After a hiatus of a few years, the indie folk-pop band is back in town as part of a national tour ahead of their forthcoming album release in 2014. It’s been four years since the popular Queensland-based musicians did a tour of this magnitude. The Carousel tour will take them to their favourite venues in metro centres and see them showcase material from their new album of the same name, due for release in February 2014.
women in docs would easily be one of the country’s most well-respected independent acts. Featuring esteemed musicians Roz Pappalardo [acoustic guitar | vocals | harmonica | banjo] and West End local Chanel Lucas [acoustic guitar | vocals | bass | ukulele], their acoustic style has earned them fans around the world. They’ve toured rigorously and their stirring and humorous live performances have endeared audiences throughout North America, Europe, New Zealand and Canada.
Dubbed as festival favourites, women in docs have performed at the likes of SXSW, Shanghai Spring Music Festival, and the International Folk Festival in Germany to name a few. Back at home, they’ve been on the bill at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, Big Day Out, Woodford Folk Festival and Adelaide Fringe Festival.
The band first came to prominence in the late 1990’s with their debut self-titled EP. They now have seven releases under their belt, and their eighth, Carousel, is set for release on Friday 7th February 2014. The new album has been an ongoing work in progress by the girls – something they’ve penned and tweaked over the last few years. The result is a different look at women in docs, while still adhering to their roots.
Chanel says it’s been a process of three years of songwriting, recording, re-recording and hard work to create Carousel. With all the members of women in docs being based around Australia, it’s been a challenge combining everyone’s schedules and getting them together to record. “Roz and I have been writing songs every time we do get together – backstage at gigs, in rehearsal rooms, on airplanes, in the car on the way to gigs,” says Chanel. “We have even been sharing files via Skype and Dropbox – it really is an album created via modern technology. As a result, the songs are fantastic. We think it is our best yet. We have really focused on the songwriting and on working together as a team to create something that’s essentially women in docs. It is a polished, catchy set of tunes that we are very proud of.”
Roz says they are both really excited about sharing tracks from the new album with audiences on this tour. “I think the new songs capture a sense of maturity from us as songwriters, producers, touring artists and humans,” she says. “We’ve grown up a lot in the last few years that we’ve been off the road and our music careers have grown both as women in docs, solo artists and arts workers in a broader context. The shows will be fun, high energy and reflective at the same time. We’ll be playing the songs from our new album Carousel, along with some of our tried and true favourites, which we love playing as they’ve brought us many years of happiness.”
women in docs fans will be eager to see the band in concert. Prior to their recent touring hiatus, they were known as one of the hardest working touring bands in the business, constantly on the road. Roz says they are equally as eager to get back on the road again. “We love the road,” she says. “In fact, it’s the reason why we started women in docs in the first place – to travel, meet people and be inspired. We’re really looking forward to dusting off the Doc Martens, getting in the tour van and playing these venues. We’ve worked really hard to present this show in venues that we think reflect where we are with our careers and the kinds of songs we’re now writing. We think our audiences have grown with us – so we can’t wait to play some of our favourite venues and some venues we’ve always wanted to play.”
As they gear up for the run of dates, women in docs are also releasing the first single off of the album, the title track Carousel. Chanel says they chose this track as the first preview to the album as it was one they wrote together. “It’s about a common theme for women in docs – travel,” she says. “But it also explores the ideas of freedom, not being tied down and following your dreams. These are also themes within the album as a whole. The title of the song – Carousel – references a baggage carousel at the airport, but also the fun of a show-ride carousel. women in docs are known for their energetic live shows, sense of humour and fun, as well as our songwriting and harmonies. We hope that this collection of songs encompasses all of that.”
women in docs hit the road in November. Tickets are on sale now.
More info: http://womenindocs.wordpress.com/
Brisbane Performance:
Saturday 16th November 2013
Brisbane Powerhouse, Visy Theatre, BRISBANE QLD
http://brisbanepowerhouse.org