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derwent river star
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derwent river star
Genre: Indie
Region: Sydney, NSW
Members: Alex Marsh - vox, glock, melodica Robin Dixon - things with strings Luke Telford - guitars Andrew Kemp - bass, guit., piano Jude Lonergan - drums
Sounds Like: Mazzy Star, Sigur Ros, Calexico
Influences: do make say think, the paradise motel, talk talk

Derwent River Star is a Sydney based five piece that plays a unique sort of atmospheric, folk-influenced rock/post-rock. The drums/bass/guitar core is supplemented by melodic and wistful female vocals and one or more of the several stringed instruments currently included in the DRS repertoire. Glockenspiel and melodica are frequently used to provide an additional sonic layer. The range of instruments available to DRS provides for considerable instrumental interplay and an extraordinarily wide dynamic range – from the most delicate and fragile moments to a frenetic explosion of warmth and colour.

Since its genesis in 2004 Derwent River Star has found considerable success. Their first gig being round one of the Sydney University Band Competition, Derwent River Star proceeded through all five rounds of the prestigious and highly competitive competition to be judged the competition winner. Derwent River Star put its winnings to good use as the principal funding for the recording of their debut album, The Winter Dark. Produced and engineered by Tony Dupé (Holly Throsby, Jack Ladder, The Woods Themselves, Grand Salvo) of Heavy Records, The Winter Dark is due for release in early 2006. The Derwent River Star track Lydia was included on Cattle Grid Skip the Heavy Records sampler released late in 2005, and the song Wanderlust was included in the 6th edition of the nationally released Mess and Noise magazine in March 2006.

Derwent River Star qualified for the Grand Final of the Hopetoun Incentive Program in 2004, narrowly missing out on a chance to perform at the Homebake festival. In August of 2005 Derwent River Star made their debut release: a self recorded and produced EP entitled Dead Roads. Since its inception the band has found itself on many different stages around Sydney playing both support and headline slots at venues including: The Hopetoun Hotel, The Gaelic Club, The Annandale Hotel, Spectrum, Manning Bar, The Frequency Lab, The Mandarin Club and more. Derwent River Star has appeared at Union and O’week events at both the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales including a performance alongside The Whitlams in front of several thousand students for the national day of action against voluntary student unionism. Derwent River Star has also performed at the Australian National University in Canberra and is hoping to play more shows inter-state with the imminent release of their album.


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reviews

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bottles and boats
rating:  4/5
This is great, what an interesting composition, this is great I can't believe j's haven't played it




wanderlust
rating:  5/5
Great lyrics, silky smooth sounds, light and airy: this track moulds to a solid and confident piece of chilled music rolled together with a little to...




frost
rating:  5/5
Dynamic track gently edges to the awesome potential air guitar and air drums then kicks back to the sweet sounding intimate vocals. Such a fresh, swe...




wanderlust
rating:  5/5
derwent river star - what an amazing sound, the music builds so well and there's always something to keep you interested. I love it.
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This project is supported by the Australia Council, the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body, through its Music Board Section.