Archer to perform his latest Album by the Murray’s Riverside
A river runs through him as Archer sings up rivers, land and stars with his new album release, and second in his seminal Australian field recording series, aptly entitled The Divine Church of the Open Sky (Volume 1). And he brings it all home with a humbly ambitious walking tour, taking in three States, through May and June.
The original songs presented on his newest album, address environmental and establishment issues with old world charm, sincerity and humour. Recorded by analogue specialist engineer Alex Bennett in natural settings chosen by Archer, they call attention to the beauty, the microcosms and the importance of potency in our water sources.
In true Archer style, Volume 2 (recorded at Bullarook Creek, Victoria) was released first (May 2017), and is now followed by Volume 1 which was recorded at Dhungalla (Murray River, NSW), from sunset to sunrise in the same style as the previous volume. Plans for Volume 3 are already underway, and will be recorded at a riverbed of great importance, in the lower interior.
The ‘clear as the night’ recording achieved by Archer and Bennett is sublime. Archer’s signature stripped back style comes into full force in this format. With only the passing flow of the river, Archer’s voice, his acoustic guitar, and his affectionately termed ‘orchestra of the wild things’ joining him, the Dhungalla field recording must be a first for Australian music, in recent decades.
As with his previous four albums, The Divine Church of the Open Sky – Volume 1 is released with Pound Records. Known for his penchant for hidden gems and nostalgic artists, Pound Records label director Martin Martini completely understood the place that Archer, and his music shares with land and country.
“Field recordings are a thing of the deep past, completely out of fashion as far as singer songwriters are concerned. No one is recording outside anymore. Because Archer’s songs are unquestionably connected to land and country, recording his music under the stars, and amongst the trees, allows the songs the breathing space they deserve. Archer’s music could not have been written without his honest and real connection to the land he lives on, its rocks, rivers and animals. The songs are breathing living things, recording them in a studio would only trap them, clip their wings. Taking these songs back outside and under the sky, to record this album as a field recording is the only way it makes sense to me.”
~ Martin Martini, Pound Records (direct quote, April 2018)
Volume 1 captures eleven original tracks by Archer, beautifully contextualised and framed by a small selection of spoken word pieces, infusing the recording with intricate detail and authenticity. The full album releases on May 16th, preceded by album single Song for Kelowna (and everything), on May 9th The songs are all the authors own, and present us with the preacher within the songwriter. Like rivers on land, he says that the songs flow through him.
The albums of The Divine Church of the Open Sky series, maintain the feel of his ‘Old Time Sing-Song Man’ moniker (2014 release), but their redemptive thematic is pronounced. Archer is emerging as a new ‘resistance song writer’ for Australia, a magic-realist, a dreamer and idealist, a preacher and a (mythological) fool.
The Divine Church of the Open Sky (Volume 1) is demonstrative of Archer’s development as a song writer, and if examined closely, uncovers and positions him, as a complex and prolific contemporary Australian artist.
Archer’s increasing dedication to raising our awareness round water scarcity, and animal welfare, and human connectedness issues manifests in many forums.
But his performances are not confined to only traditional audiences attending bars and music venues, instead he plays schools, nursing homes and out of the way places to ensure that he can participate in exchanges with young people, old people and the others we have forgotten.
As for the tour it’s a long one, it runs from May 18th to June 23rd, with many days at a time between shows.
The reason for this? Archer will be walking and hitching it. Starting in Dunkeld, and ending back in Lake Barmah where he recorded the album on the banks of the Dhungalla (Murray River).
He’ll walk alone, and sometimes with
friends, across three States, first from Dunkeld to Horsham in Victoria, then onto Penola in South Australia, then into New South Wales for shows in Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Bourke and Dubbo before returning to home State Victoria, for his Melbourne show on Friday 15th June at The Wesley Anne.
He’ll then set off on the last trek of this humbly ambitious walking tour, to Lake Barmah, where he’ll perform on Saturday 23rd of June in the same place that he recorded the album, to the night and whoever gathers there with him.
His need to curb his own impact of the earth has led to a preference for walking wherever possible, and to take up offers of a lift from strangers instead of adding another car to the roadways. The walking allows time to commune with nature, the lifts offer an endless source of pleasure in meeting people who are willing to stop and help their fellow man.
The whole idea is of course hand-in-hand with the messaging of the songs on the album, and in the series. To cherish our planet, to love each other, to befriend the animals and to revel in the small joys of life, and to always listen out for the ‘orchestra of the wild things’.
TO FIND OUT MORE “Follow Archer” On his journey!
EVENTS ON THE MURRAY – CREATING A REVOLUTION FOR TOURISM, TOURS, CONCERTS & EVENTS ON THE MURRAY RIVER!!!