After a bumper 2012 that ended on a high, thanks to news of Arts Victoria funding for their second album, Melbourne-based indie rock outfit Dancing Heals have emerged from the studio and are ready to hit the road for an east coast tour, in support of the July 5 release of their brand new LP, titled You Will Never Be Younger Than You Are Now.
A favourite on Melbourne’s live circuit over the past three years, the four lads will launch their new release in six cities between July 10 and 27.
Beresford Upstairs – Fri, July 12;
The Old Manly Boatshed – Sun, July 14
Lass O’Gowrie, Newcastle – Sat, July 13
The Basement, Canberra – Wed, July 10
The Front Gallery and Café, Canberra – Thur, July 11
Beach Hotel, Byron – Thur, July 18
The Hideaway, Brisbane – Fri, July 19
Melbourne Workers Club – Sat, July 27.
Late last year, the Heals performed well-received showcases at CMJ Music Marathon in New York before travelling down to Asheville, North Carolina to lay down six tracks at Echo Mountain Studios. Upon landing in the US, the band received the exciting news that their debut album, Into The Night, which received rave reviews in Australia, had been added to over 150 college radio stations in the US, with medium & high rotation on over 70 stations, giving every indication that American audiences are digging their blend of Australian indie and Americana rock.
While Into The Night was recorded over a period of 12 months, “when we could afford it,” according to songwriter and co-lead singer Daniel Trakell, their sophomore album, with its title taken from one of the new lyrics, was recorded in two sessions – half at Echo Mountain and the remainder at Melbourne’s Sing Sing Studios. The result is a broad emotional journey that showcases the band’s growth as songwriters, musicians and producers, and captures more of their live sound.
On You Will Never Be Younger Than You Are Now, the band produced themselves, once again using Tony Espie (The Avalanches, Brous) to mix and David Walker of Stepford Audio for mastering. It will be available on digital and CD formats, released on Dancing Heals’ own label Del Grango Records, distributed by MGM Distribution. Some key musical influences are Doves, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac and The Beatles, all artists who put melody and storytelling at the forefront.
The first single off the album, ‘Always On My Mind’, was released on iTunes last month, and continues to receive rotation airplay on Triple J Unearthed.