Author: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Georgie Neilsen Impresses With “Eyes Wide Open”

Mondays are never easy, but Georgie Neilsen’s gorgeous new single “Eyes Wide Open” is making my morning a little easier. She won my heart with “The Last Time I Felt Better” in the middle of the year, and this is a brilliant follow-up. It’s such a beautiful blend of folk, rock, and indie-pop influences that’s a little reminiscent of material from Angie McMahon or Tia Gostelow. The big, heartfelt vocals from Georgie are giving me all the feels.

“Eyes Wide Open has gone through many forms,” Georgie admitted. “From a heavy guitar-driven song to a solo soulful folk tune and through drawing influences from HAIM and Katy Perry it has transformed into a sweet and sassy bop about reclaiming power and independence post-heartbreak.”

“Eyes Wide Open” comes from Georgie’s debut EP Suburban Daze, which drops on November 18. She’ll launch the EP for hometown fans in Meeanjin/Brisbane at The Brightside on November 20.

Image used with permission from Kick Push PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jacob Fitzgerald Continues His Winning Ways With “Long Way Home”

It’s starting to feel like Naarm/Melbourne-based indie-rock artist Jacob Fitzgerald can do no wrong. After wowing me with his previous singles “Muse” and “Shame on You,” he’s back with the earnest pop-rock gem, “Long Way Home.”

“It covers my own heartbreak and tells a story of loss. Basically, ‘Long Way Home’ is the song I wish I never had to write,”Jacoe admitted. “Essentially, LWH is about savouring the moment before the final goodbye. It follows the shock of heartbreak and captures the emotions of knowing that no matter what is said, the choice won’t be yours … they’ve made up their mind. It was a goal of the band and me to capture the intimacy and intensity of this track both lyrically and sonically. Overall, ‘Long Way Home’ was written to mend a broken heart, and with the help of my closest friends, we built a track that we just fricken love! I’m so proud of it as it captures a moment in time, I never knew I wanted to keep. It’s my silver lining and I can only hope it makes people feel something too!”

Jacob will play a string of shows to celebrate the single’s release. Catch him at the following venues:

25 November 2022 – Black Bear Lodge, Meeanjin/Brisbane
26 November 2022 – Hiway Live, Eora/Sydney
16 December 2022 – Crown & Anchor, Tandanya/Adelaide
17 December 2022 – The Workers Club, Naarm/Melbourne

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Hollywood Waltz Channel ’80s Vibes With “Someone Better”

The Hollywood Waltz won me over with their ’80s-inspired single “There For You” a couple of months ago. Proving that was no fluke, they’re bringing more great retro vibes with their latest track “Someone Better.” It’s an unashamed throwback, and I’m here for it.

“It’s centred around the old cliche of feeling lonely and longing to be with someone and going back to something or someone that you shouldn’t, just to fill the time and fill the emptiness,” explained the Hollywood Waltz’s lead singer, Matt Druery.
“Once you’re back with that person, you think it’s going to be perfect and exactly what you want & need, but in reality, you just remember why you left them in the first place… And thus the line – ‘if drinking is all we have in common, maybe we shouldn’t be together sitting at this bar’.”

Fans in their hometown of Eora/Sydney have plenty of opportunities to catch them this month at the following shows:

9 November 2022 – Botany View Hotel, Eora/Newtown
10 November 2022 – Frankie’s Pizza, Eora/Sydney (single launch)
16 November 2022 – Botany View Hotel, Eora/Newtown
23 November 2022 – Botany View Hotel, Eora/Newtown
30 November 2022 – Botany View Hotel, Eora/Newtown

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Simon London + the Spirits Back From Extended Hiatus With New Single, Album, and Shows

After a 12-year hiatus, fans of Simon London + the Spirits might have assumed the band were lost to the industry forever. Last anyone knew, Simon London had left Australia to live and record with his wife in Sweden. However, rumours of this rock act’s demise are greatly exaggerated though. These guys are back recording, releasing new music, and playing shows. Get excited!

Their comeback single “Troposphere” shows they’ve lost nothing. It’s a powerful rock ballad that explores the loss of the band’s drummer and Simon London’s musical partner of 30 years.

“Troposphere” is also the last track, and my personal favourite, from Simon London + the Spirits album Don’t You Forget About Me, which just happened to drop today. It’s a proper old-school record that’s meant to be listened to in chronological order. Ensuring you do, Simon and the lads have released it as just two tracks on the streaming services, side A and side B. Brilliant! Simon London + the Spirits will play SONAR Room in Waylyup/Fremantle tonight, with more dates to come.

Image used with permission from Simon London

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Madoc Plane Drops Sensational Single, “Overdrive”

The weekend’s parties may still be days away, but Madoc Plane’s new track “Overdrive” will have you grooving as if they were already here. This is such a funky little number, with Madoc’s effortless falsetto soaring effortlessly over the beats. If Jamiroquai and The Weeknd had a musical baby, it might sound a little something like this.

“‘Overdrive’ is an electro-pop track showing hints of soul and dance. I tried to draw upon the sounds of The Weeknd and Kaytranada in this one, using a strong, driving drum beat underneath multiple layers of samples, synths and ambience,” Madoc explained. “There was a period earlier this year where I used a lot of mindfulness exercises to work on my mental health and I found it super helpful and inspiring. ‘Overdrive’ touches on this period, representing getting past self doubt and putting yourself out there with confidence.”

“Overdrive” comes from Madoc Plane’s debut EP Own Worst Enemy. Featuring previous single “Right Reason,” it’s well worth a listen. If you live near Boorloo/Perth, you can experience his music live at the stacked Tone City Records Dreamfest show at Rosemount Hotel. It was originally slated for November 5, but has been postponed. However, that just means you’ve got a little more time to nab early bird tickets before the new date is announced.

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Michael Tartaglia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Alt Fiction Drop Pop Bop “Why Are You Still Here?”

Alt Fiction haven’t dropped a single since March, but their follow-up to “Yesterday” is definitely worth the wait. Their latest track “Why Are You Still Here?” is a pop anthem, with all the energy you need to move forward in your working week. The band was inspired to write the song after seeing concertgoers booing after an interlude video featuring Greta Thunberg was played during a show from The 1975. I can definitely hear the British band’s influence in this track!

“It got us thinking about how there’s always a group of people that just go to gigs just to get a shot for their socials, ruin the experience for other people, and are just generally crappy,” they say about the experience.

If you’ve ever been frustrated by other punters at a gig, this one’s for you. I also love the film clip, which Alt Fiction made using an iPhone in two days with zero budget.

“We’ve made music videos ourselves before but this one was the most ambitious for sure,” they enthused. “We knew we wanted to involve the carnival because it’s so colourful and wild. We pretty much just dressed up in the brightest vintage clothing we could find on Depop and then ran around for two days just acting like idiots. It’s pretty embarrassing trying to film a music video at a carnival tbh – most of the footage didn’t even make the cut,” shares Alt Fiction

Thankfully it doesn’t sound like we’ll be left waiting as long for more new music, with the band promising that an EP showcasing “the absolute best of Alt Fiction” is on its way.

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia; credit: Layla Hutchins

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Nick de la Hoyde Wows Me With “Bulletproof”

Eora/Sydney-based alternative pop act Nick de la Hoyde shows the strength that can come from true vulnerability with his new single “Bulletproof.” The track explores themes of mental health, resilience, and the importance of human connection.

“I wrote Bulletproof about breaking out of a dark place mentally. Often it takes a special someone to shake you back to reality, and to them we owe everything. They make you feel like you are bulletproof, unstoppable, and most importantly loved. I wrote this song with my brothers in our home studio in Sydney,” he explained.

I’ve always maintained that magic happens when talented siblings make music together. This stellar track is just further proof.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kyle Lionhart Wows Me With “Chemical Heart”

Folky, acoustic guitar-driven music is my kryptonite. Needless to say, I’m powerless to resist “Chemical Heart,” the latest track from Kyle Lionhart. He wrote the song after reaching a crossroads in his musical career.

“Being away and constantly on the road chasing something – that hungry ghost of needing to be validated through music – was so powerful that I was willing to just ruin the rest of my life to get it,” he explained. “I hit this point at end of 2019 – after touring relentlessly for more than six years – when I realised that my family was gonna leave me and I hadn’t spoken to my friends in years, and it took its toll on my mental health. I knew it was getting bad, but I ignored it to chase a ‘successful’ music career. And it worked, but almost every other facet of my life was suffering and falling to pieces.

“Then when I had to stop, because the pandemic forced me to, I realised everything was so turbulent. And I had to start working on myself and my relationships. It was kind of like, ‘Alright, I’m ready to get to work.’ I wrote the song Chemical Heart about that; it’s a song that was very much about everything I had just experienced.”

“Chemical Heart” comes from Kyle’s new album The Silence of You, which drops on November 18. After eating up his singles, I can’t wait to listen. He’ll also play the following shows next year to support the album release:

20 January 2023 – Milk Bar, Boorloo/Perth
21 January 2023 – Jive, Tarntanya/Adelaide
27 January 2023 – The Factory Theatre, Eora/Sydney
28 January 2023 – Corner Hotel, Naarm/Melbourne
3 February 2023 – Mos Desert Clubhouse, Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast
4 February 2023 – The Zoo, Meeanjin/Brisbane
10 February 2023 – Solbar, Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country/Sunshine Coast
11 February 2023 – The Northern, Cavanbah/Byron Bay

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pretty Bleak Impress With “other people’s heads”

Pretty Bleak are serving up some of the best pop-punk tunes around. Their latest single “other people’s heads” is an absolute belter with some really insightful lyrics about the influence of social media on modern society.

“Just before the pandemic, I was thinking a lot about the fact that if you have a social media account, at any given moment someone could be creating a model of your personality in their minds that you have very little influence over,” explained vocalist Sam Thomas. “In the past it would have been quite unusual to meet someone for the first time and discover that they already know significant and intimate things about you … I wanted to describe both the uneasiness that an individual might feel about being in a situation comparable to that, and the absurdness of the fact that this paradigm has become the expected state of our social interactions.”

This smart song is matched with a really clever film clip directed by Tom Thomas.

“The use of mirrors and cameras constantly reflecting and perceiving us throughout the video represents obsession our society has with the perceptions of those around us, and how this pathology is exaggerated by how prevalent social media is in our lives,” Sam added. “As with all of our videos, we like to intersperse visual metaphors with intense performance shots that mirror the content of the lyrics of our songs, because we like the video to act as a coherent augmentation of the song itself.”

Pretty Bleak will celebrate the release of “other people’s heads at Stay Gold in Naarm/Melbourne on November 25. They’re also heading to Great Escape in Lutruwita/Tasmania on March 3.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Tom Thomas

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Fresco Kyoto Releases Dreamy Single “You Save Me”

Meeanjin/Brisbane quintet Fresco Kyoto has really impressed me with their new singer “You Save Me.” Their sound is so beautifully layered and frontman Robbie Balmer’s vocals are incredible. They’ve been garnering comparisons to Rufus Du Sol and Hayden James, which I can certainly hear, but they’ve also got that indefinable something that sets them apart.

Talking about the single’s inspiration, Fresco Kyoto explained “A person has realised that they have entrapped their love in a relationship that is proving to be defined by their own flaws. Through self-sacrifice the person determines the way they rise above their ailment is on their own, and that their partner must move on to a better life. This song is an ode to time and the revelations it unveils.”

It seems these guys have a lot of hometown support, recently winning Best Live Artist and Best Emerging Artist awards from Brisbane Council and supporting acts like Custard, Jaguar Jonze, and Greta Stanley at local venues. Surely this track is the one that makes the rest of the country sit up and pay attention.

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Vivid Visual Co