Friends chime in for Kiwi songbird

ON THE ROAD: Folk singer Mel Parsons is touring with songs from her latest album Drylands featuring some impressive names. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Folk sweetheart Mel Parsons is back with a new album, featuring a few friends.

She called on inspirational Canadian songwriter Ron Sexsmith for 13-track offering Drylands, and was excited when he came on board with standout song Don't Wait.

Other international guests include renown Irish cellist Vyvienne Long (Damien Rice), and ex-Waterboys bassist Trevor Hutchinson, while New York-based Kiwi Andrew Keoghan contributes haunting depth to mellow retrospective Friend.

As with her last release Red Grey Blue in 2011, touring companion and long-time friend Anika Moa appears heavily as a backing vocalist.

Parsons' third full length CD was recorded at former Waipawa man Lee Prebble's Surgery studio in Wellington late last year and was finished by Christmas.

Co-produced by the singer songwriter herself alongside Irish-Kiwi Gerry Paul, it takes a sonic side-step while maintaining her talent for storytelling.

Paul, who tours internationally with Grammy-winning bluegrass star Tim O'Brien, plays electric and acoustic guitars, with Bunnies On Ponies' Craig Terris on drums, and bassist Aaron Stewart rounding out the rhythm section.

Spending five weeks on the road before recording proved an ideal roadtest for fresh material.

"It gave us the opportunity to feel out what worked, which songs really connected with audiences," Parsons says.

The 33-year-old indie singer-songwriter will perform at The Playhouse Theatre in Hastings on Friday, May 8 as part of her nationwide Drylands tour - a 22-date circuit which follows six weeks in Canada and North America.

That included an appearance at the Folk Alliance International in Kansas City - the only New Zealander invited to play - and several transtasman dates with Fly My Pretties, as well as slots at the Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland and Womad festival in New Plymouth.

The tour repertoire focused mainly on new tunes with a scattering of favourites from her earlier recordings.

Both previous recordings, debut Over My Shoulder (2009) and sophomore Red Grey Blue were named finalists for Folk Album Of The Year at the New Zealand Music Awards.

Parsons is a seasoned traveller and performer having lived two years in the Rocky Mountains, British Columbia and a year on the fringes of the Atacama Desert in Chile, but she remained true to her roots after growing up on the family farm at Cape Foulwind near Westport.

The hardworking singer songwriter has made home a hotel room as she worked to build a solid fan base both here and throughout the globe - relentlessly racking up tours and festivals in Australia, Germany, Canada, UK and Ireland.

"Taking a breath when you want is not really the nature of it," she says.

"When it's all go, you really have to ride it - you can't just say, 'Awww I think I'm tired now - time for a break'."

A well-earned holiday is booked for late May when she plans to escape reality without a cell phone or computer for a "proper chill-out".

- Tickets are available online at eventfinda.co.nz