"... (Y)ou feel transformed. Amid delicate, weaving guitars and sumptuous bass, Jessie Vintila is a true singer. A study of what she does with her voice alone makes Lay Down My Arms a deep, enduring pleasure."
Arne Sjostedt - The Age
"...(C)aptivating folk melodies and honeyed voices.
If their debut album, Thirteen O’clock, was cinnamon, Lay Down My Arms is nutmeg; imbued with the same spice of life, but a little less sweet. The vocals of Jessie Vintila possess an ephemeral fragility that strikes deep.
Songs co-written with Emma Royle project a powerful emotional mixture including pain, compassion and homecomings.
Opener Let Me Forget is a highlight, with a toe-tapping tune and chiming guitars. Another winner, Turn On In, was written for Jessie’s dad during a difficult period in his life. Its choppy guitars add power in the chorus and it’s even more commanding live; drummer Anastassijah Scales underscores the lyrics with blows from her mallets. The cheery Anyway, written by Emma and a semi-finalist in an international songwriting contest, bounces along with good advice about life. Their happiness at coming home to Byron Bay after their first album launch comes through clearly in Thing About Leaving, with Ben Franz providing a country twang with his lap steel guitar.
This release retains the successful recipe of alluring melodies, lyrics from the heart and warm harmonies that made Thirteen O’clock so special, but raises the bar with its complex arrangements."
Rory McCartney - BMA
“…a major talent on the roots/pop/folk music scene…The Lucky Wonders’ new album, Lay Down My Arms, again shows very strong song writing from Vintila and Royle and is full of sensitive, personal songs that explore life experiences, with warmth, love, hope and kindness.”
Sue Barrett – The Cornstalk Gazette
"They have the songs and talent to forge their own path."
Darcy Condon - Splendour in the Grass
"Their energy and essence comes through in quality songwriting and poignant, emotional delivery. Great harmonies."
Rusty Thorpe - Bluesfest
"Really impressed. They killed it. The Lucky Wonders really know what they're doing."
Dan Condon - Time Off
“This delicate blend of delightful melodies and stories about love, hard times and happiness is sure to appeal to those seeking an album that is quintessential to what many people seek or experience. The CD covers a lot of ground and provides genuine optimism. The Byron Bay outfit recorded the album with help from Ben Franz (The Waifs), Anthony Lycenko (Pete Murray and The Beautiful Girls) and Dave Sanders (Acre), so it is no surprise Thirteen O’Clock is as good as it is. The opening track, Home, is a gentle, gorgeous affair, as is the mysterious Nullarbor and the enticing Please Don’t Break Me Down. This outstanding CD is a breath of fresh air and a must for those seeking respite from the garbage that bombards the airwaves. FOUR STARS"
John Andrewartha - Hobart Mercury
“Songwriting duo Jessie Vintila and Emma Royle have released a stunning debut album. Jessie’s vocals are the highlight of this CD, with tones that really lift the heart. She sounds achingly beautiful in Emotional and in So You’ve Never her sweet voice brings to mind Frente’s frontwoman Angie Hart. Melodies are beguiling in their simplicity and, combined with the crystal vocals and some nerve-tingling harmonies, they make a winning package. FOUR STARS"
Rory McCartney - BMA Magazine
“Singer songwriter duo Jessie Vintila and Emma Royle are set to warm your hearts with their gentle, melodic harmonies and folk-pop arrangements peppered with bright ukulele, glockenspiel and harmonica...the sense of optimism is so strong and the tunes are so uplifting, that you want to turn it up and dance around the kitchen (preferably with sun streaming through the windows)… As the clock strikes thirteen, Vintila and Royle prove themselves to be valid up-and-coming contributors to the ever-growing Australian singer-songwriter scene. And it's nothing to do with luck, but a whole heap of talent.”
The Dwarf
“Jessie Vintila and Emma Royle’s soothing voices soar across each track in this relaxing and warm sounding album.”
Scene Magazine
“The Lucky Wonders have written a sweet collection of songs that are produced in a slick indi/folk fashion with the assistance of Rockinghorse engineer and Acre veteran Anthony Lycenko. Songwriting collaborations can be fertile affairs and it would appear that Emma Royle and Jessie Vintila have found plenty of grist for the mill by evidence of what is on this album. Guitars, ukuleles bass and drums are the main instrumental vehicles here with some tasteful keyboards, glockenspiels, trumpets and strings used to flesh things out. The production quality is excellent and performances all first class…Under the Night really stands out with some very evocative piano and a lovely melodic outro featuring voice, piano, flugel horn and slide guitar. Vintila’s voice has an unapologetic Australianness that is thankfully not so rare these days. There is a Angie Hart-like whimsy to the her delivery in a track like So You’ve Never and an Audreys’-like melancholy beneath the surface in songs like Happy Pill or Closing In. Vocal harmonies play a big part in the sound of this album and the various doublings and call and response tactics work a treat.”
Northern Rivers Echo
“Some of the most gorgeous folk-pop I’ve heard in some time...This is a stunning album which takes music back to its roots. In a world of over-processed synthesised sounds the simplicity of The Lucky Wonders music really stands out. It’s simple, but effective, rooted in beautiful harmonies and acoustic orchestration. It’s amazing to think this album is only the start of The Lucky Wonders’ story. With such maturity in their first release, this Byron Bay band definitely has a big future ahead.”
Sound Of Oz
“It is unashamedly emotional folky pop music, but that’s exactly why you have to love it. Happy Pill is one of the most instantly likeable songs I’ve heard in a while, and there’s a good reason it’s all over the airwaves. ‘Thirteen O’Clock’ is an uplifting and life-affirming record, and there is absolutely no reason at all not to like it … there’s something really endearing about an album this unashamedly emotional and real.”
And Pluck your Strings
“…delightful and eclectic…refreshing and enjoyable. Delicate, catchy, funky and foot tapping, almost country in some tracks, this is a great presentation of life and love in the modern day… A great debut album from The Lucky Wonders and hopefully the first of many more…”
Conscious Living
“This is a gorgeous album that lovers of low-key pop and acoustica should take to heart.”
Southern Star Observer
“Wonderfully light, breezy, melodic soft pop… The Lucky Wonders really have a winner on their hands here… Our guess is that by year's end the folks in The Lucky Wonders will end up being on a great many "best of 2010" lists. TOP PICK”
Babysue.com
“Jessie and Emma's voices work beautifully together."
Beat Magazine
"The only trouble with The Lucky Wonders release is that it leaves you wanting more."
The Northern Star
Live Review
Skipping Girl Vinegar with support from The Lucky Wonders & Charlie Mayfair
@ The Troubadour, Brisbane
“The opening band for the evening, The Lucky Wonders stirred up the crowd with their folksy roots pop music. Hailing from the hippy town of Byron Bay, the three women and one man were quirky, cute, and very catchy. The crowd were clearly digging their tunes, with singer Jessie Vintila’s vocals strong and melodic. Their last song ended with a toe-tapping hoe down, and the Lucky Wonders quite nearly stole the show.”
News Unlimited
Anyway/Thing About Leaving single review
“How can any band sound so sincere and pure...? Hard to believe, but the folks in Australia's The Lucky Wonders make music that really is genuine and sincere. We were blown away by these ladies' last full-length release (and so were a lot of other folks)...and now they're following it up with this juicy little single…both superb cuts that are more than worth multiple spins. This sure whets our appetites for more. Only seven plus minutes in length...this little teaser disc most surely is intended to satiate listeners until the next full-length can be recorded and released. We can't wait...”
babysue.com
"'Thing About Leaving' is a cracker!”
the au review
Arne Sjostedt - The Age
"...(C)aptivating folk melodies and honeyed voices.
If their debut album, Thirteen O’clock, was cinnamon, Lay Down My Arms is nutmeg; imbued with the same spice of life, but a little less sweet. The vocals of Jessie Vintila possess an ephemeral fragility that strikes deep.
Songs co-written with Emma Royle project a powerful emotional mixture including pain, compassion and homecomings.
Opener Let Me Forget is a highlight, with a toe-tapping tune and chiming guitars. Another winner, Turn On In, was written for Jessie’s dad during a difficult period in his life. Its choppy guitars add power in the chorus and it’s even more commanding live; drummer Anastassijah Scales underscores the lyrics with blows from her mallets. The cheery Anyway, written by Emma and a semi-finalist in an international songwriting contest, bounces along with good advice about life. Their happiness at coming home to Byron Bay after their first album launch comes through clearly in Thing About Leaving, with Ben Franz providing a country twang with his lap steel guitar.
This release retains the successful recipe of alluring melodies, lyrics from the heart and warm harmonies that made Thirteen O’clock so special, but raises the bar with its complex arrangements."
Rory McCartney - BMA
“…a major talent on the roots/pop/folk music scene…The Lucky Wonders’ new album, Lay Down My Arms, again shows very strong song writing from Vintila and Royle and is full of sensitive, personal songs that explore life experiences, with warmth, love, hope and kindness.”
Sue Barrett – The Cornstalk Gazette
"They have the songs and talent to forge their own path."
Darcy Condon - Splendour in the Grass
"Their energy and essence comes through in quality songwriting and poignant, emotional delivery. Great harmonies."
Rusty Thorpe - Bluesfest
"Really impressed. They killed it. The Lucky Wonders really know what they're doing."
Dan Condon - Time Off
“This delicate blend of delightful melodies and stories about love, hard times and happiness is sure to appeal to those seeking an album that is quintessential to what many people seek or experience. The CD covers a lot of ground and provides genuine optimism. The Byron Bay outfit recorded the album with help from Ben Franz (The Waifs), Anthony Lycenko (Pete Murray and The Beautiful Girls) and Dave Sanders (Acre), so it is no surprise Thirteen O’Clock is as good as it is. The opening track, Home, is a gentle, gorgeous affair, as is the mysterious Nullarbor and the enticing Please Don’t Break Me Down. This outstanding CD is a breath of fresh air and a must for those seeking respite from the garbage that bombards the airwaves. FOUR STARS"
John Andrewartha - Hobart Mercury
“Songwriting duo Jessie Vintila and Emma Royle have released a stunning debut album. Jessie’s vocals are the highlight of this CD, with tones that really lift the heart. She sounds achingly beautiful in Emotional and in So You’ve Never her sweet voice brings to mind Frente’s frontwoman Angie Hart. Melodies are beguiling in their simplicity and, combined with the crystal vocals and some nerve-tingling harmonies, they make a winning package. FOUR STARS"
Rory McCartney - BMA Magazine
“Singer songwriter duo Jessie Vintila and Emma Royle are set to warm your hearts with their gentle, melodic harmonies and folk-pop arrangements peppered with bright ukulele, glockenspiel and harmonica...the sense of optimism is so strong and the tunes are so uplifting, that you want to turn it up and dance around the kitchen (preferably with sun streaming through the windows)… As the clock strikes thirteen, Vintila and Royle prove themselves to be valid up-and-coming contributors to the ever-growing Australian singer-songwriter scene. And it's nothing to do with luck, but a whole heap of talent.”
The Dwarf
“Jessie Vintila and Emma Royle’s soothing voices soar across each track in this relaxing and warm sounding album.”
Scene Magazine
“The Lucky Wonders have written a sweet collection of songs that are produced in a slick indi/folk fashion with the assistance of Rockinghorse engineer and Acre veteran Anthony Lycenko. Songwriting collaborations can be fertile affairs and it would appear that Emma Royle and Jessie Vintila have found plenty of grist for the mill by evidence of what is on this album. Guitars, ukuleles bass and drums are the main instrumental vehicles here with some tasteful keyboards, glockenspiels, trumpets and strings used to flesh things out. The production quality is excellent and performances all first class…Under the Night really stands out with some very evocative piano and a lovely melodic outro featuring voice, piano, flugel horn and slide guitar. Vintila’s voice has an unapologetic Australianness that is thankfully not so rare these days. There is a Angie Hart-like whimsy to the her delivery in a track like So You’ve Never and an Audreys’-like melancholy beneath the surface in songs like Happy Pill or Closing In. Vocal harmonies play a big part in the sound of this album and the various doublings and call and response tactics work a treat.”
Northern Rivers Echo
“Some of the most gorgeous folk-pop I’ve heard in some time...This is a stunning album which takes music back to its roots. In a world of over-processed synthesised sounds the simplicity of The Lucky Wonders music really stands out. It’s simple, but effective, rooted in beautiful harmonies and acoustic orchestration. It’s amazing to think this album is only the start of The Lucky Wonders’ story. With such maturity in their first release, this Byron Bay band definitely has a big future ahead.”
Sound Of Oz
“It is unashamedly emotional folky pop music, but that’s exactly why you have to love it. Happy Pill is one of the most instantly likeable songs I’ve heard in a while, and there’s a good reason it’s all over the airwaves. ‘Thirteen O’Clock’ is an uplifting and life-affirming record, and there is absolutely no reason at all not to like it … there’s something really endearing about an album this unashamedly emotional and real.”
And Pluck your Strings
“…delightful and eclectic…refreshing and enjoyable. Delicate, catchy, funky and foot tapping, almost country in some tracks, this is a great presentation of life and love in the modern day… A great debut album from The Lucky Wonders and hopefully the first of many more…”
Conscious Living
“This is a gorgeous album that lovers of low-key pop and acoustica should take to heart.”
Southern Star Observer
“Wonderfully light, breezy, melodic soft pop… The Lucky Wonders really have a winner on their hands here… Our guess is that by year's end the folks in The Lucky Wonders will end up being on a great many "best of 2010" lists. TOP PICK”
Babysue.com
“Jessie and Emma's voices work beautifully together."
Beat Magazine
"The only trouble with The Lucky Wonders release is that it leaves you wanting more."
The Northern Star
Live Review
Skipping Girl Vinegar with support from The Lucky Wonders & Charlie Mayfair
@ The Troubadour, Brisbane
“The opening band for the evening, The Lucky Wonders stirred up the crowd with their folksy roots pop music. Hailing from the hippy town of Byron Bay, the three women and one man were quirky, cute, and very catchy. The crowd were clearly digging their tunes, with singer Jessie Vintila’s vocals strong and melodic. Their last song ended with a toe-tapping hoe down, and the Lucky Wonders quite nearly stole the show.”
News Unlimited
Anyway/Thing About Leaving single review
“How can any band sound so sincere and pure...? Hard to believe, but the folks in Australia's The Lucky Wonders make music that really is genuine and sincere. We were blown away by these ladies' last full-length release (and so were a lot of other folks)...and now they're following it up with this juicy little single…both superb cuts that are more than worth multiple spins. This sure whets our appetites for more. Only seven plus minutes in length...this little teaser disc most surely is intended to satiate listeners until the next full-length can be recorded and released. We can't wait...”
babysue.com
"'Thing About Leaving' is a cracker!”
the au review
