HARVEY RUSSELL

Harvey Russell first began treading the boards of Sydney’s pubs and bars as frontman for Harvey Swagger Band in the late 2000’s. From the rock and alt-country music in that band to the project that followed, the more acoustic-based country-folk duo Peasant Moon, it became clear that Harvey’s songwriting was acquiring new and different layers.

In early 2018 Peasant Moon disbanded after a five year run of shows and recordings, allowing Harvey to focus on the purest forms of country music.

“Traditional country is pure in the sense that it seems to be able to tap into universal truths and themes which have always appealed to me. Although country songs can sound simple, writing quality country songs is far from easy! I guess that's a challenge I'm attracted to; refining my songwriting in a genre to which I've always been drawn.”

Songs of heartbreak, loss, addiction and late night honky-tonkin’ were composed in a flood of songwriting inspiration, quickly leading to recording sessions. The first taste of what was captured at Love Hz Studios is the debut solo single ‘Walking Downtown (Again)’, a mid-tempo honky-tonk lament with all the hallmarks of a traditional country classic – themes of regret, temptation and hopelessness, accompanied by colourful pedal steel and lilting fiddle.

Other new songs such as ‘Gave You Flowers’ and ‘Jezebel’ cut to the heart of country music, both the tough and tender sides of tracks, showing a singer and a songwriter high on confidence and channeling his muse with clarity and a full heart.

“In some ways these newer songs are a continuation or an extension of what I've written previously. In other ways they're quite different. The subject matter continues to draw from experience and observation, although perhaps it takes on a slightly harder edge – I'm a big observer of characters (real or fictitious) and I and often end up weaving them into my songwriting.”

In recent years, Harvey’s music has received attention both in Australia and overseas. He has achieved international recognition with performances at Canadian Music Week (2016) and touring throughout the US in 2017. Peasant Moon’s debut EP was a finalist in the Australian Roots Music Awards (EP of the Year, 2016) and the song ‘Over Again’ was a finalist at the 2018 Tamworth Country Music Festival’s Songwriters Awards.

Harvey is already playing his new songs on stages across Sydney with his band The Widowmakers – Aaron Langman (Dave Favours and the Roadside Ashes), Jonathan Kelly (Harvey Swagger Band) and Rich Burrows.

Harvey’s debut solo album of classic country songs for the modern world, recalling everyone from George Jones to Daniel Romano, was released in August 2019.