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A DARK DELIGHT
We're only one month into 2016, but I doubt we'll hear many
better albums this year than Sal Kimber & The Rollin Wheel's
Southern Light. This is an earthy album filled with heavenly
delights. Dominated by darkness - six of the nine songs
feature the words "dark" or "darkness" - it's perhaps an
ironic title, though it never sounds bleak, with the album
showcasing Sal's superb voice. "Since the release of our
last album, a lot happened," Sal explains. "Lots of light
but also some pretty dark days. I experienced, for the first
time in my life, a stretch of anxiety/depression. After
walking through the deepest of dark, the light feels so
much warmer than it ever has before." Produced by Shane
O'Mara - "Making this album with Shane was very much a turning
point for me, a total healer" - Sal sings of stumbling in
the dark before finding love. "'Cause we are nothing without
love," she concludes. Sal is now going on the road with
John Flanagan, with a Melbourne gig at The Toff in Town
on Thursday, 11 Feb. John also has a new album, There's
Another Way To Where You're Going. "We became close in Nashville
during 2014," Sal reveals. They did the Nashville thing
and organised a writing session. Sal was then struck down
with illness. "When John heard I wasn't well, he came to
my dingy motel in the dodgy end of town and brought me fresh
fruit and soup and vitamins. The sweetheart then drove me
to my next show and joined me on stage. We've been close
buddies ever since." Sal has been an underrated artist.
Howzat! compares her to America's Shawn Colvin. Her voice
is delicate but deceptively powerful. Southern Light, her
third album, is a quiet triumph. "I actually had a few middle-of-the-night,
sweating in bed doubts and regrets after I sent the album
to print," Sal admits. "Wondering if the album was too short
or a bit too vulnerable and perhaps not upbeat enough. But
I am glad now that I made that almost unconscious decision
to keep it honest." So are we. Southern Light announces
that Sal Kimber is a star.
HOT STUFF
We love local music. Great to see 54 Aussie songs in Triple
J's Hottest 100, including six of the Top 10, led by The
Rubens' Hoops at number one.
THE FINAL WAVE
Australian Crawl played their last show 30 years ago this
week.
HOT LINE
"If you are stumbling, we all do stumble, we are all just
making it up as we go" - Sal Kimber, Find You.
CHART WATCH
Flume rockets from 10 to two, while The Rubens return to
the charts after their Hottest 100 success.
Never Be Like You FLUME (number two)
Hoops THE RUBENS (10)
Keeping Score LDRU (14)
The Trouble With Us MARCUS MARR & CHET FAKER (19)
My Sunshine MASHD N KUTCHER (21)
Youth TROYE SIVAN (24)
Cheap Thrills SIA (31, debut)
RÜFÜS score their second number one album - the first Aussie
album to top the charts in 2016.
Bloom RÜFÜS (number one, debut)
Molly Soundtrack VARIOUS (seven)
Hoops THE RUBENS (15)
Currents TAME IMPALA (16)
Adam Brand And The Outlaws ADAM BRAND AND THE OUTLAWS (19)
Triple J Like A Version Vol. 11 VARIOUS (23)
Blue Neighbourhood TROYE SIVAN (24)
Jess & Matt JESS & MATT (27)
Limit Of Love BOY & BEAR (32)
Dream Your Life Away VANCE JOY (34)
The Best Of COLD CHISEL (35)
The Very Best INXS (37)
HOWZAT! PLAYLIST
Cool Breeze SAL KIMBER
Kid Gloves RON S. PENO & THE SUPERSTITIONS
As Long As I Breathe HENRY WAGONS
Ease The Load THE GLORIOUS
High On High JOHN FLANAGAN
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