Jetty Road

Every year a hand full of albums are released that find themselves deemed ''essential listening'' - such is the case with this, JETTY ROAD's fourth full length. And it’s a label well deserved. Far Away Places is sweet perfection. Produced and recorded in Canada, the album is a joyous ride, which sees Lee, Paula, Simon and Julian explore new terrain, while not for a minute sacrificing their already well-defined sound. It's always difficult on such well-rounded releases to point to stand out tracks, but immediate favourites include the lead single and incredibly singable Serves You Right, the smokin' hot trio Welcome To The Party, Dream West and Look At Me, and the ever so delicate ballad Bye Bye Baby. Special mention must also be made of the track Wrong, a soaring vocal delight on which the BOWMAN twins share lead with Canadian singer GEORGE CANYON - it really raises the hair on the back of the neck. If all albums were this good, it’d be a truly beautiful world. - Country Music Capital News - June 2011

As an avid consumer of live music, moments of true amazement are few and far between.
Sure, you see plenty of great gigs - many, in fact - but the reality is, the more you witness, the harder it is to be truly impressed.
Which is why, on the rare occasion that sonic Nirvana is achieved you feel compelled to jump onto the illusionary soapbox and demand fellow members of the listening populous take heed.
Such is the case with Saturday night’s amazing double bill at Rooty Hill RSL - the pairing of Jetty Road and Catherine Britt - surely two of the finest practitioners of quality contemporary Australian country music.
While they opened the show, Jetty Road staged what could only be described as a headlining performance.
Showcasing material from their dazzling new release Far Away Places, as well as favourites from their previous three efforts, Lee, Paula, Simon and Julian, truly defied expectations - even those of fans - like myself - already turned onto their vibe.
Just weeks from yet another trip to Canada and Europe, Jetty Road proved it was a machine well-oiled and poised for something a lot bigger than a Saturday night RSL support slot.
Lee and Paula owned the stage. Their combined vocal presence an absolute treat for the ears.
The new material was presented with such enthusiasm that it was impossible not to be lost in the moment with the band.
Tracks Sweet Goodbye, Serves You Right, Welcome To The Party and Dream West were stunning, really showing a progression that is sure to win over many a new fan.
While the set was flawless, there was a real showstopper moment - Me And You.
Complete with Paula showing her talent on the tin whistle, the moving ballad with heavy Celtic overtones, was completely overwhelming - dreamy and emotional.
As the girls broke in to the song’s swirling vocal outro the hairs on the back of my neck rose and I’m pretty sure I felt a tear make its way down my cheek. It really was a moment that could only be fully appreciated by those who witnessed it.
It’s little surprise that when the band left the stage there was a resounding chant of ‘‘more’’ from the crowd.
Having had time to deconstruct the event, I find myself feeling more than a little angered by the powerbrokers who pick and choose the so-called talent in this country for mass consumption - the major labels.
How is it that a band of Jetty Road’s quality remain independent in its homeland and yet find itself a home on a Canadian record label?
If we are to lose such a gem of an act, it is you I hold responsible. Time to pull the heads out fellas and get with the program.
While it would be hard for most acts to follow Jetty Road’s impressive set, Catherine Britt proved she’s definitely worthy of any acclaim that’s been thrown her way.
Serving up a set which resembled a career retrospective to this point, Britt had the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand.
Renditions of I Want You Back and Can’t Change A Thing from the latest release were well countered by favourities including Too Far Gone, Not Your Cinderella, What I Did Last Night and Swingin’ Door.
A stripped back rendition of Sweet Emmylou was heart-wrenching. Again, another show-stopping moment.
Other highlights included takes on her early material, including In The Pines, That Don’t Bother Me and the crowd favourite, Hillbilly Pickin Ramblin Girl.
Mixing it up a little, when called back for an encore, Britt called the fellas from Jetty Road back to the stage for a push-up competition.
While they were up for the task, it was Britt who proved victorious.
Truly a wonderful night, and one that will be hard to top.
- BY MATT LAWRENCE / 30 May, 2011 08:48 AM – Blacktown Sun

It was a sweet afternoon at the Big Valley Jamboree, and turned out to be about sweet girls singing some sweet songs.
A family situation called away Lacombe's Gord Bamford from playing the Big Valley mainstage but helped arrive from near and far.
The far away was right near when Jetty Road, fronted by Aussie twins Lee and Paula Bowman (Can we call them the Keith Urbanettes?), were playing Thursday night's kick-off party in the Molson Saloon.
They got the call to stick around and move across the midway for yesterday's show. Good move. They are mainstage material. Polished, but not so slick to the point where they sound manufactured.
They are described on their website as part Corrs and part Fleetwood Mac, add a little twang and it's an accurate description to start.
- By CRASH CAMERON -- Sun Media

Jetty Road at the Zebra Bar
Sunday October 12
By Jane Connolly

Maidstone enjoyed the honour of hosting the first ever UK performance by acclaimed Australian band Jetty Road last night (Sunday).

Currently on a whistle stop tour of Europe, the rising stars played their only British date at the Zebra Bar in King Street and it was an impressive debut. Few bands have ‘chart success’ written all over them like Jetty Road and they certainly won over the first of what will doubtless be an army of new fans here.

The show was opened by Emma King and the Heartsets, a British act who got the evening off to an exuberant start. Tiny though King was, she had a huge voice and her evident enjoyment in the rollicking tunes warmed the room up nicely.

Jetty Road are fronted by twins Lee and Paula Bowman, who did nothing to quell the myth that all country singers are slim and attractive with fantastic voices. Backed by multi-instrumentalists Julian Sammut and Simon Ross, they were able to incorporate a refreshing variety of sounds into their catchy tunes, from the harmonica to the mandolin.

Along with their regular bass player and drummer, they produced an invigorating, pop/country/rock sound that is sure to be a hit on this side of the world.

Jetty Road was formed nearly four years ago and has already enjoyed great success in Australia, with three singles entering the country chart’s top 20. Lee and Paula started singing “before we could talk” but initially took very different directions.

“At the end of high school, no one says ‘you can be a singer’,” Paula said. “For the first year (after high school) I studied photography and Lee did hospitality. After one year away from music we decided to go to music school in Melbourne, where we met the other guys.”

All the members have a varied musical background but the band seemed to drift towards the country scene as the natural home for the songs they were writing. Their debut album Full Circle received extensive airplay in Australia and the second, Dirt Roads – City Lights, has developed an even more mature sound.

When the time seemed right to visit Europe, the band was unsure of how they would be received but so far the brief tour has been a hit.

Find out more about them online at www.jettyroad.com.

- yourcanterbury.co.uk / yourmaidstone.co.uk

Album Review
Issue 76 November 2008
by Laura Bethell

Dirt Roads – City Lights
JRCD002
*****

If it’s passionate country song you like, laden with a full band sound, harmonic vocal stylings and poppy undertones, Jetty Road provide, provide, provide.

Sisters Paula and Lee Bowman create superb ballad harmonies in ‘I Don’t Want To Know’, pull off a strong catchy prowess in the opener ‘City Lights’ and offer perfectly melodic tunes in ‘Till The Day I Die.’ With a fantastic full band sound provided mostly by the male half of the band in the shape of multi-instrumentalists Simon Ross and Julian Sammut, this band carry every song with vibrancy and passion.
The opening bass line in ‘Real Smooth Cowboy’ accompanied with harmonica and drums create and engulf you and you just know the song’s going to be a powerful rocker! As the guitars and vocals work their magic, you’ve already caught Jetty Road fever, as they master a real country sounding cowboy song.
Luckily the album is not stuck in overdrive with an overabundance of upbeat cowboy country songs.
They also carry off melodic songs that symbolize their true potential.
They have mastered it throughout creating a fantastic country album that offers variety through and through.

They are not trying to be just another band, imitating something that’s been done before. This is where their true individualism shines through in many wondrous colors.
If I were to point out my favorite song it has to be Full Circle, pondering on the way life takes you from where you were and what you’ve been through and makes you who you are.

This isn’t to be missed, and they should be over next year for a full summer tour, so watch this space. The album is available now. www.jettyroad.com LB
- Maverick Magazine, UK

Think Jetty Road and you automatically think "sublime harmonies". It's that sister thing - or in this case, the twin thing - at it's very best.

With this, their second album, Jetty Road have really hit their stride. The album features a wonderful collection of songs which range from highly entertaining and catchy tracks such as 'Real Smooth Cowboy' (inspired by band member Simon Ross) to far more profound and sometimes disturbing songs such as 'Brother Sister'.

The carefully crafted songs on 'Dirt Roads ~ City Lights' all make an instant connection with listeners, finding new ways to express emotions we all feel, and to capture experiences that are universal. Highlights include 'I Don't Want To Know', a song about how hard it can be to end a bad relationship, and the beautiful 'Full Circle', which deals with the never ending quest for answers in life. There are also some delightful love songs, such as 'Show Me What Is Love', 'You Are', 'Kiss Me' and 'How You Love Someone'.

The great songs, the superb vocals and the sheer class of the album make Dirt Roads ~ City Lights an absolute joy to listen to. - Capital News - Australia

Jetty Road is the country music you listen to when you don't want to admit to listening to country music.
Aptly described musically as a cross between The Corrs and US superstar Faith Hill, striking twin sisters Paula and Lee Bowman have a knack for drawing in the listener with their catchy and likeable tunes.
Gifted story-tellers, the girls, along with Julian Sammut and Simon Ross, grab you with the infectious opener 'City Lights' and don't let go.

Unashamedly Aussie, Jetty Road boasts a truly international sound that will bring success here and abroad. - Border Morning Mail - Australia

Jetty Road has established itself as one of the most consistent and talented acts on the country scene, and this album consolidates their position. Life At A Million Miles is full of well crafted, appealing songs, performed with style and class - always markers of the work of this band. Highlights include the edgy first single, Million Miles and Running With The Wind. Other standouts include the beautiful and poignant World Keeps Turning, This Time Around, and the positive and catchy What A Beautiful Day.

Life At A Million Miles has a couple of things that make it a sheer joy to hear - one is the exquisite harmonies produced by identical twins PAULA and LEE BOWMAN; the other is the remarkable musicianship of this band which also includes JULIAN SAMMUT and SIMON ROSS. Julian also deserves credit for his superb production, and every one of the band members should be extremely proud of what is without doubt a world-class recording.

Shock/Compass Bros Distribution 067CDCB

Susan Jarvis - Captial News - June 2009

With album release number three LIFE AT A MILLION MILES, Victorian-based Jetty Road have well and truely raised the bar for contemporary Australian country music.

Heartfelt lyrics, sensational musicianship and angelic vocal harmonies are all perfectly displayed on this one.

As I write this piece, the platter is currently on its third rotation.

And while we reporters can lather unnecessarily at times, believe me when I say that from the sensational opener 'Million Mies', to the bluegrass-inspired closer 'Road to Nowhere', there is no filler here.

On show are 11 finely crafted tunes with all the necessary hooks to stick in your mind well beyond the initial listen and leave you wanting more.

If I had to nominate standouts I'd include the uptempo first single 'Good Times', the tragedy-inspired yet uplifting 'World Keeps Turning', and the tender 'I Have Been'. But to pinpoint individual tracks on this one really does a disservice to the rest of the material. All are equally worthy of a mention.

The album was released to stores on Friday through Compass Bros Distribution.

To celebrate the occasion, the band, comprising beautiful twin sister vocalists Lee and Paula Bowman and talented multi-instrumentalists Julian Sammut and Simon Ross, are in the midst of a short Sydney tour.

I was lucky enough to catch them at Rooty Hill RSL Club on Thursday night and also last night at Gardeners Hotel in Blackheath. Each night Jetty Road showcased the new material as well as some old favorites from their previous two releases.

To say they impressed was an understatement. The ease at which they blew me away was disturbing. These guys not only serve up the right mix of sounds but also conjure the perfect vibe to have you forgetting your troubles and getting completely lost in the moment. And how sweet a moment that is.

Each of the shows were staged in relatively intimate settings, which was awesome from a fan perspective. These are the memories that last. It's almost as if Jetty Road are out there playing for you and you only. Truly a beautiful experience. But on the other hand, I found myself feeling a little sad towards the end of night two. A constant thought refused to fade. These guys are so much bigger than this.

Believe me, I'd love to hold on to them, but sometimes for the sake of growth you've got to let go.

Jetty Road, prepare for takeoff.
- St Marys Star / Matt Lawrence