On Review: Wounded Love by Bree Tranter

Bree has a voice that I found alluring, enchanting and mesmerising since I first heard her in The Middle East. The very first second of "Wounded Love" left me thinking, this is different, it's electric, and it is absolute gold. First listen through and I knew that this song would be making it's way on to a Nina Las Vegas setlist or Triple J's "Good Nights" within a week or two. I've put it on high rotation since and it just gets better every time, it has that down tempo etherial sound which makes is so easy to listen to on a Sunday afternoon or delicately crafted into any club mix. To say I'm excited for more is an understatement. You can buy "Wounded Love" now on iTunes from her upcoming EP "Jaws".

Buy Now on iTunes!

Sam Webster

On Review: The Big Ol' Bus Band

Want something out of the ordinary, something a bit different? You want The Big Ol' Bus Band. I saw these guys under "Swing" in the Cooly Rocks On program and had no idea what to expect from a band called Big Ol' Bus. I was so pleasantly surprised.

These guys tour around in an hold Hino 57 Seater bus, seems fitting right? From the first song I was hooked but I was also thinking "Swing? This isn't swing, but I can't figure out what it is". Hugh "Hughie" Scott Murray sits at the helm of the band and he calls it "Swing 'n' Roots" I like it, because it left me and the rest of the crew I worked with trying to come up with some kind of genre to which none of us could agree on one. Big Ol' Bus were for me, the most authentic band on show over the festival, they have a sense of family, and are a pleasant, grounded group of people to work with. It almost feels setup, like a movie, a group of nice people, all in this old bus, touring the country playing old halls and theatres. I've never come across anything like it, and I don't quite know if I will again.

Down to the music, and it's good, the kind of band you would want to hear on a Saturday evening in an old hall in the country. The best thing is Hughies voice backed up by the gorgeous and sensational sisters Alanna and Grace, the second these girls came down through the microphone myself and the other engineer looked at each other and had that nod and look of agreeance that these guys were good. In fact the whole band are so full of character, charismatic bass player Arty uses his Double Bass like a kids climbing gym.

If you get the chance to see this band you should, they are one in a million, and have such a unique sound and a bright presence, the room feels smaller, more intimate, hard for most bands to do in big rooms.

Big Ol' Bus on Facebook & Big Ol' Bus Website

Sam Webster

On Review: The Calibre Cats

I've had the pleasure of seeing The Calibre Cats a few times over the last few years and in many ways they are one of the first bands which established my love for Swing, Big Band and Jazz music. This year when I saw they were on the bill for Cooly Rocks On I was excited to see them perform yet again.

Bridget Burnell fronts up the eight piece neo swing sensation. Also known as Dollface her voice is beautiful, with a subdued fragility to it, something that will catch you if you really listen but its gone as quick as it appears. Her ability to handle scatting is fantastic, having heard a lot of jazz and swing this is something where most fall short, not here however. Horns are provided by Warwick on the Trumpet, Rowan on the Trombone, Sean on Baritone Sax and Scez on Tenor Sax and Clarienet. These guys can really play, all are fine musicians, no one tries to overshadow anyone else, they all rise and fall in time and come on strong for their respective solos. Tiny on Guitar and Yuji on Bass provide essential sonic presence to the band, and lastly Drummer Wes brings up the all important beat, and he absolutely kills it, he fits like a glove, a class drummer, I don't think many can play as tight and with the clarity as he does.

So live? Bands can sound good on CD or from a friend, but this is where the rubber meets the road, and only recently have I got one of their CD's, every other time has been live, and me being a live music snob means I can spot the studio embellished types a mile off. The band take the stage and begin with "Go Daddy-O", a great instrumental song to really showcase the great sound of the band before Dollface steps in. My picks are "Go Daddy-O", "Mr. Pinstripe Suit" and classic "Hit the Road Jack".

If you are running any kind of event, function or maybe even a wedding I would and do recommend The Calibre Cats. An all together, refined, highly professional band, if you can get your hands on their CD "Live at The Tivoli Theatre" I recomend you do, people always ask me when I'm working at these gigs "Do they sound as good on their CD?" the answer is yes they do, really nice production, worthy of any good Hi-Fi system.

The Calibre Cats on Facebook & The Calibre Cats Website

Sam Webster