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Aussie artists
Welcome to Living in the Land of Oz

Howzat! Archive - November 2nd 2011

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INTO THE WILD
Howzat!'s favourite Sydney female artist, Caitlin Harnett, has now done more gigs in North America than Melbourne. But we're pleased to report that Caitlin is back in town this week, playing at The Order of Melbourne (401 Swanston Street) on Thursday, with Missing Children and The Bon Scotts. Caitlin has just spent five weeks overseas, doing half-a-dozen gigs in Canada and the US. "All of them were really enjoyable," she says, "but my favourite was a gig at Fontanel Farmhouse. It's about 20 minutes out of Nashville and has a very southern feel. I ate fried green tomatoes and sang to a bunch of great country folk who all knew each other by name. It was really special."
Caitlin also fell in love while she was away - with a guitar. "It's a Harmony Hollywood electric guitar made in the '60s," she explains. "I spent three hours in the store playing it, looking at it, playing it some more and then calling my mum to help convince myself that I had to have it." Caitlin also bought a stack of vinyl (Jackson Browne, The Jayhawks, The Mountain Goats and Tom Petty) at Amoeba Music in San Francisco and Grimey's in Nashville. And she couldn't resist buying two more Alice In Wonderland books - Caitlin loves Alice so much, she even inspired the title of Caitlin's second sublime EP, All In The Golden Afternoon (available at caitlinharnett.com).
Caitlin's Twitter description states: "Music, magic and Harry Potter." Her American adventure included a trip to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Orlando. Did it live up to her expectations? "Oh, my," she shrieks, "it was absolutely wonderful!" Caitlin spent two days at the park. "I felt like I'd been given my Hogwarts acceptance letter … it was very, very cool." Caitlin also met many music stars, including Spooner Oldham ("I was pretty starstruck"), Keb Mo ("He has very silky hands"), and she tweeted "I can die happy" after meeting Buddy Miller. "I was in such awe of him that I blurted out, 'I love you!', much to his surprise. He didn't really say too much after that."
Caitlin also appeared at the 12th annual Americana Festival, alongside a stack of Aussie artists, including Henry Wagons, Catherine Britt and Mia Dyson. As well as seeing so many great acts - including Lucinda Williams, The Jayhawks, Robert Plant and Justin Townes Earle - Caitlin ate spicy fried pickles and wrote some songs. "The trip has definitely inspired me in so many ways, not only with writing but with exploring new things to do with my music. It's opened my eyes up to the kinds of opportunities you can get from playing in a different country."


SUPERMARKET SCENE
It's like Glee meets supermarket shopping. The video for Sophie Koh's new single, Lo-Fi, ranks alongside The Little Stevies' Feel It as Howzat!'s favourite 2011 clip. Filmed at Piedimonte's in North Fitzroy, it's a one-shot dance spectacular. It's like the Coles ad - with a better soundtrack (and a D. Rogers cameo). Lo-Fi, which Sophie wrote with Ben Lee and Brad Wood, is the first single from her third album, Oh My Garden, which will be out early 2012. Sophie launches Lo-Fi this Thursday at the Northcote Social Club.


RETURN OF DESERTERS
It's a new-look Deserters for their new EP, Lemon Kicks/Stars Burn (out now on Popboomerang), with the addition of Barnesy's daughter Elly-May on backing vocals. "I got to know Elly-May when I was touring Sydney quite a bit with The Pictures," explains singer Luke Thomas. "There was one particular night, late after a gig, when we were playing SingStar at someone's place. She beat me, of course, but I said, 'Hey, I'm working on a record and I reckon we'd sound good singing together', so we eventually did." Elly will be at Saturday's launch at Yah Yah's, which also features Royston Vasie and Nick Murphy & Jeff Samin. The Deserters EP was mixed by Aussie ex-pat Victor Van Vugt, who has worked with Dave Graney, Nick Cave and Beth Orton. "I really loved what he did with The Panics' Cruel Guards album," Luke says, "and I just thought, fuck it, let's send him a few songs and see what he says. Turns out he loved the songs. He's been very inspirational, easy to get along with and a lovely chap."


CHART WATCH
Just one Aussie single in the Top 40.

Somebody That I Used To Know GOTYE (number five)

Darren Hayes has a Top 10 debut, while Husky land at 33.

All For You COLD CHISEL (number four)
Making Mirrors GOTYE (five)
Secret Codes And Battleships DARREN HAYES (10, debut)
To The Horses LANIE LANE (13)
A Million Suns SHANNON NOLL (14)
Ultimate Hits LEE KERNAGHAN (16)
Songs From The Heart MARK VINCENT (17)
Vows KIMBRA (20)
Blue Sky Blue PETE MURRAY (22)
Insomnia WASHINGTON (24, debut)
Prisoner THE JEZABELS (26)
Falling & Flying 360 (27)
The Acoustic Chapel Sessions JOHN FARNHAM (28)
Forever So HUSKY (33, debut)
White Heat: 30 Hits ICEHOUSE (35)
Moonfire BOY & BEAR (37)
The Very Best INXS (39, debut)


HOWZAT! PLAYLIST
Into The Wild CAITLIN HARNETT
Lo-Fi SOPHIE KOH
Lemon Kicks DESERTERS
A Death In The Family JUAN ALBAN
Tumbling Down THE SWAMP DANDIES

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