The Yearlings at Basement Discs

Tthe Yearlings - Basement Discs 9 April 2008

There are four in-store performances at Basement Discs this month and the first of these was a pleasant performance by The Yearlings at lunchtime today.

The Yearling are Adelaide couple Robyn Chalklen and Chris Parkinson who style themselves on Gillian Welch, hence the duo’s name, which is I assume a tribute to Gillian Welch’s CD “Hell Among the Yearlings”.

Their music is laid back, quiet and slow rocking folk/alt country/rock with charming melodies and close harmony singing. They really are very good, and I remember being very impressed with them when I first saw them perform at Basement Discs in 2005.

I have seen them many times since, mostly performing as a support act at concerts and at CD launches for other local artists. However, my impression of them was coloured when at one gig Chris Parkinson made a really silly comment, which instantly made me regard him as a moralising, holier than thou, wimp. Since then I just can’t really warm to their act.

Anyway, today they were promoting their latest CD, Highway Dancing which is apparently more electric than their previous acoustic offerings of Wind Already Blown (2005) and their self titled debut CD of 2003.

Check out their attractive website to listen to their music.

Next Friday at Basement Discs, local blues master guitarist, Nick Charles, will be putting on a mini show, then the week after, iconic Aussie rocker Ross Wilson is scheduled to perform with his band.