Seagull - Goodbye Weather (2008)

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Seagull is the brainchild of Chris Bolton, a classically trained guitarist influenced as much by the sonic adventuring of artists like Radiohead and Sonic Youth as he is by the rustic traditions of folk and blues. Beginning as a solo project in 2006, the first Seagull EP was released in 2007, making several radio presenter’s top ten list for that year, on the back of radio play on Triple R, Triple J, PBS and FBI. Songs such as ‘End Could Come’ and ‘Train Tracks’ showed the breadth of Bolton’s talent, the latter song being described by Triple J’s Zan Rowe as “…beautiful stuff. This guy is definitely one to watch.”

After the success of the EP, Seagull toured extensively alongside acts like Whitley, Touch Typist, Hazel Brown and Psuche Ensemble, sometimes playing solo (with Chris on guitar, vocals, delay pedal, and dictaphone) and often with a band which has evolved through several line-up changes to include Kishore Ryan (Kid Sam, Hazel Brown) on drums, Ed Bolton on Bass, and Michael Zulicki on Melodica and percussion. Seagull’s live performances have been described as “arresting…stellar stuff” (Andy Hazel, Inpress) with “a masterful blend of driving melodies, robust rhythms and earnest, heartfelt vocals” (Oceans Never Listen).

In the midst of a busy touring schedule, Seagull began recording new tracks with talented young producer Nick Huggins, who also produced Whitley’s ‘The Submarine’. These tracks would become the album ‘Goodbye Weather’, released mid-2008. The album is an 11 track journey comprised of sparse, hypnotic songs and distorted folk apocalypses laced with black wit and a tragic romanticism. Launched to an enthusiastic response at the Northcote Social Club in June 2008, the album is already garnering repeated airplay on Triple R, Triple J, FBI, and great reviews from Inpress and Mess and Noise and Wireless Bollinger (who have named Seagull one of the top ten bands to watch this year).