The Riflebirds is Simon Kennedy’s attempt to mix Tom Waits ballads, low key Americana, obscure slow-core German jazz and English Doom Metal. A one-man vanity project, The Riflebirds self titled debut EP was launched at the Zoo in Brisbane in late 2008. Recorded by Brisbane indie rock Albini, Todd Dixon (The Rational Academy, Tragic/Athletic) and produced by Andrew White (restream, Mr. Maps), the EP features 3 guest vocalists (Joel Edmondson, Rachael Smith and Andrew White) and clocks in at under 15 minutes. Add in very occasional live performances and it starts to sound like an unusual debut, but this beautiful record silences any confusion.

Rave Magazine agreed and made it their indie release of the week:

The Hangar protégés impress with a batch of concise post-rock songs. First of all, the terms ‘post-rock’ and ‘concise’ don’t and probably shouldn’t go together in one sentence, but I’m going to make an exception regardless because The Riflebirds manage to convincingly nail both. Rich on moody, minor-chord guitar progressions and doleful yet emphatic vocal delivery

Simon Kennedy and the Riflebirds have relocated to Melbourne to work on the follow up recording. The band will return to play shows Brisbane late in 2010.