Half A Cow Records

Debut single from Faking Clever!

admin — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 23:21:34 +0000

Mochrie of Me/Cresswell – debut single from Faking Clever

Faking Clever have been making noise on Sydney stages for three years now, but their origins trace back to the town of Young on Wiradjuri Country in NSW, where songwriter Rory B. Steele (guitar, lead vocals) and brother Cameron Steele (drums) honed their musical abilities together before setting off for the state capital.

Inspired by the 80s/90s Australian independent scene, a love for New Wave and a penchant for alt-country, the Steeles soon linked with kindred spirit and Central Coast expat Toby Dowdell (bass, also of Spicy Lemons). The band found a strong base of support around their musical heroes, particularly the Canberra diaspora of the Hayes brothers and Nic Dalton.

The song ‘Mochrie of Me’, is on the surface a sharp, groovy ode to renowned improv comedian Colin Mochrie (of ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway’ fame), but lurking beneath the surface is the tale of somebody frustrated by pressure from a prospective partner to be anyone but themselves, culminating in cries of “This isn’t ‘Whose Line’..! so why you gotta make a Colin Mochrie of Me?”

On equal billing is the five and a half minute epic “Cresswell”, the story of the ‘Tichborne Claimant’ saga that held a tight grip on newspaper pages throughout the latter half of the 19th century. It is told from the perspective of drover William Forbes, who was acquainted with the Wagga Wagga butcher Tom Castro and vagrant William Cresswell, both of whom were purported to be the true Sir Roger Tichborne.

Their debut release is just the beginning for Faking Clever, after three years together as a band their performances have yielded a strong and versatile catalogue of original songs that are aching to be put on wax, lauded by their contemporaries and audiences alike.

Out Now! Nicola Schultz – Ripples in the Pond

admin — Wed, 06 May 2026 12:10:16 +0000

Nicola was the bassplayer and vocalist in Swirl, the band who soared with releases such as The Last Unicorn and Aurora.

Ripples in the Pond, the 8^th solo album from Nicola Schultz, was self-written, recorded and produced by herself. The first single, Freefall (a hero’s journey) came out in late 2024 before a UK/Paris winter trip. In May 2025, A Lot of Love & Book of Sails the double single release followed, and the three tracks were remastered by William Bowden as ‘album versions’ when Ripples in the Pond became a 9-track collection.

Out now on Bandcamp and the streamers.

Get to know Nicola Schultz here!

Chewee – Clouds or Smoke album

admin — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:43:41 +0000

This is the third album by Chewee (Nic Dalton) and differs from Nic’s other releases in that the songs were mainly created in the studio, rather than toiled over with pen and paper before committing to tape. Fourteen new songs. Mixed by Nic in January 2026 at the Nook, Maitland.

NEW SINGLE! Warmer – Pitchfork Barndance (feat. Dave Carter)

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 23:39:17 +0000

NEW SINGLE! Warmer – Pitchfork Barndance (feat. Dave Carter)

Warmer is the project of Sydney singer-songwriter John Encarnação. John decided to start recording his fifth album as Warmer in Wellington, NZ, in order to again work with producer Dave Carter (who produced Warmer’s fourth, Wooden Box With Strings). They got five tracks done, and the first fruit to be released from the sessions is “Pitchfork Barndance.”

This track goes about as country as Warmer ever has, or is likely too. It’s fuelled by two top NZ guns, drummer Ben Lemi (Vera Ellen, Trinity Roots etc) and double bassist Phoebe Johnson (Revulva). Producer Dave stepped up for a backing vocal and ending up taking the lead for the song’s bridges! Is he a carnival barker, or the devil himself?

John also co-leads Sydney group The Nature Strip, and has called on frequent TNS collaborator Luke Bozzetto, who has crafted a film clip with his usual collaged chaos and humour. Don’t miss it!

Recordings for Warmer #5 resume in Sydney in March and run through to May, with plans for a release this year.

Bandcamp Apple Spotify

Warmer launches “Pitchfork Barndance” with Team Building

Warmer returns to launch a brand new single, “Pitchfork Barndance (feat. Dave Carter),” the first fruits of recent recording in Wellington NZ. Dancin’ a hoedown to overconsumption never felt so good! The band is singer-songwriter John Encarnação on singing and guitar, Jess Ciampa on drums and singing, Lloyd Swanton on double bass, and Peter Kelly on trumpet and singing and maybe some other things we haven’t asked him to do yet . . .

On first is Team Building. Trio Bradley, Jade and Tom make living, breathing, at times meditative guitar-bass-drums music, seen recently in the company of The Apartments and Infinity Broke. TICKETS HERE

Neo-Magics – Leaving On A Jet Plane EP

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 02:04:48 +0000

Neo-Magics – Leaving On A Jet Plane EP

The lead-off track is John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane”, taken from Neo-Magics album Yes! We Have Bananas, which is sung by Tandarra Rothman (her debut lead vocal!).

The other four songs are the last of the recordings which began in 2018 and were completed in 2026. “You Kept Me Waiting” was originally recorded by Dave Edmunds for the Stardust movie in 1974. “Damage”, written by Tim Rogers and appeared on You Am I’s Dress Me Slowly in 2001. It is my favourite You Am I song and I’d always wanted to do a version of this in the Gloomchasers – but that never happened – so here is my ‘electric bluegrass’ version which includes a Peruvian panpipe. “Problem Child” is my all-time favourite AC/DC song and, lastly, I just had to do a version of the world’s most covered song, “Yesterday” by the Beatles, also done in an electric bluegrass fashion.

The only song from these 2018 recordings that hasn’t been released was a cover of Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love”, where I tried to do it like the Velvet’s “Ferry boat Bill” but it was a bit of a fail.

Bandcamp

The Glory Boys – Truth Is An Arrow

admin — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 23:45:10 +0000

The Glory Boys – Truth Is An Arrow

OUT NOW!

The Glory Boys were a band that played in and around Melbourne in the early 2000s. It started as a reunion of sorts when four members of Adelaide band Spare Change (1974-1977) John Dowler, Chris Langman, Tony Murray and Graeme Perry reconnected after 25 years and – augmented by good friend Jim Gamack on second guitar – started playing shows around Melbourne’s inner-city circuit.

Initially, the band’s repertoire consisted entirely of (mostly) obscure cover versions, a fact reflected in the track listing of the band’s first EP, recorded in 2003 with Dave McCaskey at Atlantis Studios. Jim departed for interstate in early 2004 to be replaced by Mark McCartney on guitar and mandolin for the remainder of the band’s existence.

There followed two more EPs in 2004, More Requests (recorded by Mick Thomas at his home studio) and 2005, 3 x 5(recorded by Idge at Sound Park). Apart from More Requests (a few of which were sold at live shows), the tracks remained unreleased. When Mark departed for greener pastures in late 2005 the Glory Boys called it a day.

Fast forward to November 2025 and, after listening to these recordings for the first time in decades, Dowler decided that there was enough good stuff there to merit release. Following careful re-sequencing and a sterling remastering job by Ted Lethborg at Ted’s Shed, Half A Cow is proud to announce the February 20th release of the album Truth Is An Arrow for streaming/download on the usual digital platforms and on VERY limited CD.

new album from Ryan Sterling – High Beam Dawn

admin — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:50:32 +0000

Ryan Sterling is a Melbourne singer-songwriter and musician.

Ryan Sterling’s latest album High Beam Dawn is largely one fingerpicked acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocals with sprinklings of other instrumentation. The album showcases Ryan’s unique fingerstyle guitar playing and thoughtful lyrics.

In 2025 Ryan played multiple sell-out shows at the highly respected Melbourne venue the Merri Creek Tavern, with every show selling out on the day that tickets were released, 6 weeks before the actual shows! The album launch for High Beam Dawn is on the evening of Saturday the 28^th of March at the MCT.

Songs on High Beam Dawn have themes ranging from Beach Boy Dennis Wilson’s final couple of years, campground bathroom mirrors, football, mortality, hypochondria and acceptance of the human condition, among others.

In June 2025 Ryan started a YouTube channel focused on fingerstyle guitar lessons, alternate tunings, lead guitar, record reviews and live versions of Ryan’s songs. It is rapidly gaining subscribers and views. Years collecting records and working in a second-hand record store, playing music and his work as a primary school teacher have helped Ryan create unique and engaging content.

bandcamp iTunes Spotify

Godstar’s Sleeper LP – first time on 12″ OUT NOW!

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 05:58:21 +0000

Godstar’s Sleeper LP – first time on 12″ OUT NOW!

Bandcamp Big Cartel

Godstar was Nic Dalton’s band formed in 1991 featuring Tom Morgan and Alison Galloway from Smudge and Robyn St Clare from the Hummingbirds. Sleeper was recorded in 1992 in Sydney and Boston with help from Evan Dando, Bob Weston (Juliana Hatfield band/Shellac) and Rachael King (NZ’s Cakekitchen).

Recorded by Sean Slade and Lou Giordano at Fort Apache, Nth. Cambridge Aug-Oct 1992 and mixed by Lou at Fort Apache. Tracks 9 & 10 recorded by Jeff Gordon and John Hresc in March 1992 at Sun & Powerhouse, Sydney. Mixed at Rich by John.

First time on 12” vinyl (there was a US double 10” in 1993).

Neo-Magics: Yes! We Have Bananas LP OUT NOW

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 00:20:26 +0000

Neo-Magics: Yes! We Have Bananas LP OUT NOW

Neo-Magics played at an art school party on Saturday 2nd November 1985 at a share house in Dryandra Street, O’Connor (an inner-city suburb of Canberra). They played a whole bunch of Velvet Underground covers and possibly “Hang On Sloopy” or “Louie Louie” or maybe neither. Forty odd years later, I get permission from one of the other band members (Lindsay, the original Plunderers drummer) to keep the flame alive. A dozen songs are chosen to get the Neo-Magic stamp.

My favourite album of cover songs is Pin Ups by David Bowie, which is like a concept album because Bowie does Ziggy-style versions of songs that were around when he started playing in Swinging London in the mid-60s. I wanted to do an album of covers that tried to keep a similar 60s/Velvets vibe throughout but my song choice is all over the shop – old faves and some more ‘recent’. I also really loved Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds Kicking Against the Pricks album of covers, but when I went to the shelf to have a listen, I realised I must have sold it a few years ago! Silly me.

Keep You with Mine (Love Positions)
Ghost Ships (The Saints)
Leaving on a Jet Plane (John Denver)
Acid Tongue (Jenny Lewis)
Come Back Again (Daddy Cool)
(I’m) Stranded (The Saints)
I Love You (Steve Miller Band)
Le Freak (Chic)
Shake It Off (Taylor Swift)
Pump Up the Jam (Techtronic)
Groove is in the Heart (Deee-lite)
Red Sleeping Beauty (McCarthy)

Despite “Keep You with Mine” being on an album I put out with Robyn St Clare from the Hummingbirds in 1989, this recording of her song is the first and only time I have ever played this song (Robyn recorded the Love Positions original version by herself).

The version of “Leaving in A Jet Plane”, which features my wife Tandarra with her debut lead vocals, was inspired by a 1990 b-side by Californian band Downy Mildew, where they blended “Leaving On A Jet Plane” with Velvet Underground’s “Sunday Morning” into one gorgeous song. Listen to Downy Mildew’s song here on YouTube!

The Plunderers always wanted to add The Manhattans 1976 smash hit “Kiss and Say Goodbye” to our live set but we could never work out how to tackle (or remember the words!) to the spoken intro to the song. How about just not doing it?

Apart from the well-known songs (Daddy Cool, Saints, Taylor Swift, Deee-Lite) there are also covers of some of my favourite songs by Jenny Lewis, Steve Miller Band and McCarthy (featuring Tim Gane, who went on to form Stereolab). All the drum tracks (and most of the bass and some guitars and all of “Come Back Again”) were recorded in 2018 and I finished all the songs in the first half of 2025.

NEW from Sneeze – Minefield of Lazy Bees

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 06:22:38 +0000

New EP from Sneeze – Minefield of Lazy Bees

Sneezons Greetings!

Sneeze have had a busy Spring 2025 with these three releases…

OUT 5th December

Minefield of Lazy Bees EP

Sneeze have a new EP out today, featuring previous Sneeze band members Lara Meyerratken, Simon Gibson, Bill Gibson and Cameron Bruce. There are six songs in fourteen minutes.

*****

OUT 4th November

Sneeze: Red Electric Noodle – Live! 1998-2001

Originally only available as a giveaway cd-r in June 2004 at an afternoon three-set gig at the Excelsior Hotel, Surry Hills, Sydney and a similar show at the Tote in Melbourne. Nic and Tom PLUS Simon Gibson, Lara Meyerratken, Russell Hopkinson, Beth Proudley, Justin Credible, Michael Simic, the Bernie Hayes Quartet and the Anyones from Melbourne.

*****

OUT 26th September
Sneeze – Bands Jobs and Girlfriends EP

Sneeze (Tom Morgan and Nic Dalton) have a new EP out featuring original drummer Lara Meyerratken and longtime Sneeze special guest Simon Day. Six songs in eight minutes which were recorded between 1998 and 2025.

*****

Available on Bandcamp and the streamers