Set up as a label in 2014 after founders Jeb and Ben ran a festival together under the same name, The Farmer And The Owl was formed from a mission to take some of the best artists from the local area of Wollongong and help promote them to wider audiences.

Now with a roster of five diverse artists that all have releases forthcoming, The Farmer And The Owl are set to take part in Label of Love at Melbourne’s Shadow Electric with the majority of its roster. Headlined by Hockey Dad, fresh from US, UK, and European tours, they will be joined by The Pinheads who have just wrapped up the recording of their debut album, TEES who just recently released a brand new single ‘Got The Feeling’ and brand new label family member Bec Sandridge and SM Jenkins.

Bec Sandridge – In The Fog, In  The Flame

Jeb : Last year Bec sent me a stream of here upcoming ep, I’d watched Bec develop over the last five years  as a folky singer/songwriter. What I heard was definitely not what I expected, this track and the ones that followed blew me away. I quickly sent a link to Ben (my business partner in F&O) and we both agreed we should try and release this. We’re really excited to share some more of Bec’s music with everyone later this year.

Hockey Dad – So Tired

Jeb: This is the latest single from Hockey Dad. I first saw these guys at Rad Bar in Wollongong playing a new band Wednesday night show, I watched them with about three other people, they were raw but everything about them shows so much potential. We pretty much started talking to them about working together not long after that. Since then it’s been great to be able to watch them grow as a touring band in Australia, as well witness them pack out venues everywhere from New York to London to Amsterdam and many places in between. Their debut album ‘Boronia’ drops on August 12th and this will be their only Australian show until much later in the year.

Ben : These are our baby boys, our first born sons and we are so proud of them. It’s been a really fun trip being along for the ride, seeing them grow up from the little surf groms, to now getting a lot more well known & becoming everybody’s little brother, at home & abroad. The boys just have the best attitude to music and in general and I think everybody likes that. It’s really nice seeing people with such an honest, even at times naive but raw energy and enthusiasm for what they do …. There’s no pretentious here folks. Just a couple of good young blokes with an uncanny ability to pump out some catchy as hell good time surf tunes.

The Pinheads – I Wanna Be A Girl

Jeb: This first single and title track off the debut ep from The Pinheads. There is so much energy in this track, they did an amazing job capturing their live feel when recording this themselves in a shed in Stanwell Park. The Pinheads have a really wild live show and they have been consistently touring the Australian east coast over the last year or so. They have also just wrapped up work on their debut album.

Shining Bird – Helluva Lot

Jeb: These guys aren’t on the Farmer & Owl label (they release music via our good friends at Spunk) but we manage them so have included the track here. This is their latest single from their forthcoming album, I feel they are one of the most unique bands around today, there is so much happening in this track but it never feels crowded. I can’t wait for everyone to hear their album ‘Black Opal’ when it drops in October.

TEES – Got The Feeling

Jeb: Last night I was spinning records at a local bar in Wollongong that I regularly DJ at, I’d just finished and packed the car and it was the first song that came on the radio (thanks, FBi). It really made me feel like continuing my night instead of just heading home, at that moment I realised how much of a party starter these guys are. It will be great for Melbourne to be able to catch them for the first time at this show.

Ben: It’s weird when something new makes you feel nostalgic for the past. That’s what TEES does to me, whilst still managing to feel new & fresh … or should I say ‘phresh’ or even ‘so fresh’… Anyways,  while I’m sure a lot of other people’s throwbacks are more centred around their MDMA-induced dancehall euphoria of the 90’s, mine are more to do with how I spent my childhood in the 90s, waking up on the weekends, putting on RAGE and watching the countdown play me bangers like this 

Russell W – Kangaroo Island

Jeb: Russ is one of the most talented songwriters/musicians/producers I know. He plays in Shining Bird but also releases music under this own name. He jas an epic catalogue and one day it will see a release and some live shows, in the meantime have a small taste of it with this track.

S M Jenkins – Microwave

Jeb: S M Jenkins is the solo moniker of Step-Panther front man Stephen Bourke. The songs sound lazy (in a good way) and effortless further highlighting his songwriting abilities that we’ve seen previously with his noisier band. In the live format, he has members of Big Scary and Dumb Punts to bring the music to life and I feel this will be a great start to the label of love show.

Totally Unicorn – Customer Service Station

Jeb: Earlier this year Ben sent me the stream of the Totally Unicorn album after the first listen I was convinced we should release it. It has been a long time coming but I really feel this will be one of the best heavy Australian records of the year. They couldn’t make our showcase but they’ll be back in Melbourne for Poison City Weekender as well as their own album launch in September.

Ben: I just love totally unicorn … When we opened our bar and started doing live shows the first unicorn gig was and probably still is one of the craziest shows to ever grace the stage …. Well, there was no stage… So I guess floor, even though drew spent most of his time behind the bar, outside on an awning, or sliding down our staircase handrail. One of the best live bands I’ve seen, and now for them to have written this debut album, and back it up with a recording that is possibly even better than the live show is just so impressive. It’s been a long hard slog for these guys, but they’re just so good, and I guess in their hearts they know that, so it’s so good to see that they have stuck it out. Can’t wait to release this album and show everyone just how good it is.

Cheers

Sunday June 19 – Farmer And The Owl Records
Label of Love – Shadow Electric Bandroom
Doors 6.00pm – 11.00pm
Hockey Dad, Bec Sandridge, The Pinheads, Tees & SM Jenkins
Tickets on sale now via www.shadowelectric.com.au