There's something that sounds so organic and natural about The Dearhunters, something that's kind of hard to pinpoint, but could quite possibly be described as an earthy quality, or an evolution perhaps. From the simplicity of "All Over Now" and "Far From The Grace" to the multi-tracked vocals "Ballerina" - whatever it is, it's quite gorgeous.

And while the four piece sound fantastic together, it's also something that can be attributed to the superlative talent of each individual in the project. The temptation to hang the music off the talent on one person in the band has been resisted, which sees The Dearhunters finding the perfect balance - resulting in an overall sound that is rich and warm, with just the perfect hint of understatement. It's not country, it's just beautiful.

Rating -   / 5
Mel Lake for Revolver Magazine
27th September, 1999

Another set of Newtown musicians age gracefully here, as Jodi Phillis (of prog alterna-popsters the Clouds) pairs up with Greg Hitchcock (of the Verys, You Am I), and Tim Oxley (the Verys, Whopping Big Naughty) to create an unexpected gem of an album. Oxley, who specialised in open-throated screaming in the Verys, is on a far more subtle trip here, the acoustic instrumentation (complete with pedal steel [sic] from Hitchcock ) working around songs that recall the pretty pop lilt of Elliott Smith. Oxley offers a sense of 60's pop simplicity which is often counterpoint to Phillis' songs.

Always a band driven by an imperative to push arrangement and music in new directions, the Clouds suffered as ideas were forced to become more outlandish and complex to keep up with songwriters Phillis and Trish Young's progressiveness. With such simple accompaniment, Phillis could hardly try the same moves. So songs like "Ivy" and "Heads" are as simple and beautiful as anything she's written. But Phillis is still pushing the envelope with the psychadelia of "Ballerina" or "The Roman Song" [sic], which is drenched in Carpenters harmonies.

As such the Dearhunters have a dimension or two over the Lounge-O-Sound project, which served as a direction. Sometimes trying to push it doesn't suit the mock antique get-up, as Phillis tries too hard to put a post-Pixies twist on trad sounds. But when you mix it wit the swing she's discovered playing Emmylou Harris to Peter Fenton's Gram Parsons in the Slinky Moonlight Review, and her trademark harmonic wall, you have a special combination.

Simon Wooldridge for Juice Magazine
November 1999
/ 10

The Clouds, The Verys, You Am I, The Humdingers - pedigree, pedigree and more pedigree. Jodi Phillis, Tim Oxley, Greg Hitchcock and Raphael Whittingham. Over forty years of collective playing, recording and slogging it out in the music industry experience. Boys with loud guitars, girls with loud guitars. But what happens to indie rock and indie rockers as they become thirtysomethings ?

Well, if I'm not mistaken, it would appear that they become taken with the spirit of Gram Parsons - emerging with an abundance of harmony, slide guitar and joyful space (I mean this in the nicest possible way.) Age has not wearied them, its just turned down the volume, substituted acoustics for the electrics, and brought the harmonies that sometimes got lost in a wall of sound, to the forefront.

The Dearhunters voices - those of Jodi, Tim and Greg - melt so beautifully into each other that distinguishing them becomes irrelevant. Honey soaked melodies and harmonies weave away so gently winding their way into your head. Perhaps the greatest fault of Red Wine & Blue is a lack of distinction, it sits more as an album that individual songs. That said, "All Over Now" and "Starling" are treats.

To think, as has been said, that The Dearhunters are just Jodi's latest outfit is to underestimate the glorious total that is a band greater than the sum of its parts. A slow burner, watch out for it.

EL Monk for The Hub
October 1999

In the main, The Dearhunters plough the neo-country vein of pop made famous by the likes of Wilco. The Dearhunters, though, manage to stamp it with their own style, as evinced by the West-Coast breeze of All Over Now, the somber lament of Ivy and the swirling harmonies of Ballerina. Vocals serve as the primary vehicle, from Tim Oxley's smooth tone (much like that of Joe Pernice) to Jodi Phillis' unmistakable set of chords with their ability to both soar and seduce. That said, much of the album's resonance also stems from Greg Hitchock's deft work on slide and Raph Whittingham's restrained, toe-tapping beats. Although the predominant country feel stands-out, there's a lot more going on across Red Wine and Blue. And best of all, it reveals new layers with each listen. An engaging debut.

Matt Connors
Time Off Magazine
/ 5

The advent of another outfit of urban saddies walled in by harmonies, rusty guitar strings and a drowsy melancholy is not the sort of news that sends one bolting over pasture and field to yank the belltower rope.
But Red Wine & Blue dismisses such descriptions as wrongheaded, the songs here mature, diverse and sometimes, quite beautiful. Jodi Phillis, ex- of The Clouds, is in fine voice on Ivy and That Kind Of Love. But in the Dearhunters, composed also of members from You Am I and The Verys, everyone can sing. It's on tracks Another Heart, Ballerina & The Roman Song that the Dearhunters' sound is defined. The singing in unison unfurls like silk in a breeze.

Tender, light or dreamy and dark, these songs are personal and affecting.

Matt Buchanan
Sydney Morning Herald
  / 5

The warmth of old-tech vinyl is again given an airing on my underused turntable by the Steady Cam-ers, again picking two bits of restraint and craft that almost call for you to go and buy the music thing with the stylus.

The Dearhunters are, of course, the Jodi Phillis vehicle and the offering here is the quite lovely "Ivy" that lopes along on Greg Hitchcock's twanging country-esque guitar in quiet celebration of Ms Phillis' daughter. Meantime, The Hired guns are the bastard offspring of the Dumb Earth and High Pass Filter heading out somewhere round Cowboy junkies territory.  Two faces have I, and I'm glad I do.

Ross Clelland
Drum Media
7th September, 1999

Candle Records has a fast-growing reputation as one of Australia's quality indie labels, and The Dearhunters' album follows on impressively from the debut of stablemates Stella One Eleven. The Dearhunters, featuring Tim Oxley, Greg Hitchcock and former Clouds Raph Whittingham and Jodi Phillis, incline towards an understated country-pop hybrid on this debut CD.

They've been listening to a few Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young records and perhaps the Beach Boys. They combine these influences with more traditional country elements. The opening Mr Katherine is languid but haunting in its simplicity, while Phillis's vocals shimmer and shine on Ivy and Ballerina. At times it's too saccharine, the harmonies in danger of slipping off into soporific west coast oblivion, but this is mostly offset by their deft ear for melody and the live-and-loose approach to recording.

Iain Sheddon
The Australian
/ 5

Another vinyl product from Steady Cam outta Sydney, this follows on from 1998's Golden Rough / Love Me release. This little piece of history features from Sydney, The Dearhunters, and a track from Melbourne's The Hired Guns. The Hired Guns contribute the rich, shimmering country-flecked "Blue Sunday", a wonderful seven minute recording (recalling Mogwai's 'CODY') which slowly limbers along, vocalist Adam Kyle's malty vocals soothing and well placed.

A flipside to "Ivy", a song written about The Dearhunters Jodi Phillis (think The Clouds, 'Lounge-O-Sound'). "Ivy" is, according to fanzine Slide Show #2, a song written about Jodi's new baby, and the song is indeed very pretty, exquisite even. Phillis' lyrics and melodious tonsils are given justice via the fine fidelity of "Ivy", where The Hired Guns have underplayed the whole hi-fi for a more subtle warmth, both are equally well recorded. The Dearhunters tune is filled with harmonies, lulling melodies and are soldered with some brilliant, bold, slide guitar textures. A perfect moody double, the beautiful crackling of the needle makes this a valuable moment any day. Indulge to your heart's content.

Steve Phillips
Sadness Is In The Sky magazine
November, 1999

 

Former members of Clouds and Verys make an album of easy, rural-inspired tunes for grown-ups.

An Aussie indie supergroup of sorts, the Dearhunters feature former members of the Clouds, Verys and You Am I. The outfit's debut album pays homage to the urban rock dream-gone-rural, with songs by both Jodi Phillis and Tim Oxley providing a soothing balance of gal-boy sentiment. The overall tone is rich but still easy, with the opening couple of songs "Mr Katherine" and "Heads" (with the sweetest slide), providing high points. It's an album for fans who have outgrown smoke-filled pubs and instead enjoy their music behind a smoky screen.

Tracy Grimson
Rolling Stone magazine
December 1999
/ 5

Copies of Red Wine & Blue are available on-line through
Candle Records, or at any good record shop in Australia through MDS.  If you'd like to listen to some MP3 samples first, come on over to the Dearhunters 35 Second Theatre.....