Ben Leece strikes Marrow Gold on latest single with Melody Pool

The Newcastle singer-songwriter formed a friendship and musical partnership with acclaimed folk artist Melody Pool and he then had the realisation that sonically he wanted to shift away from his alt-country 2018 debut solo album No Wonder The World Is Exhausted and return to a live rock band sound.

This all comes together on Marrow Gold, which will be released on Friday. The track was inspired by the Maitland Junction Hotel, features Pool on vocals and was recorded live with Leece's band The Left Of The Dial by Adam Young at Golden Retriever studios.

Marrow Gold, the four-track EP, will be released on April 22, along with a second four-track EP, Skywatching, which was mostly produced by Shane Nicholson. Leece originally planned for Skywatching to be his second album, but he made the decision to abort the project in July 2020.

"I just wasn't feeling it," Leece said. "Since releasing the first album and forming a band and playing with a band again, I definitely had that in mind."

After hearing Newcastle-bred artist Katie Brianna's 2021 album This Way Or Some Other, Leece realised he wanted Young to record his songs live.

"When I heard it, I thought it was incredible," Leece said. "I just liked the way he talked about how he would do it and mostly being live in the same room together, instead of recording it separately through multi-track."

Pool sings on two tracks - Marrow Gold and Eddie - and Leece said her involvement was vital.

"She had this really calming influence," he said. "She's a good person to have around. She makes me want to do better and pushes me to try different things without making it too intimidating. It's more like an encouragement."

THE pandemic remains an ongoing issue for the music industry. If you had tickets for The Hard-Ons' Cambridge show on Saturday hold tight because the gig has been postponed due to a COVID case in the punk band.

The Newcastle date has been rescheduled for June 3. The Hard-Ons plan to restart their first tour with new frontman Tim Rogers on March 31.

THE career of Newcastle hip-hop artist Mason Dane continues to grow. Fresh from performing at This That, the 22-year-old has released a new video from his track Detached.

The song is the penultimate cut on Dane's latest seven-track release, Chasing Home, and features a Cityrail sample to signify his constant train commutes from Newcastle to Sydney during the formative years of his music career.

The video was filmed at Kiama and was directed by Navsrevenge.

"Detached is about lashing out after losing your grip on things," Dane said. "I wrote it on the guitar in quarantine in a hotel at the start of the Chasing Home sessions and [producer] Liam [Thomas] took it to the next level production-wise."

SOME of Newcastle's best emerging female talent will be showcased on April 3 when the Hamilton Station Hotel hosts Lady Garden 2022. The mini-festival serves as a fundraiser for Jesmond's Zara's House, which provides education and social interaction for refugee women and children.

Lady Garden will feature music and poetry from Teddie, Grace Aberhart, Marla, Piper Butcher, Collidescope, Acacia Blue and Shelby Clements.

WHEN Lake Macquarie pop and RnB artist Lark met Los Angeles producer Ollie Gabriel (John Legend, Pink, Mel B, Jennifer Lopez) at a dinner party the pair had instant chemistry. So much so that within 45 minutes they'd written Lark's latest single Hit The Record. A further four, yet to be released, songs were also written.

Hit The Record showcases Lark's love of pop melodies and Latino rhythms and features a music video inspired by superhero films.

RECENTLY opened Gosford waterfront bar Drifters Wharf is delving into live music. On April 1 the venue will host indie-pop band San Cisco. The Awkward hit-makers played Newcastle's This That festival two weeks ago, so if you missed their set, it might be worth a road trip down the M1.