This week's PBS Feature Album is Abreast, the fourth studio album from sister duo The Maes.
Maggie and Elsie Rigby bring modern folk to life with lush harmonies and acoustic mastery on guitar, mandolin, fiddle and banjo, drawing their audiences in like your sweetest and scariest friend.
Born in Central Victoria, the sisters grew up immersed in a melting pot of music from around the world washed up on stolen land. With echoes of Gillian Welch and The Waifs, there is a timeless luminescence and simplicity to the songwriting and sound of the duo.
To celebrate the album's release, The Maes have curated a one-day folk-festival-style event, Abreastival in Castlemaine's iconic Theatre Royal on July 19. The celebrations continue for Abreast with a huge 21-date national tour, which will run from late September through to November. The tour includes shows across Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia in both regional towns and major cities, and follows their UK and European run throughout May and June.
The Maes are outstanding live, with engaging storytelling and spine-tingling harmonies. As well as selling out headline shows around the country and overseas, their international festival appearances include appearances at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival (USA) Edmonton Folk Festival (Canada) Orkney Folk Festival (UK) and Woodford Folk Festival (Aus).
Check out a clip of The Maes performing 'Enough' and 'Hannah' live on Down By The River below. Listen back to the episode and catch up with Lauren here.
Tune in all this week to hear tracks from Abreast and PBS Members have the chance to win a copy of the album on vinyl: simply email your name and membership number to giveaways@pbsfm.org.au before midnight Sunday July 27.
Not a PBS Member? Join now!
TOP TRACKS WE'RE LOVING THIS WEEK
Georgia Knight - 'Desire'
I Hold The Lion's Paw - 'Progressive Opposition'
Public Enemy - 'What Eye Said'
Cécile McLorin Salvant - 'Oh Snap'
Birdsnake - 'Rare Amulet'
Sarah Levins - 'Evergreen'
Death Bells & Sans Merit - 'Landslide'
Maryam Rahmani - 'Encanto'
Kokoroko - 'Sweetie'
L Lewis - 'Undertow' (Space Ghost Remix)
