The darling of the Australian indie roots scene of the early 2000s, Dyson built a solid fan-base with soulful, honest lyrics and bluesy rock-pop tunes on Cold Water and Parking Lots.

But in 2009, with an ARIA Award in her swag and tours with Eric Clapton, Anni DiFranco and Frank Zappa under her belt, a 28-year-old Dyson headed to America.

What unfolded was not part of her plan.

From early promise on the East Coast, she lost most of her support and musical ensemble, ultimately culminating in wasted opportunity on the West Coast.

"I ended up losing a lot of time, sitting on my hands waiting for something to happen," Dyson said.

"It was a blind, romanticised dream to go over there. If I had have been thinking in pure financial terms, I wouldn't have done it.

"So I had to get up and do something - I found some great musicians, made a record, and started to get my career back on track."

That was 2012's ARIA-nominated The Moment - which has just now been followed up by Idyllwild, Dyson's most honest and sonically diverse offering to date.

Also, she married an American poet named Karl. (Idyllwild is the name of the Californian town where they honeymooned.)

Dyson now splits her time between Los Angles and Melbourne - playing shows in between and collecting stories.

She says for now, this will do.

"It's been bumpy, but ultimately good for me, and good for the music. I'm more willing now to be in that place of looking and discovering.

"It has made me more prolific, and it helps me edit my work and refining it to something I am satisfied with."