Oscar Dowling Announces Debut Album 'Free and Easy' + Release Tour

Auckland-based solo artist Oscar Dowling has revealed details of his debut album and announced an accompanying four-date tour release tour. Titled Free and Easy, the upcoming record was recorded and mixed with Ben Lawson and features appearances from Steven Huf, Will Wood, Mason Fairey, and Sam Hamilton. The album is due out 14th April via Spunk Records/Banished Music and on cassette through Prison Tapes, followed by an April jaunt through the countries main centres. Here are the details...

Oscar Dowling 'Free and Easy' Release Tour

Friday 21st April, Whammy Bar, Auckland
Thursday 27th April, Darkroom, Christchurch
Friday 28th April, Re:Fuel, Dunedin
Saturday 29th April, Caroline, Wellington

Tickets on sale from HERE at UTR and usual outlets

Here is the excellent lead single and album opener 'The Life' which was released last June and was one of our top tracks of 2016...

PRESS RELEASE:

Since the disbandment of his Auckland-based band New Gum Sarn in the summer of 2015, Oscar Dowling has found a voice of his own with his debut solo record Free and Easy, due out April 14th through Spunk Records / Banished Music and on cassette through Prison Tapes.

After catching the eye of Pitchfork with singles 'Ease My Passing' and album opener 'The Life' late last year, Dowling is now ready to showcase his full repertoire with Free and Easy. Recorded and mixed with Ben Lawson in Auckland, the album features local luminaries Steven Huf, Will Wood, Mason Fairey, and Sam Hamilton. Dowling recalls; "Ben Lawson heard me play at my neighbours wedding and later asked if I wanted some studio time at Red Bull. He gave me a week in between other projects and last minute I realised I didn't want to record solo and asked friends Steven Huf and Will Wood if they wanted to help me out. I'd seen both of them play with a lot of different people over the years and knew they could pull it off without much warning. I think we only practiced 3 times"

Opening for Aldous Harding last month for a slew of shows across New Zealand, Dowling is now preparing to head back out on the road for a headline tour of all major NZ cities. Dowling says of touring; "The band has changed a lot over the last two years with nine or ten different members passing through. For a while each time I played a show I was teaching somebody the whole set a few days before. It's been a very disjointed project over all, but I feel like it's finally coming together into something more solid.”

Scorching his way through Australia last winter for a headline show at the Tote and feature performance at Spunk Rock 2, Dowling's latest incarnation plan to re-convene for another trip across the Tasman in the coming months.

Oscar Dowling - 'Free and Easy'
OUT APRIL 14TH VIA SPUNK RECORDS / BANISHED MUSIC