A special blend of smooth, smoky, neuvo-folk will be let loose on the unsuspecting, wintry City of Brisbane with the release of thewhiskeyarchive’s self titled debut EP on August 18 at the Old Museum. From the first sip the whiskey archive will intrigue you – tantalising your tastebuds with bluesy flavour, teasing with a hint of alt-country and tipping their hat in genuine affection to the punk and goth influences from Brisbane’s music scene of the 70s and 80s. Yet just when you thought you had them pinned down, thewhiskeyarchive send sweet, poignant harmonies shivering up your spine to confound your sense of what this sound truly is.
thewhiskeyarchive have emerged quietly over the last year with a string of successful shows at The Zoo, Ric’s Bar and Room 60. The combination of ukulele songstress Jane Cameron and singer/songwriter Mark Bentley create a vocal, musical and songwriting chemistry that is captivating in its honesty, insight and power. Mindless pop, this is not! The intelligence in their lyrics is undeniable and the interlacing of guitar, ukulele and their twin vocals is mesmerising, creating a far bigger sound than you would expect.
Drawing on influences as varied as Radiohead, REM, The Cure, Died Pretty, The Dirty Three, Townes Van Zandt, Justin Townes Earle, Portishead, The Saints and Paul Kelly, thewhiskeyarchive blend seamlesssly into the night, their songs rich with imagery and stories from the deep places of the heart – the places that hurt and heal, that transform both the everyday and the extraordinary into moments that resonate with everyone. thewhiskeyarchive’s live performances are as their moniker might suggest – something to be savoured on the palate.
thewhiskeyarchive EP
Recorded at Black Box Studios by Matt Taylor Recording in May 2012, thewhiskeyarchive EP leads you through the catchy stalker pop of all the echoes raise ghosts, dark bluesy ballads the outlaw and black bobs rivulet, hypnotic Beth Gibbons-style folk of now and sweeping storms of sound in losing the night. A special pre release taster can be heard at http://soundcloud.com/thewhiskeyarchive/03-losing-the-night
“… the two of us growing up as we did in and around Brisbane had this shared experience of a certain period in Brisbane’s music scene. It was like we spoke the same language musically …it all just clicked…it was exhilarating! …we are so excited to be releasing this EP! It has been such an amazing whirlwind experience and we’ve had so much fun…” Jane Cameron
“To me, the meld of the guitar and six-string uke worked from the first chord… it was the emotional connection of shared experience that was unanticipated. Lyrically, Jane’s songs and mine came from similar places…the corridors between dreams and reality…the lives led quietly yet strangely. But when we wrote together there was an easy integration of thoughts, mood and layers of ambiguity… it gave us chills and the songs have just grown and taken on more meaning every time we play them…” Mark Bentley
A doubly good reason to come along to the Old Museum gig on 18 August is the news that thewhiskeyarchive are launching both thewhiskeyarchive EP and their Live at The Zoo EP recorded in February this year.
“the best whiskey I’ve had in years!” Roger Gonzalez, ClassicFM
Debut EP Launch at the Old Museum, Saturday August 18 2012
with Special Guests The Mouldy Lovers and Elbury
EP launch tickets are now on sale.
Available online at www.oldmuseum.org
thewhiskeyarchive EP will be available on the 13th August from thewhiskeyarchive.com and bandcamp.com/thewhiskeyarchive.