NEW ICARUS SAMPLE TRACKS COMING SOON
ICARUS ALBUM BIO…
There's a storm coming...
A hurricane of epic rock proportions, swirling up from the
land downunder with gale-force vocals amid a category ten wall of guitars and a groove that doesn't stop. Songs of substance and heart with a message for everyman and woman, laced with hooks that won't let go and melodies that stay with the listener long after the final chords have died away. This irresistible force of music is Icarus, the new album from Australia's own renegade southern gentleman - Jac Dalton.
From beginnings in Country Rock and Musical Theatre, Jac
Dalton has surrounded himself with a cadre of amazing musicians to produce a totally new sound with roots in the classic rock that inspired generations of
fans and performers alike. The formidable songwriting team of Jac Dalton and Producer/Vocalist/Keyboardist Darren Mullan has been augmented with the arrival of the Guitar Shaman from Oz, Graham Greene - the riffmaster guitar slinger whose take-no-prisoners musical approach has added a hard edge to the Dalton sound and noticeable flash to the live show. Completing the four-way musical partnership on the new album is the Queen of West Coast Oz Rock, Donna G. Donna's classic but unique voice and presence is the perfect lightning to the band's thunder, fitting seamlessly into the Jac Dalton Band's trademark huge vocal sound.
Having broken new ground with his first release, the country/rock crossover CD, From Both Sides -featuring Mark Evans (AC/DC), Russell Morris, David Moyse (Air Supply), The Angels (John and Rick Brewster, Buzz Bidstrup and Chris Bailey), Rose Tattoo (Paul DeMarco and Rob Riley), Gwyn Ashton (BB King, Mick Fleetwood) and UKs Paul Wetton (Robert Plant Band), Jac was introduced to his new musical family by a fellow US expat, Global Thunda Network's Nana Mex - a little lady with an unusual nickname and a heart as big as the land that adopted her, not to mention a knack for spotting a killer collaboration in the making. Once Jac and Graham heard each other's music and spoke on the phone (a two-hour hello), it was obvious that something great was going to come from it and sure enough, it has.
There's a storm coming - a new Australian Rock sound that
looks ahead while paying tribute to the inspiration of legends past - a Rock and Roll hurricane with a name... Jac Dalton.
‘Keep shooting for the stars and the worst that’ll happen is - you’ll make it to the moon.'
This sums up perfectly the heart and soul of Jac Dalton. Optimism and tenacity are no stranger to this renegade Southern gentleman who has never taken the easy way with anything he’s pursued. The first example of this was age six when, to the horror of all watching, he climbed and leapt from a high dive into an icy pool - never considering for a moment he could neither fly nor swim. Thank Heaven for those rare occasions when experience leaves butt bruises. Other examples of Jac’s rebel spirit include his first Las Vegas review, secured by volunteering to perform trapeze at the Moulin Rouge – something he’d never before attempted; in his words, ‘how different could it be from diving?’ (which he excelled at after finally learning how to swim). Jac’s first singing gig was landed upon presenting an inaccurate, impromptu rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’ after being called-on-the-mat for heckling mates auditioning for a major show. Later, Jac graduated at the top of his Doctoral class, having commenced studies, far from the sharpest shovel in the bunch. Considering such a nature, it is little wonder that when he and co-writer Darren Mullan first set their hearts to the 3-year-production of their first album ‘From Both Sides’, Jac realized very quickly just how far into uncharted waters they were treading with regard to the style and demands of their evolving music. Country/rock had never sounded like this before - not in the US - and certainly not in Australia - proof that when you slide down the banister of lofty ass-perations going against the grain, you’re likely to end up with splinters in your ca-rear. But that ain’t all ‘ba-a-a-a-a-d’… (cheap sheep innuendo, Aussie-style).
It was for this reason renegade Nashville legend Gregg Brown expressed interest in producing Jac’s newest album – ‘ICARUS’ - expanding and pushing rebel convictions even farther away from the safety and expectation of convention. When Gregg and Jac first spoke, ICARUS was supposed to follow in similar steps as the first album – ‘a pop/rock freight train thundering masterfully along slick progressive country tracks, powered by classic Australian rock & roll riffs’. However about half way through developing and recording demos for the album, fickle mistress fate showed up, tornado-ing the whole project in a direction no one would’ve dreamed it would go in a million years - a veritable heli in a hailstorm.
‘From Both Sides’ continues to enjoy commendable attention across the globe in numerous markets. However, its highlight was the track ‘I Want Love’ debuting in the European Top 40 Country Charts at Number 30 the week it was released. Significant credit for this goes to www.globalthundanetwork.com who continues to be one of the biggest proponents
for Australian independent artists – and the album since its release. The matriarch of this expanding, ambitious network is a cheeky, highly-motivated, loveable lady affectionately called ‘Nana Mex’. If you think one voice is lost to a madding crowd, then you’ve never met anyone like Nana. Choosing Australia for her permanent home, as did Jac (originally from North Carolina) - these two delightful, high-spirited personalities enjoy familiar perspectives only a couple of transplanted Southern Yanks could fully appreciate - sharing discoveries and cheering passions of promoting Australian indie rock, country and blues music to a world very much in need of noticing. It is ‘naughty Nana Mex’ who plays the cheeky, insistent part of mistress fate throughout the rest of this story.
In addition to wringing-out his soul writing tracks for ICARUS that are ‘all killer & no filler’, Jac and the band have taken upon themselves the responsibility of doing something to aid and support rural communities across this great southland doing it hard at the moment. From conscience springs a very unique bridging charity called LandAid (www.landaid.org.au).
LandAid’s mission is to help communities in need to achieve worthwhile goals enabling them not only to survive hardships, but thrive despite ongoing tribulations. To this end Jac and co-writer Darren Mullan have written a rallying song entitled ‘Can Almost Taste the Rain’ being produced in Nashville alongside the album. The song celebrates the strength and heritage of Australia’s rural farming backbone, providing hope where it becomes harder and harder to believe. Once the song is available, every cent it generates from downloads, CD sales, media, advertisements, performance rights, APRA etc. goes to aid areas where help is needed most. It is hoped that native son, Keith Urban, will sing on the track with Jac, enabling LandAid to make significant inroads and progress before Australia’s agricultural backbone is so far outta whack that not even a gifted Chiropractor (smirk) could fix it. It was this drought song that first set Nana Mex’s imagination a’stirring, instigating all that has transpired since.
Jac and Graham express their gratitude to Nana Mex and Global Thunda Network for the insight and persistence in merging their talents and dreams. The ICARUS project has become more than a colossal collaboration, and
exceptional band with a promising future… it is reuniting of kindred – and with that degree of ‘knowing’… amazing things are very likely.
Regarding ICARUS tracks, a famous artist summed it up when he stated the following in regard to his greatest work;
‘I saw Angels in the marble and carved until I set them free’. Song titles include: the title track ‘Icarus’, ‘Armed and Dangerous’ (adapted
from an instrumental by Graham), ‘State of Rock’, ‘Good To Go’, ‘For Your Love’, ‘Eye of The Storm’,‘Waterline’, ‘Locked Cocked and Ready To Rock’, ‘Suck Bang Blow’; and as has
become Jac’s trademark – another megarock cover – ridden hard and put away soaking wet! But you’ll have to wait for the release to see which song that is!
PROMO HIGHLIGHTS:
BillBoard executives have said of Jac Dalton, ‘We need more music like this coming from our shores.’
The Album represents the first time in Australian music history that an all star band of Rock Legends has backed an unknown artist.
Because of the timelessness and maturity of ‘From Both Sides’, it is likely to remain in both Rock and Country hit charts for a long time.
In the 6 months since the launch of Jac’s MySpace (jacdaltonrocks) the site has logged more than 14,000 plays and 12,000 friends - averaging more than 500 hits per week – with the album yet to be released.
More than 100 radio stations across Australia, New Zealand and the US have played sample tracks of Jac’s songs for their audiences.
The album’s richness and diversity are the result of a long journey of intimate soul-searching, candid writing, meticulous recording and masterful production over a three year period.
The album has attracted such attention that its producer, Darren Mullan, has been featured in ‘Audio Technology’ magazine, sharing secrets of how he was able to raise the bar so high with ‘From Both Sides’.
MANAGEMENT: management@jacdalton.com. Tele: +61 403 262 101
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Online!