The Hamiltons, aka Sydney siblings Tom and Emma Hamilton grew up in a musical household, touring as children with their father’s Irish-Folk Band. An eclectic childhood (additionally their mother is Parisian French) saw the duo bingeing on jazz standards, The Everley Brothers, and Brian Wilson: resulting in a pleasantly nostalgic sound to their music.
Fast forward to 2012, when a young Emma released her debut album, ‘La Musique’. A jazz album, it explored their bilingual heritage with a rich mixture of French Jazz classics and original music. Produced by her brother Tom, it was highly acclaimed in Australia, and led an international slot opening for Australian guitar legend, Tommy Emmanuel, who invited the pair to tour with him, throughout Europe and Russia.
One thing leading to another, Tom and Emma relocated to London in January of this year, expanding the band to a 5 piece, adding tuba, guitar and drums. They’re currently working on their debut album with producer/mixer Adrian Hall, who’s previously worked with The Black Eyed Peas and Simply Red.
‘Paranoid’, the first single release from The Hamiltons, is out on 25 September, and it’s a little humdinger. Featuring Tommy Emmanuel on guitar, plus a rich trumpet sound, the song is warm and seductive, right from the first scratch and pop at the beginning simulating the crackle of a vinyl record. Emma’s voice is honey soft and cabaret-like: 1 part strip tease, 1 part Betty Boop, and 1 part each of Addams Family and Gothic Horror. In short, it’s a gorgeous tune worth listening to more than once.
The Hamiltons are on tour throughout October and November, including concerts in Vilnius, Lithuania 8-12 October. The duo then return to London, playing Rich Mix 21st October, The Pheasantry on October 29, and as support for Ryan Sheridan on November 9 at The Borderline. Further information can be found on The Hamiltons’ Official Website. You can also find them online on Twitter, Facebook and Soundcloud. Check out their video for ‘Paranoid’, made in and around London’s Camden Markets, among other London landmarks:
