When your career has been spent supporting the likes of Lucius and Richard Marx on tour, you know listeners are in for a treat. Releasing his latest single at the back end of 2022, Two Hands was a sumptuous journey into the purity of sound. The textures, the voice and the astonishing beauty of the arrangement show an artist at the top of his game.
That ability is hardly surprising when you consider the world he moves. Originally from the USA and settling in the outskirts of Melbourne for love, the singer songwriter is no stranger to the big stage nor the vibrant Victorian music scene. His list of collaborations is a roll call to admire and includes artists such as Set Mo, Courtney Marie Andrews, Elliphant, Rose Elinor Dougall, Say Lou Lou, Roofeeo (TVOTR), Emma Louise and Jade Bird.
What The Hell
2017 was the year that he released his first track as a solo artist titled What The Hell. Laidback with a voice that transcends the human experience, the aural pictures he paints are ethereal and majestically designed. This was only the beginning of his journey and his career since then has been punctuated with an 8-track album titled Yay Blinn and several singles. All of them displaying a tender approach to music that speaks to a musician capable of leaving an indelible mark on the industry.
Brilliantly evocative with intelligent lyrics, vocally his style shows influences of the Beatles, John Lennon and the great troubadours of country. Don’t be put off by that link to a genre that can be much maligned, this is not your boot scooting baby music. The slide guitars on the album just add so much undeniable beauty to his work that it leaves audiences breathless.
The Move Down Under
What do you do during a pandemic? Move down under and escape the world chaos. That is the solution that presented itself to Dandelion Head. He found a mud brick shack on a hillside of gum trees outside Melbourne, set up a studio and after battling an infestation of bees, called it Old Comb Studios.
That move has born the richest of fruits although it took some time to ripen. After two years of intense song writing and working with Sean Kenihan (Northeast Party House), Liam Gough (Teskey Brothers) on drums, and Casey Hartnett (Sui Zhen) he released Sad Eyes and Two Hands.
It is rare that you come across an artist that is dedicated to bringing intelligent and exquisitely crafted music to the airwaves. Dandelion Head’s music is no lowest common denominator pop fodder. It is incredibly complex but gracing the listener on waterfall of sounds that are luxurious and inviting.
Check out his single and a video that displays a wicked sense of humour. This is what real musicians get up to in the quiet hours.
Aussie Sounds is an immersive digital content provider, promoting and collaborating with Australian artists to present their work in a new and revolutionary format. If you want to monetize your work and enter the world of virtual reality, you need look no further than Aussie Sounds.
We are beginning this journey with Australian artists at the forefront of our thinking and welcome all Aussie musicians, producers and songwriters to work with us as we design the future.
Jay B McCauley is a renowned award-winning music journalist, broadcaster and record producer. He has written for some of the biggest platforms in the game and runs his own label Vagrant Soundz.
