Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife 'Match to the Rock' single + National Tour announced
“an essential chapter of Australian alt-country and one of the first truly great records of 2020”
Dan Condon DOUBLE J
“It would be naïve of me to say that Tracy McNeil sounds like someone else because the truth is she’s a f*ucking force of nature, unique, a powerhouse, a slayer, a genius, a musician of the highest degree.” Nkechi Anele – Triple J
"So many of these songs sound familiar, steeped in a sound that references Fleetwood Mac, Gram Parsons and that point on the highway where country meets soul." ★★★★
Chris Familton THE MUSIC
2020 saw Americana 5 piece outfit Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife unleash their phenomenal album You Be the Lightning. Receiving critical praise for McNeil's stand-out songwriting & well-crafted songs, the album also secured high rotation across ABC Radio & Double J, 'Album of the Week' features (Double J, PBS, 2SER, 2BOB, Good Morning Country...), and community radio airplay across the country. The band capped the year off armed with an ARIA Award nomination for 'Best Blues and Roots Album', an Australian Music Prize nomination and won the award for 'Best Country Album' at the Music Victoria Awards.
Following radio hits Stars, Not Like a Brother and Catch You comes another gem off the critically-acclaimed album in new single Match to the Rock. In an instant you'll find yourself cruising along to Brendan McMahon's keys & Bree Hartley's steady beat before McNeil's vocals draw you in, whilst "the brilliant guitar work in 'Match to the Rock' sits in the song comfortably, without overshadowing the rest of the elements." (Double J).
Of the song, Tracy says, "I originally wrote Match to the Rock on the piano as a slow, sad, breakup ballad. All it took was one minute in rehearsal, and The GoodLife transformed it into a tropical late 70’s yacht-rock groover. We tracked it late at night and got it on the second take – since then it has held the place as one of my personal faves on the record. The band is incredible…so locked in and riding this groove wave which allowed me to just sail across it vocally… it was pure magic to record."
"We could tear the whole thing down, we’d both get out alive and head for higher ground
But there’s a language between us, no words are used we just feel our way through
Punching blind in the dark, even a heavyweight can break their own heart
Strike a match to the rock, only a fool gives up on a spark"
2021 NATIONAL TOUR ANNOUNCED
While their 2020 National tour came to a sudden halt due to Covid, Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife are now primed and ready to get back to business in bringing You Be the Lightning to the stage. A run of shows across the country between April-July will see them hit theatres & pubs in full band & selected duo show mode, including an invite to join James Reyne as special guests on his National Tour. Don't miss.
MATCH TO THE ROCK will be available digitally on February 25 2021
YOU BE THE LIGHTNING is out now through Cooking Vinyl Australia
