The Retreat

'Wasting little time, the quartet briskly swaggered their way through a string of tender, upbeat and sincere tracks about some of life’s more simple pleasures and pains. It was an inoffensive yet very easily likable sound that blended an in-depth love of vintage pop, classic rock, alt-country and late period folk...' – David Young, The AU Review.

'Country flavoured acoustic rock at its best with delicate arrangements of harmonicas, melodicas, multiple guitars and backing harmonies’ – Nathan Roche, The AU Review.

MEET THE RETREAT... Creating a sensitive approach to rock, an alternate approach to country and an imaginative approach to pop, their music rattles and rolls with heart-meltingly sweet lyrics over well-placed lead guitar pulses and they are a band on the rise.

When childhood friends Leigh Elphick and Ross James Tipper quit their high-school born rock’n’roll band to start writing together, they had no idea where it would lead….

Writing and recording demos in Ross’ bedroom at his parents’ house, the pair came up with a multitude and mixture of loveable, carefree and profound tracks. The Retreat was born, and took on a more traditional style of songwriting to their adolescent idols, drawing influence from 60s folk rock, the charismatic Brit-pop of the late 90s and the alt. country twang of the last ten years.

After bringing in friends and fellow musicians Adam Collins (bass), Sophia Felton (drums) and Kellie Banyai (keys), The Retreat was ready to go….almost. After locking themselves away in their living room for the best part of a year rehearsing, The Retreat finally emerged and proceeded to sell out their first show, at Sydney’s Spectrum.

The band promptly began supporting some of Australia’s most acclaimed artists including Hoodoo Gurus, You Am I, Wagons, Richard Clapton, Belles Will Ring, The Beautiful Girls, Philadelphia Grand Jury, Kate Miller-Heidke and The Vasco Era, as well as supporting international big guns such as Justin Townes Earle, Dan Mangan, Kris Roe, Gregory Page and Kenny Vasoli.

Keeping up the momentum gathered from their live shows, The Retreat hit the studio to record their debut EP. An entirely self funded affair, it was recorded between BJB Studios Sydney and the bands much-loved Shellcove Rd rehearsal space.

After parting ways earlier this year with keys player Kellie and bass player Adam, The Retreat welcomed long-time friend and fellow musician Luke Watson (bass guitar and backing vocals) into the fold and have released their debut EP in June 2010. In keeping with the DIY aesthetic of the recording process, the EP is only available at live shows, and from the band directly. So get to a show and take The Retreat home with you!

Our debut single ‘After All, Tomorrow’s A New Day’ is now available on I-Tunes.

MANAGEMENT & PUBLICITY:

Kathryn Holloway - The Red Shoe Collective
kathryn@theredshoecollective.com
0412 771 042

BOOKING:
Daniel Sant - The Harbour Agency
daniels@theharbouragency.com

THE BAND:
theretreat@live.com.au