Hey movers and shakers, there’s a couple of small rumblings in the Moldre camp…so here’s all the latest. I’ll be playing a couple of shows in Sydney in May and June. Isaac De Heer opened up for us when we were down in Melbourne – so now I’ll be returning the favour when he hits Sydney at The Green Room Lounge on Sunday 18th May. I’ll also be playing a special show presented by our favourite blog Post To Wire at Petersham Bowling Club on a lazy Saturday afternoon 7th June – I’ll be joined by label mate James Thompson and old buddy Darren Cross. Further details can be found on the posters below.

An Ear  To The Earth was recently reviewed on the Italian Americana/Folk blog Roots Highway “Some episodes are pretty darn attractive ( the sweet country- rock of Nowhere At All , curvaceous Madeline , a soft O Dreamtime Blues ) for simply not to be relegated to the field of reproduction, rather giving the impression of a folk singer who knows how to translate his music dark places”– you can read the review in full (in Italian) HERE.  

After a year of waiting I’m lucky enough to now show you my new custom, handmade guitar (by the name of Rosetta) from an incredibly talented guitar builder – Lenny P Robert at Daddy Mojo. Lenny asked me to write a few words about Rosetta for his new (upcoming) website:

I fell in love with Rosetta the very first time I saw her on the Daddy Mojo Facebook page. I couldn’t find a guitar in Australia that looked anything like her. I salivated over photos for a good year or so before I decided to dive in headlong and ask Lenny to build a Rosetta for me. I’ve been playing guitar for 34 years now – and have owned quite a lot of different instruments over that period of time. Currently I have a 1957 Gibson ES225, a 1957 Hofner, my trusty Maton acoustic and a 110 year old parlour guitar. Nothing had prepared me for playing my first few notes on this guitar. I plugged it directly into my little 22W Swart AST PRO and played the first chord. Goosebump inducing. The little Charlie Christian pickup is unlike any pickup I’ve had on a guitar before – extremely touch sensitive – nice crisp top end – yet deep and resonant. Hit the strings softly and it’s sweet and clean, hit them hard and it BARKS. An incredible mix of clean tone and grit.It’s been carved and created by a master craftsman – with enormous attention to detail. The neck feels incredible – and you know you have something special in your hands when you pick up an instrument for the first time and start playing phrases and lines that you’ve never played before. I’m starting to believe that Lenny may be some kind of musical shaman. He has somehow embedded the spirit and essence of a much older instrument into Rosetta. It feels played in. In fact it feels, looks and sounds like a guitar of a bygone era. Who could ask for more?

You can see a whole series of pics of Rosetta in various stages of production HERE on my Facebook page

Pic by Michael Carpenter

Finally, there’s a few live clips floating around on youtube from our last tour – here’s a selection.

WHERE WILL I BE? (Live At Lizottes Newcastle)

BONE ORCHARD (Live At Lizottes Newcastle)

EVERYTHING I NEED IS HERE (Live At The Green Room Lounge Enmore)

PS We’re currently offering a free copy of 2010’s Troubled Genius EP (Produced by timeBandit Powles [The Church] and Michael Carpenter) with every purchase of An Ear To The Earth or The Waiting Room over at our BANDCAMP STORE.