Archer Announces New Single:
Old time sing-song man Archer has today announced his new single My Little Sweet Aussie Sweetheart, a beautiful rediscovery of Mike O’Malley’s little known original ballad from the 1950’s, out March 18. To accompany the tune Archer himself has filmed and produced a rare miracle of a clip, a dreamlike wander through the country he loves. The enigmatic performer will embark on a massive tour that will hit capital cities and picturesque regional venues across the country throughout March, April and May, kicking off in Bendigo at Old Church On The Hill on March 17, and wrapping up with a headline show at The Gasometer in Melbourne on May 27.
My Little Sweet Aussie Sweetheart is a sunburnt rambler and is as refreshingly humble as the man behind the voice that croons it. It’s a deceptively simple tune, but therein lies the charm, a timeless little lovesong that catches in your bones, sung in Archer’s matchless and haunting voice. The track was lovingly engineered by Alex Bennett (CW Stoneking) and recorded straight to tape, resulting in that perfect lo-fi feel. Archer was honoured to put his spin on the classic, saying in his measured and thoughtful way, “It feels damn good to bring an old fair dinkum forgotten Australian love song out again. It’s a huggin’ your Grandma kind of a song – livin’ and dyin’ music, somethin’ or nothin’ music.”
The clip for My Little Sweet Aussie Sweetheart is enough to make even the most inner city-dwelling Australian swell with love for our country. The grainy oldschool footage is timeless, celebrating the country’s people and animals, alongside flickering images of rolling pastures and native plants and trees.
Like the song, the clip is simple, yet remarkably effective. It was filmed by Archer himself and edited by Wilk (Ella Hooper, Sarah Blasko), with Archer charmingly explaining, “I filmed the footage on a Super 8 camera…I was originally gonna film all the ol’ sweet Aussie sweethearts I could find, but there aren’t many women ‘round these parts at present – I get sidetracked pretty bloody easily and got to thinkin’ that a sheep or a grasshead or a beautiful ol’ gumtree has as much ‘sweetheart’ in ‘em as anythin’ else, so that’s that!”
In true Archer style, and in honour of all the sweet aussie sweethearts out there, he is also offering free admission to any of his shows to all women over 65. He will also be stopping off at nursing homes and retirement villages for free shows along the way, saying, “The nursing homes are the goldmines…the old people have much to teach us, and they can do a helluva lot more than just catch flies!”
Archer has toured extensively across Canada, Australia and New Zealand and has shared the stage with luminaries such as Martha Wainwright, CW Stoneking and more. With a stack of opportunities for audiences to catch the mysterious performer live on stage coming up over the next few months, Archer is thrilled to be hitting the road, saying, “The live shows could well be full of cryin’ and dyin’ and the like, maybe laughin’ and some waltzin’…I will have a couple of different damn fine accordion and fiddle players with me sometimes, some slide guitar, a bit of old style harmonica, and we’ll be all lonesome and alone – but full up on a restless wind.”
My Little Sweet Aussie Sweetheart is set for release on March 18.
Stream: My Little Sweet Aussie Sweetheart Watch: My Little Sweet Aussie Sweetheart
THU 30 MAR | THE GRAND JUNCTION, MAITLAND NSW | 18+ | FREE
FRI 31 MAR | THE STAG & HUNTER, NEWCASTLE NSW | 18+ | FREE
SAT 1 APR | DJANGO BAR, SYDNEY NSW | 18+ | Tickets available from https://www.stickytickets.com.au/49823
SAT 8 APR | WEBB & CO, BATHURST NSW | 18+ | FREE
WED 19 APR | THE CAMBUS WALLACE, GOLD COAST QLD | 18+ | FREE
THU 20 APR | CAFE LE MONDE, NOOSA QLD | 18+ | FREE
FRI 21 APR | THE MILK FACTORY, BRISBANE QLD | 18+
Tickets available from http://theharbouragency.oztix.com.au/default.aspx?Event=71227
SAT 22 APR | BISON BAR, NAMBOUR QLD | 18+ | DOOR SALES ONLY
SUN 23 APR | PAPER MOON CAFE, BRISBANE QLD | ALL AGES | DOOR SALES ONLY
MON 24 APR | NO.5 CHURCH ST, BELLINGEN NSW | 18+ | DOOR SALES ONLY
WED 26 APR | ELEMENT BAR, COFFS HARBOUR NSW | 18+ | FREE
THU 27 APR | TAPP BAR – PORT PANTHERS, PORT MAQUARIE NSW | 18+ | FREE
FRI 28 APR | HASTINGS HOTEL, WAUCHOPE NSW | 18+ | FREE
SAT 29 APR | FOX DEN CAFE, GLOUCESTER NSW | 18+ | FREE
SUN 30 APR | FLOW BAR, OLD BAR NSW | 18+ | FREE
FRI 5, SAT 6, SUN 7 MAY | LOST HIGHWAY FESTIVAL, KARUAH NSW | ALL AGES Tickets available from http://www.ticketebo.com.au/karuah/lost-highway-karuah-bluegrass-music-festival-2017.html
TUE 9 MAY | OLD BANK BAR, DUBBO NSW | 18+ | FREE
FRI 12 MAY | BELLS MILKBAR, BROKEN HILL NSW | 18+ | DOOR SALES ONLY
THU 18 MAY | THE GRACE EMILY, ADELAIDE SA | 18+
Tickets Available from http://www.moshtix.com.au/v2/event/archer-my-little-sweet-aussie-sweetheart-7-inch-tour/94180
FRI 19, SAT 20, SUN 21 | PENOLA ARTS FESTIVAL, COONAWARRA SA | ALL AGES | FREE
WED 24 MAY | THE LOFT, WARRNAMBOOL VIC | 18+ | DOOR SALES ONLY
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=71432&utm_source=Oztix&utm_medium=Website
FRI 26 MAY | SOUND RECORDINGS, CASTLEMAINE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/archer-7-record-release-show-the-diggers-store-tickets-32392300242
SAT 27 MAY | THE GASOMETER, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from http://gasometer.oztix.com.au/?eventId=71270
