Author: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Beks Drops Pop Banger, “Dangerous”

Fresh from performances at SXSW, Beks has just released her new single “Dangerous” and it’s an absolute bop. If you love your pop music straight up, you’ll really appreciate this one. It’s incredibly catchy with killer vocals from this rising talent.

“’Dangerous’ highlights my tendencies to run away from relationships that have become too comfortable, too safe,” Beks explained. “I wanted to explore my urges to chase the next best thing, the thrill of the unknown, the mystery, the expansion of my sexuality. My soul craves adventure, I want fireworks, spontaneity, to break the mundane, but can I have all that with just one person?”

Beks has just returned from the United States, where she recorded music with Frank Infante from Blondie and Mark McEntee from Divinyls, so it sounds like we’ll be hearing a lot more exciting music from her soon.

Image used with permission from KAOS

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Learning Futures” EP – Franjapan

From the moment Franjapan count us in to “Showtime” and those bouncy guitar notes kick in, you know you’re in for a good time. The opening track to Learning Futures, the band’s first studio EP, it sets the scene for this joyous collection of songs.

“Stonewall” is another indie-rock banger, the kind of song that makes you want to jump around and punch your fist in the air. I loved “Lucy” on its release, and its appeal hasn’t faded. It’s a bit more romantic than the songs that came before, a Sam Fender-esque song that would sound perfect turned up loud as you take on the open road. “Awake on my Eyes” is the EP’s most poignant moment, a gentle guitar ballad with beautiful harmonies and tender lyrics. Just what you thought you had Franjapan figured out, this song proves they’re much more than just a party band. Closing number “Choo Choo” is the perfect closer, an anthemic number that I can imagine hearing in stadiums. Give it time.

Franjapan road-tested these songs in the live arena and were thrilled at the enthusiastic response they got from audiences. Sometimes things get lost in translation, with studio versions failing to match the energy of the live arena. I haven’t seen Franjapan live, yet, but I do know these songs are buzzing. And they make me want to see them live, which is a pretty good result in my books. I’ll have to wait a while, but if you’re in Naarm/Melbourne you can see Franjapan launching Learning Futures at The Espy on June 16.

Images used with permission from beehive; main image credit: Jontee Langton

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Eliza Hull Releases Powerful New Single “Running Underwater”

After years of keeping her degenerative nerve disorder hidden, Eliza Hull has laid her feelings about her condition bare in her powerful new single “Running Underwater.”

“For a long time, I hid my disability, especially in the music industry. This was due to under-representation of disabled musicians and I was constantly shown that disability was a deficit or something that should be feared and hidden. It was such a heavy weight holding onto these beliefs, it was exhausting to constantly hide,” she admitted. “This song is about pushing up against society’s view of disability, it’s about letting go of the fear and being authentic and true to myself and showing that it’s OK to be different.”

The single’s power is matched by the video, which features dancer roya the destroyer, a fellow disability advocate and creative force.

“The music video features my very good friend ‘roya the destroya’. She is a brilliant disabled dancer who moves like nobody I know. She actually started busking with an early version of the song and sent me a video of her performing with it. When I watched that video I knew I had to collaborate with her on the official music video,” Eliza added. “She has a beautiful ability to inhibit what I am feeling in my music and then express that through movement. In the music video she is like my alter-ego, almost like the spirit part of what I am feeling in the lyrics. Keiran Watson-Bonnice is the director of the music video. We have worked together in the past on the ABC Kids TV show And Then Something Changed, which I produced and wrote the music for. We shot the clip in one day, in mostly one take in the Goods Shed on a freezing winter’s day. “

Fresh from dates in the United Kingdom, Eliza will play the following local shows in August and September.

26 August 2023 – Melbourne Recital Centre, Naarm/Melbourne
10 September 2023 – Riverside Theatre, Eora/Sydney
22 September 2023 – Undercover Festival, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Michelle Grace Hunder

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Noah Dillon Makes a Big Impression With “Drip Dry”

I have no idea where I was when Noah Dillon released his debut album Kill The Dove last year, but I’m making up for lost time streaming it now. That’s all thanks to Noah’s latest single “Drip Dry,” a boisterous and bold pop song that encouraged me to listen to the rest of his material. If it doesn’t hook you in too, I’m a poor judge.

“This song was probably my favourite to record and write,” Noah said. “It encapsulates the sonic and lyrical style that I’ve aimed for with this album, contrasting the light of love and the darkness of loss. Lyrically it’s about learning to lean on loved ones through hard times and finding solace in friends and family when relationships end. I wrote the chorus melody on the toilet one day and couldn’t stop whistling it so I stayed up all night and the song just came through that melody.”

Noah will celebrate the recent release of “Drip Dry” with shows in the East Coast capitals and two massive hometown gigs. Catch him in a city near you.

22 June 2023 – The Lansdowne, Eora/Sydney
23 June 2023 – Northcote Social Club, Naarm/Melbourne
24 June 2023 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
30 June 2023 – Mojo’s, Waylyup/Fremantle
1 July 2023 – Mojo’s, Waylyup/Fremantle (SOLD OUT)

Image used with permission from Footstomp

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kingswood Releases “Why Should I Let You Go?” During Massive Aussie Tour

Kingswood are one of those Aussie bands that do great things with very little fanfare. So you might have missed their fabulous new song “Why Should I Let You Go,” which features gorgeous vocal harmonies and a one of the most beautiful country melodies I’ve heard in some time. I love it just a little more with every listen.

“’Why Should I Let You Go?’ was recorded on an impromptu and inspired sojourn in Paris, France where we wanted to capture the progression of the song as it developed across Nashville dive bars and the mountains of Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland and the Czech Republic,” The band explained. “The original was written in solitude, lamenting over a Nashville skyline but very quickly developed a new life on the road with a refreshed and hopeful energetic lift, echoing the reinvigorated musical take that band naturally fell into as we experienced audiences all over the world. The resounding nature of the chorus, pushing the idea that love has a journey for us all seemed to resonate across all environments and languages.”

You also might have missed that Kingswood are in the midst of a record-breaking Aussie tour that will see them play more than 100 shows, with more to come. They’re taking their self-made bus Peggy on the road to make sure they can visit towns that most acts never get to. You won’t want to miss them when they pull in to your local area, so here are all the remaining dates:

5 June 2023 – Rocky Ridge Brewing, Undalup/Busselton
7 June 2023 – Sound City, Barngarla Country/Port Lincoln
8 June 2023 – Sound City, Barngarla Country/Port Lincoln
9 June 2023 – The Fat Controller, Tartanya/Adelaide
10 June 2023 – Western Hotel, Boandik Country/Mt Gambier
11 June 2023 – Hotel Victor, Ramindjeri and Ngarrindjeri Country/Victor Harbour
16 June 2023 – Big Easy Radio, Ngaltingga/Aldinga
17 June 2023 – The Setts, Latje Latje and Barkindji Country/Mildura
18 June 2023 – The Cordial Factory, Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan Country/Grenfell
21 June 2023 – La La La’s, Dharawal Country/Wollongong
22 June 2023 – Royal Hotel, Ngambri and Ngunnawal Country/Queanbeyan
23 June 2023 – The Lansdowne Hotel, Eora/Sydney
24 June 2023 – Stag & Hunter, Mulubinba/Newcastle
25 June 2023 – Brass Monkey, Gweagal Country/Cronulla
29 June 2023 – Gnomom Room, Palawa Country/Ulverstone
30 June 2023 – Royal Oak, Palawa Country/Launceston
1 July 2023 – Republic Bar, Nipaluna/Hobart
2 July 2023 – Republic Bar, Nipaluna/Hobart
6 July 2023 – Lambys, Djilang/Geelong
7 July 2023 – Gods Bandroom, Bunurong Country/Mornington
8 July 2023 – Corner Hotel, Naarm/Melbourne
8 September 2023 – Kenilworth Showgrounds, Hinka Booma/Kenilworth

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Michelle Grace Hunder

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Cassian Gives “Great Southern Land” The Dance Treatment

I know before I post this one that not everyone is going to like this version of “Great Southern Land.” But it’s so fantastic I had to share it anyway. And since it gets Iva’s seal of approval, shouldn’t you at least give it a listen?

This reimagining is the brainchild of Cassian, a Grammy award-winning DJ and producer who emerged from the dance scene of Eora/Sydney. He was the first artist signed to RÜFÜS DU SOL’s Rose Avenue label way back in 2018, and he’s gone on to play seats at Coachella, Superior Ingredients in New York and Sound Nightclub in Los Angeles. This take on the ICEHOUSE classic might make my parents cringe, but it’s a stone cold banger.

“As an Australian, I was born with this song in my blood,” Cassian enthused. “I dreamed about making my own version for 10 years before reaching out to see if it was possible. Having full approval from Iva Davies/ICEHOUSE and being involved with the legacy of this song is probably the greatest honor of my career thus far, one that I don’t take lightly. After I was given the stems I spent the past year slowly, carefully & respectfully piecing it together. Around 100 versions later I’m proud to present the final, which I even mastered myself. Huge thank you to management, to Simon Moor and of course to Iva and his team for making the impossible possible.”

When you think about it, this makes perfect sense. ICEHOUSE were originally a pub rock band and I’m sure they lost a few fans when they started playing new wave and synth pop. This kind of floor-filling electro-dance music isn’t a million miles away from those genres. Listen with an open mind and this cover might just surprise you.

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Matt Joe Gow and Kerryn Fields Team Up For “Your Heart of Gold”

After wowing me with his stellar catalogue of solo songs, Matt Joe Gow is taking on a new challenge and teaming up with Kerryn Fields. “Your Heart of Gold” is their first single as a duo, and it’s just as fabulous as fans of these artists, who’ve both won Music Victoria Awards for their solo material, might expect. I’ve always loved the interplay between starkly different male and female voices on a good duet, and that’s exactly what we get here.

Matt Joe Gow and Kerryn Fields have already been named finalists in the New Zealand MLT songwriting awards for three more songs of their upcoming album, so it sounds like we’ve got plenty of quality material on its way. Tomorrow they’ll play the Tussock Stage: Moonlight Session in Gore before heading to Hawke’s Bay for the Small Halls Sessions from June 9 to 11, so if you’re in that part of Aotearoa/New Zealand make sure you don’t miss these gigs.

Image used with permission from Matt Joe Gow

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bree Rusev Drops Beautiful Indie-Folk Single, “One Last Dance”

I don’t know about you, but I look back on my creative output in high school and cringe. But not Bree Rusev, who penned her gorgeous new single “One Last Dance” for her HSC music composition in 2021. Colour me impressed.

“The song is about how things in life can change rather quickly and to remember to stay present in the moment and to appreciate and enjoy these moments by being aware and mindful of the present,” she explained.

Fresh from sharing the stage with Pete Murray and Pierce Brothers at this year’s Lighthouse Festival, Bree Rusev will support Jordy Maxwell at his upcoming shows.

14 July 2023 – The Chippo Hotel, Eora/Sydney
16 July 2023 – Black Bear Lodge, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Enjoy Top Electronic Music Without Phones at This Never Happened

I’m probably showing my age, but phones at concerts are one of my bugbears. I don’t mind people taking photos or even recording songs with their phone cameras or using them as makeshift lighters in epic ballads, but I bristle every time I see people taking selfies, scrolling through social media, and texting while the bands play. If you’re like me and think more people should be in the moment, you’re going to love This Never Happened, a new series of phone-free electronic dance festivals.

Attendees will have their phones taped upon arrival, ensuring they can live in the moment and appreciate what’s going on around them. Organisers have assembled a line-up worthy of disconnecting including American electronic artist Le Youth, Canadian duo Sultan & Shepard, and Eora/Sydney-born DJ and producer, PARIS. If you don’t capture an event, did it even happen? We’re about to find out.

Tickets for This Never Happened are on sale right now for the following events:

14 July 2023 – 170 Russell, Naarm/Melbourne
15 July 2023 – Metro Theatre, Eora/Sydney
16 July 2023 – Brightside Outdoors, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Image used with permission from the Untitled Group

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

PJ Harding Stuns Me With “It Wasn’t Enough”

It’s been a little while since a song stopped me in my tracks. “It Wasn’t Enough”, by local singer-songwriter and producer PJ Harding, is one of those special, rare songs. On the surface, it’s a simple folky acoustic guitar number, but it’s so much more. Stop what you’re doing and take a listen.

‘”I think ‘It Wasn’t Enough’ is a song that gets to the heart of something very true about the human condition and doesn’t necessarily make a lot of sense. It’s really one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written,” PJ said. “I only recorded one take of this vocal and it was recorded seconds after I finished writing the song. There was something magic about that moment I didn’t want to mess with.”

“It Wasn’t Enough” comes from PJ’s debut EP To Fall Asleep, which drops on June 16. You can bet I’m listening as soon as it’s released.