By Dongyun Kwon
An independent local band has appeared on two categories in the ARIA charts with their new album in the week of 5 August.
Yarra Valley-based trio band Smoke Stack Rhino’s new album The Mojo Dojo has ranked 17th place in the ARIA Top 20 Australian Albums and second place in the ARIA Top 20 Jazz and Blues Albums.
Singer and guitarist Ash King said the trio hadn’t expected to be able to get high in the charts.
“It’s amazing and heart-warming. We feel grateful to everyone who’s been supportive of us through picking up the album, having a listen or coming along to one of the gigs or festivals that we played to fund it,” he said.
“We weren’t expecting to do that well at all as an independent band without any support of a record label, distributor or management company.”
The Mojo Dojo, a collection of all different songs, was released on Friday 26 July.
King said the new album is more diverse and adventurous.
“We’re primarily a blues rock band, and there’s a bit of blues rock but there’s also more blues and roots stuff,” he said.
“There’s a bit of folk-inspired stuff, roots heavier stuff and psychedelic rock, so it’s a real mix.
“It’s a bit hard to just do the one thing all the time when you’re a musician although that might be good from a marketing perspective.”
One of the songs in the album, Til’ The Day’s music video has reached over 10,000 views on YouTube in its first week.
Elevated by Smoke Stack Rhino’s authentic blending of old-school blues, overdriven guitars and influence from groups like The Black Keys, the video captures the band at their high-energy sonic best as they jam out in the rustic atmosphere of The Belfry at Bakehouse Studios in Melbourne.
Throughout the album, the band tapped the expertise of Callum Howell, producer of Ocean Alley, Triple J Hottest 100 winner, to help drive home the project including Currents, a soulful ballad that layers heartfelt lyrics over open-tuned guitars, upright piano and mellotron flutes.
The folk-roots vein continues at the start of the next track Whole Lotta Trouble, with an intro featuring finger-picked acoustic and Johnny Cash-inspired vocals evolving into a melancholic bluesy rock groove.
The influence of The Beatles is evident in the composition of the song’s bridge section, along with the entirety of the psychedelic anthem Fly Away, a dreamy, uplifting song that details King’s rebirth as a singer.
The final track Shake Hands With Mojo returns to the band’s roots and leaves the song listeners with the image of the trio jamming into the night and wanting more.
King said there is no secret for the success of the album but just hard work.
“If you work hard at it, it’s not that difficult. You just need to keep going with working at it and reaching the audience,” he said.
“It’s not as hard as what you might expect, and it’d be good to help some other local artist to achieve the same thing that we have done.
“We’ve got good talent out here, and I might look into trying to do some events to help some other people who’ve got music coming out.”
Smoke Stack Rhino was formed in 2013 with the idea of what Rage Against the Machine would sound like playing blues music, and has changed line-ups a couple of times.
King has become the singer of the band since the previous singer left when the band became a three-piece in 2018.
The trio always learns something new every time they release new music.
King said his focus is to keep learning and growing while enjoying music.
“I still learn other people’s songs because everybody plays differently, and I take that idea or concept to put it into my own music and create new outcomes,” he said.
“This time around, we have learnt a few different things about getting the website right and how to link it all together online.”
To check out Smoke Stack Rhino’s new album The Mojo Dojo, visit the following link, gyro.to/TheMojoDojo
