Nick Payne
30/11/2011 9:18PM
After a two year recording hiatus, Dear Orphans are back with their new EP Midnight at Annandale.
Following on from their debut album Dear Orphans, alt-country songwriters Lyn Taylor and Nick Payne return with a new EP inspired by the local, Sydney bluegrass and old time music community - the Bluegrass and Traditional Country Music Society.
Nick writes:
"These folk meet the first Saturday of the month at the Annandale Neighbourhood Centre for an open mic night and lots of jamming. They are passionate players of bluegrass and old timey music including beginners through to some of Australia's best bluegrass musicians. The amazing thing about these folk is that you've never heard of them. And you may never hear of them either. Their passion for the music is such that they'd rather stand in a corridor and jam with you than play to a thousand people. And they are some of the most welcoming people you'll ever meet who are always ready to teach you a lick or two on your guitar, banjo, mandolin or whatever you might be holding."
Inspired by these musicians and their music Dear Orphans have come up with six new recordings that capture the soul of this heritage in both instrumentation and message.
Joining them on instrument are musicians from this community including Richard Galluzzi on clawhammer banjo, Carlyn Chen on fiddle and Elen Price on double bass. Also featuring are their old friend Mike Kirkley on pedal steel and jazz singer Paul Sun takes to the double bass and now features as a permanent part of their live act.
If you enjoy music that draws from a deep well of music from the first part of the last century and combines it with a contemporary songwriting attitude, then listen below to these tracks from the always fresh Dear Orphans.
An Orphan's Life
A haunting gospel song longing for a new home. A 1930's country/gospel feel with solos from Richards clawhammer banjo and Nick on dobro. All the while with Scott Collins playing lonesome harmonica in the background. Overlaid across all of this is the duet vocals of Lyn and Nick playing the part of an orphan wishing for an eternal family.
Weary
A drunk song penned by Lyn and featuring Nick on lead vocals. The last song you play in a late night jam before you roll into bed at 3am.
Sean Connery is Bond
A classic bluegrass "tune" (or instrumental) featuring solos from Nick and Richard on dobro and clawhammer banjo respectively. Just when you think the song is over the melodic sounds of Mike Kirkley on pedal steel take over, lifting this song to be something a little bit more than what you'd expect from a bluegrass tune.
Sunset Dreaming
The gentle vocals and sparse guitar finger-picking of Lyn Taylor dominate this song with the subtle slide sounds of Mike Kirkley on pedal steel. Double bass savante Elsen Price adds an intriguing layer to this song as he bows the bass line from the middle of the song onwards. A brief ukulele solo from Nick takes us to the end.
Wait the Night
The first Dear Orphans track to be penned by banjo player Richard Galluzzi. An simple and innocent song that hopes that a lover (or friend?) might stay a little longer before going home. Old time music meets contemporary message.
Castlereagh
The second track penned by Richard Galluzzi. An authentic old time tune showcasing the clawhammer banjo and Carlyn Chen's amazing fiddle playing. Recorded entirely live in a single take in Nick and Lyn's lounge room. Features Lyn on hand claps, whoops and hollers.
How to buy
Midnight at Annandale is available now as a digital download. Buy now and we'll email you a download code and instructions. We'll also mail you the physical download card and a Dear Orphans badge.
Buy now
Email any questions to help@giftpony.com.au for a speedy reply.
Nick Payne
22/09/2011 7:56PM
It's been while since our debut album "Dear Orphans" was released so this September we've been planning and plotting a new release.
Over the next few weeks we'll be recording some new material for a release. We're pretty excited about it so we thought we'd answer a few questions you might be asking about it.
Why now?
Firstly, it's been too long since we released our first album Dear Orphans. After a hectic 2008 and 2009 we put our feet up in 2010 because we were burnt out from the effort of keeping the Orphanage Sessions going every month. At the start of this year we vowed to record something new and although the year has gotten away from us we're now coming good on that promise.
Secondly, the band we've got playing with us right now is sounding the best we've ever had a band sounding. We're feeling very blessed to have the privilege of playing with our current line up and we really want to capture the sound that is happening right now.
Is this an album or an EP?
The release will have enough material on it to make it more than an EP, but it'll be a little shorter than a full length album. Maybe it's a mini-album.
What's the style of this album?
Our current line up includes Paul Sun on double bass, Richard Galluzzi on clawhammer banjo and Carlyn Chen on fiddle. As a result this will be a very bluegrass sounding album. There'll be some tracks that we've recorded earlier this year that feature Mike Kirkley on pedal steel, Linday Mar on double bass and also Elsen Price on double bass.
When will it be available?
At our next Orphanage Session on November 12. Sara Tindley will be our guest and she's great.
What next after this?
We've got a bunch of songs we're saving for an album following this. It's tentatively themed "Cowboy and Road Songs" and Lyn's keen to make a noise on the electric guitar. Expect this release to be a bit edgier when it arrives.
How can we keep up to date with what's happening?
We'll be recording over the next few weekends and we'll be posting photos and stuff on Facebook. You can keep an eye on what's happening at www.facebook.com/dearorphans.
Can we have a sneak preview of any of the songs?
You sure can. Here's something that we've been working on. It's a bit different... it's an instrumental.
This sounds awesome, when can we next see you live?
We'll be playing at Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival on the weekend of October 21-23. You can check it out and grab tickets here...
http://www.dorrigofolkbluegrass.com.au/
Stay tuned!
Nick and Lyn
Nick Payne
3/02/2011 8:30PM
Hi folks,
Here's a quick update on what's happening for us.
Heritage Hotel, Bulli gig Friday February 11
On Friday February 11 we're playing our first ever gig down in the Illawarra. We'll be playing at the Heritage Hotel in Bulli supporting our good friend Jackie Dee.
Jackie's been making an impact in the country scene with her debut EP tide and she'll be appearing with her band. We're heading down with Mike Kirkley on Pedal Steel and Lindsay Mar on double bass. Opening the night will be Laurie Whitby.
The Heritage Hotel is a great roots venue and we're looking forward to playing there.
You can buy tickets online at the following location - http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=19507 - or at the door on the night.
More info about the venue can be found here - http://www.heritagehotel.com.au/.
Let us know you're coming and spread the word on Facebook here - http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=183708711653881
Other upcoming stuff...
We're playing
- Karuah River of Music - May 13-15
- Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival - October 21-23
- National Bluegrass & Traditional Country Music Convention of Australia - November 17-20
- And there will be more
We're also working on some Orphanage Sessions and would love to hear about who you'd like to see come to Sydney to play with us. Drop us a line on the Contact Us page or post a message on Facebook.
And finally we'll be releasing some more recorded material this year. Maybe an album, definitely an EP. Stay tuned.