Multi-award winning Melbourne contemporary folk outfit, The Maes (formerly The Mae Trio) have released a sweet taste of their new album with the first single 'Treat You Better'.
This new track from sisters Maggie and Elsie Rigby is an exploration of human kindness, respect and trust in others flavoured with defiant optimism, delivered with gorgeous, Australian-accent driven, a cappella harmonies and frailing banjo.
Maggie says "I wrote this song from a place of anger, I was angry about how I had been treated by someone. When I confronted them about it they told me that I was naive, that it was my inexperience that caused me to expect to be treated better. I thought hard about it and decided that I want to hold on to my naivety if that’s what it is. I want to choose to trust and love and expect humans to be kind and generous and brilliant, albeit flawed and struggling along in their own ways. Elsie and our dear friend John Flanagan helped me to finish the song and it turned into a good old cathartic group sing - one of the best ways for humans to exist together!"
The Maes’ upcoming self-titled record (set for release on Friday 3rd May) is a return to the sisters’ folk music roots. Gentle, intimate and conversational, the album is an unadorned showcase of Maggie and Elsie’s superb songwriting as well as honest, relaxed and stunning vocal and instrumental performances.
Born into the arms of the Folk music community in Australia, Maggie and Elsie were side of stage at their first folk festival when they were four weeks old and have been absorbing and exploring folk music since that time. Since 2014, The Maes have been full time touring in Australia and overseas, winning over audiences with their striking songwriting, intricate instrumental arrangements and stunning vocal harmonies at some of the worlds largest and most prestigious music festivals such as, the Woodford and Port Fairy Folk Festivals in Australia, The Edmonton and Vancouver Folk Festivals in Canada, Cambridge Folk and Celtic Connections festivals in the UK and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in the USA.
Their last, Nashville-recorded album Take Care Take Cover (2017) won them even more international acclaim including a 5 star review from The Australian and The Age Music Victoria Folk Roots Album of the Year. This highly anticipated new venture as a duo with special guests will re-affirm that The Maes are an exciting Australian act with lots more fabulous folk to offer!
Tour dates: April 21st, Boogie Festival, Tallarook VIC April 24th - Kidogo Arts House, Fremantle, WA April 26th, 27th - Fairbridge Folk Festival, Perth WA April 28th - Bendigo Autumn Festival, Bendigo VIC May 8th - Smiths Alternative, Canberra, ACT May 10th - Leadbelly, Sydney, NSW May 17th - Wauchope Community Hall, Wauchope NSW May 18th - The Old Gazette Theatre, Dorrigo NSW May 19th - Leftys, Brisbane, QLD May 26th - Birregurra Arts Group, Birregurra VIC May 31st - Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC June 2nd - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne, VIC June 7th - Music on the Hill, Red Hill Pavilion, Red Hill VIC June 13th - The Mildura Club, Mildura VIC June 14th - Jive Bar, Adelaide, SA June 15th - The Barn, Wombat Flat VIC June 16th - Emily’s Bistro, Quorn SA
June 28th - Yackandandah Public Hall, Yackandandah VIC
June 29th - Milton Theatre - Milton NSW
June 30th - Candelo Arts - Candelo NSW
For tickets and more information, head to https://themaes.com.au You can also pre-order the single here and the album here.
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