Australian Roots Band, The Audreys, Returns Following Long Hiatus

The Audreys
"Ruin & Repair"
(self-released)
2025

The Audreys formed in 2004 in Adelaide, Australia. The original line-up consisted of Taasha Coates on lead vocals; Cameron Goodall on guitar, bass guitar, and backing vocals; his brother Tristan Goodall on guitar and banjo; and Michael Green on violin, lap steel guitar, and backing vocals. Over the years, the band has undergone numerous personnel changes, with Coates remaining the consistent creative force. 

The band took an 11-year break from recording after their fourth album, 2014’s “'Til My Tears Roll Away.” Their 2025 release, “Ruin & Repair,” marks a welcome return for this folk-rock favorite. Opening with "I Remember Everything" is a beautiful duet that showcases the vocal talents of Taasha Coates and the album's co-producer, Ryan Martin John, along with Tom Kneebone's delicate banjo playing. “Beatles V Stones” and “Secondhand Boots " explore ill-fated mismatched romance, while “Subterranean” and “To Want to Be Loved” are resolute in their pursuit of love.

The group lineup for this venture includes Taasha Coates on lead vocals, Tom Kneebone on guitar and banjo, Beej Barker on drums, and Felicity Freeman on bass. These skilled musicians effectively bring to life Goodall and Coates' compositions. From the upbeat songs to the more reflective “Norfolk Island Pine," "Beyond Compare," and “You’re in A Dream," they never fail to satisfy.

Tristan Goodall succumbed to cancer in 2022, leaving a significant void in not only The Audreys but also the lives of his brother, Cameron, and longtime friend and musical soulmate, Taasha Coates. "Beyond Compare" and "You're In A Dream" are heartfelt tributes to Tristan. In the former, Taasha sings, "Between love and loss is a great big lake full of all the choices that you never got to make." The latter imagines their loved one safe and warm, free of pain and far from the Winter's chill. The album dedication reads, “In loving memory of our brother & best friend Tristan Goodall, 1974-2022.”

This album features Taasha Coates's warm, beautiful lead vocals throughout and songs that linger with the listener long after the last note has played. The songs have a natural flow that feels like a laid-back evening spent with friends, reminiscing and sharing memories of days gone by. Best of all, "Ruin & Repair" reveals greater depth and charm with each listen, making it a record worth revisiting frequently.