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NEW ALBUM "DOWN ON THE FARM" OUT NOW!!
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Traipse through the Valley: A rich and woody western ride with lolloping bass lines and ghostly harmonies, The Smallgoods return with this kitsch and peculiar single as a prelude to their forthcoming album, Down on the Farm, due out in September. Alongside the sounds of Lonestar, the boys have worked the misty magic of Simon and Garfunkle into their gothic trail ride, and the result is familiar but unusual. Beat Magazine - June 2007
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Traipse Through The Valley: Have you ever had that feeling when you’re out in the bush, or maybe even just a large farm? You’re all alone, the sun’s shining, it’s a beautiful day out in nature by yourself… and then you feel spooked. Nothing’s happened. There was no sudden movement, or funny noise. It’s just all so quiet, and expansive, and terrifying. The first single from Melbourne five-piece The Smallgoods’ upcoming album Down On The Farm has a bit of that unexplained rural spookiness going on. Harmonies, a nice plucky acoustic guitar, some subtle tambourine, and a steady bass rhythm that mimics a casual horse trot. It feels like a lovely trip along the country path, probably more like a lush green English apple orchard than a dry Kingaroy dam, but either way a pleasant ride. There’s just something bugging you. Are you being watched? Is here anyone else out here? Best just to sing out loud to this addictive indie-country ditty, do some nervous glances, and give the horse a bit of a giddy up. Rave Magazine - July 2007
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Traipse Through The Valley: Traipse through the Valley is very good if you've never heard Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young or The Band (or any of their splinter groups and solo factions), but - unlike most of the clearly-influenced-by clan of Melbourne pop/rock groups - it's also quite good if you have heard of them. Inpress Magazine - July 2007
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The Smallgoods launching Traipse Through The Valley @ the Northcote Social Club: Just what type of smallgood are The Smallgoods? They’re not a popular, bland ham sort of band but they’re not spicy and exciting hot salami either. Perhaps The Smallgoods are like a fine smoked trout - unique, natural, rich and smooth.
The Melbourne five-piece recently launched new single ‘Traipse through the Valley’, the first track off upcoming album Down on the Farm, at the Northcote Social Club.
Comprising Ben Mason (guitar, vocals), ‘Shags’ (sounds, noise, keys), Andrew Cowie (bass) and brothers Gus (drums, vocals) and Lachlan (guitar, vocals) Franklin, theSmallgoods provide audiences with a diverse live performance layered with many different musical whims.
‘Shags’ and the Franklin brothers hail from the coastal hamlet of Port Fairy, and the meshing of country and city living influences both the band’s live performance and their music.
The live performance has a distinctive ‘love-in’ vibe, people meeting for the music and staying for their friends. The songs capture this vibe and build on it, creating a distinctively homely environment that successfully complements theSmallgoods’ overall sound.
A strong crowd enjoyed a rollicking performance full of haunting melodies and travelling music – ‘Traipse through the Valley’, perhaps more than any other song, evoked feelings of picking it all up and leaving for a better place.
The poppy ‘Sadness and the City lollops’ along like an early Fab Four classic, The Smallgoods engaging successfully with their inner Beatle on their most mainstream-friendly offering.
If ‘Sadness in the City’ is early Beatle fodder, then ‘South of the River’ builds from psychedelic ‘Strawberry Fields’ into something much more peculiar, as if a drunken farmer has hacked a crop circle square in the middle of Lennon’s masterpiece.
The band ambled into dreamy number ‘The Willow Tree’, plucking the audience up and placing them upon a rustling limb high amongst a forest of eclectic sounds and harmonic voices.
An enthralling musical experience, The Smallgoods are a must-see. NINO BUCCI
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DOWN ON THE FARM: Boot scooters need not apply to the Smallgoods' country property. The local harmony fiends' farm holiday is light on pedal steel and chickens, and more about sleepwalking through moors under willow trees harbouring spooky secrets. That's at its best, anyway. Traipse Through the Valley, Campfire Song, Willow Tree and Home Song have plenty of that poetic pastoral intrigue that Augie March conjure so well. The backward cymbals and ghostly vocals of the wordless Jeune du Fille are pure gothic chill, and No One's Listening to My Baby and City Full of Sky follow ominous chord cycles lost in time. Ambition leads the goods astray in the seven-minute, multi-movement sprawl of 100 Bright Red Buttons, and the even longer Now I See the Stars oscillates between atmospheric wonder and brownish dirge. There's also something of a false start involved: Sadness + the City and Driving Song refer back to the '60s jangle/harmony vibe of the Smallgoods' less imaginative debut. Once they clear those predictable landmarks, this is a trip worth taking. Michael Dwyer - August 2007
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BUY THE TRAIPSE THROUGH THE VALLEY SINGLE HERE.
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BUY DOWN ON THE FARM HERE.
I believe it means that you may chase windmills on a sunny Iberian landscape and not be accused of insanity, but much on the contrary, be quite a genious.
Hey guys, caught you at the Spectrum last month up here in ole Sydney Towne and I've been meaning to say I love, love, loved it. Even with that fabbo soundman they got working there. So goodness only knows how good you'll sound with, well, when I can hear you properly ;P Come back to Sydney soon please!!!
Love the melodies... keep em coming... loved spending the morning, bought the cd - back in the HAC label come across the driving song, love it! must try the cd in the big system!
Hey Fellas! Once again, thx so much for the exclusive JJJ experience! I heard the recording on the radio last night! I taped it - sounds ace! Hope all is well where ever you all may be :) Cheers, Renae
i am oh so excited for all the good news and new single. ill definatly be tuned in to you on the radio... and im hoping youll make it to california soon!
Hi Just to let you know you..ve made it into my favourite albums of 2007 (check my latest blogs) - wishing you a happy Xmas and all the best for the new year J
YEEAAOOO!!! Awesome last night Smalldudes hahaha Yea man gold with that 'Hawk stone' song there at the end. You were makin up the words and shit I mean..... YEESSSS Your kinda like.....um Smallgoods. Pfft, more like ah......ummm.....hhsss...aahhh... Smallgoods. YEEESSSAA
Hey thanks for the add guys! Down on the farm is a great album! Love the production and attention to detail! Ben's guitar lines are fantastic and always compliment the songs! Congratulations!
