for The Stars, If You Look Closely:
This Melbourne, Australia-based outfit has an interesting history. Three of the original members were in a synth-pop band called Schizo Scherzo back in the yesteryear. That band eventually broke up, but about a decade and a half ago they had a chance reunion and instantly re-bonded over their shared passion for the music on the album and movie O Brother Where Art Thou. They soon were back in business as the Stetson Family with acoustic instruments. They added a couple of additional members along the way and have since, deservedly, become a presence on the international music scene.
The current lineup includes: Nadine Budge, lead vocals, guitar, resonator guitar; John Bartholomeusz, harmonies, guitar; Colin Swan, harmonies, banjo; Greg Field, harmonies, fiddle, mandolin; and Luke Richardson, harmonies and double bass.
On their fourth album, and first in nine years, the band is in its full glory with a set of all-original songs deeply rooted in the Americana/bluegrass mold, with hints of rock and country. In fact, some of these songs sound like they’d fit right into the back catalogue of legendary outfits like The Band or the Nitty Gritty Dirty Band.
The songs are replete with timeless themes and vivid imagery and resonate with rawness and muscularity. Yet they also often have an underlying texture of yearning and spirituality. Budge, the lead singer, has a finely nuanced yet lived-in style that deftly conveys these counter-balancing aesthetics.
For instance, there’s a pair of spot-on gospel numbers—“Angel’s Hand” and “Make Me Ashes”—that really connect in a big way. “Lonesome Valley” is a heartfelt song about someone who has lost their way in the big city and longs to return to the old home place. “The Other Side” is an eerie wild west saga about a frontier-style execution gone bad. “Heading West” is a mysterious, other-worldly tale that resonates on several levels. These same emotional strands also imbue a lively instrumental called “Nightfall.”
There’s a soothing sense of deliverance in the title song, which was cowritten by Budge and late founding member, Andy Carswell, to whom this project is dedicated.
Fervor Coulee – roots music opinion
Surprises.
After more than twenty years exploring roots music—the good, the indifferent, and the ugly—I remain open to surprises. Most recently, a predominately blue-enveloped CD provided the most pleasing of musical wonders.
Having not previously encountered The Stetson Family, I approached their CD as I typically do the unfamiliar. To prevent myself from prejudice or outside influence, rather than reading the accompanying press material and packaging I simply slipped the disc into the machine late one night.
I was transported to a world where country music sounds little like what is now played on the radio. The songs were structured differently, the lead vocals were unlike those I had recently experienced, the instrumentation was expansive and far-reaching.
I played the album repeatedly over the next several days, looking for insight to explain how this music impressed me. Finally, after four or five listens, I examined the one-sheet and the disc package.
And I had at least part of my answer.
The Stetson Family is a well-established group from Melbourne, Australia. Perhaps that explains why they sound so different from even my favourite non-commercial country bands—they originate far from the various North American rootsicana circuits.
Having now lived with the album for several weeks while also exploring the group’s previous albums via streaming, I am confident in describing The Stars, If You Look Closely as an exceptional album of roots music, closer to ‘classic country’ than what currently passes as contemporary country. Still, this is a modern-sounding recording that should appeal to all who take the time to seek out its charm.
In my opinion, lead vocalist Nadine Budge is the star. While her voice contains elements that remind me of folks familiar such as Connie Smith, her style is completely her own: dramatically powerful—forceful, even—without betraying her bandmates by distracting from their significant instrumental foundation.
Budge (rhythm and resophonic guitar, co-producer with Ern Rose) is the writer or co-writer of many of these artfully crafted songs. As example, within “Better Left Unsaid,” she strikes to the heart of the collection:
“I wish you never said those things to me,
those notions in my head;
made me open up my heart to you,
they were better left unsaid.”
Most apparently country, but without forced rhymes in search of an elusive hook, these are songs true and honest, genuine in expression and execution. Her “Brother” is another standout number.
Each song offers strength within its insights without feeling heavy or didactic. John Bartholomeusz (guitar and harmony vocals) is the band’s other key songwriter, and his “Lonesome Valley” is pure country, but again far from cookie cutter. As they have on previous songs (notably “Hey Sister Mary, Where’d You Get That Gun?”) the band utilizes what North Americans would identify as ‘western’ imagery and situations on Bartholomeusz’s “The Other Side.”
Finally, the band has completed two songs left unfinished by The Stetson Family’s co-founding member Andy Carswell who passed in 2016. The title track and “Angel’s Hand” further the mystical elements of the album, perhaps religious but for me more a spiritual embracing of the wonderous forces of the natural world. This theme continues within Budge’s “Make Me Ashes” (“and cast me to the deep blue sea…”).
There may not be a more hopeful and inspiring roots song in 2024 than the title track: “The stars, if you look closely, can guide you to your journey’s end…” The instrumental “Nightfall” is simply lovely, a reso-rich piece that goes places I didn’t anticipate—it is a trippy tune.
Greg Field’s fiddle (he also plays mandolin and sings harmony) is an essential component of these songs including “Dollar in My Hand,” another song that recalls a previous time while highlighting current conditions. Colin Swan (banjo and harmonies) and Luke Richardson (double bass and harmonies) round out The Stetson Family.
‘Unpredictable’ is actually a fine description for this recording—unlike on many albums, both mainstream and otherwise, one doesn’t anticipate many of the rhymes, lyrical paths, and instrumental changes. There is always something fresh around the corner.
With “Mama’s Gonna Take You Home” pleasingly reminiscent of Dylan’s “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” The Stetson Family’s The Stars, If You Look Closely comes to a thoroughly satisfying conclusion, one rich in surprising turns and insightful lyrical choices.
Video Premiere: The Stetson Family “Dollar In My Hand”
Australian bluegrass band The Stetson Family have an excellent new single, ‘Dollar In My Hand’. The band’s lead singer, Nadine Budge, delivers a powerful vocal with an edge and a touch of grit. Her voice is swept along by flowing musical currents underpinned by John Bartholomeusz’s rhythmic strum and warm double bass from Luke Richardson. Flourishes of fiddle from Greg Field and banjo from Colin Swan add absorbing layers and the result is an upbeat, atmospheric bluegrass song.
Budge says of the song: “‘Dollar’ draws on many aspects of lives lived with greed and a sense that you always have to have more and be ahead of the pack or you’ll get ‘left behind’. These days we see so many people sell their souls to get ahead. Be careful what you wish for!”
The moody video was filmed by the Yarra River in Melbourne by Zoe Bartholomeusz, and produced and directed by Budge. She says of the video: “The ‘Dollar In My Hand’ video is shot in black and white in an Australian bush setting at night with lights shining on the band, trees and trails to give shadow and light, a dynamic that offers a darkness with the intention to express the greed and desperation in the content of the song.”
The song is taken from the forthcoming album ‘The Stars, If You Look Closely’, due for release on 19th April 2024. The band’s fourth album – and first for nine years – features eleven original songs, ranging from uptempo, foot-stomping bluegrass to more delicate ballads. The well-received third album, ‘True North’, included the song ‘O Winding River’, which was one of ten songs selected from around the world to be showcased in Nashville at the International Bluegrass Music Association conference and festival. After bonding over the music of ‘O Brother Where Art Thou’, the band have been making music for 16 years, perfecting their fluent Americana and gorgeous harmonies. Enjoy.
The Alternate Route – video picks of the week
Song Premiere: The Stetson Family “Better Left Unsaid”
Americana Highways is hosting this premiere of the Stetson Family’s song “Better Left Unsaid” from their forthcoming album The Stars, If You Look Closely, produced by Ern Rose and Nadine Budge.
“Better Left Unsaid” was written by Nadine Budge, and is Nadine on lead vocal, rhythm guitar, and resonator guitar; John Bartholomeusz on guitar and harmonies; Colin Swan on banjo and harmonies; Greg Field on fiddle, mandolin, and harmonies; and Luke Richardson on double bass and harmonies.
The tempo and the tender way the stringed instruments introduce you to the pain of heartache and resignation is right on point. Let the Stetson Family ease your pain with cathartic mountain country bluegrass music: “trouble on my mind, trouble in my head, bottle of gin by my side, wishing it was you instead.”
A classic tale of love gone wrong. I moved to Los Angeles from Melbourne, Australia, back in 2005 to follow my heart when a rekindled love interest from 15 years prior turned up on the scene and reignited the spark. However, after arriving in LA, I found myself embroiled in their web of lies and deception. I came back to Australia a few months later, heart-broken, wishing they’d never said the things to me that made me open my heart back up to them. – Nadine Budge
Track Premiere: ‘Heading West’ from The Stetson Family
We are delighted to highlight a new track today from Australia’s The Stetson Family, genre-defying bluegrass/acoustic band based in Melbourne, with no members related to one another, nor named Stetson. The name was chosen back in 2008 when the principals gave up the synth rock sound they had been performing under, and swapped over to play original bluegrass.
Their latest album, The Stars, If You Look Closely, is set for release this Friday, and they have asked us to share this song, Heading West, as a sample for our readers. Stetson Family fans across the globe have waited nine years since the last full-length project from the group, so this should be a welcome sound.
Heading West was written by guitarist John Bartholomeusz and lead vocalist Nadine Budge, who say that it is about having enough of chilly weather, and getting a move on to warmer climes.
“Sometimes, when the days turn cold and grey, you just have to pack up and move to the warmth, follow the sun, to thaw out your rattled bones and let the sun shine on in.”
The Stetson Family is completed with Colin Swan on banjo, Greg Field on fiddle and mandolin, and Luke Richardson on bass.
Have a listen to Heading West…
The Stars, If You Look Closely, is set for release on April 19, and pre-saves are enabled now online. Radio programmers will find the tracks now at AirPlay Direct.
REVIEW: The Stetson Family “The Stars, If You Look Closely”
This is an Australian family absorbed in Americana-Bluegrass music but why not? Australia has gone through many formidable years as America has & the country adopted similar music through its wonderful storytelling songs…
I have heard many great Australians in my career (Daryl Braithwaite, Keith Urban, Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil & Colin Hay among many others). So here are 11 original sparklers from the Stetson Family’s 4th CD The Stars, If You Look Closely (Drops April 18/MGM/Independent/42:00). The pieces were produced by Ern Rose & Nadine Budge (lead vocal/rhythm & resonator guitars).
Lead vocalist Nadine sometimes lets loose with gutsy Reba McIntyre intonation & tone. A marvelous vocalist.
Highlights – “The Stars, If You Look Closely,” the beautiful “The Other Side,” “Dollar In My Hand,” “Lonesome Valley,” “Nightfall,” “Better Left Unsaid,” “Heading West” & “Angel’s Hand.”
Musicians – John Bartholmeusz (lead guitar/harmony), Colin Swan (banjo/harmonies), Greg Field (fiddle/mandolin/harmony), Luke Richardson (double bass/harmony) with Liz Stringer (harmony), Pete Fidler (mandolin/resonator guitar) & Mike St. Clair-Miller (double bass).
Bluegrass Beyond Borders: Aussie Stetson Family returns
It’s been nine years since The Stetson Family released their last album, True North, which makes their new release, The Stars, If You Look Closely, nothing less than a welcome return. It’s the fourth effort thus far in this Aussie outfit’s sixteen year collective career, and features all original songs written by lead vocalist Nadine Budge, and guitarist and harmony singer John Bartholomeusz, as well as two songs that were left unfinished by founding member and mandolin player Andy Carswell, who passed away in 2016.
The Stetson Family — which currently includes Budge, Bartholomeuszhail, Colin Swan on banjo and harmonies, Greg Field on fiddle, mandolin, and harmonies, and Luke Richardson on double bass and harmonies — hail from Melbourne, Australia, although Budge currently resides in Adelaide, South Australia so that she could live by the ocean.
“Melbourne was one of the most locked-down cities in the world during the COVID pandemic,” she said. “So when it finished, we decided to move to where we could be surrounded by nature — and the ocean was calling us!”
The band formed in 2008, when Budge, Bartholomeusz, and Swan, all members of an ’80s synth pop band called Schizo Scherzo. “We toured with and opened for some big acts, including The Eurythmics, The Monkees, Fergal Sharkey, and John Farnham,” Budge explains. “We enjoyed some radio success, but as the sounds of the ’80s changed, the band folded and we gradually drifted apart. I didn’t see John nor Colin for about 15 years, and then we met up at a party of a mutual friend. The movie, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou, had just come out and we all loved it, so instruments came out, voices harmonized, and we all decided to catch up again a couple of weeks later. We sang for hours, then we kept catching up, songs started being written, and within nine months we’d produced our first record, an EP titled Hey, Sister Mary, Where’d You Get That Gun.”
After changing direction, they enlisted Bartholomeusz’ childhood friend Andy Carswell and began writing original music in the bluegrass vernacular.
“Whilst The Stetson Family are not traditional bluegrass, nor strictly bluegrass, we hope we bring, and strive to bring, something enjoyable and fresh to people’s ears,” Budge insists.
“Bluegrass and string bands are not traditional here in Australia, and when the movie came out, there was a lot of love for it. I guess that was because the music is just so darn good and has a broad reach.
We all come from different music backgrounds. I really love artists such as Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Patty Griffin, whereas John has much more of history with the more traditional roots of The Stanley Brothers, The Carter Family, Doc Watson, etc, so I think our original songs really blend our tastes.”
Budge says that overall, their sound is somewhat eclectic. “It doesn’t fit into any one particular genre, drawing together parts of bluegrass, Americana, and alt-country,” she suggests. “We all have broad tastes in music, and we blend aspects of all our tastes into our sound. One thing we all love is soaring harmonies, so our writing tends towards being harmony-driven.”
Aside from the occasional cover, the band tends to play all original music. The new album, The Stars, If You Look Closely, features eleven new songs, including a mixture of up-tempo tracks, ballads, and an instrumental. It was co-produced by Budge and Ern Rose, a well-respected Australian engineer and producer who’s been at the helm of many of Australia’s iconic albums over the past five decades, including those by The Little River Band, Renee Geyer, and Daddy Cool, among the many. These days, the band continues to tour throughout the country.
“The Stetson Family frequently play Australia’s national festival circuit, including folk festivals, mainstream music, and bluegrass festivals,” Budge continues. “We’ve played in all states of Australia, except the Northern Territory. Australia is a large continent with huge areas of desert, so there’s no real north-south or east-west touring circuit, like there is in the US. It’s mostly along the east coast. Melbourne has a very vibrant music scene — one of the best in the world, I think — and we’ve carved out a spot for ourselves over the past 16 years, playing in all kinds of venues there, as well as playing many gigs in regional areas.”
In addition, they’ve performed at any number of major festivals in their native Australia, including such major gatherings as Gympie Music Muster (Queensland), Cygnet Folk Festival (Tasmania), Nannup Music Festival (Western Australia), and The National Folk Festival (Canberra). “We also cross into the non-folk genres,” Budge added. “We play more mainstream festivals, including Out on the Weekend, Queenscliff Music Festival, and Broadbeach.”
Nevertheless, there efforts have brought them farther afield. “John and myself came to Nashville in 2012, as one of my songs, O Winding River, was chosen for the Songwriter Showcase at IBMA,” Budge notes. “We travelled around 30,000 kilometres to play one song – and loved it!”
Nevertheless, the band is pleased with the reception they’ve received back home. “We get a lot of support from radio — mainly independent — but also from our national broadcaster, the ABC. It’s always great to be driving along and hear a song of ours on the radio!”
So too, Budge readily replies when asked her opinion on why bluegrass seems to draw an international audience.
“Great question,” she muses. “I think it’s because bluegrass form and instrumentation are rooted in traditions of immigration. As people emigrated from different parts of the world to settle in the US, traditional instruments blended with other instrumentation and root chord structures, bringing about different forms, but still having the sentiment of music ‘from home.’”
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for True North:
Rick Moore, American Songwriter and Music News Los Angeles, Jul 2015
“With their tight harmonies and vibrant sound, it’s hard to believe that The Stetson Family has only been together since 2008. They blend like one of the legendary Bluegrass or Country families, and on TRUE NORTH, they sound better than ever with some of their best material yet.“
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Niall Toner, Prescription Bluegrass, Aug 2015
“The Stetson Family are a band based in Australia, and it should be said that in spite of their name, they are not a ‘family band’ in the sense that we usually understand, but through their music, they are indeed a family in the sense of unity of purpose.
It’s probably also only fair to say that they are not hardcore Bluegrass either, at least in the way we understand the term today, but this is quality stuff none-the-less. I think ‘folk’ might be a more honest description, though they do tackle a ‘grass classic in the Stanleys’, “How Mountain Girls Can Love”, and a Dylan outlaw song, “Billy”. But it’s with their originals that this band shines. “Every Second Beat of My Heart”, “Run Daddy Run”, “Let It Ride” and “Lover Where You Going”, all composed by members of the band, are all songs that have the potential to become classics, and I would not be surprised to see at least some of these being included in the sets of other performers.
Vocally, The Stetson Family rely on two and three part harmonies, with many of the leads taken by Nadine Budge with her distinct voice, who also plays a tasty dobro on many of the tracks. For my own personal taste, the Banjo, played by Colin Swan, in both Scruggs-style and clawhammer, is a little bit low in the overall mix, but that’s a minor gripe, and perhaps in future recordings, Colin will step a little closer to the mike? John Bartholomeusz handles the lead vocals, and plays solid flatpick guitar, Andrew Carswell is tasty and sparse on the mandolin, and Luke Richardson provides solid bass throughout.
Overall, this is another fine example of original songs from a band who don’t come from the traditional homeland of Bluegrass, but who do a darn good job of representing the kind of high quality material from outside the U.S., which makes a very respectable contribution to the genre.“
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Thomas Blain, Americana Australia, Jul 2015
“It’s been a little while between records for The Stetson Family (the last being ‘The Devil In His Sunday Best’- 2011), but they have clearly used that time to refine the songs for their latest offering. At times, True North is hold-on-to-your-hats bluegrass, and the banjo, mandolin and dobro performances are sure to satisfy the purists. Other times, you’ll find down-tempo ballads reminiscent of The Arlenes, and the blend of male and female vocals is distinctly theirs. The Stetson Family are seasoned members of the Melbourne Americana scene, however Gleny Rae (Gleny Rae Virus and her Playboys- fiddle), Liz Stringer (backing vox), Bree Hartley (Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife- percussion) and Nick O’Mara (Raised By Eagles- resonator & steel guitar) were enlisted to sprinkle some fairy dust on a particularly uplifting and mature record.”
Favourite track: Man and a pretty gal
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Bill Lawson, Radio Adelaide, 2015
“In 29 years of presenting the program I can’t remember the last time I was so excited about an Australian bluegrass recording. The group’s previous albums were excellent but they’ve gone to a whole new level with this one. There’s so many highlights I probably shouldn’t single one out, but Nadine Budge’s singing on a number she co-wrote (Every Second Beat Of My Heart) is worth the price of the disc alone.”
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Rob Dickens, No Depression, October 2015
“The music here is a lovely blend of styles, all treated respectfully and with great care – straight-out spirited bluegrass, down-tempo ballads, traditional folk, Americana and alt.country. The band’s unique-sounding and tight harmony vocals are a feature throughout. The themes are earthy – drinking, friendship, conflict, love and family. Highlights for me are “Every Second Beat Of My Heart” and “Let It Ride” (Nadine Budge’s vocals are simply beautiful here), “Top Of The Mountain” and “Billy”. A mention also to the constant subtle and tender guitar work from John Bartholomeusz’…..It’s a delightful and loving release.”
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Marten van der Laan, Country Stew/Radio Compagnie, The Netherlands, August 2015
“TRUE NORTH is a fine blend of bluegrass/country music; a magical tour you wish not to end. True North propels The Stetson Family to the top of the charts.”
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Dusan Gemersky, Bluegrass CZ (Czechoslovakia) [Google translation]
“Personally, I think this project, True North, brilliantly exceeds their previous achievements. Songs are imaginative, nicely played, and then we have great songs. A significant element in this puzzle is especially vocally amazingly disposed to Nadine, who is featured in several songs. The audience at the first listening of this album will delight in the songs, from which every one has a chance to become a hit.”
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Bluegrass Unlimited, Nashville, USA
The Stetson Family isn’t a bluegrass band, at least not in the usual sense. There are bluegrass elements throughout …. they blend folk, rock and country elements seamlessly and are drawn to emotional anthem songs and loping, relaxed mid-tempo numbers…this is a good recording.
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Highbeam, USA
The Stetson Family is based in Australia, but the rugged, down-to-earth charm of their music is universal. A “must-have” especially for fans of country and its creative offshoots! …
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Claudio Giuliani, Mescalina Associazione Culturale – Italy [Google translation]
“The Stetson Family is a group to be discovered and positively considered without delay. You will do well to write down their name……The Stetson Family from Melbourne, Australia is a band sounding distinctly American, with a rootsy sound from bluegrass, loose and brilliant and full of dynamic. They’re champions of fresh sounds; bluegrass but with bedraggled soul of rock and spinal cord roots, with an attractive use of the mixtures and vocal dynamism and vitality to strengthen all in an attractive and expansive sonic jaunt.”
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Caylee North, Crank-it Country, Nashville, USA
“The Stetson Family’s True North is a total diversion from the current likes of country music, leaving the overused pop themes of current country far behind. This album goes beyond bikini-clad girls and trucks to lament the struggles and joys of everyday life. The boot stomping, string plucking, soul-filled lyrics of True North are reminiscent of Appalachia fiddle and harmony….for fans of old-school picking and raw vocals.”
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Red Eye Records, Sydney
Spirited 2015 album of freewheelin’ folk & gritty bluegrass with superb harmonies from Melbourne combo, with guests Liz Stringer, Suzannah Espie & others!
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for O Winding River (U.S Release):
Joe Fish, BBC Lancashire UK, Oct 2013
“Every now and then, if you are patient, you discover a real treasure trove of wonderful music. That’s exactly what happened to me when I first played The Stetson Family’s “O Winding River” CD. Superb harmonies, outstanding musicians and top quality production makes this album a “must” for all lovers of Bluegrass & country music. Thank you to The Stetson Family for giving me something exceptional to play on my programmes on BBC Radio in England.”
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Rita Small, Prescription Bluegrass, Arizona, USA
“The Stetson Family’s sound is what happens when veteran musicians and vocalists are confident of their strengths and are dedicated to the music as a whole instead of the individual contribution”
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Bluegrass Unlimited, Virginia, Jan 2014
“There’s a lot to be commended for a band that has carved out its own body of songs, all with plenty of traditional influences. Whether you consider this acoustic Americana or Australiana, these are five original voices worth a listen for bluegrass fans”
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Roland Lanzarone, Le Cri du Coyote Magazine, France, Dec 2013
“Fool’s Gold (la femme vexée d’avoir été trompée par ce démon déguisé), Brother Harlan (le brave garçon qui s’est laissé piquer sa belle par un cousin) et la superbe Hey Sister Mary (la vengeance de Mary partie, fusil sous le bras, abattre la famille qui a tué son amoureux). Plus dynamique est l’excellente Hell Hath No Fury (si pour ton malheur tu croises un jour furie, oublie même d’avoir été mis au monde)”
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Jerome Clark, Rambles.net, Nov 2013
“The Stetson Family is made up of five members with Nadine Budge as (mostly) the lead vocalist, possessed of a splendid and uniquely appealing alto. To the American listener with even a passing knowledge of the bluegrass genre, the Stetsons will bear only a marginal resemblance to Bill Monroe or Jimmy Martin or Del McCoury – in fact, that difference is what makes the group a whole lot more interesting than it would be if they were trying to impersonate an outfit from Kentucky or North Carolina. What’s happening here is a nearly sui generis* fusion that, if sometimes a bit disorienting, is always striking and at times, as in the title song and elsewhere, downright gripping.” *Sui generis = “of its own kind/genus” and hence “unique in its characteristics”.
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Rowena Muldavin, Heartland Public Radio, Oct 2013
“Heartland Public Radio is proud to tip its hat to The Stetson Family on All Things Country. The group’s tight harmonies and terrific musicianship will be included on the show’s annual tribute to Australia Day in January 2014. Another fine group from Australia’s vast legacy of Country and Bluegrass tradition!”
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for The Devil In His Sunday Best:
Posted on December 21, 2011 on unpaved by Les Thomas
“Their recent tour has them sounding tighter and sweeter than ever. The vocal harmonies on Oh Winding River were nothing short of glorious.” Live to Air on Grande Ole Twang 5, 102.7 Triple R FM
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Carrie D, The Cowboy’s Sweetheart, 99.9 Bay FM
“Quite a package, this band, consistently writing great songs – and great playing too….one of the best in Australia for this sort of roots music.”
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JB Hi-Fi’s STACK magazine by Denise Hylands, Nov 2011
This Melbourne outfit have a diverse history, once exploring the climes of electropop music, but this is something far different. Sounding like a true family country band who’ve been playing since they was young ‘uns, playing like a tight musical unit.
A collection of mostly original tunes, keeping true to the traditions of this music. This gal and these guys play a great mix of traditional acoustic country and bluegrass. Nadine Budge’s gorgeous and poignant vocals are a definite highlight with strong family-like harmonies, and fine pickin’ twang of the guitar and banjo variety.
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Melbourne Weekly, Nov 2011
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Marty Jones, Rhythms Magazine 2011
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Posted on October 20, 2011 by upstreamwhispers by Alex Morton
Damn but I love good handclaps. And banjos. And Nad Budge’s voice. So when I stuck the brand new Stetson Family album in the player and all of the above came flying out of the speakers, one after the other, I got a bit excited. And around 38 minutes and 11 great songs later I was grinning like a fool.
The Stetsons play progressive bluegrass with a healthy dose of country and folk-influenced music, and like Pennsylvanians Jim and Jennie & The Pinetops, they maintain a respect for the traditions of the genre without being constrained by them.
Anchored by Nadine Budge’s vocals, dobro, and considerable songwriting talents, the Stetson Family also features John Bartholomeusz , who contributes several great songs and on-the-button acoustic guitar leads; Colin Swan and Andrew Carswell play banjo and mandolin respectively, and Luke Richardson holds it all down with the bull-fiddle.
One of the real strengths of this album is the strength of the songs – all originals with the exception of Jean Ritchie’s classic tale of economics catching up with traditional mining – “The L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore” (nicely juxtaposed by John and Colin’s narrative “Smokey Valley”) and Nad’s old partner-in- crime Marni Sheehan’s gorgeous and heartfelt “Devil Call Your Name”. Highlights include “Oh Winding River”, an elegiac classic with guest vocals by co-writer Tracey McNeil, a reminder of what a great singer (and writer) she truly is. And harmonies? Listen to the outro, with the whole band and guests singing loud and proud, all air and breath, perfect unison –it’s a great moment. And Nadine proves herself the equal of anyone when it comes to heartbreaking honesty with “Traces Of You” – “there’s traces of you in every corner I turn/And you’re there in the ashes of every bridge that I’ve burned.” It sounds like the best song that Mary Gauthier never wrote. And like a true mandolin player, Andrew Carswell nails “Every Dusty Road.” “Old Black Canoe” keeps coming back to haunt me – is it the six white horses, or the long black Cadillac, the harbingers of our time on this earth? Whatever, it’s a great and very affecting song! And of course Nadine takes it out in irreverent style with “Dirty Rotten Lowdown Cheatin’ Sonofabitch”
So there’s no flashy trends or fancy hats here (some very nice shirts though!) – just a great set of songs played with great feel and great honesty by a bunch of people who are obviously joined by the sheer joy and love of making good music together.
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Devilish Goodness
Posted on October 6, 2011 by unpaved by Les Thomas
If The Stetson Family’s new album is an indication of how well Melbourne bluegrass is doing we have a good deal to celebrate. Nadine Budge leads with aplomb on vocals, guitar, dobro and harmonica. Her beautifully expressive voice – comparable to Wendy Matthews on some of the quieter numbers – makes it clear she’s done some serious living and had a lot of laughs along the way. For every note of sadness, there’s a wry smile and a chuckle to be had, often about low-down, lyin’, cheatin’ types who might find their eternal resting place in a shallow bush grave. Yep, we’ve all met ‘em!
Traces of You is a gorgeous love song of the kind that Mary Gauthier would be proud to write. The one cover on the album, Jean Richie’s remarkable song about the economic collapse of a coil mining town The L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore, is as fine a version you’ll hear on record, and some huge names have done it over the years.
John Bartholomeusz takes the vocal lead on three of the 11 songs, with the prodigal son themed Smokey Valley being a standout.
Instrumentation is strictly Bluegrass. Down home hand claps are in and hi-hats are out, though purists with too narrow a view might blanch a little at the PG level cussing. Variations of tempo and mood keep things interesting at all times. Luke Richardson’s double bass provides a solid bottom end for the delicate and lively banjo (Colin Swan and Nadine Budge), mandolin (Andrew Carswell) and guitar (John Bartholomeusz and Nadine Budge). Andrew Carswell’s mandolin runs provide dozens of refreshing highlights throughout the album. Special guests include Liz Stringer and Tracy McNeil and Marni Sheehan.
Devil in his Sunday Best won’t redefine Bluegrass as we know it, but it does put a unique Australian perspective on the style that’s bound to lift your mood and make you feel good about the sounds emanating from this city.
for Hey Sister Mary, Where’d You Get That Gun?:
Martin Jones, Rhythms Magazine 2009
Of the seven tracks presented here, four are strong originals, including the title track and Budge’s heartbreaking ‘Dark Side Of Town’. There are also covers of Lucinda Williams ‘Jackson’, Earl Scruggs’ ‘Nashville Blues’ and their own arrangement of a traditional tune ‘Old Paint’.
The Family are currently in the process of recording a debut full-length and if its half as classy as this I can’t wait to hear it!
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I had been having a bad day. stressed out! … I decided to put on a CD which had arrived in the mail – The Stetson Family’s Hey Sister Mary Where’d You Get that Gun? What a pleasant surprise – a CD to lift the spirits to be sure.
The instrumentation on this CD is great with a very clean, clear sound – very easy to listen to. All the traditional bluegrass instruments make an appearance with clear and concise flat-pickin’ guitar from John Bartholomeusz and guest guitarist Jordie Lane, the easy-rolling 5-string banjo of Colin Swan, and great mandolin work by Alan Carswell. The dobro is very tastefully played by guest instrumentalist Jordie Lane on The Dark side of Town as well as by Nadine Budge, the Stetson’s lead singer, and the double bass of Luke Richardson keeps the tight rhythm going.
The voices of John, Andrew and Colin blend in tight harmonies with Nadine making this a wonderful listening experience added to by the vocals of guests Liz Stringer and Sharin Anderson. The sound quality of the entire CD is exceptionally good.
The songs (7 tracks of murder, mayhem and twisted tales of the human heart) are mainly originals with the nice blend of Lucinda Williams’ Jackson, the trad Old Paint, and Earl Scruggs’ Nashville Blues.
The title track Hey Sister Mary, in typical Bluegrass tradition, is a sad tale made to sound a whole heap lighter by the bright, energetic instrumentation and upbeat tempo.
I was sorry to get to the end of the CD – so I put it on again… and again. It is very easy to listen to… certainly brightened my day!
LIVE/LISTINGS/ARTICLES
Live Review: The Stetson Family at Retreat Hotel, Brunswick
Every time I’m in the front bar at the Retreat, the wood paneled walls, rowdy crowd and 70s light fittings make me feel like I’m in a bar in Fargo, North Dakota. So much so that I’m always disappointed when I get outside and discover that it’s not snowing.
Showing up to chase away our rainy autumn blues tonight are local knockabouts The Stetson Family. As frontwoman Nad Budge is always quick to point out, The Stetson Family aren’t actually related, although the light-hearted ribbing going on onstage – mainly directed at mandolin player Andy Carswell – suggests otherwise.
I like to think of these folks as modern bluegrass. Their harmonies are tight, and the banjo (ably wielded by Colin Swan), mandolin and acoustic guitar trade effortless solos. Luke Richardson’s energetic upright bass and sky-high harmonies are a treat, and Budge’s sweet dobro playing lends a mournful tone to the down-tempo numbers.
In between rousing renditions of favourites like “Hey Sister Mary, Where’d You Get That Gun?” and new tune “Fool’s Gold”, Budge and co-frontperson (is that a word?) John Bartholomeusz reported that the group’s first full-length album is nearing completion.
Budge spotted several fellow musos in the room, and cheekily invited everyone who has an album coming out this year to raise their hands. More than a few arms shot up, confirming that it is indeed an exciting year ahead in Melbourne town.
We loved it, the punters loved it, and we can’t wait for The Stetsons’ new album!
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