Jack Ladder is the professional alias of Australian singer/songwriter Tim Rogers. The Sydney native made his debut in 2005 with the largely acoustic Not Worth Waiting For, which drew comparisons to Smog's Bill Callahan, a noted influence of Ladder's. Recasting himself as a shadowy new wave rocker, he returned in 2008 with the sparse, uptempo Love Is Gone, which put him on the map internationally, earning a nomination for the Australian Music Prize and winning a Red Bull Music Award. During this time he also collaborated with American band Okkervil River on their 2008 album The Stand Ins, and did a stint playing bass in Bill Callahan's touring band, which was featured on Callahan's 2010 live album Rough Travel for a Rare Thing. Prior to his third album, Ladder's music took another stylistic shift, becoming moodier and more cinematic as he employed a new backing band called the Dreamlanders. With his deep baritone voice and wryly melancholic delivery, he was frequently compared to fellow Aussie Nick Cave, especially with the release of 2011's Hurtsville, his first album to feature the Dreamlanders. His 2014 follow-up, Playmates, again featured the Dreamlanders, though their sound had once again evolved into a more colorful, synth-laden style of dark indie pop. ~ Timothy Monger