David M. Lewis - guitar, dobro, vocals.
Kimshar Wolfs - vocals.
Mark Carson - double bass.
Mary Thorpe - brushes.
Influences
LOW, David Eugene Edwards, Sigur Ros, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Sufjan Stevens, DAMIEN JURADO, Sparklehorse, WILL OLDHAM, The Silver Jews, M. WARD, Golden Smog, NICK DRAKE, William Ackerman, The Jayhawks, RYAN ADAMS, Gemma Hayes, Jeff Buckley, Jolie Holland, Tom T. Hall, CATPOWER, David Bowie, Billy Bragg, LEONARD COHEN, Captain Beefheart, Neko Case, GILLIAN WELCH, Looper, Paul Kelly, WHISKEYTOWN, Woody Guthrie, Jim White, KIRSTY STEGWAZI, Richmond Fontaine, The Yearlings, BELLE AND SEBASTIAN, Tom Waits, Laura Veirs, THE HANDSOME FAMILY, Sigur Ros, THE VELVET UNDERGROUND, Aimee Mann, Led Zeppelin, SMOG, The Carter Family, Johnny Cash, Black Sabbath, Machine Translations, Lucinda Williams, JONI MITCHELL, Jay Farrar, WILCO, Pavement, BECK, Patti Smith, Radiohead, NEIL YOUNG, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Kristin Hersh, Benjow, Johnny Dowd & Maggie Brown, IRON & WINE, Kings Of Leon, THE GO-BETWEENS, The Rolling Stones, Loudon Wainwright The 3rd, JOSE GONZALEZ, Leo Kotke, JJ Cale, Townes Van Zandt, Lucie Thorne, Ivor Cutler, Todd Snider, John Prine, Massive Attack, Mary Gauthier, The Be Good Tanyas, The Black Keys, UNCLE TUPELO, Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares, The Roches, BOB DYLAN, Simon & Garfunkle, John Lennon, Juliet Ward, Rickie Lee Jones, Diastima, Pink Floyd, Joanna Newsom, Yo La Tengo, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, Jimi Hendrix, The Byrds, Steve Earle, Tracy Chapman, Grandaddy, THE TRIFFIDS, Creedence Clearwater Revival, VAN MORRISON, Deep Purple, Tom Petty, The Violent Femmes, BATERZ, Billie Holiday, Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris, Pooka, Portishead.
Sounds Like
Low, Will Oldham, Catpower, Gillian Welch, Neil Young, M. Ward, Damien Jurado.
Dirtbird is the dark, mysterious musical collaboration of singer-songwriter David M. Lewis and ethereal-voiced chanteuse Kimshar Wolfs. Beautiful, close harmonies, soaring cello, sparsely pulsing acoustic guitar, and slow, sad songs about mythical journeys and the end of the world are some of the elements which Lewis and Wolfs weave in and out of the organic quietness which has become the Dirtbird sound.
With each of Dirtbird's albums, High Water Dover (2004), White Horse Road(2007), Cathedral (2008) and the soon-to-be-released The Traveller, Lewis has refined these elements more and more, adding new dimensions of space and mystery into his dark, visionary songs.
The Traveller, produced by US alternative music legend Kramer ( Low, Galaxie 500, Bonnie Prince Billy, Royal Trux, John Spencer, Lou Reed...), signals a slight shift in the Dirtbird sound, which retains the whispering closeness of old, but has gained new depths of swirling reverb and more than a touch of the famous Kramer shimmer.
The songs themselves are written with a cutting-and pasting technique (in the old-fashioned, literal sense), which has the slightly unsettling effect of sounding as if they have been imperfectly translated from some ancient language, inviting comparisons to artists like Neil Young, Low, M. Ward and Gillian Welch.
Dirtbird has been playing since 2002, and have played in pubs, folk clubs, music halls, festivals, jamborees, beer gardens and backyards all over Victoria, South Australia, NSW and the ACT.
They have been played on radio stations around the world, notably in Australia, Belgium, Holland and the US, and their music is available through cdbaby, iTunes, at shows and from selected music outlets.
SOME QUOTES ABOUT DIRTBIRD:
"Timeless...a lasting small pearl...without meaning to, you will be transported by the otherworldliness of this music, and you will feel as if you were floating in slow-motion with Dirtbird's ghosts." - Marcie, Rootstime, Holland.
"Haunting music from another world, another time. It makes me dream when I am awake." - Robyn Chalklen (The Yearlings).
"Slow-burning beautifulness." - Francis Dutton, BLU FM, NSW.
"David M. Lewis continues to mine his seam of slow, unstoppable songs...and magically elongated lyrical visions...each Dirtbird album is stunning." - Narelle Walker, dB Magazine, Adelaide.
"A very unique sound on the current Australian music scene...a classic roots-rock feel. Nice." - Dan Buhaqiar, Triple J Radio, Sydney.
"Conveys the imagery and feel of a journey both physical and mystical" - Chris Lambie, Forte Magazine, Geelong.
"Spooky slow and dark stuff. Mystery music" - Beat Magazine, Melbourne.
"Dirtbird have come up with a beautiful album of country / blues / slow-rock magic that is a gemstone in the musical rubble" - Anto Macaroni, The Old Bar Catalogue, Melbourne.
"Gorgeously smooth...honest and ragged...deserves many a considered listen" - Steve Jones, dB magazine ,Adelaide.
"When talent like this says jump, we ask how high?" - 3D radio, Adelaide.
"Stunning...love it." - Star FM, Tasmania.
"A great rainy day soundtrack...a record for sipping early morning coffee and being introspective before the world comes crashing in...music that is stripped down to its skeletal remains, yet holds the attention from start to finish" - Randy Baker, East Bank Radio, Nashville.
"Lewis's acoustic style is sombre and dark, but also gentle and honest. Moss adds the light and pretty harmonies with her sweet voice and together they create a mood that is just right." - Marianne Mettes, Canberra Times.
(Note: for more information on other releases by David M. Lewis, check out http://www.myspace.com/armyofnerds, http://www.myspace.com/thebedridden or http://cdbaby.com/cd/dirtbird.)
Thank you for adding me to your list of friends. I really appreciate it.
My current project is a romance fiction novel with CD soundtrack that is due out shortly and can be ordered on line in January. It will be at CD Baby, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, most on line stores, and through my web pages.
Wishing you a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year. Hope all your projects are on track.
G'day! ;-) Yeah! I just got word that you'll be playing with us at The Palais in Daylesford! Your music is right up my alley - looking forward to seeing your set then! Cheers, Mark
hey guys murch - lol - id forget it too except my parents still live there &its where i was brought up.. Murchison, near Rushworth near.. ah, you know the rest..
Cheers, i got the new song...the one from last year was brilliant, i spread it round as much as i could..
Hey... just played Something is Burning in the Light on Random Groove on BLU FM... we're still lovin' this new album... can't wait for the rest of the world to hear it! x F.
ONE OF THE GREATEST LP's i have EVER had the pleasure of being asked to produce. in a perfect world, i'll be back there soon, stoking the stove at nights, and making your next LP the rest of the days. such a great pleasure to work with you...DAVID & KIMSHAR!
Hmmm, perhaps after 23 years of being a turkey I thought it was time for a change. Or perhaps it was that interview with Sarah Palin on the turkey farm, where there was one having its head put through a blender in the background. That's an image I still haven't quite shaken.
Of course, the praying mantis male often gets his head eaten, so it can't be that. Oh I don't know. I just like praying mantiseses.
The Velvet Hall is a excellent tune. I also find it funny you have Buffy Saint Marie listed as a influence. My father had a thing for Buffy and it drove my mother up the wall. One day she snapped! I have vivid memories of Buffy albums flying out the window into the yard. Ha!
Thanks Dave, it was an absolute pleasure working with you and Kramer. Your music is so deep and soulful, the kind of music I really love to play. Oh, and I still have 'The World Behind the World' running through my head. I'd really like to make it to the Palais to support you guys....if it's not too cold on the bicycle!!
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