For those of you who, as of yet, have not discovered the undoubted talent that is Riley Catherall, he is a singer-songwriter, originally from the Canberra area of Australia, but now based out of Melbourne, who has already built a strong reputation as one of his country’s most promising artists. As is probably the case for many readers, Catherall first came to my attention as a guitar player for others, in particular Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes, where his distinctive melodic style has provided the perfect accompaniment to the band’s recent tours of the UK. In addition, he has also plied his craft for both Hannah Aldridge and Alan Fletcher, yes, he of the television soap opera ‘Neighbours’, supplying not just his skills on the six-string, but also excelling on backing vocals. On many occasions, these opportunities also allowed him to perform the support slot, and it is here that one begins to recognise Catherall’s real talent, that of a singer-songwriter.
Catherall’s first official release came in the shape of a five-track EP entitled “Venture In Vain” that saw the light of day in 2018. From the opening bars to the lead song ‘Watered Down Man’, one immediately sensed there was something a little special here, his strong vocal delivery, cushioned with a stripped-back arrangement full of hidden subtleties, all contributing to the intelligent but equally emotive narrative, which draws strong comparison to that of Jason Isbell. Elsewhere, the impassioned ‘Robin’ comes with some exquisite harmonica playing, which also applies to the achingly beautiful ‘House That’s Meant For More’. For a debut EP, “Venture In Vain” immediately announced Catherall as a singer-songwriter to be taken seriously.
2021 would see the release of Catherall’s debut album “When I Go”, an amalgamation of songs about leaving, losing love, and finding somewhere to settle down, which felt very autobiographical in many of its reflective narratives. It wasn’t long before the National Press in Australia was latching on to this home-grown talent, collectively garnering praise for the singles ‘Mother Please’, ‘Vacant Lot’, and ‘Leave Me Out To Dry’, which all showed a maturity in Catherall’s writing that belied his years, receiving extensive streams and extensive local airplay. In addition, Catherall’s reputation was spreading further afield, attracting international attention with radio play across Europe and the UK, which would later see him tour overseas with Bryan and Aldridge, where his appearance at the Maverick Americana Festival in Suffolk would generate rave reviews. The success of “When I Go” raised Catherall’s profile to the next level, where, along with the singles mentioned above, songs such as the stunning ‘The Ferryman’, helped position Catherall at the very forefront of the current crop of singer-songwriters.
Catherall’s sophomore album, “The Light, The Beautiful Liar”, came out last year and built on his status as one of his country’s most promising songwriters with another ten songs full of poetic sincerity and infectious melodies. The first two singles from the album ‘Bark At The Moon’ and ‘Coming Down, Coming Over’, perfectly encompass this collection of songs about the kind of love that desperately tries to endure the unwelcoming, stark light of the morning. Other highlights on the album include ‘Lucky Ones’ with its tongue-in-cheek narrative, and ‘Duty Free’, a fabulous tale of the challenges of living constantly in travel mode. Wherever you look, Catherall’s poetry betrays an artist’s eye for detail, while his sense of tension and release always deliver the killer lines at exactly the right point of each song that continues to resonate with the listener long after the final notes have disappeared into the ether. His continued growth in popularity saw a string of sold-out shows across the UK and Scandinavia, as well as appearances at such prestigious festivals as Woodford, Queenscliff, and Maverick (UK).
As well as supplying his excellent guitar playing to the aforementioned acts, Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes, Hannah Aldridge and Alan Fletcher, recent years have seen Catherall accompanying or collaborating with some of Australia’s finest, including acclaimed international artist Kasey Chambers, as well as newer artists, such as the highly promising Charm Of Finches, while this summer saw him return to Europe, initally as part of The Wildes, before embarking on a headline solo tour that included a performance at Glasgow’s Americana Festival in October. To coincide with this, Catherall released his second EP, with the five-track “From A Borrowed Room” that included a new version of ‘Robin’ and ‘Germany’, a song that had first appeared on his debut album, along with a cover of the classic Jackson C. Frank song ‘Blues Run The Game’. In addition, there are two new tracks described as B-sides from his latest full-length album, which both hold their own amongst Catherall’s growing canon of work.
In many ways, Riley Catherall has it all. An excellent guitar player, constantly in demand for his tasteful and imaginative musicality. A singer whose warm, empathetic delivery is equally at home whether taking the lead or offering backing vocals. And most of all, a songwriter whose sagacious poetry defies his relative youth, his eye for detail and his understanding of light and shade a match for the finest of those who work within the visual arts. In a just world, he would already be a household name, and given his current trajectory, that may still happen, so if his name is new to you, and especially if your musical taste leans towards the art of great storytelling within song, do yourself a favour and give these songs a listen. The world of Americana music may not need a new Jason Isbell, but it’s certainly all the better for having the songs of Riley Catherall.
