Month: September 2007

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Vanessa Amorosi’s Back!

In the year 2000, you couldn’t turn on the radio without hearing one of Vanessa Amorosi’s massive pop hits “Absolutely Everybody” and “Shine.” Now some seven years later she’s back with a new album, Somewhere in the Real World, and a new rock sound.

For Vanessa’s fans, this won’t come as any great surprise. Before fading into obscurity, the teen sensation seemed more at home covering Janis Joplin than singing her own smash singles.

Hopefully the new album will be a better fit for this talented Melbourne artist. She’s certainly worked with some big names to make it happen. Greg Wells (Mika, Timbaland, Pink, The Veronicas), Cliff Magness (Pink, Avril Lavigne) and Chris Lord-Alge (Green Day, Pink, Avril Lavigne) all had a hand in writing and recording Somewhere in the Real World.

Vanessa’s latest album is released October 13, but fans can get a taste of it when the first single, “Kiss Your Mama,” hits stores on September 8. Vanessa fans can catch her live when she tours the country in October. Check her website for all the dates and venues.

Image source: Alpha @ Flickr.com

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Powderfinger and Silverchair Hit Brisbane

Last Friday night seasoned concert goer Lisa Mayer, saw Silverchair and Powderfinger at Brisbane Entertainment Centre. I caught up with her for a chat about Powderfinger’s hometown gig.

Lisa’s a big fan of both bands, but she expected Silverchair’s performance would have the edge. The Newcastle lads opened the show with a rocking set, which included big hits “Without You,” “Greatest View,” and their latest smash “Straight Lines.”

While the band did their best to entertain, the local crowd seemed largely unmoved.

“Silverchair did rock, but the audience kind of didn’t. I wanted to stand up and dance but it wasn’t that kind of audience,” Lisa told me. “Other than that, I was really happy with Silverchair and I didn’t think that I could enjoy Powderfinger as much as I enjoyed them.”

When Powderfinger took to the stage, the audience became “the kind of hometown crowd that a band would be proud of.”

And the band delivered a set worthy of their adoring fans. A stripped-back acoustic version of “Sunsets” was “absolutely spine-tingling,” and “On My Mind” was a surprise with “Midnight Rambler” in the middle. But the real crowd-pleaser was “My Happiness” which encouraged a spontaneous sing-a-long.

Lisa said the song “saw the entire entertainment centre singing along while the band stood in amazement that everyone was singing their own song back to them, full volume. That had to be a spine-tingling moment for them. They all looked so happy to be there, so happy that they were with fellow Brisbanites and playing at the Entertainment Centre for the first time.”

So how much did Lisa love the show? Well, she’s going back to see the bands at the Gold Coast and Toowoomba later this week. Now that’s dedication.

Image source: jeaneeem @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Where We Land” – Damien Leith

Damien Leith’s Australian Idol win ushered in a new era for the reality TV show. For the first time, the victor wasn’t shoved into a recording studio to record a prewritten album in a week. Instead, Damien was given the freedom to create a collection of songs that represented him. Some nine months after he took the Idol crown, Damien’s album Where We Land is in stores and sitting pretty at the top of the charts.

So in sales terms, Sony’s gamble has paid off. Australia hasn’t forgotten about Damien. Instead, they were eagerly awaiting this release. I’m happy to say, the wait was worthwhile.

I wasn’t Damien’s biggest fan during his Idol stint. I certainly didn’t dislike the guy, but I preferred eclectic Bobby Flynn and old-school rocker Chris Murphy. But I really like this record. It’s given Damien a chance to be himself, rather than a karaoke singer, and he’s a richer artist for it.

Time away from the Idol spotlight has given Damien a chance to grow, both professionally and personally. His trademark falsetto is as pure as ever, but he’s managed to reign it in somewhat. Perhaps on Idol Damien felt he needed to rely on those vocal tricks. Now he can focus on crafting tender lyrics and clever melodies.

His personal life has certainly given him fuel for that. After the birth of his second son Jagger, Damien penned the sweet tune “Not Just For the Weekend.” “Beautiful” is a tender ode to his wife. I loved the gentle sadness of “I Still Miss Us,” and “Cold Cold Heart” is rollicking good fun.

Damien made his name from cover versions, and fans will appreciate the ones he’s chosen here. The sparse rendering of Fleetwood Mac’s “Songbird” is breathtaking, and the album’s bonus track “Danny Boy” is a fitting nod to his Irish heritage.

Where We Land is a great indication of the potential of Australia’s revamped Idol franchise. If we can unearth this country’s hidden stars, and give them the time to develop albums of this calibre, the future of our local industry looks bright.

Images: Wikimedia and Wikimedia Commons credit: Spud Murphy