Josh Pyke: a name perhaps unfamiliar with most, but this Australian singer-songwriter has a special talent for melody and a quirky lyricism distinguishing him from his peers.

Originally in a band, Night Hour, Josh's unique talent rewarded him with a solo record deal with Australia's Ivy League Records. An undeniable self-belief and hard graft paid off in the end: "it was just a matter of persistance I guess" he told us, "a war of attrition."

True to his straightforward attitude, Josh arrived solo to the session studios, where we had arranged an intimate setup for his performance in front of a select crowd, whipping through a set consisting of songs from his debut mini-album, Feeding The Wolves.

He performed Private Education, Time Has Told Me and Middle Of The Hill, which Josh describes as "definitely my most personal and literal song", about his experiences growing up in a suburb of Sydney. It's the first single from his full-length debut, Memories And Dust, which is out in May.

With his gift for insightful lyrics, Pyke's delicate treatment of the complexities and subtleties of human experience and emotion recall his influences, Elliott Smith, Sparklehorse, The Shins and James Taylor.

With his talent winning him support slots with The Walkmen, Scott Matthews and Ben Kweller, and his own tours, Josh Pyke will be busy in the upcoming year. He'll also be occupied with checking off his ambitions: "It's crazy" he says, "you set yourself goals, then when you achieve them, you set yourself a hundred new ones!"

Listen to three tracks from Josh Pyke, and take a look behind the scenes.

- Download Josh Pyke with iTunes
- Visit his official website
- Search: Josh Pyke

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