Your Guide To The 2016 SAM Awards Folk/Acoustic Nominees

Astro Cobalt

Virtuoso folk-outfit Astro Cobalt resound bluegrass croons with a South Australian sting. Fronted and “fiddled” by Jeri Forman, plus the talents of Paul Cooper on the banjo/gage stead/bass and Doug London on the guitar, Astro Cobalt run Hope Street to the forefront of their country charm and swing with absolute soul.

Ben Ford-Davies

Singer/songwriter Ben Ford-Davies is the local legend with an unbashful gruffness. With patriotism seeping through country tones, Ford-Davies’ debut album Papillion tells stories of forlorn journeys and turbulences of the heart. With sensitive strumming and demure pipes, tracks like In The City are iconoclast to his folky sound.

Courtney Robb

Is that Norah Jones? Angie Hart? Missy Higgins? No – it’s Courtney Robb! Identified as roots-sounding but with a twang of indie groove, this South-Australian guitar-wielding artist isn’t afraid to bare it all. As a singer with two studio albums under her belt and capitalising on a share-it-all performance/composition mentality, Courtney Robb draws us in by melodically letting it out.

Dirtyfrank

Dirtyfrank are an acoustic five-piece and a powerhouse of indie-rock crushers. Comprising of Ash Jewers, Luke Walters and Morris Ewings, Dirtyfrank are anything but dirty and every bit frank. Through vulnerable lyrics, acoustic guitar solos, and every haunting space between, audiences are captivated by the bands’ vulnerability and their brutal album Bones.

Forté

He calls himself an ambassador for compassion and non-violence, and revels in rock and folk. Forté is the singer/songwriter who aims to help the world through uplifting compositions. His empirical release, Conduit, is tantamount to his ambitious vision of healing others through confronting and contagious choruses.  

Jimmy Marin

Jimmy Marin, aka the self-anointed father of acoustic soul, is a caramelized voice that soothes Southern comforts. By using the coolness of blues and hybridized rhythms, his work Along The Way pushes the audible boundaries of where folk should stand. As he channels his love for Americana influences, such as The Eagles and Lenny Kravitz, Marin continues to carve out his own musical groove.

Kate Fuller

Warmly written ditties about Ladybugs, Summer’s Coming and Two Little Duckie Birds sit on the surface of Kate Fuller’s eleven-tracked indie album, Daffodils Or Weeds. The singer/multi-instrumentalist likes to metaphorically resemble superficial objects to nature, all the while swirling around flourishing strings and gentle folk vocals.

Kuarna Cronin

Kuarna Cronin feats of strength include: four brilliant albums, smashing out 47 international gigs in two months, and charming the entire local musical community with his guitar, voice and harmonica. This charismatic soothsayer is at the forefront of a new breed of Australian folk artists, and continues to sway steadfast rivals with singles like Passion Parade.

Kylie Brice

As a method of dealing with anxiety, depression, and the general tribulations of being a mother, Kylie Brice takes to songwriting. In her works, Brice’s vocals move with Missy Higgings likeness that aim to uplift and empower the lost wanderer. As well as serving a dual-role, Broken And Beautiful is an album and example of Brice’s positive indie-pop.

Loren Kate

The first thing listeners always notice about Loren are her vocals. Although they’re only a whisper, the sheer volume and veracity of her vocal soul stirs all. Loren Kate’s spell bounding songs promise an ethereal experience, especially in albums like Til Night Meets The Sun, where soft strums tell lovelorn tales.

Nathan May

Nathan May is a young and determined modern folk artist. His journey started in the Northern Territory, but is now continuing through heart-wrenching music from his South Australian home. May’s latest EP, Reflections, spans harmonicas, guitars, pianos and drums, and it’s here the careful swooner reflects on his life and the cultural journey so far.

Nikai

Sundrenched vocals and catchy guitars are Nikai. Raised by a household of roadies in a melting pot of music, the fates of these musical sisters were sealed when they released their first EP, Close Call. Teaming acoustic country with contemporary twang, Nikai are doing more than just making waves in Adelaide. They’re ensnaring us into a rocked-out web of pure acoustic gold.

Riddle & The Stars

When guitarist Bobbo Byrnes and bassist/vocalist Tracy Byrnes have been married for over a decade, it’s safe to assume Riddle & The Stars is their baby. Accompanied by the drumming talents of Brandon Allen, the acoustic aficionados have dropped over eight albums, and their latest release New Coastline promises more of their signature sound: heartland rock, roots harmonics, and Fleetwood Mac flavour. 

Rod Ladgrove

Rod Ladgrove is making domestic and international airwaves with empirical releases spanning electronic and pop genres. Pablo is his latest seven-tracked album that plays with textures and reverbs so much so that listeners are swallowed by Ladgrove’s intoxicating loops and samples. His album also questions the boundaries of acoustic folk, as the producers/singer plays with palpable synthesizers and reverb-rich pads.

Sam Brittain

Although his surname screams of the UK, Sam Brittain is an Australian hinterland man through-and-through. A relentless roots performer with a flair of ease, Brittain is well-versed in domestic and national success. Signal Lights is his latest work and captures the beauty of passing strangers on the street, and the nuances of living in his country shoes. 

Sasha March

March’s music is magic. It’s threaded by supreme guitar playing and moody vocals, and through amalgamating indie, pop and root genres with clean strums and alluring cues, March transplants audiences into her cultivated scene. The set of Don’t Go Falling and her third album has March championing all forces of loneliness, love and ubiquitous hurt, but all the while, she melodically moves her audience.

Tara Carragher

South Australian singer/songwriter Tara Carragher has a penchant for performing poetic ballads and soul-searching. A wayward collector of acoustic riffs partnered with an unapologetic demeanor, Carragher claims like her influencers – Lucinda Williams, Neil Young, Billy Braag – her “music isn’t always ‘pretty’ but it IS beautifully honest.” Her album, Wicked World, is this and exceptionally more.

The Brouhaha

Kelly Breuer wears many skins, and her Brouhaha outfit is a refreshing burst of acoustic folk. Filtering her glossy pipes through pure UV, Kelly Brouhaha’s rhythmic guitars brilliantly shine beneath her cascading vocals. Brouhaha champions harmonies, and on her Don’t Have To Write It Down album, she also champions the perfect glass half-full persona.

Self Preservation Society

Self Preservation Society, also known as Tristan Newsome, is notorious for his heart-on-sleeve song writing and murder ballads. SPS’s grim tales span dusty deserts to derelict business districts, and his Live At The Wheaty album shows off his predilections for the darker side of folk.

The Timbers

The Timbers are an Adelaide-based quartet who channel country, roots and Celtic bushman punk. Raucous, robust and rowdy – The Timbers’ three albums offer a hammering ride on an abundance of banjos, unwavering horns and hammering orchestras. Wanna hear something that will take you to the high seas? Turn up Simon Basey, Ben Roberts, Kyle Vause and Joe Murphy on RESTLESS.

Tim Moore

With a knack for making his audiences cry, and then laugh, Tim Moore writes his songs with gut-wrenching honesty. With a voice that could cut glass, Moore champions folk through perfect instrumentation and production. His album After The Storm swore an oath to tell a story, and with Moore’s faultless track-record across numerous releases, we won’t be surprised when it does.  

Tom West

Tom West’s compositions travel through numerous soundscapes in mere minutes – bouldering bombastic choruses are chased by whimsical bridges. Across four albums such as Oncoming Clouds, and in swathes of collaborations with local talents, West continues to demonstrate his unique blend of country and indie identity. He also tirelessly demonstrates the weight of his foothold in the folk landscape.