Hall Of Famer Russell Morris Nabs First #1 Album On Aussie Indie Charts

Veteran Aussie troubadour Russell Morris has done a lot in his storied career, but it's never too late to keep bettering oneself, as his new album Red Dirt, Red Heart has shown, making its debut on this week's Carlton Dry Independent Music Charts right atop the pile at #1.

It's an accolade that's been a long time coming for Morris, an ARIA Hall of Famer and the writer of last year's widely lauded Van Diemen's Land — not to mention everything else he's accomplished over the decades — and stands tall as far and away the week's strongest entry. However, that's not to discount the efforts of Sydney legends Polish Club, whose self-titled full-length makes the sole other debut on the top 20 this week just outside the top 10, at #12.

The Waifs' well-received Beautiful You remains unaffected by Morris' entry, sticking at #2 for another week, but Sia's grip loosens ever so slightly as 1000 Forms Of Fear tumbles to #3 to accommodate the new release. Courtney Barnett rises a spot to #4 with Sometimes I Sit & Think, & Sometimes I Just Sit, while Hermitude also step up a rung to make the top-five cutoff with Dark Night, Sweet Light. As far as the remainder, only The Waifs' A Brief History makes any real kind of shake-up to the status quo, making its re-entry after a period away at #20.

The situation is similarly silent in the Singles stakes, with rising solo performer WAFIA making the sole new entry this week with debut single Heartburn making its debut right at the halfway mark, stepping out at #10. Otherwise, the only other "new" face in the top 10 this week is The Buzz, by Hermitude (feat Mataya and Young Tapz), which climbs up from #11 to #9, while previous spot-holder Chandelier (by Sia) makes a solid leap up to #4. The platinum-haired chanteuse also stays unmoved from the top of the chart, with Alive resting at #1 for another week, still ahead of Vance Joy's upwardly mobile Fire & The Flood (up one to #2) and The Rubens' reverb-heavy earworm Hoops (down one to #3).