Well here we are in 2020 and for the past few months Australia has been suffering truly damaging and widespread fires. For first month of 2020 all sales from my Bandcamp Store will be donated to the NSW Rural Fire Service. To make things a little more interesting I’ve included something new. I wrote the song ‘Notre Dame’ specifically for a pledger during my crowdfunding campaign last year. You can read the story of the song and have a listen or purchase HERE It’s a very personal song – big thanks to the sweet pledger who agreed for it to be made available to the public to raise money for the RFS. Thanks to those of you who have already jumped onboard.
First Gig For 2020
Due to circumstances way beyond my control, followed by a personal family tragedy, I was forced to cancel my tour with Jamie Hutchings last year. So to make up for things, just a little, we are going to play a one off show at the Petersham Bowling Club on Sunday Feb 9th. It’s an early show, 6-9pm and we’ll be joined by Simone East who will open the proceedings. Only 50 seats available so jump in early.
Fever Dreams appeared in several End Of Year “Best Of 2019” Lists amongst some fine company like Wilco’s “Ode To Joy”, Neil Young’s “Colorado and Nick Cave’s “Ghosteen”
I’m super chuffed to announce that we’ll be returning to the National Folk Festival across the 9th-13th April 2020. All the fellas are coming with me – the full band in tow. The last time we played the festival was back in 2015. We’re looking forward to heading back….exact show times coming soon.
FREE SHIPPING ON FEVER DREAMS
Also, for the month of December I’ll be offering free shipping Australia wide for Fever Dreams on vinyl and CD on my Bandcamp page. For any overseas purchases $10AU shipping for vinyl and $2AU for CD’s.
HANDMADE CD BOX SET
Over the past 12 months I’ve sold about 5 of these complete box sets (see below) of my CD back catalogue. I’ve finally decided to make them available on Bandcamp.
The boxes are designed and created by me. All the cutting, pasting and varnishing I’m doing myself. I’ll sign them and add a personal message as well. No two boxes will be alike. Due to the fact that my CD stock is shrinking I can do 3 more that will contain 11 CD’s – after that a couple of the LTD Edition CD releases will be all gone and I’ll offer a slimmed down version.
They contain 3 CD’s from my early 2000’s project Hitchcock’s Regret, 2 CD’s from my side project with Michael Carpenter, The Supahip, plus 6 of my solo releases including a rare EP which contains a co-write with The Church drummer Timothy Powles. Albums produced by Jamie Hutchings, Tim Powles and Michael Carpenter. My musical history from about 2000 onwards.
You can even choose which era of album art you’d like on your box if you’d like to make an order – simply email yellowmoonrecords@gmail.com.
Here’s a link if you’d like to grab one on Bandcamp: CD BOX SET
NEW REVIEWS
Finally a couple more reviews for Fever Dreams have filtered through – including this one from Belgium.
Here’s a translated version courtesy of Google:
“The Waiting Room” was the title of the first solo album of Australian folk rocker Mark Moldre from Sydney in 2010. Three years later a second album followed which was entitled “An Ear To The Earth” and was again filled with solid rock songs. His backing band for recording that album consisted of drummer Scott Hutchings, bass player Reuben Wills, lap slid guitar player and banjo player Adam Lang and guitar player Jamie Hutchings.
It is with the same musicians that Mark Moldre now returned to the studio to record his third solo album “Fever Dreams“. The extra guest musicians who were invited to play on a few songs are pianist Jadey O’Regan, Hammond organ player Tim Byron and tenor saxophonist Lee Hutchings. The brand new album contains ten new songs that Mark Moldre himself has composed in recent years.
Don’t expect simple, obvious songs on “Fever Dreams“, but rather skillfully put together melodic and sometimes some mysterious pop and rock songs as presented here in the tracks “Josephine“, “How Long?” Or the intriguing “Full Moon Over Luna Park ”and“ Peak Downs Coal ”, songs that remind me a bit of work by someone like Tom Waits or his Australian compatriots from ‘Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds‘.
Occasionally it goes straightforward like in “Til Now,” Keep On Moving “and with the song” Leave Me Where You Found Me “that was recorded as the first single from this album . The album title track “Fever Dreams I” offered on the second video is based on a repetitive drum beat and sharp rock guitar sounds. Our favorite song on this album, however, is the beautifully sung acoustic Americana ballad “White Lightning“, a catchy song that continues to fascinate and intrigue from start to finish.
This record was recorded live and directly on tape by producer Jamie Hutchings, which definitely enhances the authenticity of Mark Moldre’s work. The fun mix of Americana, jazzy and bluesy tunes, Dylaneske folk songs and driving rock songs turns out to form a wonderful basis for a great album by this Australian singer-songwriter. – Rootstime.be
REDBACK ROCK From the retro, Rising Sun airs of opener, Fever Dreams II, through the raggedy blues romp of Leave Me Where You Found Me, to the beautifully moody, swampesque (even a touch of Dylan vocally) throes of Josephine, this is one very diverse musical journey.
Shades of yesteryear’s, bluesy jazz bars (How Long?), lazy, late night martini ambles (Full Moon Over Luna Park) and even some swamped, menaced plodarama (Fever Dreams I).
White Lightning is sparse and seductive, in its own beautifully lackadaisical way.
Til Now takes us on a more cowpoke flavoured venture with its Morricone cool and dusty saloon throes.
Keep On Moving keeps the countrified mode, with its racy train-ride rhythms, before Peak Downs Coal wraps it all up with its sad, sad shades and a slick, slow washover.
Throw in the superb production of Jamie Hutchings (Bluebottle Kiss) and you’ve got sure fire winner – Mark Fraser- redbackrock.com
That’s all for now – more gig dates for 2020 coming soon. Love Mark X
It’s with much disappointment and a heavy heart that I need to announce that I have to cancel all of my upcoming shows with Jamie Hutchings due to a family crisis. I’m going to be dealing with an extremely difficult situation over the coming months and am forced to clear my calendar completely.
I was really looking forward to the shows – and catching up with interstate friends. Hopefully I’ll still get some shows in next year. Apologies to any friends who have purchased tickets – this is not a decision that I’ve made lightly.
If you’d like to help during this time of need – one thing that would help…if you’ve not been able to grab a copy of Fever Dreams on CD, vinyl or digital – or grab a T-Shirt or Tote Bag you can do so here:
Bandcamp is the very best option as you’ll be dealing directly with me personally. We’re going to be going through a time that will also effect the finances of my extended family and every cent will help.
Special thanks to Chris Familton Publicity for all his assistance in publicising these shows. I’m really disappointed I can’t be there. Of course, as you know, you’ll get a great show regardless going to see Sir Hutchings.
I’ll be opening the musical proceedings for my old friend Jamie Hutchings as he launches his new live album King Hits And Goldfish Memories for a brief run of shows. Like the album, the tour will see Jamie drawing on everything from late 90’s Bluebottle Kiss through to last year’s Bedsit. Double bassist Reuben Wills will be joining us for both sets and Jamie will reprise his electric guitar role on a few of my tunes and I’ll be returning the favour in his set. Tickets are on sale now.
Thur Oct 31 Camelot Lounge SYDNEY Tickets Sat Nov 2 Merri Creek Tavern MELBOURNE Tickets Sun Nov 3 Grace Emily Hotel ADELAIDE Tickets Fri Nov 8 The Junk Bar BRISBANE Tickets Sat Nov 9 Dusty Attic Music Lounge LISMORE Tickets
MORE FINE PRESS FOR FEVER DREAMS!
The good press keeps rolling in for Fever Dreams. Here’s a few fine reviews below.
Click the link to read in full this particularly eloquent and thoughtful review from writer Noel Mengel:
“Hot band, great songs, top-shelf performances and some classic microphones too no doubt. But if it was as simple as that there would be more records as powerful as Fever Dreams…This is music that breathes, that swings, that howls at the moon with a wild-eyed grin….What is happening on Fever Dreams is a band at its hard-rocking peak, an outfit that has played together long enough to find their sonic groove, bringing the absolute maximum out of Moldre’s finest set of tunes.” – Noel Mengel LOUD MOUTH
“It’s taken six years for the New South Welshman to deliver his third solo album, but the wait has been well and truly worth it. The ten originals crackle with spontaneity and raw energy, from the ramshackle Waitsian jazz-noir of the wonderfully titled ‘Full Moon Over Luna Park’ to the serrated fierceness of the psych-rock title track. Fever Dreams is a shape shifting exploration of blues and jazz, rough around the edges and an entirely compelling listen.” – Trevor J. LeedenRHYTHMS MAGAZINE SEPT/OCT EDITION
“A genre hopping delight from Australian Mark Moldre. Most likely to find shelter under the Americana umbrella, the third release from Moldre, as the title implies, is surreal, wacky, thrilling and edgy. Moldre displays his capacity to mix country rockers, electric blues, jazzy folk and dreamy ballads and yet still end up with an album that hangs together coherently, from start to finish.
‘Leave Me Where You Found Me’ is a jazzy blues affair, kicking off in Shakin’ All Over fashion, before heading off into B52 stomping grounds. ‘White Lightning‘ is a riotous sing-along and equally disorderly is the wonderful ‘Full Moon Over Luna Park‘, a 2am boozy waltz. Shades of The Sadies emerge on ‘Til Now‘ and both ‘Josephine‘ and ‘Fever Dreams II’ recall his fellow countryman Nick Cave.
The album was recorded live, with Jamie Hutchings once again producing and contributing to the mayhem with electric guitar, percussion, handclaps and backing vocals. More experimental and innovative than his 2013 album An Ear To The Earth, Moldre’s latest offering is both challenging, futuristic and rewarding. It offers the listener a body of work that creeps up, unravels and permeates with each subsequent listen.” – Declan CullitonLONESOME HIGHWAY (IRELAND)
“Sydney’s Mark Moldre has been flying under the radar since launching his career in 2005. Fever Dreams is Moldre’s third solo effort and it’s a grungy mix of rock, rockabilly and earthy ballads. With it’s grinding guitar riffs ‘Leave Me Where You Found Me’ boasts an early 60’s sound with a quick-tempo beat and handclaps to match. Moldre is big on percussion, as with ‘How Long’, a New Orleans oriented type track, while the slow and jazz tinged ‘Full Moon Over Luna Park’ is a waltz timed lament. Rockabilly reigns on ‘Keep On Moving’ and there’s an Americana flavour to ‘Josephine’ complete with a swampy guitar backing. ‘White Lightning’ has a tone of resignation as does ‘Peak Downs Coal’, a song that would suit Leonard Cohen’s catalogue. Moldre’s deep bluesy voice is infectious and he deserves credit for these 10 highly original songs” – Greg BushOWNER DRIVER MAGAZINE
“It is arresting, compelling and brilliant. Lyrically, it is rich and rewarding. Stylistically, musically, it takes the listener on an exhilarating journey….Fever Dreams can’t be easily explained, nor can it be easily ignored….be prepared to devote your time and attention to this singular work, and push all thoughts of doing other things aside. You won’t regret it.” Jolene: The Country Music Blog
MOLDRE ON THE RADIO
Radio has continued to play tracks from the new album – special thanks to 2SERFM, ABC, Double J and FBi Radio. In the lead up to the Sydney launch show of Fever Dreams I had a chat with Lindsay McDougall at the ABC and Vinny Ramone at 2SER, plus played a couple of tunes lives on air. You can stream both of these interviews below.
Grab a copy of FEVER DREAMS on vinyl, CD or digital at BANDCAMP – you’ll get bonus PDF’s of handwritten, illustrated lyrics! There’s also T-Shirts and Totes!
Josephine is the 3rd video creation taken from my new album Fever Dreams I made the clip with my wife Jo who is long suffering and accomodating when it comes to working with me on these creations I will point out that she is NOT the Josephine at the heart of this song if I wrote a song about her and opened with the lines “I’m so tired of hearing every thought in your head I’m turning off the white noise and slipping into bed” …well, I wouldn’t be here to tell the tale Jo and I made the clip together at home on our phones after the kids were asleep I dived into my daughters face paint (luckily she didn’t wake up after the paint was applied – I would have scared her witless) we waited til it was real dark and we crept quietly around the house while stifling our laughter at our own earnest stupidity and trying to keep our dog Hubble quiet (he also plays a starring role in his 15th year) and please share it around if you enjoy our amateur efforts you can come along and hear the tunes from Fever Dreams live when we launch the album in Sydney on Thursday Sept 5 with Kate Alexander & Hana Brenecki for Ramblin’ Nights at SLY FOX in Enmore presented by Mother Hen Touring & Post To Wire tickets are on sale now HERE Love Mark X
We’re excited to announce that we will be launching Fever Dreams in Sydney for “Ramblin’ Nights” for one night only at SLYFOX in Enmore. Presented by the lovely folk at Mother Hen Touring and Post To Wire. September 5th is the date to add to your diaries.
At this stage it’s our only planned NSW show with the complete band line up – so we’d (of course) love to see you all there to help us mark this special event!
L To R : Adam Lang, Moldre, Scott Hutchings, Reuben Wills, Jamie Hutchings. Pic By Michael Carpenter
Please come along early to check out the sweet harmonies of special guests Kate Alexander & Hana Brenecki all the way from Melbourne.
Here’s the band in action – live in France. Henry Wagons said on Double J “(Leave Me Where You Found Me) is the kind of tune I want to lock arms and rotate on the dance floor to”….so on Sept 5 we’d like to see some of that kind of action in Enmore!
My third solo album Fever Dreams is out now and available to purchase via Bandcamp (vinyl, CD, digital), plus streaming on Apple Music and Spotify.
We’ve had a wonderful response so far to the new record from journalists, radio and podcast hosts, with songs from the album receiving airplay right across Australia, Ireland and New Zealand. In fact, every track on Fever Dreams has been aired on radio. You can also read an interview in the July/August edition of RHYTHMS magazine.
..“Fever Dreams, an absolutely superb record… a superlative album from a songwriter who cites Tom Waits, Chet Baker and Bob Dylan amongst his myriad of influences” – Stuart Coupe (Rhythms)
“Hypnotic, rollicking and restless. Fans of Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Dylan should immediately investigate” – Jeff Jenkins (The Music)
“A really good listen, categorised as Americana but it’s more than that, it’s genre-hopping.” “It’s an album that had a strong impact on me on first listen, this is a very, very interesting album.” “Country noir sound with jangly guitars, quite psychedelic in places” “Twin Peaks meets True Detective soundtrack” – Lonesome Highway
“Anyone who is a fan of Tom Waits should investigate this guy” – “Brooding melancholia, a fine sound” – David Astle (ABC Melbourne)
“Excellent work… I highly, highly recommend it” “A broad spectrum of cracked Americana” – Paul Gough (1/2/3/4 – Pimpod)
“It starts in a bar, more than a few drinks in, and ends after a zig-zagging journey through country, blues, rock & big skies. A new album from Mark Moldre has stories, and some crushed suede guitar” – Bernard Zuel
“(Leave Me Where You Found Me) is the kind of tune I want to lock arms and rotate on the dance floor to” – Henry Wagons (Tower Of Song, Double J)
The best way to listen to Fever Dreams is over at our Bandcamp Store – there you can purchase copies on vinyl, CD and digital.
I’m happy to announce that my new album Fever Dreamsis released today and available to purchase on vinyl, CD and digital formats from Bandcamp, plus streaming on Apple Music and Spotify.
The ramshackle, rockabilly racket of our first single ‘Leave Me Where You Found Me’ has been receiving a great media response, with widespread airplay for this and other songs on stations across the country including 2SERFM, Double J, FBi, ABC and 3RRR. Journalist and radio host Jeff Jenkins had this to say, “Anyone who is a fan of Tom Waits should investigate this guy” and ABC Melbourne’s David Astle described the music as “Brooding melancholia, a fine sound”.
The best place to grab a copy of Fever Dreams on any format is from our Bandcampstore where you can receive a range of bonus items that won’t be available elsewhere. All digital downloads are available in high quality MP3 and FLAC files and will come with all album art (PNG) plus personally illustrated hand-written lyrics (PDF). CD and vinyl purchases also come with immediate high quality downloads and the previously mentioned bonus items.
I’ve also been busy creating and designing – so if you missed out on T-Shirts or packages during the crowdfunding campaign, here’s your chance to grab a T-Shirt or Tote Bag, personally designed and screen printed by me. They’ve all been made available on the Bandcamp store.
If you missed the clip for Leave Me Where You Found Me you can check it out right here:
I hope you good folk enjoy the new music. Big Love Mark
Today Mark Moldre has released the video for ‘Leave Me Where You Found Me’, the second clip to come from his new albumFever Dreams (out Friday, June 21st on vinyl, CD and digital formats – best place to snag a copy will be HERE).
Premiered this week on The Music, the Dylan-referencing track is a ramshackle, rockabilly racket about a paranoid conspiracy theorist who has spent too much time alone in the basement (and in his own head).
The song (and album) was produced by Jamie Hutchings (Bluebottle Kiss/Infinity Broke/The Tall Grass) and the accompanying clip was created by Michael Carpenter (MCMI Music Imaging).
“We recorded it live, the old fashioned way – straight to one inch tape,” explains Moldre. “I knew that I wanted it to be a louder album than my previous records. I wanted to capture what the band can do onstage when all cylinders are firing. A little more avant garde and left of centre than before, with more room for band members to improvise and be themselves.”
Fever Dreams is Moldre’s third solo album and the follow-up to his 2013 release – An Ear To The Earth. It contains some genre-hopping sonic bedlam, fractured Americana-hued ballads, jazz-tinged standards, old-school Jungle Book style reggae and ramshackle/rollicking noir blues, with the fingerprints of Dylan, Waits and Chet Baker buried deep in its DNA.
From the gently undulating desert sounds of ‘Josephine’ to the raised-glass sway of ‘White Lightning’, the swagger and rockabilly of ‘Leave Me Where You Found Me’ and the gloriously cosmic and eclectic junk-shop jazz of ‘Full Moon Over Luna Park’, the album is defined by the range of its artistic vision.
“Anyone who is a fan of Tom Waits should investigate this guy” – Jeff Jenkins, ABC Melbourne
Over his career, Moldre has opened for artists such as The Church, The Backsliders, The Break, Jim Moginie, Tex Perkins, Steve Kilbey and many more. He’s played festivals such as Dashville Skyline and The National Folk Festival. A recent highlight was taking his complete band line-up to France in July 2018 for a series of successful shows at the Binic Folks Blues Festival (tour diary). Listen for the sound of the Binic bells at the start of ‘Leave Me Where You Found Me’!
Thanks to an extremely successful crowdfunding campaign we can now announce the release date of Fever Dreams across all formats. Best place to snag a physical copy will be at our BANDCAMP store. Below is some information about the upcoming release.
AVAILABLE FROM YELLOW MOON RECORDS JUNE 21ST 2019 VINYL CD AND DIGITAL
Songwriting is variously described as channeling one’s muse, a vehicle for the subconscious and the manifestation of an artist’s wild imagination. For Australian songwriter Mark Moldre it’s all that and more on his richly vivid and varied new album, Fever Dreams.
This is Moldre’s third solo album and the follow-up to his 2013 release – An Ear To The Earth. Moldre returned to the studio with the very same line-up and walked out with an album that captures the same sense of magic and mayhem, this time woven into a looser rock ’n’ roll aesthetic.
“I knew that I wanted it to be a louder album than my previous records. I wanted to capture what the band can do onstage when all cylinders are firing. A little more avant garde and left of centre than before, with more room for band members to improvise and be themselves.”
Produced by Jamie Hutchings (Bluebottle Kiss/Infinity Broke/The Tall Grass) and recorded live and straight to 1” tape, Fever Dreams contains some genre-hopping sonic bedlam, fractured Americana-hued ballads, jazz-tinged standards, old-school Jungle Book style reggae and ramshackle/rollicking noir blues.
The fingerprints of Dylan, Waits and Chet Baker are buried deep in the DNA of Fever Dreams. From the gently undulating desert sounds of ‘Josephine’ to the raised-glass sway of ‘White Lightning’, the swagger and rockabilly of ‘Leave Me Where You Found Me’ and the gloriously cosmic and eclectic junk-shop jazz of ‘Full Moon Over Luna Park’, the album is defined by the range of its artistic vision.
Lyrically, Moldre’s poetry blurs the lines between bad dreams, things that go bump in the night, claustrophobia, conspiracy theorists, modern day anxiety and twisted tales set in ever shifting Australian landscapes. His impressionistic tales are perfectly complemented by his accomplished, tough and tender guitar playing that draws on both traditional and more exploratory forms of folk, jazz, and blues.
“Anxiety seems to have become the buzz word of humanity. Each song seems to tell a story of characters dealing with uncertainty, anxiety, stress, mental health issues, sleepless nights and loss. Without going into specifics – I’ve certainly had a difficult few years, with my fair share of waking up in a cold sweat. I worked hard though to write stories from the point of view of a series of outsiders, short vignettes into the lives of others – rather than stories of me.”
Carousing, shaping and ushering Moldre’s songs into the world was a group effort by a stellar set of friends and musicians in Jamie Hutchings (guitar), Reuben Wills (bass), Scott Hutchings (drums) and Adam Lang (lap slide, banjo) plus guests Tim Byron (Hammond organ), Lee Hutchings (saxophone) and Jadey O’Regan (piano). “We’ve played together long enough now that we’ve really found our sonic space. The band almost creates its own genre somehow. We can play calypsos, country waltzes, 50’s style standards, rock, blues, reggae, ballads and folk yet pull it altogether into a sound,” marvels Moldre.
An overwhelmingly successful Pozible campaign has demonstrated the level of support and respect Moldre receives from fans of his music. As a result, Fever Dreams has been pressed on hi-fidelity vinyl, which in turn gives listeners the opportunity to fully appreciate the exceptional cover art painted by French-Canadian luthier/artist Lenny Piroth-Robert of Daddy Mojo Guitars.
Over his career, Moldre has opened for artists such as The Church, The Backsliders, The Break, Jim Moginie, Tex Perkins, Steve Kilbey and many more. He’s played festivals such as Dashville Skyline and The National Folk Festival. A recent highlight was taking his complete band line-up to France in July 2018 for a series of successful shows at the Binic Folks Blues Festival (tour diary).
Moldre has already released a film clip for ‘Fever Dreams I’ and will soon be revealing the video for the Dylan-referencing ‘Leave Me Where You Found Me’.
Chris Familton Publicity +61 418 286 381 chrisfamiltonpublicity@gmail.com
