The Troubadour

In amongst the madness and fervor that has been the last two years, Melbournian four-piece Skipping Girl Vinegar have become one of the most talked about bands in Australia today. Comprising of brother/sister duo Mark and Sare Lang and their respective childhood friends Chris Helm and Amanthi Lynch, their debut single One Chance was the Australian itunes ’single of the week’, added to high-rotation on Triple J and championed by major alternative and ABC radio nationwide. The accompanying animated clip for ‘One Chance’ also received critical acclaim with Rage featuring it as their first ever ‘indie clip of the week’ and JTV featuring it as their “new clip for the week” before it then charted in their Top 20. They were highlighted in Triple J’s Oz Music month as a ‘next crop’ artist.

Following the success of One Chance and with the release of their debut album pending, Skipping Girl Vinegar were offered some serious six figure major label & indie offers to release the album in Australia. But with a groundswell of international interest in the group rivaling that at home, they made the decision to maintain their independent route and release via their own label Secret Fox & licence the album in Australia to Melbourne label Popboomerang and MGM distribution. Released in Australia Sep 13th 2008, SGV’s debut album “Sift The Noise” is testament to the band’s obsession with melody, pop-hook, and the search to stretch their song craft. A dark, warm, organic record that reflects the environments and journey of the band, it was received ecstatically by public and media alike.

Reviews across Australia were rapturous. Rip It Up Magazine in Adelaide and Rave Magazine in Brisbane both made the title track their respective ‘single of the week’ and press in Sydney, Melbourne and all other capitals were no less receptive. Drum Media called it “a classic pop sense that doesn’t get bogged in its own vision of itself” but Rip It Up Magazine were straight to the point: “In an age of downloads and ringtones, Skipping Girl Vinegar stand out from the pack”. JMAG and the Music Australia Guide (MAG) both gave the album 4.5 stars. The title track was added to high rotation on JJJ and ABC local radio nationwide in February 2009. The accompanying
animated clip for ‘Sift The Noise’ also received critical acclaim with Rage featuring it as SGV’s second ‘indie clip of the week’.

And so it has continued, SGV has played many of Australia’s premier festivals including The Falls Festival 2008, Sunset Sounds 2009 and the Port Fairy Folk Festival… SGV have supported the likes of Bob Evans, The Lemonheads (USA), Something for Kate, Shout Out Louds (Sweden), Little Birdy, Missy Higgins, Angus & Julia Stone, Kate Miller-Heidke, Weddings Parties Anything (reunion tour) and many more.

Skipping Girl Vinegar are different. A large part of their national momentum continues to come about in an extremely organic fa but it’s something the band have actively fostered via the overall ethos they apply to everything they do, for example: shion
• all of their singles have been released in handmade sleeves, each with a library card in its own pocket on the back,
• the album also has its own ‘borrowers’ card and comes in it’s own calico ‘audio library’ bag
• each single has been accompanied by a animated film clip that run’s in a 4 part series (ie One Chance is part 1, Sift
The Noise part 2 etc) that can all be viewed consecutively for the full story.
• one of the bands main method of promo is their ‘postal revolution’, whereby they send ‘old school’ hand written
letters announcing shows / news etc to the personal home addresses of thousands of fans (all of whom have signed
up to receive them at shows / online etc).

The band have just completed their national Australian ‘Music From Cold Places’ winter 09 Tour which saw them play every state and territory in the country. Festival appearances will also be soon announced for the summer of 09 / 10.

“Skipping Girl Vinegars debut album is so goddamned beautiful I really could punch myself…veering smoothly between rousing and ruminative, bittersweet and simply sweet its hard to find fault with any track here… The term ‘crafted’ is often bandied around in album review wankery, but in this case that’s exactly what SGV have done with Sift the Noise. This album hasn’t been ‘layed down’ but carefully lovingly embroidered”: 4.5 Stars - J Mag

“Skipping Girl Vinegar could be your new favourite band… Organic is an overused word in the music business but Sift The Noise feels earthy, warm, genuine and, yes, organic… The title track in particular should be a summer smash… At a time when pop is becoming more disposable, Skipping Girl Vinegar are the real deal”: 4 Stars - Music Australia Guide (MAG)
“You don’t have to look far to find out that Skipping Girl Vinegar are one of the up and coming bands in Australia right now. Thankfully their debut album ‘Sift The Noise’ does nothing to disappoint… an album that surely ranks as one of the finest Australian releases this year”: Scene Magazine

“The album of the year for me… one of the most exciting albums to come out of Australia in a long time, [Skipping Girl Vinegar] have set the bar for music in Australia”: Parx E Zine

“Sift The Noise. Note that in your diary as one item that’s going to be in heavy demand for borrowers and buyers alike”: 5 Stars – The Courier Mail

“Sift The Noise is an absolute gem of an album… it is only a matter of time before word spreads about this totally genuine and credible little album. Ten fantastic organic pop cuts… Beautiful stuff delivered with true style. Highly recommended”: 5 Stars – Baby Sue

“An Aussie band that’s turned down the overtures of some major industry heavy hitters to remain independent… a beautifully balanced swing through a range of moods… Get the bag, get the album, get Skipping Girl Vinegar. It’s the right thing to do”: Rip It Up Magazine