Half A Cow Records

Luke Russell and the Empire Line launches his album at the Hopetoun Hotel, Surry Hills on Wednesday 19th December with special guests Nic Dalton and his Gloomchasers and Lauren Horton.We love our pop here at Half A Cow. From the Love Positions from the late '80s right through to Agnes Kain from last week, it's just about as good as the '60s reissues like the Wild Cherries and the Missing Links that never seem to leave the cd player. We also love our left-fielders. One-offs like Pip Proud . And our uniquely Australian bands such as Khancoban , Art Of Fighting , Tendrils and Crow .We also love our ROCK. Or as Swayback would say RAWK! And the Adelaide band are in the middle of an Australian tour that sees the band hit as many places as possible for a hard working, life-on-the-road lovin' independent outfit. They have a new single out One Way TrafficAvailable from Half A Cow: SWAYBACK: One Way Traffic (hac132) OUT NOW!
Having toured their wild rockin' debut LP The Quest for Rock & Roll extensively throughout 2006, Swayback established themselves a reputation as one of Australia's premier live acts. Returning to the studio early this year, the band enlisted the help of multi-ARIA winning producer, Paul McKercher (Powderfinger, Augie March, Eskimo Joe), to create a brand new studio sound. The result? Swayback now has a new baby, its single 'One Way Traffic'. Showing plenty of the cheeky swagger that won the original album so much praise, the new sound is a more considered straight-down-the-line riffage, creating room for all kinds of experimentation. Swayback's new work included Vegas-style brass, garage 'boards, and syrupy steel, that'll pleasantly surprise hard core fans. Could this two track snippet from Swayback's upcoming second LP (due February 2008) be the feel-good hit of the Summer? Well, we think so…at least you can be sure that, you won’t be hearing anything else like 'One Way Traffic' this year. Swayback want's you to groove, so hop on for the one way ride!AGNES KAIN: Keep walking or I'll kill you (hac131) OUT NOW!
Indie folk pop duo Agnes Kain (Chanelle Afford and Stefan Simunic) have been creating and playing music together for the past couple of years. They are excited to announce the release of their debut album Keep walking or I'll kill you, which despite the wicked title was born of love. Throughout there is a deepness and substance that may be missed on first listen, and although the album contains many a cheerful moment, concealed within the upbeat and playful melodies of songs such as 'All time High' and 'Puddles and Mud' are tales of a more serious and somber nature. Whilst others like, 'My brother told me' and the title track, 'Keep walking or I'll kill you' are penned from a still and thoughtful place of innocence and bruises. Both self-taught musicians, Stefan and Chanelle played most of the instruments on the album, including guitar, piano, mandolin, bass, melodica, glockenspiel, and percussion. There is a darkness which underlies the infectious and cleverly constructed songs of Keep walking or I‚ll kill you, but also a feeling of sharing tea with old friends. Listening to the album it is easy to fall in love with its whimsical charm and warmth.KID CORNERED: Kid Cornered (hac129) OUT NOW!
Kid Cornered is the work of Matt Toohey. July 2007 sees the release of Kid Cornered's new self-titled album. Recorded with Emma Hoy (The Rebel Astronauts, El Mopa) in a house cum studio in Petersham, it sees the Kid branch out into a bigger and more diverse sound than his previous records. The songs are more varied and feature some brilliant playing (see guitar on Tightrope, AC/DC), psychedelic production (Diamond Dog), and fractured, abstract lyrics that see him still reeling, still coming from the shadows. At times, the layered arrangements are dark, rich, and beautiful, a unique mix of old and new. The record was mixed at Megaphon Studio in St. Peters and Mastered at Sterling Sound in New York.the RAYLENES: Let the Wild Rumpus Start (hac128) OUT NOW!
The Raylenes may be mostly made up of New Zealanders, but, according to singer John Palmer, they could only have formed in Melbourne. All were drawn to Melbourne for its famous live music scene. This is where they met Katie Jacobs who plays keys and vocals and is the member of the Raylenes not from New Zealand. The music of the Raylenes is a synthesis of Australian and New Zealand styles - Art-school whimsy, Flying Nun jangle and a L'il Chief-style predilection for lush arrangements from NZ served on a bed of the 60s garage rhythm tracks and sing-a-long choruses that Melbourne is renowned for. Upon hearing the album, Half A Cow Records contacted the Raylenes and offered to release the record as soon as possible. Label owner Nic Dalton: "It's a fantastic pop album full of boy/girl vocals, '60s guitar dangin', sweet keyboards with a rockin' backbeat. Sounds right up our alley. Has there ever been a more perfect album to join the HAC stable?"BERNIE HAYES: Homebody (hac127) OUT NOW!
Bernie Hayes has been playing, singing, writing and recording for thirty-odd years now. And for thirty-odd years, well intentioned people have been telling him that he could really go somewhere.Well, now, in his third solo album Homebody, the taciturn Bernie finally responds:
I’m forty five for fuck’s sake
Do you think I want to go there?
from You’re the best thingNo. Bernie’s happy working in the relative peace and quiet of obscurity, teaming up with the likes of Brendan Gallagher, Peter O’Doherty, Bow Campbell and the Bernie Hayes Quartet of Bill Gibson, John Encarnacao and Jess Ciampa to forge an album that is rich in experience.This isn’t girl-meets-boy stuff. This is about love surrendered, mistakes made, patience gained, time wasted, persistence rewarded, lives lost and courage found. It’s about watching and waiting and worrying. It is, though he’d never tell you himself, as personal and revealing a bunch of songs as he’s ever written. And perhaps that’s why Bernie is prepared to say that Homebody is his most satisfying album to date.As a producer, Brendan Gallagher, found the experience pretty rewarding, too.
"Bernie Hayes is a diamond in the music business, gold and silver too,” he says. “His songwriting alone guarantees him a seat at the table of great popular music writers, his incredible voice into the bargain elevates him to the status of national treasure. His is a majestic touch informed by raw talent and the dear school of experience. In a word he is an artist... long may he reign."the WILD CHERRIES: That's Life (hac113)
That's Life is a compilation of the Wild Cherries - the second '60s band of Lobby Loyde, Australia's first guitar hero and the guy who taught Billy Thorpe to really play. After he left the Purple Hearts, Lobby Loyde went onto Melbourne's Wild Cherries. By the time Lobby joined, the band had a new line-up comprising of original bassist Les Gilbert now switched to organ, Keith Barber on the drums, Peter Eddey on the bass, and Danny Robinson on lead vocals.That's Life contains 24 tracks from 1965-68, including 16 previously unreleased. All eight songs from the 1967-68 Festival singles are here, plus unreleased recordings from the original 1965-66 lineup (who never released anything in their day) and a recently discovered 1966 live show. Add 'em up: 16 unreleased tracks! Plus 36 page booklet and never-seen-before pictures.Very sad news with the passing of Lobby Loyde on Saturday April 21st, 2007. Lobby had been battling lung cancer for the last year and recently been playing shows with his old bands The Coloured Balls and the Purple Hearts to "play with his mates one more time". As well as releasing Lobby's first band The Purple Hearts last year, Half A Cow was keen to get the Wild Cherries compilation out so Lobby could see it as soon as possible. They arrived Thursday 19th. Lobby's copies of the cd were sent out on Friday 20th. Sadly, he never got to see it.DOG TRUMPET: Antisocial Tendencies (hac126)
Reg Mombassa and Peter O'Doherty's fourth album...and it's another sublime and entertaining pop masterpiece that could only come from the world of Reg and Pete.It's time to take out your diary and big red marker! Dog Trumpet are coming to town! Don't be antisocial (tee hee) and get along to see the guys play. SEE GIG LISTINGS TO YOUR LEFT. Recent Sydney Morning Herald Album Of The Week stars Chris (Reg Mombassa) and Peter O'Doherty, will be playing with Lisa Miller (also an Album of the Week star).'...Dog Trumpet has always been underestimated ...' 'The more you listen to them the more you marvel at how judiciously composed these pieces are; how clearly spoken are the barbs and how subtle are the little jokes; how deep the emotions run; and how easy it is to like these songs.' 'So many good songs. So much fun.' Bernard Zuel, Sydney Morning Herald 'ALBUM OF THE WEEK' March 17-18, 2007FREE Sweet Sixteenth 20 track cd:
If you buy a Half A Cow cd: for every order over $30 (yep, this time including post) you get the latest Half A Cow compilation cd. Twenty tracks from all the releases since 2002. You'll also get this compile if you buy any Half A Cow cd from a store in Australia (from November onwards). Just ask for it and they'll get it in for you. Too much!Greetings cards for sale.
About Half A Cow...Half A Cow Records has been a major force in the Australian independent music scene by releasing over 140 albums, mini-albums and singles by over forty different bands on both cd and vinyl for sixteen years. Half A Cow Records started in late 1989 by Nic and original co-owner Miles Ferguson at the same time they opened the now-closed Half A Cow book, comic and record store on Glebe Point Road in Sydney. The label's original intention was to release local bands on vinyl who Nic and Miles personally liked - a trait that continues to this day that makes Half A Cow one of the most unique independent labels in the world.Bands that have released records on Half A Cow include the Smallgoods, The Orange Humble Band, Smudge, Art Of Fighting, Sidewinder, Crow, Kim Salmon, Sneeze and Bernie Hayes. Recent bands include Sydney's Bruce and Luke Russell, Melbourne's Khancoban, the Triangles and Adelaide's Swayback. Half A Cow has also released 'classic re-issues' by the Wild Cherries, The Eastern Dark, The Missing Links, Purple Hearts, the Someloves and Pip Proud. Coming soon: the Raylenes, new Bernie Hayes and Nic Dalton 4 tracks from 87-88.Half A Cow owner Nic Dalton is, first and foremost, a musician and songwriter. He currently plays in the Gloomchasers and also with Tom Morgan in their band Sneeze. Over his career has been a member of the Plunderers, Godstar, Love Positions and helped out Hummingbirds, Ratcat and Lemonheads along the way.