Mistletone

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27: Ross McLennan & the New World join Matt Walker & The Lost Ragas for a double bill at The Flying Saucer Club. Tickets $27+bf (Reserved Seating), $20+bf (GA), $22 (GA Door), on sale now. Doors open 8pm, showtime 8.40pm.

Ross McLennan and Matt Walker are (just quietly) true heroes of Australian independent music. These two gentlemen have forged divergent paths in the course of their fascinating and weighty careers, but they are kindred spirits. Laden with musical gifts, they are both songwriters of great depth and intensity who can weave a world to hold you spellbound with each song. What’s more, they are both true gentlemen; gentle men, you might say, with the charm that comes from genuine heart and humour. Rock star egos will be left at the door; it’s time to for real talk. This will be a gregarious evening with two of the most fascinating fellows you could choose to while away an evening together. And they’re bringing a posse; Ross McLennan performs with his 11-piece ensemble The New World, and Matt Walker is joined by his band The Lost Ragas; bass, drums, pedal steel, and of course Matt’s sublime guitar work.

One of Australian indie rock’s quiet achievers, Ross McLennan is revered for his rare and riveting live performances. Showcasing the evocative compositions from his acclaimed solo works, The Night’s Deeds Are Vapour, Sympathy For The New World and Hits From The Brittle Building — and quite possibly a fondly remembered Snout classic or two — Ross will be accompanied by his ensemble of strings, woodwind and a choir for a lush, simply breathtaking performance. Described by Rolling Stone as a “black-clad Burt Bacharach”, Ross creates intriguing daydream sequences in his music whilst engaging deeply with the most vexed and heartbreaking issues of our time. Aptly described as a “chamber rock auteur” and a “one man pop factory”, not to mention “pure unadulterated genius”, Ross has earned the highest accolades for his solo career since disbanding Snout, one of a few Australian indie pop bands from the 1990s who are remembered both for their popularity and their creative depth. His latest solo album The Night’s Deeds Are Vapour, released last year via Mistletone Records, is every bit as impressive as its predecessor, Sympathy For The New World, which was shortlisted in the 8 finalists for The AMP Australian Music Prize 2008. In the past few years Ross has performed a handful of times, at Melbourne Festival, Brisbane Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse and other discriminating venues. “By name and mercurial nature, The Night’s Deeds are Vapour is about the thrilling transience of impulses and ideas, from eerie woodwind that slides around tonal certainty to lyrics seemingly on their own journey of discovery moment by moment” – The Age.

Matt Walker is one of the most respected musicians on the Australian scene. His work as a songwriter, producer, session guitarist and composer is credited on dozens of albums, films and documentary scores, and among his peers down under he enjoys the status of a true cult legend. He has toured with people such as Bob Dylan, Patti Smith, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Dirty Three, Nick Cave, Tony Joe White, Cat Power, The Black Keys and Joe Cocker. Matt has also written, recorded and performed with many outstanding artists, including Mick Harvey (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), Rob Hirst and Jim Mogine (both from Midnight Oil), Kim Salmon (The Scientists) and Ashley Davies (Mighty Servant). He is currently guitarist for The Band of Gold, fronted by Tex Perkins (Cruel Sea, Beasts of Bourbon) and also plays guitar with Archie Roach. His commitment to other projects has often overshadowed his own work, but he has nevertheless won a coveted ARIA award for his music in 2000, as well receiving two nominations the previous year. It goes without saying that, within the Australian music industry, there is much respect for Matt Walker. With the release of his latest solo album In Echoes of Dawn on 7 September 2012 through Fuse, we are convinced that his status as a quiet, behind-the-scenes player is about to change for good. It has been seven years since he has released an album of his own, but In Echoes of Dawn will put him right back in the foreground again. It is a stunning, uplifting piece of work that moves from swamp-soul through to harmony-rich country blues and lilting piano-driven balladry. Matt’s voice is haunting, effortless and pure and his song-writing here is nothing short of a revelation. Absolutely worth the wait, and all those folks he has been helping out over the years are going to have to take a back seat now.