Steve McNAUGHTON
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Steve McNAUGHTON

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | INDIE

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | INDIE
Established on Jan, 2014
Band Rock Adult Contemporary

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"StormChaser Review"


By Gavin Fitzgerald

First up on the CD is the title track “Stormchaser”, with its swirling synth and crash cymbals is very storm evocative. There’s a heightened sense of something big coming, Very 80’s in its approach, almost Hall & Oates in tones, it grooves along nicely. Very well produced, it evokes thoughts of Toto at their best. A very hooky chorus begs you to sing along. This will be a good one for when the news, or documentaries feature storms, etc. I like the synth hook as it really grips the memory. Good melodies especially against the back-beat jazz guitar riff. Still felt it needed to go somewhere really different to make the outro chorus appealing to me in its return. Then it would be the perfect pop song ready for the markets.

The staccato over-driven rock guitar start of “Gimme Something” grabs the listener already. It’s an insistent chordal riff that fits nicely beneath the lyrical journey. It suits Steve’s vocal well. The pre-chorus is great lift, guiding the listener’s emotions into the chorus. A definitely well crafted song in a rocky new wave Elvis Costello vein. The chorus is very hooky and singalongable. Some nice tasty lead guitar in the solo, which leads well into the pre-chorus, chorus outro. You can imagine a whole crowd singing along with this great song!

“The Devil’s In The Detail” has a “Who” like start with rolling drums and driven guitar. The lyrics flow nicely over the rock rhythm, Laid back in a laconic rock way the song has Dylanesque story lines, with a Tom Petty feel to it. I say Dylanesque as the images of reading contracts is very graphical and has many messages in it. A song for a busy businessman! Or for anyone about to make a big decision, even marriage! A great hook chorus, which I keep on singing. I like the line “It’s always buyer beware.” Top song!

I like the groove at the start of “Don’t Tell Mama” as it really kicks along with a blues rock feel, which really cooks! Head nodding, toe tappin’ stuff as the guitar riff and horns do their stuff. Almost 50’s do-wop feel to the verses, then the chorus is once again singalongable making you want to join in with “Don’t Tell Mama”. I’d love to hear this live, although it would be hard with the sax and horns. Cool, really rocks, one of the best blues rock songs I’ve heard in ages, absolute classic. Although the repeat of the “Sometimes in my bedroom..” section seems a bit too much twice. Maybe the second time pull right back and double up the “Don’t Tell Mama” as an outro. Lots of good stuff in this song.




Once again the brass kicks arse in the start of “Crawl Before You Walk” which then breaks into a ska bluebeat feel. Once again a top pre-chorus (Something Steve seems particularly good at!) leading into a superbly hooky chorus. You’ve definitely got the goods here, Steve! Think The Travellin’ Wilburys, When Roy Orbinson sang to get an idea of the tone. Sax solo is great and a good break to lead into the chorus. I fell the third verse needs something else behind it, maybe an organ swell to differentiate it. But that could be a personal thing in the perfect soul pop song.
If this is not a hit, or if someone doesn’t cover it, the world is definitely nuts! One of the best I’ve ever heard on an SSA member’s CD, I’d buy this album just for this song!!!!!!!!!!! Brilliant and stunning, I’m up dancing to it.

Santana doing blues was the feel I had to the start of “Dreaming”. Laid back, cool, breezy, chill out rock flow. Hmmm, nice, in an almost Savoy Brown undertone. Love the rolling bass. Then the lyrics come and fit perfectly with ideas espoused well in the song structure. A song for dreamers who need no drugs, nor booze, but get high on the possibilities. The piano solo has a Doors like approach, which is really cool. Love this song also, especially the really flavoursome blues guitar. Hmmm, nice! I’ll dream along as well mate, this one is a good one to have some whiskey to. Another brilliant album cut that’s up and world class. Way cool, Steve.

“Ode to Odette” has a funky beat to it, before the great sax envelopes the eardrums. It then slides easily into a ska dance that UB40 would be proud of. I dare you not to feel the rhythm of this one in your body! As well, the “Oh, Odette” hook is intensely persuasive and hooky! The lyrical and vocal feel once again has that Roy Orbinson tone to it. I like the little sax bits, before the almost rap-like staccato verses jump in perfectly. Then it’s back to the easy flow of the pre-chorus to chorus, with a really soulful essence that suits Steve’s vocal perfectly. Get up and dance once again! I love reggae and this has that feel along with the ska edge. “Oh, Odette” really cooks, with an almost African harmony a la Paul Simon, who’s have been proud to have done this one. Even has flavours of Chris Isaac’s in there as well. Another definite hit, or the world has no taste! I’m still bouncing along to this!

Almost military drumming in the vein of the theme for - The Songsmith, (Songwriter Society of Australia's Monthly Newsletter)


"StormChaser Review"


By Gavin Fitzgerald

First up on the CD is the title track “Stormchaser”, with its swirling synth and crash cymbals is very storm evocative. There’s a heightened sense of something big coming, Very 80’s in its approach, almost Hall & Oates in tones, it grooves along nicely. Very well produced, it evokes thoughts of Toto at their best. A very hooky chorus begs you to sing along. This will be a good one for when the news, or documentaries feature storms, etc. I like the synth hook as it really grips the memory. Good melodies especially against the back-beat jazz guitar riff. Still felt it needed to go somewhere really different to make the outro chorus appealing to me in its return. Then it would be the perfect pop song ready for the markets.

The staccato over-driven rock guitar start of “Gimme Something” grabs the listener already. It’s an insistent chordal riff that fits nicely beneath the lyrical journey. It suits Steve’s vocal well. The pre-chorus is great lift, guiding the listener’s emotions into the chorus. A definitely well crafted song in a rocky new wave Elvis Costello vein. The chorus is very hooky and singalongable. Some nice tasty lead guitar in the solo, which leads well into the pre-chorus, chorus outro. You can imagine a whole crowd singing along with this great song!

“The Devil’s In The Detail” has a “Who” like start with rolling drums and driven guitar. The lyrics flow nicely over the rock rhythm, Laid back in a laconic rock way the song has Dylanesque story lines, with a Tom Petty feel to it. I say Dylanesque as the images of reading contracts is very graphical and has many messages in it. A song for a busy businessman! Or for anyone about to make a big decision, even marriage! A great hook chorus, which I keep on singing. I like the line “It’s always buyer beware.” Top song!

I like the groove at the start of “Don’t Tell Mama” as it really kicks along with a blues rock feel, which really cooks! Head nodding, toe tappin’ stuff as the guitar riff and horns do their stuff. Almost 50’s do-wop feel to the verses, then the chorus is once again singalongable making you want to join in with “Don’t Tell Mama”. I’d love to hear this live, although it would be hard with the sax and horns. Cool, really rocks, one of the best blues rock songs I’ve heard in ages, absolute classic. Although the repeat of the “Sometimes in my bedroom..” section seems a bit too much twice. Maybe the second time pull right back and double up the “Don’t Tell Mama” as an outro. Lots of good stuff in this song.




Once again the brass kicks arse in the start of “Crawl Before You Walk” which then breaks into a ska bluebeat feel. Once again a top pre-chorus (Something Steve seems particularly good at!) leading into a superbly hooky chorus. You’ve definitely got the goods here, Steve! Think The Travellin’ Wilburys, When Roy Orbinson sang to get an idea of the tone. Sax solo is great and a good break to lead into the chorus. I fell the third verse needs something else behind it, maybe an organ swell to differentiate it. But that could be a personal thing in the perfect soul pop song.
If this is not a hit, or if someone doesn’t cover it, the world is definitely nuts! One of the best I’ve ever heard on an SSA member’s CD, I’d buy this album just for this song!!!!!!!!!!! Brilliant and stunning, I’m up dancing to it.

Santana doing blues was the feel I had to the start of “Dreaming”. Laid back, cool, breezy, chill out rock flow. Hmmm, nice, in an almost Savoy Brown undertone. Love the rolling bass. Then the lyrics come and fit perfectly with ideas espoused well in the song structure. A song for dreamers who need no drugs, nor booze, but get high on the possibilities. The piano solo has a Doors like approach, which is really cool. Love this song also, especially the really flavoursome blues guitar. Hmmm, nice! I’ll dream along as well mate, this one is a good one to have some whiskey to. Another brilliant album cut that’s up and world class. Way cool, Steve.

“Ode to Odette” has a funky beat to it, before the great sax envelopes the eardrums. It then slides easily into a ska dance that UB40 would be proud of. I dare you not to feel the rhythm of this one in your body! As well, the “Oh, Odette” hook is intensely persuasive and hooky! The lyrical and vocal feel once again has that Roy Orbinson tone to it. I like the little sax bits, before the almost rap-like staccato verses jump in perfectly. Then it’s back to the easy flow of the pre-chorus to chorus, with a really soulful essence that suits Steve’s vocal perfectly. Get up and dance once again! I love reggae and this has that feel along with the ska edge. “Oh, Odette” really cooks, with an almost African harmony a la Paul Simon, who’s have been proud to have done this one. Even has flavours of Chris Isaac’s in there as well. Another definite hit, or the world has no taste! I’m still bouncing along to this!

Almost military drumming in the vein of the theme for - The Songsmith, (Songwriter Society of Australia's Monthly Newsletter)


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

Photos

Bio

Australian artist Steve McNaughton has earned high praise as one of Sydneys best contemporary rock songwriters whilst achieving independent chart success and overseas airplay. His music varies from solid radio friendly hooks, to passionate, upfront and personal material. He has been writing songs for over 20 years and performing with different artists and bands around Sydney for nearly as many.

In 1992, Steve first received recognition when his single "Homecoming (You've Come Back Home)" debuted on the ABC and Australian Commercial radio. Since then, a further 6 compositions have hit the airwaves not only in Australia but also throughout Europe, United States and South America.

Releasing several singles on the Big Back yard compilation CDs, Steve  came to the music industrys attention through distribution to music festivals in Midem France and Popkomm in Germany. Radio stations in the U.S.A., Germany and New Zealand then picked up on Steve's songs, "Stalingrad Still Stands" & "Hold Me Tonight",songs that were  inspired by a major battle of the  Second world war and UN soldiers in Bosnia respectively. This later lead to Stalingrad still stands holding down the top spot of the Ison Live Radio International top 50 chart for several weeks and Hold me tonight peaking at number 6.

 

This was followed up by the launch of his first album Hardly softly rock in 1999 which featured a duet with legendary Aussie rocker John Swan. With a blend of solid rock and sweeter U.S. West coast rock, this album quickly sold out and was replaced by an E.P. Sydney Olympic City, released for the 2000 Olympic Games. The lead tracks Sydney youre so beautiful and Excellence from every land received airplay from visiting international television networks and overseas airplay, well after the games had finished.

Steve McNaughtons second album and 3rd CD, Storm Chaser has songs that encompass solid radio-friendly hooks, and some definite groove and attitude! The opening title-track Storm Chaser was inspired by Scott Currens and other American storm chasers. It is a high energy rock song that fully captures the fury of nature when the plains turn violent across the United States mid-west.

Skope TV and radio magazine have been full of praise for this album and provide the following glowing tribute: Steve McNaughtons Storm Chaser is an earth moving experience. If you turn on the CD and close your eyes you could almost mistake his vocals for the legendary Elvis Costello. There seems to be a clear influence from that era. The CD is full of up tempo contagious tunes. The instrumentation is a good companion to solid, well written lyrics and the production takes some interesting turns with killer background vocals that really drive a couple of the songs.

Steve McNaughtons ability as a consummate songwriter and unique vocalist are fully portrayed in the new direction he takes his music, distinctly into crossover country yet still retaining a crisp pop edge.

 With a repertoire of over 50 original songs and 3 albums behind him spanning the rock and pop genres, Steve has now taken a big leap into the contemporary country scene. Using West Coast Artists, some Americana and Nashville influences, for inspiration, the result is a slick album of Crossover Country entitled Eagles Aloft has been released through CD Baby. This album features a number of co-writes with Australian and U.S. writers the best of which seem to come from his main collaborator James Stewart Keene. The Eagles Aloft has already received a five star rating and an exceptional review from The Examiner.com in Nashville Tennessee!


Band Members