Traveller & Fortune

Ten bands sounds like a lot for one evening right? Well, in the case of BIGSOUND Live’s second night of musical showcases, it’s a doable effort but still only 1/6th of the full smorgasboard of what’s on offer.

Bakery Lane offers a surfeit of electronically leaning newcomers, including the synthpop of Voltaire Twins, the one-man chillwave stylings of Oliver Tank and banging out the evening with Strange Talk and The Aston Shuffle. Both acts that could conceivably slay Triple J Unearthed’s stage at Oh Hello; that is if it wasn’t already occupied by the post-rock indie of Blonde Bear, Hayden Calnin’s restrained beauty or Courtney Barnett proving she’s much woollier on stage than on record.

Then there’s the allure of those ever-pesky label showcases, with both OzTix and Virgin vying for attention. The former offering the sultry sounds of soul cabaret act Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes’ and recently re-christened The Preatures, while the Australian airline has flown in the best of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent to Alhambra Lounge. Namely, Jake and the Cowboys and endearing roots up-and-comer, Thelma Plum.

The winner was Fuse’s Irreverent South Australia Party, bringing three of Adelaide’s best emerging acts to Brisbane’s Black Bear Lodge. A long, moodily lit, wood-panelled venue greeted those who took the flight of stars from Brunswick’s Street’s ever-bustling mall. Escaping the greasy eateries of the outside world, attendees were greeted to the wholesome sounds of Traveller & Fortune.

Delivering a lightly bronzed mix of country, folk and rock, the five piece have all the trimmings to diversify their sound. Xylophone, ukulele, mandolin, bouzouki all boost the conventional set-up, including the suitably teaming Cole Clark guitar of curly-haired frontman Tom West. It seems that the entire band are handily talented multi-instrumentalists, with the drummer moving to keys for the suitably floating ‘Flying’.

The rapport is all there too, an endearingly comic moment where West’s bandmate adjusts his falling harmonica like a bib speaks volumes of their professionalism, attempting to address the issue practically without interrupting their rustic-flecked set. They won’t reinvent the wheel with their earnest tunes, but they’ll certainly lend an air of sophistication. - Tone Deaf

As leader of The Art Therapists Tom West spent a few years playing around Adelaide and became familiar to me as that CD in the Big Star local artist shelf that I often considered buying but always ended up with another Poly&TheStatics EP instead. That excuse doesn't really fly with his most recent outfit Traveller & Fortune, where West showcases his intricately written folk pop and incredibly rich, Ryan Adams-esque voice. His lightly plucked and strummed acoustic guitar arrangements are also embellished by all sorts of instrumentation twee and/or otherwise, from double bass to saxaphone along with gorgeous three part harmonies courtesy of his lovely companions, which include the unrelated Jayne West who can also be found playing her own folk songs around our town.


They put out an extended EP a month or two ago, and from what I've heard it is pretty lovely indeed. It can be downloaded at this here link below: - Purpule Prose

The first support for the evening was local indie folkster Tom West of Traveller and Fortune. Normally a four piece, tonight Tom (with guitar and harmonica) was flying solo. West treated us with his drifting melodies, and lyrics that were thoughtful and considered. At times he picked gently at his guitar while at other times he really let rip. The folky sound was warm and intimate, and of a quality we Adelaide-ians should be proud of. Flying was a highlight of the set. This local band deserves a closer look (complete with other band members and instruments), so check them out. - DB magazine

Last weekend I was at a gig at The Jade Monkey in Adelaide to see Traveller & Fortune alongside The Honey Pies and Mountbatten- a brilliant local line-up- when, one song into Traveller & Fortune‘s set, it hit me; this band is of a much higher calibre than I ever gave them credit for. It’s easy to take your local acts for granted in a city like Adelaide where the better acts gig most weeks, and although I’ve spotlighted them before for Timber & Steel, I feel like I need to do more to spread the word. Tom West, the front-man of the band, is playing at the first ever Timber & Steel curated gig at the same venue this weekend- so this is probably a good opportunity to discuss the music and familiarise a few more readers.

Traveller & Fortune launched their debut EP last year with Todd Sibbin & The Opposite Ends supporting (also on the Timber & Steel Folk Showcase bill this weekend) to a capacity Promethean in October, but I didn’t manage to buy the record until a couple of months ago- which was a big mistake on my part, because I’ve really been missing out on what is a marvellous little release.

The scene is set in track one with “Little Plastic People”. It begins with Tom West’s trademark finger-picking- and is soon joined by beautiful piano and bass parts throughout what is no doubt a song of disillusionment and complacency. At first, West’s voice comes as a bit of a shock- it’s not often you hear this style of indie-folk in such an unashamed Australian accent- but after one or two lines, your pallet adapts and you can appreciate West’s voice for all its subtle and unexpected intricacies. There’s some lovely moments in this song. Towards the end where it lulls into a softer xylophone, guitar and hand-clap arrangement before reprising: just priceless.

“Letter To Japan”- track two on the EP has been a favourite of mine for ages, just from listening to the Myspace. During this song at their gig on Friday night is where the quality of Traveller & Fortune really sunk in. The confidence and perfection in their parts, their levels, their presence- everything just pointed to “professional”. This song is articulated by beautiful little acoustic guitar licks alongside the usual harmonica and xylophone ornamentation, and tells a pleasing little story of adventure.

You’ll have to forgive me for skipping to track five, and take my word for it that what’s in-between is worth listening to. “Jonathan’s Farm” is a song I’ve only just discovered, and already it’s one of my favourites. It honestly reminds me of tracks from The Low Anthem’s new album- songs that reviewers everywhere are labelling as ground-breaking and trend-setting (including us). It’s pure minimalist Australiana bliss- soothing harmonies, subtle strings; the whole shebang.

The last song I want to talk about is “Flying”. Now, iTunes is suggesting I’ve listened to this song twice- so tell me iTunes; why do I know all the words? Well, it might have something to do with that day I had the Youtube clip for the song (embedded below) on repeat. That was a good day. Honestly, I haven’t heard Australian indie-folk ever been done this well. I love everything about it. I’m not a patriotic man, but for some reason, the fact that someone’s making world-class music with a South Australian flavour and riddled with SA references is really pleasing to me. It’s a great song, but I think it also showcases the Traveller & Fortune bag of tricks pretty well, so this is the first song I tell people to listen to. To summarise; I think it’s a good idea to get your hands on this EP while you’ll still be able to forgive yourself for not having done it already (via this line to their Bandcamp).

If you’re in Melbourne, Tom West is supporting Ryan Meeking at The Empress in Fitzroy tomorrow (April 14th), and Adelaide fans can catch the band at The Crown and Anchor on Friday the 15th (for free!) or of course at the First Ever Timber & Steel Folk Showcase (presented by fourwords) at The Jade Monkey on Sunday the 17th with Todd Sibbin & The Opposite Ends, Kaurna Cronin and Nicholas Bastiras. - Timber & Steel

Last weekend I was at a gig at The Jade Monkey in Adelaide to see Traveller & Fortune alongside The Honey Pies and Mountbatten- a brilliant local line-up- when, one song into Traveller & Fortune‘s set, it hit me; this band is of a much higher calibre than I ever gave them credit for. It’s easy to take your local acts for granted in a city like Adelaide where the better acts gig most weeks, and although I’ve spotlighted them before for Timber & Steel, I feel like I need to do more to spread the word. Tom West, the front-man of the band, is playing at the first ever Timber & Steel curated gig at the same venue this weekend- so this is probably a good opportunity to discuss the music and familiarise a few more readers.

Traveller & Fortune launched their debut EP last year with Todd Sibbin & The Opposite Ends supporting (also on the Timber & Steel Folk Showcase bill this weekend) to a capacity Promethean in October, but I didn’t manage to buy the record until a couple of months ago- which was a big mistake on my part, because I’ve really been missing out on what is a marvellous little release.

The scene is set in track one with “Little Plastic People”. It begins with Tom West’s trademark finger-picking- and is soon joined by beautiful piano and bass parts throughout what is no doubt a song of disillusionment and complacency. At first, West’s voice comes as a bit of a shock- it’s not often you hear this style of indie-folk in such an unashamed Australian accent- but after one or two lines, your pallet adapts and you can appreciate West’s voice for all its subtle and unexpected intricacies. There’s some lovely moments in this song. Towards the end where it lulls into a softer xylophone, guitar and hand-clap arrangement before reprising: just priceless.

“Letter To Japan”- track two on the EP has been a favourite of mine for ages, just from listening to the Myspace. During this song at their gig on Friday night is where the quality of Traveller & Fortune really sunk in. The confidence and perfection in their parts, their levels, their presence- everything just pointed to “professional”. This song is articulated by beautiful little acoustic guitar licks alongside the usual harmonica and xylophone ornamentation, and tells a pleasing little story of adventure.

You’ll have to forgive me for skipping to track five, and take my word for it that what’s in-between is worth listening to. “Jonathan’s Farm” is a song I’ve only just discovered, and already it’s one of my favourites. It honestly reminds me of tracks from The Low Anthem’s new album- songs that reviewers everywhere are labelling as ground-breaking and trend-setting (including us). It’s pure minimalist Australiana bliss- soothing harmonies, subtle strings; the whole shebang.

The last song I want to talk about is “Flying”. Now, iTunes is suggesting I’ve listened to this song twice- so tell me iTunes; why do I know all the words? Well, it might have something to do with that day I had the Youtube clip for the song (embedded below) on repeat. That was a good day. Honestly, I haven’t heard Australian indie-folk ever been done this well. I love everything about it. I’m not a patriotic man, but for some reason, the fact that someone’s making world-class music with a South Australian flavour and riddled with SA references is really pleasing to me. It’s a great song, but I think it also showcases the Traveller & Fortune bag of tricks pretty well, so this is the first song I tell people to listen to. To summarise; I think it’s a good idea to get your hands on this EP while you’ll still be able to forgive yourself for not having done it already (via this line to their Bandcamp).

If you’re in Melbourne, Tom West is supporting Ryan Meeking at The Empress in Fitzroy tomorrow (April 14th), and Adelaide fans can catch the band at The Crown and Anchor on Friday the 15th (for free!) or of course at the First Ever Timber & Steel Folk Showcase (presented by fourwords) at The Jade Monkey on Sunday the 17th with Todd Sibbin & The Opposite Ends, Kaurna Cronin and Nicholas Bastiras. - Timber & Steel

Jayne has the type of voice that is difficult to forget once you have heard it. If Lisa Mitchell and Conor Oberst had a child, that child would sing like Jayne West. As for Tom, his range is wide, from mellow riffs and sweet harmonica to rocky strumming and catchy choruses. Together, their sound is sublime.

Tom and Jayne West are a very good reason to visit the Dog & Duck on a Thursday night. I originally expected them to perform as a duo with one accomplished musician and one accomplished singer. Instead what I got was two accomplished musicians and two accomplished singers. This was extremely refreshing, as both Tom and Jayne demonstrated quality musicianship and a good set of lungs.

Tom impressed me with his unique blend of finger picking and soothing melodies. His range is wide; from mellow riffs and sweet harmonica to rocky strumming and catchy choruses. The music itself could be decribed as ‘folk meets easy pop’, perfect for long road trips and relaxed evenings.

Tom hits the nail on the head. The quality of his song-writing is particularly impressive. He didn’t play any covers but he still managed to engage the audience, which is tough when you’re hearing all original material for the first time.

I have two criticisms. Firstly, Tom played the whole set in the dark. I’m not sure if this was supposed to add to the mood, or if this was because they couldn’t find the light switch but it really got on my nerves. It’s pretty hard to engage with the audience when they can’t see your face. Personally, if I can’t see you when you’re playing then you might as well be performing live on the radio. This would be fine with me because then I wouldn’t have to go to Dog & Duck to see you play, but I have, so please turn the lights on!

Second criticism is that Tom kept apologising for mistakes that nobody had noticed. Everybody makes mistakes on stage, Eric Clapton freely admits to messing up all the time. It’s what makes live music great. When you draw attention to it by apologising you make yourself look insecure and that you don’t know what you’re doing… even though it’s obvious that Tom was doing perfectly fine.

After a short intermission Jayne West took to the stage and performed for a solid fifty minutes. I noticed once Jayne was about a minute into her first song that the whole pub, which had gotten pretty loud during the intermission, had gone completely silent; captivated by the quality of her voice.

Jayne has the type of voice that is difficult to forget once you have heard it. She sings with precision and flow and yet all the time her voice is marked with very subtle edge of vulnerability. You feel like she might stop singing and start crying at any moment and this subtle uneasiness lends itself perfectly to her style of song-writing, which is emotive and full of sorrowful reflection without being at all depressing. If Lisa Mitchell and Conor Oberst had a child, that child would sing like Jayne West.

The song-writing from both Tom and Jayne was sublime and the room was captivated from start to finish. The only thing left to do is for these two to write and perform something together at their next big show. I bought their CD on my way out the door, and I am sure you would too if you had heard them play. Good work guys. You have got a new fan!
- Fringe Benefits

Adelaide is home to an outstanding number of folk influenced bands. On any given night you could see indie-folk, gypsy-folk, folk-punk, folk-rock, folk-pop, folk inspired singer/songwriters, folk inspired blues & roots and just about every other combination imaginable. But a lot of artists use the term “folk” loosely, and sometimes, one must search rigorously to find its influence amongst all the others. This is not the case with Traveller & Fortune, Adelaide’s folk torch carriers of 2010, who as a result have become a formidable blip on the local radar.

Front-man Tom West is joined by band-mates Ally, Sophia and Jayne who provide accompaniment on instruments ranging from xylophone and keys, to flute and saxophone, to ukulele and double bass. All four members sing, allowing background harmonies to soften the edges at every turn. Tom West’s calm and soulful voice stands above the rest during group choruses, partly because of its uniqueness and partly because it’s the only male voice in the mix. Unsurprisingly, West has the ability to deliver a stirring performance as a solo artist as well, which he proved earlier this year at the Vorn Doolette benefit gig.

Traveller & Fortune released their EP in October (which is available from Bandcamp here), launching it with support from Todd Sibbin and the Opposite Ends to a packed Promethean in Adelaide, and have since received the odd spin from triple j as a reward. Recent gigs with Rachel Cearns, Olivers Army and Juliet Ward as well as a couple of shows at the Fleurieu Folk Festival have ensured a strong finish to 2010. Recently, two members have departed overseas for a well earned holiday, so we must all wait until mid February for our next fix. As well as booking shows for Fringe and Fuse festivals in the new year, Traveller & Fortune will be heading interstate at some point (the details about where and with whom are yet to be confirmed), giving you all a chance to experience this promising folk outfit for yourselves.

“Letter to Japan” is a Myspace highlight, but their music video to “Flying” (shot by Ryan Polei), whilst simple, is of particular quality.

- Timber and Steel

With my pint of Red Truck Porter I settled into yet another brilliant evening amongst the crowded tables at the Wheatty. Actually, considering the weather The Shed really was very full which is always great to see when there are local acts on the bill. First up, Traveller & Fortune who formed only late last year after The Art Therapists needed a fill in bass player for their Grace residency back in October. It's taken the band a little while to find a solid line up, but with the recent addition of local singer/songwriter Jayne West on keys, their folkesque sound has really been filled out.

Vocally, the band rely heavily on the harmony between lead Tom West and backing singers Sophia Nuske and Aly Bennet. It's a hit and miss tactic which was only marginally off on the night, especially for 'All Of These Roads' which is usually a real highlight when each member is on their game. However, this didn't detract from the fact that the music the band are playing live has risen to a new level in recent shows, especially noticeable in the well executed 'Letters To Japan', 'Flying' and closing number 'Song Of Stone', the latter of the two previously recorded by T.West in past projects, but offered a new energy by the current line up. Given time, Traveller & Fortune will no doubt be able to draw some big crowds and I admire the fact they have refused to give into the draw of low-fi dapper indie pop, which would suit the band's arrangement, but would also cheapen the impact of a lot of their lyrics... - DB Magazine