Author: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Brad Cox Releases “Acres” Ahead of Largest Aussie Tour

I might be a little biased, but I think the country music scene in Australia is at least the equal to the scene over in the United States. It might not get the same international attention, but we’ve got so many superb artists telling authentic stories in this genre. The latest to really impress me is Brad Cox. Today he dropped his third studio album, Acres, and it’s an absolute cracker.

This is a guy with so much to say. The album features 17 songs, so you might expect a few filler tracks. Not even close. Every one is a winner. Trust me. Perhaps that’s because Brad took his time with this release, recording the songs after two years in Kabi Kabi Country/Gympie, Eora/Sydney, and Nashville. I encourage you to listen to the whole thing, because it’s just that good. But if you’re short on time, try the current single “Now She Ain’t.” As a bit of a grammar Nazi, the song title made me bristle. But it didn’t take long before I softened. It’s such a sweet song about stepping up and being the person someone else needs you to be.

“‘Now She Ain’t’ is “a song for the girls!,” Brad said. “Have hope and believe that person is out there. Stop crying into your pillow, strap on your can-do attitude, and get after it. We have been playing this one on the road for a few months now and it’s a super fun one to play live.”

Speaking of the road, Brad will be embarking on his biggest headline tour to date next month to support the release of Acres. Tickets are on sale now, so get onto it:

1 June 2023 – The Governor Hindmarsh, Tartanya/Adelaide
2 June 2023 – Rosemount Hotel, Boorloo/Perth
8 June 2023 – Kings Beach Tavern, Kabi Kabi & Jinbara Country/Sunshine Coast
9 June 2023 – Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Bundjalung Country/Kingscliff
10 June 2023 – The Tivoli, Meeanjin/Brisbane
16 June 2023 – The Gateway Hotel, Djilang/Geelong
17 June 2023 – Northcote Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne
22 June 2023 – The Cambridge Hotel, Mulubinba/Newcastle
23 June 2023 – Manning Bar, Eora/Sydney
24 June 2023 – Anita’s Theatre, Thurraral Country/Thirroul

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia; credit: Brad Elder

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Wifecult Releases Powerful New Rock Track, “Hold It Down”

Today I’m rocking out to “Hold it Down,” the cool new track from Meeanjin/Brisbane-based act Wifecult. It’s got an anthemic quality and a really cathartic feel. I’m so into it. The band hopes the song might bring comfort to anyone struggling with their mental health.

“Depression is a vulnerable subject, at times cheapened and worn out by our sterile societal approach to handle it, or the overuse of ‘mental health’ vocabulary thrown around in daily conversations,” acknowledged Wifecult’s vocalist Jarith Hughes. “In its depths, this song is about watching a loved one truly struggle, lost in orbit, for a long time. Wishing I could pull them out of the dark, but still at times being there myself. It’s trying to balance compassion and empathy with practical efforts to walk through it with them. It’s not the blind leading the blind. Sometimes it takes someone who knows, by your side to ride it out together.”

“Hold it Down” is the second single released from Wifecult’s forthcoming EP Kindness in Clarity, which drops on June 9.

Image used with permission from Bigmouth PR; credit: Nick Hargans

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kel Makes a Splash With Stunning Debut Single, “Paradise”

If “Paradise,” the debut single from Eora/Sydney-based singer-songwriter Kel is any indication, he’s got a massive future ahead of him. This is one of those special songs that stops you in your tracks. Starting as a gentle piano ballad, it draws you in so you’re totally on board as it builds.

“Paradise is a song about a break-up. It’s a metaphor about losing something special about a place you might’ve shared with someone else, and how places and feelings change sometimes,” he explained. “It was inspired by a trip with my friends to a beach on the South Coast NSW. I wanted to write a song that felt like that place”.

Kel’s studies also helped him develop the song’s gorgeous music video.

“The music video was made by myself and some family on a holiday,” he said. “As a current film student, I was keen to direct and film my own video. When I was writing the song, the opening lyrics stuck out to me. Sunrise and long hikes. So, I knew I wanted the main visuals to be central around a beach. The song is about a favourite place that doesn’t belong to you anymore. I’ve found that often we connect certain places with people, and when that connection’s lost, the place is not the same”.

Kel is currently working towards releasing his debut EP. This song has definitely got me excited to hear the music that comes next.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Sian Sandilands

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

BANFF Releases Comeback Single, “Beverly Spills”

We haven’t heard from BANFF since 2019. After a challenging few years, he’s back with a beautiful new single, “Beverly Spills.” Introspective and atmospheric, it’s like a big warm hug in an age when none of us take connection for granted.

“‘Beverly Spills’ is like a memoir to myself,” BANFF explained. “It’s about looking back after a significant hiatus and trying to come to grips with this creative vision that has spanned my lifetime. And just wondering if it had all been hopelessly manufactured in my head.”

After releasing two gorgeous EPs before the pandemic, the release of “Beverly Spills” feels like the start of a new chapter for BANFF. It’s one I’m pretty excited about.

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kaitlyn Thomas Releases Unapologetic New Single, “Pretty Little Thing”

I must say, I don’t quite remember Kaitlyn Thomas from this year’s Australian Idol Top 30. I think that’s a failing of the show’s rapid pace than on Kaitlyn though. I certainly won’t forget her after hearing her powerful new single “Pretty Little Thing.” This is country rock at its finest, a gutsy effort that takes its cues from Gretchen Wilson and Shania Twain.

“’Pretty Little Thing’ came about after being told I don’t fit the mould and what is typically expected as a female artist,” Kaitlyn revealed. “I wanted to write about embracing who I am and female empowerment.”

Kaitlyn cowrote the song with acclaimed duo MSquared (Michael Paynter and Michael DeLorenzis) who’ve previously penned hits for The Veronicas, Casey Barnes, and Aloe Blacc.

“Writing this song with Paynter and Delo was like a Nashville experience,” she said. “The song was written in a day, vocals laid the next and final production completed on the third day. Working with MSquared allowed me to dig deeper into who I am as an artist and really find my distinct sound that no one else is doing.”

The accompanying music video, shot by Benny Griggs at the Race Track Betting Shed, captures the fire Kaitlyn brings to the stage.

“I didn’t want to go down the storytelling road, I wanted to capture what it would look like live,” she said. “The live audience we had, had never heard the song until the day of filming.”

You can experience her live show for yourself at the following events:
3–5 November 2024 – Molesworth Music Festival, Taungurong Country/Molesworth
17–19 November 2024 – Camp for Cancer, Kulin Country/Darraweit Guim

Image source: Kaitlyn Thomas official website

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Southern River Band Rocks Out With “Streets Don’t Lie”

The rumours of the death of Aussie rock have been greatly exaggerated. The Southern River Band show the genre is still alive and kicking with their ball-tearing new single “Streets Don’t Lie.” With confident-bordering-on-cocky vocals, big old guitar riffs, and a chorus that makes you want to punch your fist in the air, this one ticks all the boxes.

“Do you ever wonder what happened to the people you went to school with that were, ah… ‘disciplinarily challenged’? Well this song takes a deeper look at how it may or may not have panned out for them, with the names removed to protect the guilty. Why? Cos The Streets Don’t Lie,” the band said of the song’s inspiration.

You just know these guys are going to sound even better in a crowded pub with a sticky floor, so make sure you don’t miss their upcoming national tour. It all kicks off next week and takes in the following dates:

7 May 2023 – High Voltage, Walyalup/Fremantle
19 May 2023 – Indian Ocean Hotel, Noongar Country/Scarborough
20 May 2023 – Albies, Undalup/Busselton
27 May 2023 – Gosnells Hotel, Beeloo Country/Gosnells
8 June 2023 – The Vanguard, Eora/Sydney
9 June 2023 – Brunswick Ballroom, Naarm/Melbourne
10 June 2023 – The Zoo, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Emanuel Rudnicki

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Younger Than Me Drops Exquisite New Single “Right Way”

I love artists that keep me guessing. I’m never sure what I will get when Eora/Sydney duo Younger Than Me releases new music, but it’s always exciting. Their latest single “Right Way” is a sublime track that showcases their otherworldly vocal harmonies and gift for layering unique sounds and loops.

“I think it’s the first track that we wrote as one, rather than each bringing different parts to the table,” they mused. “We began to let go of preconceived ideas of our songwriting and to record more intuitively together. We ended up with something we would never have expected to come out of us!”

If you want to hear something truly different today, look no further. Then treat yourself to an exploration of Younger Than Me’s back catalogue. Full of twists and turns, it’s some of the most surprising and beautiful music coming out of New South Wales at the moment.

Image credit: Marcus Coblyn

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Connor Black-Henry Releases Beautiful New Song, “Stupid Monkey”

Naarm-Melbourne singer-songwriter Connor Black-Harry has me swooning with his folky new single “Stupid Monkey.” It’s an intimate song crafted in his bedroom studio accompanied by a beautiful film clip, directed by Michael Ridley, shot in Connor’s hometown and during his recent road trip to Yuin Country/Tomakin, New South Wales.

“Everyone knows how it feels to have an insistent weight on their shoulders or a monkey on their back. ‘Stupid Monkey’ explores the rude realisation that the process of healing and growth is a messy, frustrating, and yet finally, ultimately cathartic,” Connor explained.

“Stupid Monkey” is Connor’s first release since 2020, so hopefully he won’t leave us waiting so long for the follow-up!

Image used with permission from Brain Drain PR; credit: Michael Ridley

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kita Alexander Drops Pop Bop, “Queen”

Kita Alexander is embracing her inner pop diva with her fun new single “Queen.” This is the girl power anthem you need heading into your weekend! It’s a bit of a sonic left turn from Kita, but I think it suits her!

“’Queen’ was born out of a need to write an upbeat dance song. My dilemma with that was that I don’t think I can dance. I’m self-conscious about the length of my limbs and find it very hard to loosen up on the dance floor or in front of anyone for a matter of fact,” she admitted. “During the four months during Covid that my husband was away for the Olympics, I found myself alone in the kitchen more often than not. I discovered that I actually love to dance and really go for it when no one’s watching me. Even if one of my kids sneak out of bed and tries to watch me I get more conscious of the way my body is moving. I find this incredibly ironic because I perform for a living. This song is all about feeling like a superstar when you’re all alone.”

To celebrate the release of “Queen,” Kita will head out on her very first headlining tour next month. Expect to hear all your favourites from her three EPs and perhaps some more new songs from her forthcoming debut album. Meeanjin/Brisbane has already sold out and other dates won’t be too far behind, so make sure you grab these tickets while you can!

18 May 2023 – Black Bear Lodge, Meeanjin/Brisbane (SOLD OUT)
19 May 2023 – Mary’s Underground, Eora/Sydney
20 May 2023 – Northcote Social Club, Naarm/Melbourne

Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia; credit: Rob Tennent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Say The Word” – DETOUR

Western Australian act DETOUR channel all the angst and energy of youth into their debut EP Say the Word. It’s an impressive first release from a band still in their teens.

You might expect performers so young to sound a little green, but DETOUR have been together since they were just 11. Through those years together they’ve created a sound that’s confident and strong, if not totally polished. Let’s face it though, punk should be a little rough around the edges.

I might be decades older than the members of this band, but I found their songs so relatable. If you’ve ever felt like the black sheep, you’re going to love “Hard 2 Please”. “Red Flag” is bound to resonate with anyone who’s made the wrong decisions in the name of love. The closing punk-rock anthem “Say the Word” brings back all the awkwardness and uncertainty of first crushes.

When I was growing up, so many of the performers who wrote the angsty songs I connected with were twice my age. How exciting to have a band like DETOUR exploring the frustrations of the teen experience as they’re living it. Their music is so authentic, and so powerful, whether they’re rocking hard or taking a moment for quiet contemplation. I love it as an adult, but you can bet I’ll be sharing it with my teenage niece.

Say the Word is out now.

Image used with permission from beehive; main image credit: Mitch Love