Little Things was inspired by a conversation with Jackie Marshall (awesome friend and songwriter), I was lamenting that I’d be holding onto little things.. like a smile I’d seen a few weeks before that lit up my day and then repeated in my mind, and she starts playfully singing “little things little things” to me, and I’m like oh! Can I have that! And upstairs I went to a 12 string guitar by my bed (a funny old EKO that looks awful with lifting paint, but sings songs) and there you are. The best review I’ve had so far is from my daughter Gypsy who said “mum, it’s a daggy song, but it’s true”. The song since then is a gift to all the treasures who have helped me especially in recent years (covid and the like), I won’t name names but some play on it, and others I’ll send it to soon. Thank you to all those who help their mates out in hard times. The love that comes from little things is really the best love around.
Little Things features the band on my two recent singles from the upcoming album Gold and Carnelian, Jonathan Zwartz on double bass, Bill Risby on some very magical piano and accordian lines, and Hamish Stuart on drums, and this time with special guest Shane Nicholson on electric guitar (such sweet lines!) and harmonies. I am very lucky to have such treasures play on this song, and so glad Shane said yes to a sing too as I love his voice, another beautiful Little Thing to add to life! Mixed by Ted Howard and mastered by Michael Lynch, produced by me and Jonathan Zwartz. Please enjoy and share around!!!

Spirit of place that takes in both a green glade in the hinterlands of southern NSW, and the emerald fields of reflective ramble through Eire.

Welcome the second single from the forthcoming album GOLD AND CARNELIAN by Australian singer-songwriter Melanie Horsnell “Come To Me Sweet”. Songs from this upcoming album draw inspiration from the natural world and the timeless wisdom found in its presence. Melanie reflects on the writing of this song:

“Come To Me Sweet” came to life after a tough time. I’d left Australia a little broken and headed on tour to Ireland. I’d arrived a little lost and went wandering the streets of Drogheda looking for a way to clear my mind, I visited the Mary icon in the Catholic Church at the bottom of the long steps to the River Boyne and told her a story, then wandered home and had a powerful experience during a Buddhist meditation. It made me cry my insides out - such a huge release.

After that, I headed north to Belfast to a room I’d never played before, where no one showed up, and I found peace in the empty room. It felt strangely good, the walls were talking, the light coming in gently and this song just appeared. It wasn’t something I planned—it was more like a feeling that showed up in that quiet moment. At first, it was a song for myself, a way to process everything. Later, I realised it could work as a love song for another too.

I shared it with my friend Colm Mac Con Iomaire in Wexford, and he offered to play along one evening, which was really special. He’s an amazing musician, and I’m usually too shy to ask if he’d jam along, so it was magical when he joined in, I borrowed his detuned guitar that he’d been gifted and Come to Me Sweet came to life. I think the combo of a new song, with the right nudging of Colm’s beautiful playing helped take that song from the abyss of my phone notes and other lost songs to being recorded for the new album.

For me, this song feels like a meditation, taking me back to that moment. Hopefully, others will find their own meaning in it too.”

"Come To Me Sweet." features acclaimed Irish fiddler Colm Mac Con Iomaire (solo and The Frames) and cellist Rachel Johnston (Two If By Sea) as well as the beautiful band who will feature on the whole upcoming album - Jonathan Zwartz on double bass, Bill Risby on piano, and Hamish Stuart on drums. The song has been co-produced by Melanie Horsnell and Jonathan Zwartz, mixed by Ted Howard and mastered by Michael Lynch

Welcome the debut song from the forthcoming album GOLD AND CARNELIAN by Australian singer-songwriter Melanie Horsnell. Drawing inspiration from the natural world and the timeless wisdom found in its presence, Melanie says “I wrote “As The Trees Have Always Known” while on the Small Halls tour in Northern NSW with Ash & Sara, we were being driven in the bus through the astonishing massive multicoloured gums that lead up the mountain to Dorrigo. As a passenger, I had time to reflect and fall in love with the view, watching these trees leaning into each other, the growth and care between these beings and I wondered how we too could live and love like that”.

This is such an amazing song by Lukas Nelson, I was wandering around last week looking at life and how to live, and this song wouldn't get out of my head, so just in the interest of sharing it with more people I recorded my vocals and guitar and sent it off to beautiful Michael Carpenter in lockdown for some spacious guitar swells and moods, and some mixing, and here you go. I reckon its pretty good advice and I want to live like this too, pass it along x.