There must be something in the Murray River water, or maybe it’s the replenishing effects of growing up in the country – who knows? However what can be universally agreed upon is that either by fate or design, the twin rural towns of Albury-Wodonga has become a breeding ground for many a muso.
With Australia’s music capital only a three hour drive south, the mighty Melbournian metropolis has become the adopted home for a burgeoning generation of creek-dwelling indie bands – including, proudly, five-piece outfit Dirt Farmer.
Having ploughed away at an allusive “slacker pop ‘n’ roll” sound – in the words of their frontman – for the past three years, Dirt Farmer apparently only found their collective feet upon hitting the city’s pavement.
“We only started playing once we moved to Melbourne,” admitted guitarist and lead vocalist, Stu Barlow.
Despite having known each other for 10 to 15 years, according to Barlow, and having “always listen[ed] and swap[ed] music” amongst themselves, it was only once Barlow earned his stripes playing and touring alongside fellow Albury native and Melbourne’s unofficial indie sweetheart, Lisa Mitchell, that everything started “rolling” band-wise.
“I went to school with Lis and that’s how I got a gig with her,” explains Barlow. “Lis and I were good friends with Patch (Oram, Dirt Farmer’s second guitarist) and Chris (Wright, Bassist), and of course my brother (drummer Thomas Barlow). In high school they were my idols.” “Albury is a place where there are only [one or two] venues and it’s all heavy metal.” – Stu Barlow, Dirt Farmer
After returning to his hometown, having gained a taste for the touring life and “wanting to do something for myself”, says Barlow, an impromptu jam with mates blossomed into the “garage-y” sixties-inspired beast recognised today for spawning last year’s hits “Johnny Marble” and “Kick It”.
Citing Melbourne and Perth as one of the “two best cities” for music, the influence of the urban landscape could not be a greater source of inspiration behind the conceptual seed of Dirt Farmer, says their singer.
“There is so much influence in Melbourne, it’s so exciting to be able to go out and see a gig every night—it’s really opened our eyes.”
When compared to Albury’s ailing music scene, it doesn’t come as a surprise. Barlow remarking: “Albury is a place where there are only [one or two] venues and it’s all heavy metal.”
Needless to say a “leather jacket and studs” remains the staple outfit for a weekend night out on the town as the soulful singer and guitarist cheekily suggested.
Such a genre drought up north has treated Melbourne well; sprouting small communities of inner city bands, with allegiances based on rural origins and styles – Dirt Farmer and The Messengers’ ‘love affair’ a noteworthy example.
Barlow explaining that five boys from the fellow band, despite their steeped roots in Melbourne’s music scene, are in fact – like Dirt Farmer – fellow immigrants from the “dark side of Wodonga,” says Barlow – Albury’s other half so to speak.
With the notion of sound and style defining Dirt Farmer from the get-go, the mid-year release of their upcoming sophomore EP, Delilah Lightning, is the stuff country town gossip is made of. Barlow declaring, with understated intent, that “this EP is an illustration of our final sound.”
The lead vocalist and guitarist explaining that, compared to their debut self-titled release, as a band they “put a lot more effort into this one.”
“It’s a bit more slick. There are a lot more production tricks,” explains Barlow. “The first one, I still love it, but we just rushed into it, and we were just playing simple songs at our house and stuff, and [only] then we decided to take the plunge and get into the studio and try to smash it out in four days straight.”
The delicate composition developed throughout the production of the awaiting release can be attributed to a variety of factors.
From the profound influence of engineer and producer Anne Laverty, who recommended experimentation in the form of “different foot pedals” as well as suggestions of “different structures of songs”, Barlow proffers, through to the fine-tuned arrangement of guitars that feature on the EP.
…anticipation is high for the band who “have been talking about it for so long that they just want to fucking play it.”Barlow, with a true musician’s enthusiasm for the tools of his trade, explaining the necessary philosophy behind Dirt Farmer’s eclectic mix of electrics: “With a band with three guitars you’ve got to think which guitars go with each other, you’ve got to think about tones.”
Obviously the sixties-inspired-surf-mod combo of Barlow’s Fender American Deluxe, Nic Duplex’s hollow body Harmony, and Patch Oram’s Fender Telecaster are a testament to achieving such a balance and versatility in sound.
As Barlow remarks, if you’re able to “channel Keith Richards” as Patch does with his Tele’, then you can’t go wrong in the bigger scheme of things.
With the single launch of “Delilah Lightning”, the title track of the band’s new EP, having already begun with Dirt Farmer’s “early shift” at camping festival Boogie 7, anticipation is high for the band who “have been talking about it for so long that they just want to fucking play it.”
To begin their current tour in Boogie 7’s rural setting of Toolarook, and then end in Sydney, one of Australia’s biggest cities, seems a poetic progression of things that cannot be ignored when it comes to the fairytale story of Dirt Farmer.
The significance of the band and their paradoxical rustic and urban roots being represented in their name which was aptly founded in homage to Levon Helm’s (ex-drummer of The Band) 2008 album Dirt Farmer and the circumstance of both Barlow brothers working as landscapers.
“It just worked in our favour,” Barlow observes humbly. Who could argue otherwise?
The Delilah Lightning EP is out now via iTunes and Dirt Farmer’s Bandcamp page, the band play dates in Melbourne and Sydney in support of their new single, see below for details.
Dirt Farmer 2013 Single Tour Dates & Tickets
Friday 12 April – Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne
with special guests
Tickets available now via Oztix
Friday 10 May – Upstairs at The Beresford Hotel, Sydney
with SWRLS
Free Entry
