Ahead of his nationwide tour, Melbourne-based Kiwi and beloved songwriter Stan Woodhouse today releases Golden Boy Vol. I and II — the lush sophomore album by the artist better known as Skyscraper Stan.
Revered for his piercing observational lyricism and thrilling live performances, Stan has once again capitalised on his chemistry with long time touring band The Commission Flats and engineer/producer Richard Stolz (Paul Kelly, HUSKY) to put together a crowd-funded, rollercoaster ride of a record at Woodstock Studios in Balaclava.
Stan and his band are road-hardened and at home on the stage – they have a good time and it’s contagious. Since 2015 they’ve been praised for their high energy live shows and top-shelf banter. Now, they are back on the road and they’ve turned the heat up this time.
In August, Skyscraper Stan and the Commission Flats will take Golden Boy on the road through New Zealand with four opportunities for fans and music lovers alike to head out and see a songwriter and band at the top of their game.
Thursday 8th Aug, Lyttelton, Wunderbar | Tickets HERE
Friday 9th Aug, Dunedin, The Cook | Tickets HERE
Saturday 10th Aug, Auckland, Tuning Fork | Tickets HERE
Sunday 11th Aug, Wellington, Meow | Tickets HERE
Golden Boy (released through Heart of the Rat Records) is tender, angry, introspective and political over the course of its 10 tracks. Split into two, 5 track volumes, Vol. I is aggressive and character driven – exploring stories from outside the songwriters own life. Vol. 2 is autobiographical – anger making way for more gentle introspection. Stan’s first full length LP as a whole first tackles themes of privilege, masculinity, crime and ambition before moving into a more personal exploration of lessons learned (or not).
Driven by Stan’s intricate lyrics and underpinned by the dynamic Commission Flats, Golden Boy flies between such disparate influences as Stax era soul, Melbourne post-punk, Tin-pan Alley songwriters and rambling folk tales – a menagerie of mismatched musical muses coalescing into something unique, melodic and unexpected.
‘Dole Queues and Dunhill Blues‘ is the opening track from Golden Boy Vol. I and II.
Over the choppy driving rhythm of long-time touring band the Commission Flats, Stan tells the tale of a man turned monster by circumstance. Written on the road, after a string of shows through the depressed towns of inland Australia, the songs lyrical content takes the listener on a crime spree alongside an unlikeable protagonist with a vocal delivery somewhere between Nick Cave and David Byrne.
