Sounds of the Wheatbelt (CD Review and Giveaway)

Sounds of the Wheatbelt is a West Australian Music (WAM) production and is being launched at the GWN7 Dowerin Field Days on 27-28 August (Wednesday and Thursday this week).

Sounds of the Wheatbelt is a limited edition ten-track album featuring incredible artists from across the Wheatbelt region and is proudly presented by project partners Celebrate WA, RAC, Brookfield Rail and the Avon Community Development Foundation through the Wheatbelt Development Commission.

The ‘Sounds of’ projects aim to provide an avenue for the development of recording skills in remote and regional areas of Western Australia. Each artist is mentored through song production of their chosen track, while expert audio engineers also mentor those interested and working in the sound engineering field. This particular opportunity is even more remarkable given series producer Matt Giovannangelo, founder of Underground Records, was joined in the studio by WAM Ambassador & ARIA Producer of the Year award recipient, Joel Quartermain of Eskimo Joe/ Wastelands Studios, who offered a guest producing session for local engineers.

Out of an impressive 46 applications, 10 acts were selected to be a part of the Sounds of the Wheatbelt project (two acts from each of the five Wheatbelt sub-regions); Hayden Sprigg (Mukinbudin), The Pipeline Band (Northam), Georgie Sadler (Wongan Hills), Tom O’Brien and Russel Gooley (Narrogin), John Read (Kondinin), Pete Byfield (Northam, pictured above), Billy Narrier (Mogumber), Ryan Flannigan (Merredin), and Gloria Franke and 83-year-old legend Brian ‘Buzzer’ Bitter, both from Jurien Bay. Their songs were professionally recorded in a makeshift studio set up in a farmhouse between Dowerin and Wongan Hills. Although only ten amazing singers and songwriters were chosen this time, there are plans for a Sounds of the Wheatbelt II… so if you have a passion for singing and songwriting it’s definitely something you should look into!

If you’re heading to the GWN7 Dowerin Field Days, it’s going to be an amazing event! In recognition of Dowerin’s 50th Anniversary, 50 pop-up performances will showcase the amazing talents found as part of the Sounds of the Wheatbelt project, all as part of the Wheatbelt Songwriters Showcase, funded by the Australia Council. And Chelsea Basham, who we interviewed last month, will be there too, with a couple of performances and to act as a performance mentor for all the songwriters involved. Plus, you’ll be able to purchase the first copies of this fantastic CD, which will be for sale for only $10 from the RAC and Brookfield Rail stalls.

Physical copies of the Sounds of the Wheatbelt CD can soon be purchased through Heartlands WA’s website if you’re not able to grab a copy at the GWN Dowerin Field Days.

Otherwise, Wheatbelt Local was fortunate enough to be sent a copy of this CD filled with catchy tunes, as well as two to give away to Wheatbelt Local readers! Having spent the entire weekend listening to the CD on repeat (with some Chelsea Basham thrown in there too, of course), we still can’t get enough of these fantastic songs and the amazing amount of talent we have here in the Wheatbelt! We can definitely recommend grabbing a copy for yourself…

For more information, email West Australian Music or see their website. By the way, we’ll have interviews with some of these singer/songwriters later in the week!