DARREN HANLON

Australian musician Darren Hanlon is known for his idiosyncratic narrative songwriting and storytelling.

His songs hone in on the politics of love and relationships, smaller personal issues and objects of less consequence, and has a rare ability to present the commonplace as special. He has carved out a scattershot career on his own terms. Over time he’s managed to share stages and tour buses with a lot of his musical heroes (Billy Bragg, Michael Hurley, the Magnetic Fields) and he has also inadvertently inspired other musicians. Fellow Australian Courtney Barnett has often cited his songs as an early influence on her own writing. Hanlon has managed to have a rich few years, appearing in and singing the credits of the new Slim Dusty bio-pic Slim & I, garnering high rotation on Australian radio with his pandemic themed song ‘We All Cope in Different Ways,’ and a cameo in the hit kids TV show Bluey.

In March this year Hanlon released his 6th studio album Life Tax. It proved to be his most pared down effort to date, full of lyrically dense narrative tales and emotional love songs.

In support of this release Hanlon dove into a year of touring. With his new live band made up of musicians from the album itself he did a lap of Australian before jetting off on two separate tours of Europe. These included a support run with his old buddies the Magnetic Fields and an appearance at lauded UK festival End of the Road.

“Even in a long-form setting, Hanlon remains a master of emotional shorthand.” – The Australian

Exerpt from Townsville Fol Festival where Darren is also playing!