Flannelette and Feather Beds

We had been walking for over an hour after a long night out.  What was suppose to be ‘just around the corner’ turned out to be 5kms of conversation and city streets.  It was nearly 1am and her feet were getting tired in those shoes.  She’d been praying away the rain whilst I’d been praying it came.  In a divine moment her loss of concentration granted my persistent petitioned and the heavens began their speedy decent.  Foliage was never made to be water tight, and as we stood feeling the drips turn to drops and form puddles on our shoulders we decided to run.  Soon everything was a puddle, our shoes, our hair, our yelps and songs.  We had become Gene Kelly impersonators competing for glory on the sidewalk.  Finally arriving under our ancient archway its doors loomed eager to be opened but our warm cloudy breath made the heat of home seem a dreary departure from the excitement of the rain.


Flannelette and Feather Beds is the third single from Arbori and the lead track from forthcoming debut EP Love with Courage.  Like the single the EP heralds the most simple, honest and accurate impression of what Arbori is.  Known for audacious live recording projects and long transcendent instrumentals Arbori is taking a step back, into a studio, with 6 succinct and seasoned tunes.  A comprehensive bite size collection of their well loved live show.  After a fan said, “it’s so hard to be your fan as there is not enough music released” it was clearly well overdue to release an EP.  It’s been three years and three singles since the debut Biology of Memories and with the release of Flannelette and Feather Beds Arbori is launching a Pozible campaign raise funds for the EP.  Arbori’s recording budget is being left in the hands of friends and fans trusting that together they can see Love with Courage become a reality.

There are plenty of rewards for pledges big and small from 
CD, DVD’s, dance lessons, house shows and music video cameos.

Be apart of Love with Courage by pledging at the Pozible Campaign Page

LYRICS:

Outside it is biting
Inside we are fighting to keep warm
Overcoats and knitted vests
We do our best to beat this cold

And it's so like winter to bend umbrellas inside out

But it's fun to run in the rain

My room is heated
Your room conceded without a thought
Flannelette and feather beds
We do our best to beat this cold

But it's fun to run in the rain

And it's so like winter to make my bones ache and moan
And it's so like winter to rain on me when I'm almost home
And it's so like winter to steal my hat and dance around
And it's so like winter to bend umbrellas inside out

CREDITS:

Written by Arbori - Steven Barnard
Steven Barnard - vocals, guitar
Lyndel Arthur - vocals
James Hutchinson - Organ
Ed Goyer - Vibraphone

Felix Abrahams - engineer, producer
Steven Barnard - executive producer


Flannelette And Feather Beds

Walls (feat. Jessica Santosa)

This was my first release under the name arbori.  It was the kind of music i loved listening to and making.  i had been playing catch up for years alway writing what i used to like.  This single represented what was to come, set the tone for future releases...it is not my box, just the colours i like

Biology of Memories

The Biology of Memories single was originally suppose to be a EP and this song was a tie in of all the songs and experiences of that EP makes a little less sense to me without the other songs.  But i dont think anyone has ever thought that...
it does have a really cool music video you can see here 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iET38WwTks&amp;list=UU6Hd-hDGenvQ2EaVR3stOHg&amp;index=3&amp;feature=plcp

The Last Plane Out of Here

La Petite Chanson

In October 2011, arbori: took a 12-piece band and four dancers into a chapel at Sydney University's St Andrews College and recorded a live, four-track EP. We released the first track, "In the Places You Fold" (feat. The Falls, Stu Larsen and ILUKA), in November 2012. 

"In the Places You Fold is absolutely beautiful." 
Emma Swift, In the Pines, FBI Radio 

The second track off the EP, "Polar Bear Swim", and its accompanying film clip at FBi Social's Folk Informal on May 8. A ten-minute exploration of nature and deity, arbori: worked for over eight months with the band and audio engineer fine-tuning arrangements and writing new material. 

I also spent more than 40 hours as dance choreographer with several dancers, creating the dance that would accompany the song in the film clip. We endeavoured to make movement that could be captured uniquely and intimately on film and still convey the intended meaning. We will début the film at the FBi Folk Informal on May 8, and will be available online on May 9. 

It's been an incredibly demanding task creating and consolidating such an audacious recording. It was one of the most creatively demanding weekends of my life and the next chapter I am eager to share with you all. 

“Wowza. you are LOVELY. the songs. the movement. just lovely. and strange. and lovely. 'Polar Bear Swim' is exquisite.” 
Erica Sobol, Dancer Choreographer USA
lyrics
POLAR BEAR SWIM 

Polar Bear swim 
Or you'll be drowning 
Amazon run 
Or they're gonna cut you down to size 

Ozone get your gas mask on 
'Cos they're gonna smoke you out 
Mines and quarries shut your doors 
'Cos they're gonna take all your goods
credits
released 01 May 2013 
AUDIO ENGINEER 
Felix Abrahams 

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY 
Steven Barnard 

PRODUCED BY 
Felix Abrahams 
Steven Barnard 

ARRANGED AND PERFORMED BY 
James Hutchinson - piano, vibraphone 
Paul Brown - organ, piano, horns 
Josh Boneffin - electric guitar 
Tim Bradley - drums 
Steven Barnard - vocals, acoustic guitar 

ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS 
Curtis Smith - Bass 
Stu Larsen - Background Vocals 

HORNS 
Michael Deacon - Bari sax 
Theo Bonny - Alto sax 
Billy Ward - Tenor sax 
Cindy Cims - French horn 
Brendan Champion - Trombone 
Donna Daley - Trombone 

CHOREOGRAPHY 
Steven Barnard (director) - performer 
Neale Whittacker - performer 
Aimee Regan - performer 
Jessica Franke -performer 
Brady Kitchingham

Polar Bear Swim

Arbori is music and dance, in equal measures nostalgic and innovative. Raised on a creative diet of Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Neil Young and Paul Simon, these men were model entertainers, romancers, vagabonds and his gatekeepers to jazz, folk and dance.  With little concern for the high school social stigmas, his mother was smart enough to persistently enrol him in dance class while his father took him guitar shopping and shared all his favourite songs. Sadly Arbori’s dance life was repeatedly disappointing and with a heavy sigh he did what any 17-year-old ex-ballroom dancer would; he started a ska punk band – which, like all ska punk bands, ended. He went on to scramble his way through a degree in theology and a diploma in counselling, and got a job as a youth worker.  

Despite the rewards of his work, he felt like he had missed his calling. So at 25 he quit his job and went to train fulltime in performing arts being told “we don’t think you will ever be a dancer, but prove us wrong.”  Two years later, he was in Las Vegas representing Australia at the International Hip Hop Championships. He’d fallen ass first into the hip-hop dance scene.  A white ballroom dancing, ska punk playing, theologian/youth worker trying to get the swagger back he doubted he’d ever had in the first place to lose. Being schooled on popping, locking, new school and break, he was meeting his gatekeepers to all thing dope, buck and fresh. 

Naturally Arbori’s jazz-folk inspired melodies and R&B influenced beats are like just like drinking tea with your Nanna who is wearing a snap back and a hoodie. People don’t expect jazz, folk and hip-hop to combine but his dancers are among the best in the country, and their diversity and musicality is what sets them apart and makes Arbori make sense. Friends have comically, but accurately, coined him as 'Justin Timberfolk'; a title he carries with humility and honour.
Having shared the stage with the likes of Matt Corby, Stu Larsen, and The Falls, as well as collaborating with a number of award-winning dance acts including Phly Crew, Sisqo and Sarah Boulter, Arbori has been noted as “one of Sydney’s most exciting young bands” (Timber and Steel) and “what the Australian music scene is missing” (The Ripe) - Arbori is captivating some of the world’s best with this unique aesthetic.

Known for audacious recording projects involving large bands in live environments, Arbori is set to release the debut EP "Walls" in August 2014. This collection is to date the most comprehensive showcase of the life that has influenced the movement and music of this Renaissance Man. With such a diverse EP, and a live show featuring some of Australia's strongest dancers, Arbori is set on a trajectory to become one of the country’s most engaging and emotive acts, both live and on record.

RELEASES
Biology Of Memories (2010)
In the Places You Fold (2012)
Polar Bear Swim (single & dance film 2013) 
Flannelette and Feather Beds (Oct 2013)
