The new single ‘Holding Pattern’ released by Queensland artists Camille Trail and Brad Butcher is what one could call a treat. A treat can be a surprise, it can be a delight, it can be something we want without even knowing we wanted it. A treat is also a reward. This song, written in London in 2019 by Shane Nicholson with Matt Benbrook and Amy Lawton, and produced by Nicholson – who has also produced Trail’s first three singles as well as her upcoming album – is all of those things.
Trail has, in fairly short order, established herself as a prominent new talent in Australian country music, releasing singles that show her astuteness as a writer and strength as a singer. Butcher is a Golden Guitar winner who released an excellent debut album and kept up that standard with his next three. He is one of the best singers in Australia, able to draw the listener in with crisp articulation and a warm, often intriguing tone to his voice that is immediately identifiable. Trail and Butcher do not have the same singing style, which is one of the reasons why this recording works so well, the two protagonists in the song’s story pulling together and apart, sparring and melding.
Trail first met Butcher when she was at university in Brisbane, three years ago, and they wrote a song together. These days they don’t live far from each other, in the Rockhampton area/Darumbal country. It was Trail who asked Nicholson about using the song, and he enthusiastically agreed.
The video for ‘Holding Pattern’ was directed by Levi Appleton, who worked with Butcher on his video for ‘I Walk the Line Revisited’. It was filed at 45 On East, a café and music venue in Rockhampton.
In August Trail will be touring in support of Nicholson and also opening select shows for Michael Waugh. She and Butcher are also making plans for a tour.
CAMILLE TRAIL SHOW DATES:
Friday 20th August – Factory Floor (w/ Shane Nicholson) – Marrickville, NSW
Friday 27th August – Lizotte’s (w/ Shane Nicholson) – Newcastle, NSW
Friday 10th September – Memo Music Hall (w/ Shane Nicholson) – St Kilda, VIC
Sunday 12th September – Railway Hotel (w/ Shane Nicholson) – Mt Macedon, VIC
Friday 17th September – Harmonie German Club (w/ Shane Nicholson) – Canberra, ACT
Saturday 18th September – Bowral Bowling Club (w/ Shane Nicholson) – Bowral, NSW
Thursday 23rd September – Oodies Café (w/ Michael Waugh) – Bundaberg, QLD
Friday 1st October – Savanah In the Round – Mareeba, QLD
Saturday 2nd October – Savanah In the Round – Mareeba, QLD
Saturday 9th October – The Barn at Wombat Flat (w/ Michael Waugh) – Neales Flat, SA
Sunday 10th October – Trinity Sessions (w/ Michael Waugh) – Adelaide, SA