We are great fans of Springboard Media here at KlubKat. Since we first encountered them in Hong Kong almost a year ago, they have introduced us to some of the highest quality unknown bands we've come across to date. Over the last few months, we have reviewed Springboard discoveries "The Inflatable Sharks" and "ABB" (Formerly the Average Blues Band), so you can imagine the excitement when we recently arrived at the office to find two of the labels latest CDs waiting for us. The first of these to come under our scrutiny is "Miles Away", the debut album by Australian singer Julie Levy, based for a while in Hong Kong.
This little silver disk consists of 11 tunes, 8 of which are originals - the others are interpretations of traditional folk numbers. Each song has it's own story to tell, very rare in modern music, and there is very little repetition in the lyrics. You can actually close your eyes and listen to the tales being told, something which will either have people rushing to buy the album or screaming depending on which school of music they come from.
The Australian influence is very clear - after all it isn't every day you hear a Didgeridoo used in modern music - and what we are offered here is a blend of traditional folk with modern electric guitars and native instruments. It's not the sort of thing that is easy to describe, actually, although suffice to say that "haunting" is one word which comes to mind. This is not dance music by any stretch of the imagination - you could fire up the lava lamp, stretch yourself out on the sofa and let the music float over you; but it's also the sort of thing you could listen to live in the pub with friends… what I like to call "anywhere" music. And the lyrics are included on the CD inlay, something which always adds points for me
Australia has always been one of my favourite places, and it was a great pleasure to find myself listening to stories about places I actually recall - Track 2, "King Street", seems to be describing the old parts of Sydney; the ferris wheel out at Luna Park (which I haven't seen working in donkeys years); The Rocks… None of this will mean anything to you if you haven't been to Sydney, of course, but it takes me back!
It doesn't take a genius to work out what "Dreaming Time" is about, but just in case you've been living on another planet all your life the CD inlay explains that it is the name the Aborigines give to the creation of the world; and "Erev Shel Shashanim" means Night of Roses, and is the words of the book "Song of Songs" from the old testament set to music quite beautifully.
Julie says that she has been influenced by the likes of Peter, Paul and Mary and Joni Mitchell. The guitar work alternates between the soft spoken tones of Simon and Garfunkle or the Emily Brothers (you can almost see Miss Levy sitting on a stool in the middle of a stage, a single spotlight on her, plucking away at the Guitar); and the more eclectic sound of Clapton. It is an interesting mixture which works unexpectedly well, especially when combined with traditional folk and storytelling. I almost dare you not to enjoy this stuff!!!
We are told that Julie will be touring the UK and Europe from later this year, followed by a sweep of the USA, and I for one certainly hope to catch her on the road. It's always hard to guess what somebody will sound like live from a CD, but Julie Levy seems to have what it takes to be noticed by fans with a wide range of musical tastes, so I for one think she'll go far. In the fickle world of modern music, it's not always easy to guess what will make it and what won't - but I for one will be looking out for a live performance sometime soon!
For more information or to order your copy, stop on by http://www.smltd.net. I can safely say this is one of my favourite CDs from the KlubKat collection and I can congratulate Springboard on continuing to give us the cream of the crop of new musicians - we want more like this!
