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I’ve been regrettably slow to get around to Dan Sultan, despite numerous and vehement recommendations. Well… better late than never. Others have been quicker to recognise Sultan’s considerable talents, John Butler gave Sultan a JB Seed grant to records this very album. Paul Kelly invited Dan to contribute to a Kev Carmody Tribute album. He was nominated for a 2006 Deadly Award for most Promising New Talent. And he’s been invited to perform at nearly every major Festival this summer, including Queenscliff, Woodford and the Falls Festival.

Only moments into the first track of Homemade Biscuits and it’s easy to see why such recognition has flowed Sultan’s way- His powerful musical personality erupts from the first moment he opens his mouth on ‘Your Love is Like a Song’ and doesn’t let up for 12 tracks. Blasting to life with ‘know your product’ style rock/soul brass, it’s a potent album introduction.

But it Sultan’s voice- a warmly authoritative instrument rich with character and range- that ultimately grabs your attention. And as he continues to weave his way through intuitively well-constructed tales of fresh sincerity, you have to marvel that this is a debut album. I’m not the first and I won’t be the last to comment on the accomplished nature of Sultan’s writing and performance.

Dropping the pace back to a delicious swagger, tracks two and three ‘Enemy’ and ‘Forever’ are both affecting roots rock ballads, graceful in melody and delivery and poignant in lyrical content. Sultan proves to be fond of locating his stories for added authenticity. The opening lines of ‘Your Love is like a Son’ mention Melbourne’s Flinder St, and the almost Polynesian summer sway of ‘Caroline’ sees Sultan toking on a joint overlooking the Yarra River

Completing the impeccable tones of Homemade Biscuits is some tasteful rootsy playing courtesy of Sultan and Producer Scott Wilson. Though the liner notes don’t reveal who’s actually responsible for what, the electric guitar sounds and playing are especially strong. Vintage tones wobble with tremolo and ring with reverb around Sultan’s vocal melodies.

But the you hear some incredible bluesy acoustic guitar playing which you have to assume is Sultan’s own, on “the Door Still Open (to my Heart) a song of timeless nature, it sounds like a genuine long lost country /blues standard of the Sun Record era. Stunning.

If the enormous turnout of enthusiastic revelers at this fourth installment of the Deep Roots Festival is any indication, gutsy, organic roots music is certainly alive and well in marvelous Melbourne. The Esplanade Hotel was filled to the brim with a multitude of smiling faces, swinging dreadlocks and overflowing beer jugs as the groove spread through the friendly, feel-good crowd.

Guitarist and singer Dallas Frasca, who hails from Wangaratta and won JJJ’s “Light Your Fuse” competition, sports a great, eye-catching set of dreadlocks and eardrum-bustin’ vocal cords. Backed by fellow guitar-slinger Jeff Curran, Dallas’s incredibly robust vocal performance conjured the spirit of Janis Joplin and Tom Waits. The front bar of the Espie was suitably impressed by her high-energy performance which exuded a bluesy authenticity and spine-tingling firepower.

I caught the last song by The Roys and was so impressed by their garage-tinged dirty blues rock that I wished immediately that I had seen their whole set. With Scott Wilson on guitar it’s hardly surprising that they sounded so amazing. Scott’s work with the soon-to-be-legendary Dan Sultan is superlative.

When Dan and his shit-hot, tight ‘n’ terrific band took to the Gershwin Room’s hallowed stage, I knew that there was magic in the air. Dan, who has the type of classic soulful vocal delivery guaranteed to ignite the goose-bumps, is a likeable, confident performer adept at building the vibe to fever pitch.

The audience screamed and jived as Dan whipped out some funktastic dance moves, held his guitar like it was a weapon and rode the surging wave of joyous energy pumped out by the type of band James Brown would have been proud of.

With Dan’s talent being so prodigious, there may come a time when, due to an ever-expanding fan-base, seeing him live in such intimate surroundings is a nostalgic memory. Dan Sultan is destined for the big time and I am glad that I have seen him at this exciting stage of his career. It’s like hanging around the launching pad just before the rocket blasts towards the stars!

My evening ended on another high with the swampy blues-rock of Ash Grunwald, who really knows how to get the audience’s feet tapping. It’s amazing how one guy can generate such a thundering, powerful and resonant sound. With such a stellar line-up of talent, The Deep Roots Festival certainly proved to be a stunning success.

If you can imagine a weekend buoyant with Guinness, sparkling with good cheer and rippling with world class roots music, then you have glimpsed the pleasure that is the Port Fairy Folk Festival.

My weekend opened with the warm wash of psych wa-wa guitar, driving riffs and soulful vocals of Lisa Miller and her smokin’ band. Sassy singer and percussionist Lil’ Fi, pumped out da blues to a crowd of appreciative drinkers in the reliably lively Shebeen Bar. The laid-back, light and poppy vibe of Carus & The True Believers was a hit with the screaming youth who bounced appreciatively in The Big Top. The popularity of Joe Camilleri & The Black Sorrows meant that it was necessary for me to watch them from the sidelines. Joe was in fine voice and his band were both tight and soulful.

Those cheery punk pirates Sforzando provided an uplifting high-energy treat and managed to deploy the folk-punk hybrid to rousing effect. The Rich Family rolled out gentle country music and put a smile on my face with their warmly humourous between-song banter. The zany Kate Miller-Heidke blew everyone’s mind with her unique vocal acrobatics, idiosyncratic arrangements and witty, left-field lyrics. Her playful operatic version of the Talking Heads classic Psycho Killer was stunning. Rory McLeod, master storyteller, one-man band and all-round nice bloke, charmed the audience with his inquisitive nature and contagious passion for life. The fact that he played spoons on his head also helped.

Luka Bloom opened his set with that old Hunters and Collectors gem Throw Your Arms Around Me, proceeded to handle technical problems with ingenuity and professionalism and even slipped a folky version of Ms Minogue’s Can’t Get You Out Of My Head into his stellar set. The dreadlocked master of dirty, footstompin blues, Ash Grunwald, inspired fevered moshpit frenzy. His ability to truly connect with the adoring audience was a pleasure to behold. The Dave Mann Collective pumped out the type of radio-friendly roots rock that bands such as Free specialised in way back in the 1970’s whilst also dipping their toes into a spot of reggae. The sweet melodies of Mad Violet provided a positive start to Sunday’s proceedings. Their cover of Simon and Garfunkel's Cecilia showcased their pitch-perfect harmonies. Boo Hewerdine displayed his songwriting prowess on such memorable numbers as Patience of Angels and Graceland. Chubby Rae & The Elevators fired up the Sunday evening crowd in the Shebeen Bar with their searing old-school rhythm ‘n’ blues and a guest appearance from Chris Wilson provided exciting harmonica action. Joe Tawadros’ The Oud, The Bad & The Ugly thrilled the audience with their hypnotic, psych-tinged, funky instrumentals which seemed to blend acid jazz and world music effortlessly.

The highlight of the entire weekend, however, was seeing the phenomenally talented Dan Sultan play live on three separate occasions. Dan, who is blessed with a voice like velvet, possesses a magnetic stage presence that demands the audience’s attention. Sunday evening’s performance, accompanied by his six-piece band, would rank as one of the best gigs I have ever witnessed.

It was almost as if the spirit of Elvis, Johnny Cash, James Brown and Sam Cooke were channeling through him as he brought maximum soul to the stage. Dan embodied all that is great, spirited and vibrant about this festival of festivals. Roll on 2008!

"When I first experienced this exciting, eclectic collection of rootsy tunes I was amazed that I hadn’t heard more about Dan Sultan. His approach is so strong, confident and creative he sounds as if he has been immersed in music his entire life and plays like a seasoned yet hungry performer bursting with inspiration.

The big ‘n’ brassy opening salvo Your Love Is Like A Song is a stirring slice of classic Aussie indie pop rock, at times reminiscent of legends such as the Sunnyboys and Huxton Creepers, and well equipped to enliven the airwaves with its hook-laden heart. On Enemy Dan’s soulful, yearning vocals are like velvet and the lyrics are sharp and evocative. Forever is characterised by lush, melodic guitar work and a simple yet powerful central rhythm. If you hunger for pitch perfect vocal harmonies Caroline is sure to satisfy.

On The Door Is Still Open (To My Heart) the stunning, soaring vocal performance conjures fond memories of Jeff Buckley. Miss Linda is a sterling country rock number that could have slotted neatly into the Grateful Dead’s repertoire. Whip On Hide is cool ‘n’ funky with its old school organ sounds, smoky vocals and an almost skankin rhythm. Fool, which is fat, funky and fabulous, keeps the rhythm pumpin’ and the vibe hot. Lonesome Tears, a haunting, dark, hard-edged country rock classic, has wild, searing, echo-laden rockabilly guitar. Money is a thumpin’ up-tempo, blues rock blaster.

Being a fan of English 70’s rock gods Free, I was blown away by Voices, which features the type of stadium-filling vocals that Paul Rodgers is renowned for. Roslyn, which is about Dan’s mother being a stolen generation victim, packs an emotional punch and ends the album on a profound and memorable note.

Dan Sultan has triumphed with these twelve songs. I look forward to watching his career blossom on the strength of such accomplished work. "

fasterlouder.com.au : Dan Sultan, Falls Festival 01/01/04
http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/295/

fasterlouder.com.au : Xavier Rudd, Dan Sultan, Newcastle Uni, 08/04/04
http://www.fasterlouder.com.au/reviews/events/393/

CD Cover Artwork - Homemade Biscuits