"... stretches the form of folk music, taking it deeper into a full band, folk-rock cul-de-sac that feels decidedly metropolitan – a pastoral trip through suburban streets."
Seemingly emerging fully-formed, Babitha (think ‘Tabitha’ with a ‘B’) is the moniker of young songwriter, singer and guitarist Imogen Grist, raised in country NSW to a soundtrack of Neil Young, ABBA and Fleetwood Mac. Released in early 2023, her debut album - Brighter Side Of Blue - is inspired by the archetypal ‘other woman’ and it turned heads and pricked ears for its sophisticated sonics, inhaling 70s pop rock, folk rock and cosmic Americana and exhaling "the sound, of coastal breezes, desert shimmer and city laneways". Think Chrissie Hynde and Marlon Williams on a songwriting retreat with Big Thief and The Delines. This was one of the Australian albums of 2023, according to our friends at Impressed Recordings (who assisted us with this selection) as well as Double J and NME who included it in their respective lists for Album Of The Year. From the get-go, you grasp a sense of Babitha's writing, it has a timeless quality, a certain mood and a distinct groove that are somehow familiar, yet provide melodic touchstones acting as sonic conduits betwn the ethereal atmospherics and dreamily upbeat aspects of her sound. Is it alt-country, with a nod to Gillian Welch? Is it classic rock, mined from a similar vein that Chrissie Hynde has drawn from? Is it indie-folk, a lighter, brighter Jen Choler? You tell us.
"From the coastal suburb of Bellambi to the Western Plains of Kerrs Creek, Babitha’s refreshing blend of country, indie and folk reflects an openness to experimentation – and willingness to have fun"
Released : 20 January 2023
Label : Spunk Records
Producer : Bowen Shakallis & Cody Munro Moore
LP : URA6002 / IMP014
(Limited Edition 180g Baby Blue Vinyl - individually numbered obi strip)
This exclusive re-issue of “Brighter Side of Blue” is limited to only 300 copies on baby blue heavyweight vinyl, with an individually-numbered obi strip. + exclusive essay by Amy Campbell of Esquire Australia. We are, this month, assisted in our selection process by our friends at Impressed Recordings.
PREVIOUS LOVE FOR BABITHA
“So Fleetwood Mac it could be on a skateboard, Babitha’s debut release is smooth and creamy and twinkly and delightful."
- The Underground Stage
"Few albums, let alone debuts, have encapsulated the zeitgeist like Brighter Side of Blue."
- Double J (#16 'The 50 Best Albums of 2023')
"... a formidable debut that thoughtfully reflects on the internal and external turmoil of the current age, threaded together with a wide-eyed and refreshing sense of optimism."
- FBi Radio
"★★★★★ ... a voice that invokes some of the greatest songstresses of our time."
- Kath Devaney, ABC
"★★★★ “This feels like old vinyl and worn corduroy - it’s got a timeless appeal."
- Dave Ruby-Howe, triple j
TRACKS
< Click to preview album on YouTube >
Only Fair
Night And Day
Happy Person
Ants
Lost In A Daze
Always
Brighter Side Of Blue
How The Time Is Tickin'
In My Own Time
Ghost
Nothin' Left To Burn
Fade Away
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