..."Montgomery Church make a rare kind of hill country magic: spinning gossamer tapestries with timeless acoustic sounds, quicksilver vocal harmonies, and the kind of unassuming storytelling that burrows deep into the subconscious.
With their glorious debut LP, the duo frequently draws from the same wellspring as Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings (see especially ‘I’m Gonna Love Her All the Time’), while also tipping their hats to all corners of the trad. country and Americana compass:
Few albums of recent memory plumb such depths of feeling with such exquisite ease.".....
Gareth Hipwell - (Country Update Magazine)
Cielle Montgomery and James Church are 4x Golden Guitar Award Finalists, Montgomery Church. A blend of acoustic folk, americana and bluegrass influences, grown and distilled in the Snowy Mountain ranges of NSW. With their organic union of dobro, guitar and harmony vocals, this captivating duo are breaking ground in the contemporary folk-country music scene through the masterful control of their instruments, inspired songwriting and magnetic live performances. They have toured far and wide and graced the stages of many iconic festivals including Nannup Music Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, National Folk Festival, Groundwater Country Music Festival & Americanafest in Nashville.
Since their formation, Montgomery Church have been quietly but quickly gathering a fan base who site their undeniable chemistry as a rare and beautiful thing to see live.
..."Montgomery Church are like the Australian version of Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings but if Gillian was the daughter of Allison Krauss...sitting on a porch, with tea not whiskey...I'm a tad obsessed...The most graceful duo literally gracing stages right now"...
Fanny Lumsden (Golden Guitar Award Winner & ARIA Award Nominee)
August 2021 saw Montgomery Church release their highly anticipated sophomore album, ‘Where The Quiet Can Hide’. Produced by 7 x GRAMMY nominated Producer and Engineer, Erick Jaskowiak (Della Mae, Crooked Still, Darrell Scott) and featuring the duo’s signature acoustic sound that is known to bury deep into the soul. With the addition of some magic touches from 11 x IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year & GRAMMY Award winner, Michael Cleveland, as well as a selection of Australia’s finest instrumentalists including Paddy Montgomery (Mandolin), Isaac Gunnoo (Double Bass), Rachel Johnston (Cello), Gabi Blissett (Fiddle & Strings Section) & Syd Green (percussion) this 10 track offering represents a true acoustic folk-country sound rarely heard in the Australian music scene today.
Featuring an all-original collection of songs written in their little house of stone amidst the scenic Snowy Mountains of NSW, Montgomery Church explore themes from Australian history, rural landscapes, heartache and sorrow through their thoughtful storytelling, longing harmonies and carefully intertwined instrumentation on dobro and guitar.
Debuting at #3 on the ARIA Australian Country Album Charts & #2 on the Australian Independent Record Label Charts, 'Where The Quiet Can Hide' has also earned the duo 2 x Golden Guitar Award nominations in 2022 & 2 x finalist positions in the Australian Folk Music Awards.
...."I’m a big fan of great songs and great singers, but it’s the sheer authenticity here that really speaks to me - the honesty is powerful and the sweetness sublime.”....
Shane Nicholson (ARIA and Golden Guitar Award Winning Artist)
