"Penelope Swales is a unique Australian singer/songwriter and performer. She performs usually as a soloist but also performs with many of her colleagues in various line-ups. She is a quality performer who always wins her audience irrespective of their age or demographic background. She writes and sings about contemporary and historic Australian life developing great pictures of the issues and the experience of ordinary people. She has much to offer her audience and I believe she is a great representative of Australian culture."

- Bill Hauritz, Director Queensland Folk Federation, Woodford Folk Festival

Latest news - Penelope in Peru!

After my current tour, I'm going to Peru with the Global Volunteer Network to teach English in a small village in the Urubamba Valley through November and December this year. I will be teaching in the school (as assistant to the local teacher) as well as running workshops for adults, and helping with my host family's daily work including weaving and agriculture. As a volunteer, I am required to cover my own expenses. Please help! You can make a secure donation through paypal by clicking on the link below. 

NB: if you have made a prior donation and can't see it here, it's because I've gotten in a muddle with Paypal (I gave them my street address instead of my billing address and their diligent automatic security measures froze my account). This is only temporary, but in the meantime, I had to start a new collection. The total donated so far is $1487 USD plus whatever is above. Huge thanks for your support!

Your donation will go towards one of the following - amounts in US Dollars:

Airfares $1000, 
GVN membership $400, 
GVN program fee (covers meals accommodation, in-country support, carbon offset and the first month's insurance) $1577
Second month's insurance $56
Vaccinations $154
Departure tax $30
Teach English as a Foreign Language course (not required by GVN, but it'd be nice to know what I'm doing) $500
Pocket money (amount recommended by GVN) $300
Trip to see Machu Picchu (if I raise enough, that is...) $215

if you'd like to make a contribution but prefer not to do paypal, you can send your donation to PO Box 686, Emerald, 3782, Australia. (Bear in mind that an international cheque costs $10 to bank)

Alternatively you can ring 03 5968 1625 (+61 3 5968 1625 if international) and ask for Jack. He can take credit card over the phone for me.

Thank you lovely people, 

Penelope

Now, back to the music...

"Full of earthy sensuality, poetic musings, lust loss and sex... layers of meaning...another engaging album from Penelope Swales"

                                                      - Sue Barrett, Rhythms Magazine, Australia
                                                               September 2007

Congratulations on another great record. It's am exquisite end to "So Lucky"

                                                                        - Carl Pannuzzo, Singer and Songwriter

Melbourne Singer/Songwriter Penelope Swales will tour internationally in 2008 both to promote her new solo CD “Skin: Deep.” and with her caberet-comedy band Totally Gourdgeous.  Skin: Deep is her 9th solo CD, and Totally Gourdgeous will be recording their 4th album live at this years' Woodford Folk festival

"I used to traipse around the place, having love affairs and singing about politics" quips Penelope. "Now I study politics and only want to sing about love."

Fans of Swales's poltical material should not despair. In truth, there is plenty that is political about Skin: Deep - Polymorphous Love Songs. "So Lucky" is the obvious track here, as it invites the listener to consider the ways in which we in industrialised democracies take our good fortune for granted, both forgetting the role previous radicals played in creating our freedoms and overlooking the fact that, as willing consumers, we play a central role in an economic system that creates massive inequity on a global scale. 

But there is also running through the album a deep chord of rebellion. At a time when sexual conservatism seems to be again on the rise, Swales is championing the individual  woman's right to explore, own her body and define the nature of her desires.  Skin: Deep ventures deep into the uncharted territory of human relationships exploring themes such as polyamory, jealousy, compassion, grief and confidence. The nature of loyalty and disloyalty, greed and generosity, and the often unspoken role that power plays in eroticism are all addressed with unnerving honesty and accuracy. Swales, now in her late thirties, has clearly lived much of what she is writing about, and brings an astute sensibility to the subject matter that younger, less worldy or less truthful songwriters fall short of. There are no ideals here, just bulletins from a life lived with passion and veracity.

Through 2005 to 2007 Swales has been taking a hiatus from touring while she studies full-time and helps care for an elderly parent. She describes this celebration of sensuality and courage as a retrospective of twenty years of exploring life and love, made at a time when commitment and responsibility weigh heavily. Improvements in her mother's health will see her touring again in 2008.

Swales is also known for her role as instrument maker, guitarist and vocalist with Cabaret-style folk band Totally Gourdgeous.

In concert, Isle of Man October '03