It’s been almost two years since Australia saw or heard from Jen Cloher. This November she returns with her band The Endless Sea, to co-headline a run of intimate dates with fellow Melburnian Laura Jean. Over the past 12 months, Jen has been writing her sophomore LP, scheduled for release early 2009. Recorded live over seven days at Woodstock Studios Melbourne, the album was engineered by Paul McKercher (Augie March, Sarah Blasko) and produced by Laura Jean and Jen Cloher. The first single Hidden Hands, mixed by Tony Espie (Avalanches, Architecture in Helsinki), will be released digitally on October the 10th 2008. Harnessing the dark folk-country elements of their first release Dead Wood Falls, Hidden Hands shifts focus from singer-songwriter to band. Drawing on the powerful guitar driven sounds they have developed in their live shows, Hidden Hands sits on the brink of discomfort with Cloher’s confessional vocal delivery offset to angular guitar noise, a pounding rhythm section, bold brass arrangements and an apocalyptic choir. Jen received critical acclaim for her debut LP, Dead Wood Falls (2006), earning an ARIA nomination for Best Female Artist. The strength of her live shows has placed her firmly in that special group of local female artists who command attention, doubling their audience on each return performance. ‘An astonishingly accomplished debut…delivering abundant cause for Cloher to be counted amongst this country’s very brightest of young things.’ Rhythms ‘The most impressive debut of the year.’ The Sydney Morning Herald ‘Praise the Lord, from the quagmire of mediocre wannabes also glows the invincible musicianship of one Jen Cloher...to all the cynics who have lost faith in local folk, stop saying nay and just bloody go and see Jen Cloher.’ Inpress Hidden Hands will be available as a digital download from October 10th, 2008.