I love the subtle acoustic finger-picking which weaves delicately into the wistful storytelling lyrics on the track, Brown Shoes, by Australian songwriter Ange Takats. In the tradition of local female-fronted acts such as Blanche DuBois and New Buffalo, Takats creates a sparse instrumental base, the repetitive guitar motif providing the perfect accompaniment to her elegant and timeless vocals. The artwork for her album — Aniseed Tea — on which this track appears is equally as impressive, the work of Brisbane artist, Danielle O’Brien.

Says Takats about O’Brien’s painting: ‘I’ve spent the past six months touring the album across Australia at various music festivals, including Woodford, and what I’ve noticed is that a large percentage of people who come to my festival gigs were initially enticed to the venue due to Danielle’s captivating artwork, which I featured on all my gig posters. This truly is a case of two up and coming artists supporting each other’s creative pursuits and it is working really well!’ [photo by Alain Bouvier]


Listen to her track, Brown Shoes.

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Australian actor and singer-songwriter, Abi Tucker, has a new album out — One December Moon — which is a startlingly good follow-up from her 2003 release, Dreamworld. We asked her about the process behind One December Moon’s recording: ‘I wanted to write another album after my first album, Dreamworld. To see it as an entire piece seemed more inspiring than to see each song individually, though I’d write each track as individuals. I would get one idea and I’d want to hear it completed with whatever instruments would suit the track. I wouldn’t just write entirely on guitar, nor on keyboard. I’d often tune the guitar to make the chord. I’d dabble in string ideas. I would try and think about the instruments that I thought might suit the original idea’.

‘But for me, it is always about the vocal melody and the lyrics. They’d always be awakened by something simple and I would generally want to get them out. I’d hone in on the melodies, often finding the chords to suit the vocal lines in my head. Sometimes there would be harmony ideas. Stream of conscience is something I love to play around with when I am jamming with other people. I don’t know many covers, I’ve always loved flying by the seat of my pants with vocals. Writing the album was more structured. I pieced the album together as demos first and then approached the musicians. Some of the songs were more formed than others. The musicians are all incredible. The harp was more a wish for the album. I had to fulfill that vision as one of the finishing touches’.

Australian singer-songwriter Ben Lee recently contributed some posts to Lost At E Minor on some of his favourite cultural things and people. We checked in with him to see what sort of head-space he’s been in the time since the release of his latest album, Ripe. It’s been quite a journey from the young Ben Lee of Noise Addict fame to the more at peace Ben Lee with an acoustic guitar and a headful of soulful melodies. How do you look back on your younger self? ‘I was very eager, very earnest, and very honest. I was also pretty hectic. I look back on those days fondly, but I’m really glad I’m no longer there!’ You lived in New York for some time. Fond memories? And where do you escape to in the city for some quiet inspiration? ‘I loved living in New York. I will probably live there again at some point. I moved there when I was 19 and wanted to meet crazy, creative people. I wanted to feel free. New York did the trick. But you have to know how to get quiet to really survive that place. As for places to hang out at, I recommend the Meteor Room at The Museum of Natural History, and Central Park’. On your blog you’ve done acoustic versions of the entire Against Me album. Tell us how that went down. ‘Sometimes when I become a huge fan of something, I don’t just want to passively listen to it, I want to experience it from the inside. That’s what happened with the Against Me album. I really connected with it’. Ripe — a handful of beautiful songs ready for the picking? A piece of fruit, juicy and succulent? What’s your take on the new album in the context of the album title? ‘Enjoying the patience required to get to consummation. The joy of desire. The thrill of correct timing. Everything is fleeting, but a moment that is fully experienced is eternal. What a ride!’ [read a review of Ben Lee's album, Ripe, and watch the clip to his song, Love Me Like The World Is Ending]

Listen to the Ben Lee track, Numb.