I’ve been sitting on Anna Smyrk’s Song of the Silver-Tongued Magpie EP for some time. By the time listening to it reached the top of my to-do list Prince passed away, and I just wasn’t ready to hear to anything but his back catalogue. However on seeing that it’s released today, I thought I owed it to Anna to give it a spin. I’m not sure I could have found a more different recording to listen to. Its raw, folky blues numbers are a world away from the deeply-layered funk and soul songs I’ve been spinning. That’s a good thing though.
The first two tracks, “Barefoot Shuffle” and “House of Straw,” reminded me of the raw, organic power of music delivered simply, without a big studio budget. These songs were apparently recorded in the old Victorian farmhouse where Anna grew up. There’s a similar haunting quality about the tracks. Bare-bones music like this leaves nowhere to hide, and that exposure makes the songs so striking. The lilting piano melody of “Oh, the Wind” is like a big warm hug. Even though there’s a destructive force in the wind, its story is told with such irresistible tenderness. “The Murder of Alan Beyne” stopped me in my tracks. What quiet power a song gets when it’s anchored by a haunting voice and a compelling story. The harmonic layered vocals of the closing track, “Backyard Dawn” are so angelic. I love the sounds of magpies at the end of the track, a familiar sound heard in so many Aussie backyards. It ties back to the EP’s title in the most beautiful way.
While Anna’s musicianship is at the heart of Song of the Silver-Tongued Magpie, I’d be remiss not to mention Dan Musil on dobro guitar and Jimmy Power on banjo. These guys have played with Anna for years and it shows. You can hear how comfortable all the players feel together as they create these gorgeous songs.
Anna actually recorded Song of the Silver-Tongued Magpie a year ago but she postponed plans to release it when she was offered work with a Cambodian non-profit using music to help the country’s disadvantaged people. She’s back home for just two months before she commences more charity work in the Solomon Islands. During that time she’ll play just one show, at The Toff in Town on May 19 in Melbourne to support the EP’s release.
Image used with permission from Anna Smyrk
Like so many Australians, I’m not a religious person. I flirted with becoming a Junior Soldier with the Salvation Army when I was a kid, but I think that ambition was driven more from a desire to play the tambourine than any deep-seated faith. Today I only go to church for weddings, christenings, and funerals. I identify as agnostic, not quite prepared to dismiss the idea of a higher power completely but fairly ambivalent about the whole religion thing.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been seven years since I heard my first 
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from 
I love coming across music that sparks something in me, songs that I have an instant connection with. Just one song won’t do. I need to hear more and get a more complete sense of who that artist is. So after listening to “Edge of Nowhere,” I had to fire up the advance stream of Pacific’s self-titled EP. In just five tracks I learned that these guys are certainly the real deal.
In this world of digital downloads and shuffle modes, I’ve heard many people say that the concept album is dead. But it seems they forgot to tell 
We’re a bit spoiled in the modern musical era. We can head into our nearest JB Hi Fi and find just about any music on CD, whether it’s something from the vault or the latest release. We take for granted that we can find music from our favourite musical acts. So I was surprised to hear that Alison MacCallum, the first Australian female singer to ever have a charting album, has only just had her music available on CD. I’m also slightly ashamed to admit that until now, her music had passed me by.
Unlike so many Eurovision winners, Conchita has refused to fade away. She’s visited Australia several times since her big win, but last Thursday was her first full-length concert in Sydney. And didn’t she do it in style. Backed by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, on the stage of the Opera House’s concert hall, supported by some of the best talents in the land, this show was so deserving of the diva.
Conchita started the night paying tribute to one of her greatest inspirations, Dame Shirley Bassey. “Where Do I Begin?” was such a fitting introduction to the night, easing us into the performance before Trevor Ashley, appearing as Ms Bassey herself, joined Conchita for a stunning cover of “Diamonds are Forever.” Never one to hog the limelight, Conchita graciously stepped aside to give “Shirley” her moment on “Goldfinger.” Dame Shirley’s shoes are big ones to fill, but Trevor’s vocals and mannerisms were spot on.
The night continued in much the same vein, with Conchita treating us to some of her favourite covers and tracks from her own album, interspersed with anecdotes about her journey and life after Eurovision. She was joined every now and again by our homegrown acts. Courtney Act seems like she’s only gotten stronger since Australian Idol. She joined Conchita for “River Deep, Mountain High” because going solo with an emotional performance of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.”
Paul Capsis showed why he’s one of Australia’s most acclaimed cabaret performers, joining Conchita for a breathtaking cover of “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down).” The enthusiasm with which he performed Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” was something to behold.
On paper Guy Sebastian might have seemed a little out of place, a fairly vanilla addition on such a fabulously colourful night. However, reprising his breakout Australian Idol performance of “Climb Every Mountain” with Conchita was sublime. “Tonight Again,” the song he sang at Eurovision, was the perfect solo song for this crowd.
There were so many stars, but none shone brighter than Conchita. She anchored the evening beautifully, performing with such elegance and style. She has so much charisma and one of the best voices I’ve heard. I was feeling a little fatigue after so many concerts close together, but as I rose to my feet and confetti rained down while Conchita waved goodbye, I was on cloud nine. What a way to end such a busy concert period.
A Newcastle boy himself, as Doug informed us, he seemed to be in good spirits as he took to the stage. The first half of the set was made up of familiar covers that you’ve likely heard him performing before. He regaled us with tales of the times he recorded this song or fell in love with that. “Unchained Melody” and “You Don’t Know Me.” Doug must have sung “Dear Prudence” more times than he can count, but you wouldn’t know it based on his heartfelt delivery. Doug’s voice doesn’t have quite the precision it once did, but what it lacks in refinement it makes up for in richness. Even in his advancing years, he has one of the most stunning voices on the Australian musical landscape. I couldn’t wait to see what he’d do to the songs of Joe Cocker in the second half.