Month: September 2012

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Cold and Need’s Jared Daly

After making appearances at some of Australia’s hottest festivals and supporting some of the country’s best bands, Queensland’s Cold and Need are starting to build some serious buzz. I recently caught up with the band’s drummer Jared Daly to chat about their new EP Colours and Shapes and their upcoming shows.

You’re still making a name for yourself outside Queensland, so what do we all need to know about Cold and Need?
Cold and Need are a 4-piece Brisbane rock band. Our songs are loud and fun, we want you to clap and sing along at our shows.

You’ve just released your second EP Colours and Shapes. What can you tell me about it?
Colours and Shapes was definitely our most focused effort at a release. We spent countless hours/months demo-ing, e-mailing tracks across states, completely pulling material apart then re-working, changing sounds, trying new gear. At one point our producer Simon Leach actually told me to, “put that fricken China symbol away and never bring it back out”!  So that really shows we tried our hardest to explore as many different possibilities, while slowly driving Tristan Hoogland, our Brisbane engineer/producer, crazy.

The EP features the single “Kaleidoscope.” What was it about that song that made you want to release it?
“Kaleidoscope” was a late inclusion in the EP. We had already written and trialled the other tracks written for the new EP live, and at one rehearsal something just clicked and we wrote “Kaleidoscope” within a two-hour period, recorded it on an iPhone and e-mailed it to Simon in Melbourne to be critiqued. We were very focused on writing a tune with a strong guitar line as it was something that we thought we hadn’t focused enough on in the past, so that was a big factor in us releasing it as the first single.

Continue reading “Q & A with Cold and Need’s Jared Daly” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Aussie Acts Amity Affliction and Guy Sebastian Top ARIA Charts

Another week brings a brand new Aussie number one. While Guy Sebastian’s “Battle Scars” has remained steady at the top of the single charts, Gympie hard rockers The Amity Affliction have claimed the number one album with their third release Chasing Ghosts.

It’s been a week of new additions to the charts, with plenty of releases making a big impression in the top tens. The Presets’ third album Pacifica has jumped in at number three, while Wreck & Ruin, the second collaborative album from husband and wife team Shane Nicholson and Kasey Chambers, sits at number six. Both acts debuted at number one with their last recordings, but those top ten spots are still nothing to sneeze at.

These new entries are keeping company with chart favourite The Sapphires soundtrack, which sits at number seven.

The singles chart has been a bit steadier this week, but again we see Justice Crew’s “Boom Boom” flying the Aussie flag with Guy. It sits at number six this week after a massive 11 weeks in the top ten.

Click below for this week’s charts.

Continue reading “Aussie Acts Amity Affliction and Guy Sebastian Top ARIA Charts” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Earl Cole Goes Retro with 80s Inc

Perth swing king Earl Cole has swapped his designer suits for a healthy dose of Hypercolour. Earl’s joined Perth music veterans Mark Hemery, Mark Simpson, Kevin Stevens, John Leotta, and Louise Tayler-Lloyd for his new musical venture, 80s Inc. The newly minted six-piece promise to bring the pop sounds of the decade that fashion forgot to the masses.

After warming up a recent wedding, 80s Inc are ready to share their love of 80s party music with their big launch night at Swanbank Bar & Café on October 5. Tickets are just $35, a real bargain when you consider the free cocktail food! As there will be no door sales on the night, you’ll need to get yours early through Heatseeker outlets or online.

Image used with permission from Earl Cole

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bec Laughton Releases “Holy Love 2”

Sassy Brisbanite Bec Laughton is giving us a taste of her forthcoming EP By the Fire with a hot new single “Holy Love 2.”

The soulful track, which features guest vocals from Ni.Na, delivers an easy jam and plenty of good vibes. It’s just one of the tracks from By the Fire, which gets a digital release on September 21.

To celebrate the single and EP releases Bec will hit the road, starting with a hometown show to launch By the Fire. Expect to hear some new songs and old favourites at the following gigs.

21 September 2012 – Icecream Factory, Brisbane
28 September 2012 – Solbar, Sunshine Coast
5 October 2012 – El Rocco, Sydney
7 October 2012 – Lizotte’s, Lambton
12 October 2012 – Higher Ground, Adelaide
14 October 2012 – Worker’s Club, Melbourne
18 October 2012 – Woodys, Byron Bay
20 October 2012 – Sheoak Shack, Fingal Head
21 October 2012 – Queen Street Mall, Brisbane
26 October 2012 – Island Vibes, Stradbroke Island
10 November 2012 – Powerhouse, Brisbane
16 November 2012 – The Loft, Gold Coast
17 November 2012 – Bon Amici, Toowoomba

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Saints Announce New Album and Tour

After six long years, The Saints are preparing to release a brand new album. King of the Sun will hit record stores around the country on September 24. It features 11 brand new Chris Bailey penned tunes a bonus disc of classic Saints material, dubbed Songs from the Stash.

The album’s been an awfully long time coming for fans. Chris Bailey and drummer Peter Wilkinson have been flexing their musical muscles in France of late, but they’ve now returned to the fold.

“The Saints have always been my main passion,” Chris Bailey admitted in a press release. “Despite my promiscuity and desire for musical experiment I feel that The Saints are an unfinished musical journey. This album is one step closer on this road.”

The Saints will play the following shows around the country to celebrate King of the Sun’s release.

23 November 2012 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
30 November 2012 – Fly by Night, Perth
8 December 2012 – Homebake, Sydney

Image used with permission from Premier Artists

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Step Into Georgia Potter’s Web

Queensland born songstress Georgia Potter has penned some of the best lyrics I’ve heard in some time with her new single “XO.” On the surface you can appreciate its cool beats, but dig a little deeper and you’ll discover the extended metaphor inspired by the romantic entanglement of a friend falling for the wrong person.

“The title, a double entendre, is a play on the word exoskeleton (which is of course the porous shell of a spider’s body through which it breathes) and the ‘Kiss Hug’ that ‘xo’ has come to mean,” Georgia explained in a press release. “Thinking of an exoskeleton as an analogy for a love that is flimsy and transparent, the narrative of the spider and the fly was born.”

The song is a truly international affair. Georgia wrote it during a stint in America and London, and recorded it in studios in London and Berlin. The work of Australian beat-guru Yukon Snakes, who Georgia collaborated with online, put the finishing touches on the song.

As for the video, it was shot in Berlin by Georgia’s dear pal, an Aus-Brit filmmaker called Bryn Chainey. I initially thought the effects were created on the computer, but they were actually made by manipulating crystals and glass prisms in front of the camera lens. Very cool!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Fearless Vampire Killers Take Us to “Mexico”

The Fearless Vampire Killers transport us to North America with their hot new single, “Mexico.” It’s become a fan favourite at their recent live shows, so it seemed the natural single choice.

“It’s an upbeat western-rock ditty documenting the neglected desire of a fading man to travel to his childhood dreamland of Mexico,” explained the band’s guitarist, Al Marx.

“Mexico” is the first song to be lifted from the Melbourne band’s sophomore album, which should hit stores next year. The Fearless Vampire Killers are hard at work putting the finishing touches on the release, but they’ll take a little time out to launch the single at the following shows.

5 October 2012 – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane
6 October 2012 – The Workers Club, Melbourne
12 October 2012 – FBi Social, Sydney

Image used with permission from Two Fish Out of Water

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Regular John’s “Strange Flowers” In Stores

Regular John’s sophomore album Strange Flowers hit record stores today, and the Sydney four-piece is wasting little time bringing it to the masses. The band will kick off their album launch tour in Adelaide next week.

Strange Flowers is an intoxicating collection of psychedelic inspired tunes, including the radio favorite “Slume.” It’s also available in a range of formats to appeal to audiophiles and modern kids alike. You’ll find it on iTunes, on CD, and as a special gatefold double deep purple record.

You can expect to hear tracks from Regular John’s latest release at the following shows.

21 September 2012 – Enigma Bar, Adelaide
22 September 2012 – The Toff in Town, Melbourne
28 September 2012 – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane
29 September 2012 – The Northern, Byron Bay
5 October 2012 – The Patch, Wollongong
6 October 2012 – Transit Bar, Canberra
12 October 2012 – The Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle
13 October 2012 – The Annandale, Sydney

Image used with permission from Reckoning Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Mia Dyson Drops “Pistol”

Mia Dyson lays her heart bare with her searing new single “Pistol.”

The second cut from Mia’s new The Moment album, the song is so raw that it bleeds. Just try to stay stoic as you listen to this gut-wrenching rock ballad.

The song’s release comes at just the right time for Mia, as she’s currently playing shows all around the country. Hear her play “Pistol” and much more at the following tour shows.

14 September 2012 – Lizotte’s, Newcastle
15 September 2012 – Notes Live, Sydney
16 September 2012 – The Abbey, Canberra
21 September 2012 – Republic Bar, Hobart
22 September 2012 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
4 October 2012 – Clarendon, Katoomba (SOLO)
6 October 2012 – Lizotte’s, Kincumber (SOLO)
11 & 12 October 2012 – Railway Sports and Social Club, Darwin
25 October 2012 – Backwater Blues & Roots Festival @ Mt Gambier Gaol, Mt Gambier
26 October 2012 – Backwater Blues & Roots Festival @ Queens Theatre, Adelaide
27 October 2012 – Sydney Blues Festival, Sydney
8 November 2012 – Mojos, Fremantle
9 November 2012 – Bridgetown Blues, Bridgetown

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Lincoln Le Fevre Knocks My Socks Off

I must admit, when I receive e-mails offering me private streaming of new music I hope the songs are unremarkable. I don’t want to hear music that gets me excited if I can’t share it with you all. I’d much prefer the music was so boring I couldn’t muster enough enthusiasm to get typing.

And so I’m almost disappointed that “On and On,” the featured track from Lincoln Le Fevre’s sophomore album Resonation is so bloody good. The Tassie troubadour has created a song that’s a little bit country, a little bit folk, and a little bit Aussie rock. Its lyrics and vocals are a bit rough around the edges, but that lack of polish just makes it all the more appealing. It’s genuinely exciting, and that only makes it all the more disappointing that I can’t share it.

So guys, you might just have to pick up a copy of Resonation when it hits stores on October 12. If that one song is any indication, it’s going to be a cracker. Or you could get yourself to one of the following shows.

15 September 2012 – The Old Bar, Fitzroy (Acoustic)
16 September 2012 – The Reverence Hotel, Footscray
21 September 2012 – Republic Bar, Hobart (with Mia Dyson)
27 September 2012 – Royal Oak, Launceston
24 October 2012 – Republic Bar, Hobart
26 October 2012 – Royal Oak Boatshed. Launceston
27 October 2012 – Red Hot Music, Devonport
10 November 2012 – The Reverence Hotel, Footscray
22 November 2012 – X&Y Bar, Brisbane
23 November 2012 – O’Dowds, Rockhampton
24 November 2012 – The Shed – Byron Bay
1 December 2012 – Lass O’Gowry, Newcastle
2 December 2012 – Blackwire Records, Sydney

Image used with permission from Deathproof PR