It's not every week that you get Album of the Week in a major newspaper! 

Big congratulations to Four Lions for being the featured act in this week's Herald Sun's Hit section, with the first major review of their new album Hard Days. 

Music writer Cameron Adams says: "Hard Days covers an impressive amount of musical terrain in just over 40 minutes", comparing the songs to Oasis, Blur, Paul Kelly, the Rolling Stones - even the Cocteau Twins. 

"Melancholy, country-tinged, Wilco-esque melodic rock seems to be their sweet spot," Adams says. 

Read the full review here: 

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/album-reviews-four-lions-vampire-weekend-and-more/news-story/a7771c2308fffc0db768703bbd9ad02c 

The review has also been featured on the news.com.au website, garnering national exposure for the band and their album. 

Next stop is the Hard Days album tour, which kicks off in Daylesford on Friday, May 17. Full details on the VCV and Four Lions websites, and social media feeds. 

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the shows!

VCV BLOG #7

Today is the day! 

Four Lions' new album, Hard Days - their fourth - has finally hit the shelves, nine months after the boys headed into Head Gap studios in Preston to lay down the tracks. 

The album was recorded by Finn Keane, mixed by Sam Kassirer in Boston, Massachusetts, and mastered by Ludwing Diaz in San Francisco, California. 

You can stream the album now, or purchase it online or in-store: 

https://linktr.ee/fourlionsmusic

The first single How Much, released in Februrary, was followed by Stay, which came out last month. Both singles have received national airplay, and have been included on Spotify playlists compiled by The Australian Music Scene, Music Victoria and Gyrostream, among others. 

Unfortunately, last month's Bendigo Autumn Music Festival, in which Four Lions - one of just three local bands to feature - had a prime slot, was cancelled. But the band is going full steam ahead with its Victorian album tour this month. All details are on the VCV and Four Lions' websites.  

From Daylesford to Kyneton, Ballarat to Geelong, Bendigo to Castlemaine, and a couple of dates in Melbourne, make sure you don't miss out when Four Lions comes to a town near you this month!

VCV Blog #6 

What a weekend! 

Four Lions have just wrapped up their three-date Victorian mini-tour to promote the single How Much, which came out last month, from the forthcoming album Hard Days. 

The boys played their first Melbourne show in two years at Ripponlea's Lyrebird Lounge, previewing several new songs and a few old favourites, on Friday, March 15, to a full room. 

Then it was back on the highway and homeward-bound for the following night's show at a packed Handle Bar on Saturday, March 16. The band finished the tour the next afternoon on Sunday, March 17, among the vines and under sunny skies at The Shiraz Republic at Cornella. 

All shows featured support from their old mates, Canberra-based blues rock duo The Barren Spinsters, and were attended by big, appreciative crowds. 

It's now full steam ahead to April, which will see the release of Four Lions' next single Stay on April 5, and the band's appearance at the inaugural four-day Bendigo Autumn Music Festival. There, they will be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Kurt Vile and the Violators, Tex Perkins and the Fat Rubber Band, and Cash Savage and the Last Drinks - among many, many more.

VCV BLOG #5 

It's been a big week for the boys. 

Last Friday saw the release of How Much, the first single from Four Lions' fourth album Hard Days, which will be out on May 1 on Verse Chorus Verse. 

The band debuted How Much at Summer In The Parks at Crook St Park, Kennington, along with several other new tracks and a bunch of old favourites. 

The event also saw new bassist Bradley Bradford make his public debut on stage. 

It was a balmy summer night in the parks, and the band was thrilled to see so many of their fellow townspeople out and about in support of live and original music. 

If you missed it, never fear - Four Lions will be backing up next month with a Victorian mini-tour to promote the second single, Stay (out on March 1). 

The band will make its first appearance on a Melbourne stage in two years - at Ripponlea's intimate, bohemian Lyrebird Lounge on Friday, March 15. 

It's back to Bendigo on Saturday, March 16, for a show at their old stomping ground Handle Bar. Then cruise out to Cornella's Shiraz Republic with us on Sunday, March 17, for a laidback afternoon of tunes and tipples. Full details on the VCV and Four Lions websites. 

How Much is available now to buy on Bandcamp and iTunes, and to stream on Spotify and Google Play Music.

VCV BLOG #4

It's a new year - and, with that, one door has closed and another has opened for Four Lions. 

The band has bid farewell to foundation bassist Greg Perry, who has amicably left to concentrate on other commitments. Greg has played on all of Four Lions' recordings to date, and gigged with the band from the get-go. 

"We will miss his wisdom, considered advice and solid grounding of our music," lead guitarist Keith MacQueen says. 

Stepping into the breach, with a view to becoming a permanent member, is new bassist Bradley Bradford. 

Brad is an English ex-pat - and experienced muso - who has made a new home for himself in Bendigo. He has built a reputation around town through his involvement with Steve Saxton and The Gentlemen and The Tyson Hodges Trio. 

He will make his debut with Four Lions at Summer In The Parks - their first gig for 2019 - this Friday (February 1). The band will be on stage at Crook St Park, Kennington, from 6.30pm. 

Friday also sees the release of the single How Much (you can stream it right here on the VCV website; see link on the home page). And you can expect to hear it - and a handful of other songs from the forthcoming album Hard Days - in the park on Friday! 

See you there.

VCV BLOG #3 

Shann, Keith and myself had the pleasure of meeting Footstomp director Graham Ashton at the Northcote Social Club last week. That's the great man on the left, rocking a Clash T-shirt. Four Lions are thrilled to be working with Asho and his fellow Footstompers, who will be handling publicity and promotion for the band's upcoming album Hard Days, due out on May 1 on Verse Chorus Verse. 

Footstomp is a highly regarded Brisbane-based music company that has worked with some of the biggest acts in contemporary Australian rock 'n' roll, including You Am I, Ben Lee, Ash Grunwald, Busby Marou, and David Bridie, to name but a few. 

And Asho's team has already hit the ground running, getting the band's songs out into the ears of radio and media peeps around the country. 

We're just a week away from the release of first single How Much, which the boys will be unveiling during their set at Summer In The Parks, Bendigo, that evening. Event details are on both the VCV and Four Lions websites. 

It's Four Lions' first gig for the new year, with many more to come. If you live in Victoria, they will be coming to a town near you in the next couple of months. If you're interstate, expect to see them up the East Coast after the album launches in May. 

They will certainly be clocking up the miles on the road this year! 

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the gigs.

VCV BLOG #2 

Got a sneak peek this week at the video for the upcoming single How Much - and it's a beauty! 

The video was shot in Four Lions' hometown of Bendigo by Ross Jardine and edited by Jordan Allen (4Eyed Flicks), both long-time visual associates of the band. 

It features friends, local musos, and family members, with a special guest appearance by band mascot Lou the dog. Well done to everyone who contributed their talents  - and it looks like it was a blast to make! 

How Much will be officially released on February 1, which is also the date for Four Lions' first show of the new year. 

If you're in Bendigo - and even if you're not - hit the road and head down to Crook St Park for Summer In The Parks, an all-ages free event. 

Four Lions will be on stage from 6.30pm for an hour-long set. And I reckon it's a lock that How Much will appear on the set list! 

Crook St is a familiar venue for the boys - they recorded their 2018 digital-only album Live At Crook St (no ambiguity in that title!) there. 

You can try before you buy at Bandcamp (https://fourlions.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-crook-street) and stream it on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/album/7bvQWJTKahIihhaFqhpJs1?si=GOFNvbx3SliEZ0hnrg0_Ug). 

So scoot over there now and have a listen - and we'll see you in the park next month! 

VCV BLOG #1

If you are a proponent of Chinese astrology - and I'm not - 2019 is the Year of the Pig. The Earth Pig, to be precise. Apparently it will be a year of fortune and luck, which is always a good thing to hear, whether or not you believe in such things! 

But for a while now, I've been telling the boys that it's actually the Year of the (Four) Lions. And, unlike Chinese astrology, I have evidence to back that up! 

First cab off the rank this year is the release of How Much on February 1. It's the first single off the brand spanking new album Hard Days, the band's fourth, which will be out in May. A second single, to be released in March, will bridge the gap. 

The boys have this month off - and they're gonna need it, because they've got a big year ahead of them. 

There'll be a string of dates in Victoria, and up the East Coast, to promote the new material. 

Dates for the Victorian single tour in March are already up on both the VCV and Four Lions Music websites - so stick these in the diary and don't miss out when they come to a venue near you! 

Four Lions headed into the studio in the middle of last year to start work on Hard Days - and the hard yards and extra effort they have put into this record has paid off in spades. I've had it on high rotation for the past month now, and I can't wait for everyone else to hear it, too! 

Even though it's not officially out yet, the single How Much is already up on the VCV website. It's a slice of classic, Americana-tinged heartland rock - and just a little taste of what's to come on the rest of the album. So check it out, give it a listen, let us know what you think! 

And give this Spotify playlist a whirl, too - it's a peek into what the boys were listening to during the making of the new album. If you like these songs, I guarantee that you'll love Hard Days! Four Lions - An Playlist