Musgraves, Dolly Parton, Rodney Crowell), mixed by famed engineer Noah Georgeson (The Strokes, Devandra Banhart, Marlon Williams) and mastered by Juno Award winning Phillip Shaw Bova (Feist, Father John Misty, Angel Olsen, Bahamas).
Jordie Lane marks this new chapter with a sound that consistently defies genres, with his latest wandering somewhere close to the outskirts of Americana and 60’s inspired Folk while “creating a pathbreaking and inspiring sound” all of its own. With irreverent wit and satirical commentary, the songs on Tropical Depression tackle (among other things) Lane’s own growing obsession with extreme weather (ignited by a close call with an EF-3 Tornado) and its eventual collision with his own mental health battles.
With lines on the first ‘Beatlesque’ single ‘The Changing Weather’: “My country was burnin’, but the world kept on churning, What new catastrophe’s on special tonight?”.
Or the imposter syndrome self-talk that drives the cool summer vibes of ‘Biscuit House’: ‘You ain’t no gun-slinger baby, You’re a hipster eating gravy off a biscuit in a Nashville house, You ain’t no 4-leaf clover, You’re a wannabe drover, making jokes on your way down south’.
Many of the stories on Tropical Depression are layered with the extra dimension of brooding social commentary in a post-pandemic new-world, grappling with changes in society and social structures, and humans’ equal ability to change or be in complete denial.
Like in the rambling prose of ‘Back, Out There’, reminiscent of Bob Dylan or Courtney Barnett with dry sarcasm lines like: “Yeah I’ll pay a publicist, everything I got, It’ll be so damn beautiful they’ll get me on some underground Norwegian blog”, and…“Spontaneous prose is not as good as editing for 3 days? But aint nobody got time for that, 15×15 second songs Daniel Ek wants me to make”
Or… ‘New Normal’, the classic crooner turned rock ballad. A conclusion of sorts to the album, with the wrestle between the mind and nature itself, “It’s once in a century, we think we’re learning plenty, so how come this shit just keeps on piling on”.
Heavy themes juxtaposed with an upbeat playfulness grinning its way right through the album. Party time Congas, dry 70’s drums and Hollow body Bass, and classic hook-laced guitar riffs are soaked in Cosmic pedal steel, Mellotrons, and Pop Strings, finding their place alongside multi-layered vocals, and effected Kalimbas and Cymbalom.
Jordie Lane and Tropical Depression are an important addition to the ever-evolving Americana/Folk world as an Australian artist based in Nashville, Tennessee with a unique perspective and voice that may just become legendary while he’s still alive.
Album Tropical Depression is out now via ABC Music / The Orchard / Blood Thinner Records.
Don’t miss Jordie Lane on his National Tropical Depression album tour over the following dates:
August 22 – Old Stone Hall, Beechworth, VIC
August 23 – The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine, VIC
August 24 – Sandy Point Music Club, Sandy Point, VIC
August 25 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, VIC (Arvo show)
August 25 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, VIC (Evening show)
August 28 – Ararat Town Hall, Ararat, VIC
August 29 – It’s Still A Secret, Brisbane, QLD
August 30 – Eudlo Hall, Eudlo, QLD
August 31 – Ex-Services Club, Mullumbimby, NSW
September 1 – Buffalo Farm, Eungai Creek, NSW
September 5 – Qirkz, Hunter Valley, NSW
September 6 – LA LA LA’s, Wollongong, NSW
September 7 – The Trocadero Room, Enmore, NSW
TICKETS VIA JORDIELANE.COM
WATCH Jordie Lane sledding & signing his first ever record deal
WATCH Jordie’s official music video for ‘Biscuit House”
FOLLOW JORDIE LANE: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | APPLE | SPOTIFY
HENRY WAGONS -THE FOUR SEASONS
Following the release of his 2023 ARIA & AIR Award-nominated album South Of Everywhere, HENRY WAGONS today returns with his highly-anticipated fourth solo album, The Four Seasons.
This new album sees Henry span and stretch the boundaries of modern twang once again, but this time with a Morricone-inspired 60’s golden era, all within a cozy and hypnotic Sunday afternoon bubble. Like the seasons themselves, this album pushes and tickles the genre limits, from classic 60s country, through to songs with a modern indie twist, all glued together with four Morricone-inspired instrumentals that track the weather patterns. Also, listen out for some amazing moments in which Henry duets with singer for the Gods and creative-dynamo, Queenie.
After receiving great support from Community Radio, and high rotation across ABC Country & Australian Country Radio with Wagons’ first single Freight Train (Going South), this time Henry and Queenie join forces on second single, Open The Door. Together their voices bend and soar like a buckling iron suspension bridge, under the weight of forbidden love! This song is a cross between the forceful and graceful guitars of Crazy Horse, a 60s echoey garage and a Nancy and Lee duel.
Of the album, Henry says; “This record was so liberating to make for me. I held no thought back. It’s me at my most creatively free. I didn’t consciously try to stick to expectations or genre… I just let loose in the studio, and in the end, my twangy explorations, in both lyric-driven song and instrumental, landed in a cohesive mega-yacht ride. It’s an album to sink into the armchair, along with your favourite beverage and listen out for the surprises while you drift away.”
Produced by Henry Wagons himself at Trentwood Studios, Henry also played the majority of the instruments on the record aside from Brass (Liam McGorry), Pedal Steel (Matt Kelly of City and Colour), and Keys (Lachlan Bryan).
The Four Seasons is out now on all streaming platforms, and available on Vinyl HERE.
Following his two upcoming performances at this year’s GYMPIE MUSTER, Henry Wagons is set to bring his latest album, “The Four Seasons,” to life in two exclusive album launch shows this November. Joined by his band, The Only Children, Henry will be fresh off a large tour through the US, Canada, and Mexico. Experience these cinematic tunes from his brand new modern Morricone-esque, outlaw masterwork live, in full technicolour glory, at two of Henry’s favorite venues: The Northcote Social Club and The Lansdowne Hotel.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 23 – NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, Melbourne
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 29 – THE LANSDOWNE, Sydney
TICKETS AVAILABLE VIA WAGONSMUSIC.COM
FOLLOW HENRY WAGONS: WEBSITE | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | X
