“INTOXICATING…” SPIRAL BOUND ALBUM REVIEW, 8 OUT OF 10. AMERICANA UK, H.JONES. Nov 2023.
“AINES IS A GREAT VOCALIST AND GUITARIST” CELTIC HEARTBEAT, BBC RADIO. Oct 2023
Melbourne’s award-winning singer-songwriter, Ernest Aines, known for his intricate finger-style guitar and dreamy vocals, is set to embark on his first-ever UK tour in January and February 2024. Fresh from the successful launch of his debut album, “Spiral Bound,” Aines brings his deeply contemplative and evocative lyrics to audiences across the United Kingdom.
Aines is excited to perform for UK audiences, “I am absolutely thrilled to be playing iconic folk venues there, and as an English passport holder, it will be wonderful to return to my mother country to play for the first time! We are set to have some incredible shows.”
ABOUT ERNEST AINES: Ernest Aines, a multi-award-winning songwriter with over a decade of experience, has enchanted fans and critics worldwide with his outstanding musicianship and striking sound. Recently announced as a Finalist for Australian Folk Artist of the Year by Folk Alliance Australia, Aines began his musical journey by busking on the streets of Melbourne. His indie-folk styling and vocal delicacy have drawn comparisons to James Taylor, Jeff Buckley, Ray LaMontagne, Bon Iver and on more recent works Nick Drake.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Aines’ career has been marked by numerous accolades, including an invitation to join Foy Vance on stage at Edmonton Folk Festival, performing at prestigious events such as The Library of Congress event at the 2023 Folk Alliance Conference in Kansas City, where he also represented Australia as an Official Showcase Artist playing to the world’s largest folk conference. It was here that Grammy lifetime achievement Folk legend Tom Paxton came backstage and congratulated Ernest, embracing him and saying “Never stop doing this, you are incredible”! Other highlights include performing on Australian’s National Broadcaster ABC TV’s “Artworks” program, and live performances on ABC Radio Melbourne, he has also played Australia’s prestigious Folk Festival, The Port Fairy Folk Festival, St Kilda Music Festival, River Folk Festival, The Australian Open Tennis, The Melbourne Grand Prix event just to name a few.
The release of his debut album, “Spiral Bound,” in September 2023, marked a significant milestone in Aines’ career. The launch at Memo Music Hall, St Kilda, left the audience mesmerized and demanding encores.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS – 2023:
- Finalist Solo Artist of the Year, Folk Alliance International
- Sponsorship by Pratley Guitars [stable mates The Teskey Brothers, Ash Grunwald, Steph Strings]
Ernest Aines’ upcoming UK tour promises to be a captivating musical journey, showcasing his talent and the universal appeal of his deeply resonant compositions.
REVIEWS:
Rhythms Magazine. Michael Smith
ERNEST AINES SPIRAL BOUND Independent. Nov 1 2023.
“The myth is that it was rock’n’roll that brought revolution to the youngsters of the 1960s, but the truth is it was folk music, and it’s folk music in all its contemporary variations, embracing as it does everything from Americana to string music that still presents us with the deeper truths of our lives, and Aines is a true contemporary master of the form. It’s there in his simple, delicate melodies that can quietly deliver the most incisive lyrical “bombs”. Take this line for instance, “Men are a cone of silence/wrapped up in strings of violence” from ‘I Won’t Take Your Honesty Away’. It cuts right to the core of all too many relationships. No wonder Tom Paxton bailed him up backstage at a gig, shook him and said, “Never stop doing this, you are incredible!”
In terms of genres, across the ten songs on this remarkable debut album Aines has managed to weave elements of everyone from Peter Gabriel to Donovan to Art Garfunkel in a sonic tapestry that is just breathtaking. ‘Lady In Waiting’ is folk/madrigal/Gabriel-era Genesis/Fortheringay/Fairport/Steeleye all wrapped up in wonderfulness. From spare to sumptuous, delicate to anthemic, Spiral Bound deserves to be heard. Aines may be Australian but he has created something universal, borderless and timeless.”
**
Ernest Aines “Spiral Bound”
“While it’s a smooth, intoxicating voice that draws you in, Eines’s excellent lyrics and skilful musicianship only draw you deeper…”If my words aren’t enough to convince you that Aines’s music is worth your time, instead listen to what the venerable Tom Paxton exclaimed in joyous excitement to him after witnessing the performance he gave at the 2023 Folk Alliance International showcase: “Where have you been! Keep doing this, keep doing this!” Wise words indeed that hopefully mean there are many more albums of this calibre and above to come from Aines.”