L'introduction
Melbourne songstress Tanya-Lee Davies is a heart-seeking missile, who specialises in dreamy / pop country / psychedelic folk sounds: big on melody, lush vocals and lyrics that cast spells. Raised on a diet of Bacharach, Sinatra & Louis Armstrong, TLD found her own psychic home in the sounds of Laurel Canyon, Nashville and early 70’s New York.
Her songs are fuelled by themes that reach from the personal to the universal, delivered with gay abandon one minute and scorching intimacy the next. Wearing her influences on her sleeve and undaunted by their potentially polarising effects, she wrestles her muses into shape one song at a time, resulting in her own jangly, melodic, mainly sunny, occasionally melancholy, but always open heart recordings.
Armed with patio frocks, acoustic guitar, an 80’s vintage casio and a gently hypnotic artillery she takes you hostage with five releases of her own unique songs, Perfect Moment, Bloom, Superdarling and Dreamland plus the lush Duetting Damsel, a compilation of duets in a country vein by some of her favourite writers, where she joins voices with 14 of her Gentleman Friends including Stephen Cummings, Matt Walker, Rob Snarski and other vocal luminaries.
Big on melody and lyrics that cast spells, she once found herself at a seance with Jenny Lewis, Mazzy Star, Carole King and Ronnie Spector at John Cassavetes and Gina Rowlands LA home. In a psychedelic moment they morphed into one deity that she’s worshipped ever since.
Post house arrest in the year that never was, TLD released three singles – KISS SOMEONE, LOVE TOWN and BLESS YOU as an entre to her latest album Dreamland which may be a Californian dream, a girl group sound gone swampy post a New York trip, or the Mamas, without the Papas, on an unlikely bus trip to Nashville, either way it’s a romantic, mesmerising brew.
A collection of her albums and EP’s is luxuriating on her Bandcamp page.
https://tanya-leedavies.bandcamp.com
“ sparkling pop psychedelia infused songs…recollect the work of Burt Bacharach and John Barry, at times Davies' multitracked vocals allow her to sound like a lost mid 60's girl band….hints of Phil Spector to be heard with a whiff of Lee Hazlewood”. Americana UK - United Kingdom
“Fans of LISA MILLER, LIZ STRINGER, TRACY McNEIL, BOBBIE GENTRY, DUSTY SPRINGFIELD et al will absolutely LOVE this album....it is FABULOUS....Absolutely love it!! …. an outstanding album.” Suzanne Bennett - The Basement Discs
“It’s easy to believe blessings are right around the corner as Davies sends out soothing harmonies in a smooth psychedelic folk collage … a tonic for all”. Dave Falk - Uncle Ears Washington USA
“absolutely beautiful, shimmering & engaging” Stuart Coupe - 2SER Radio. Music Journalist AUS
“Sixties girl group harmonies, vintage Nashville, Brill Building era recording and Laurel Canyon dreaming all inform her craft. Dreamland carries a 60’s vibe but wth a sophisticated modern edge, mastered into a cohesive journal of joy….” Chris Lambie - Rhythms Magazine AUS
“a wonderful realm of slow burning vignettes that simmer with a melodic intensity”. Arun Kendall - Backseat Mafia
“wondrous album of heartfelt songs with lush dreamy sounds …. outstanding”. John Broughton - Casey Radio Aus
“You can tell when someone is born to sing. Tanya-Lee Davies was born to sing, nothing is inauthentic. She is a song.” Billy Baxter. Radio Presenter, Musician
Another clip from the Superdarling album - There There
My homage to all things Beatlesque - sitar driven, psychedelic, and a little antsy, the gal in this song lays down the law to the absentee lover.
How I Ended Up This Way
Celluloid Heroics
Opening Night
One of my favourite cinematic scenes ever is toward the end of this film when Gena Rowlands are on stage together, in a play, . The whole movie is incredible. Evertyhing they did was incredible.
Mining for Gold.
Leon Russell. 1973.
Saw a documentary of him and his band recording this album. Can't for the life of me remember what it's called, but go and find it. Worth every second.
❤️
Reading Material
Lou Reed isn't always charming but, this book is seductive. He's a fascinating life force that was way more musically and mentally versatile than it might appear on the surface. I adore him, so I'm biased, but this book tells his story without being sycophantic and doesn't censor. Full disclosure, I'm not crazy about the writing style but loved the content.
