Sydney siblings The Saba Brothers are making a splash with their ultra-catchy debut single “Walk Away.”
Released under the moniker S3, the track is one of those perfect pop songs, full of hooks and clocking in at a radio-friendly three-and-a-half minutes. The lads penned the song themselves and take care of both vocal and instrumental duties. With Raymond on lead guitar, Nathan on bass, and Steve on drums, they’ve got all the right ingredients here. They’re also working with the right people. “Walk Away” was produced and arranged by Steve Peach, known for his work with Kylie Minogue, Icehouse, and Gwen Stefani.
“Walk Away” should hit the airwaves on August 10. It comes from S3’s debut EP Life, which is on all your favourite streaming services now.
Tash Sultana has floored me with her latest single, “Harvest Love.” This is a beautiful track about losing a loved one which packs a serious emotional punch.
“I wrote this song a little while back. People kind of assume that I only write songs with live looping but I actually write in all different ways. This is a piece I’m super proud of,” Tash explained. “I unlocked a little part of me to completely simplify the story I was trying to tell. I think you kind of get that way when you have a moment in your life when the entire world is just too hard to comprehend. So this is what came from that.”
“Harvest Love” is the latest cut from Tash Sultana’s debut album Flow State, which will drop on August 31. She’s currently touring the world, but she’ll play Lost Picnic Festival here in October and headline a gig on the Sunshine Coast in January. This is her first local headlining show in more than a year, so expect tickets to get snapped up. Here are all the places you can see her play around the world in the coming months.
3 August 2018 – Hinterland Music Festival, St Charles
4 August 2018 – Lollapalooza, Chicago
5 August 2018 – Osheaga, Montreal (SOLD OUT)
7 August 2018 – RBC Echo Beach, Toronto
9 August 2018 – Edmonton Folk Fest, Edmonton
11 August 2018 – Outside Lands Festival, San Francisco
6-8 September 2018 – Palladium Koln, Cologne (SOLD OUT)
10 & 11 September 2018 – Columbiahalle, Berlin (SOLD OUT)
15 & 16 September 2018 – Afas Live, Amsterdam-Zuidoost (SOLD OUT)
20-22 September 2018 – O2 Academy Brixton, London (20th & 21st SOLD OUT; Limited tickets for 22nd)
25 September 2018 – l’Olympia, Paris
28 September 2018 – Samsung Hall, Zurich (SOLD OUT)
29 September 2018 – Fabrique, Milan, Italy
7 October 2018 – Lost Picnic Festival, Melbourne
13 October 2018 – Lost Picnic Festival, Sydney
1 November 2018 – UBC Thunderbird Arena, Vancouver
4 November 2018 – Grey Eagle Event Centre, Calgary
6 November 2018 – Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg
7 November 2018 – Palace Theatre, St.Paul
10 November 2018 – The Filmore Detroit, Detroit
16 November 2018 – House of Blues, Boston
17 November 2018 – Terminal 5, New York
20 November 2018 – Stage AE, Pittsburgh
21 November 2018 – The Anthem, Washington D.C.
23 November 2018 – War Memorial Auditorium, Nashville
24 November 2018 – The Tabernacle, Atlanta
26 November 2018 – Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland, Kansas City
27 November 2018 – The Fillmore Auditorium, Denver
1 December 2018 – Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles
2 January 2019 – Bay Dreams Festival, ASB Baypark, The Mount
4 January 2019 – Bay Dreams Festival, Trafalgar Park, Nelson
12 January 2019 – Big Pineapple Fields, Woombye
Adelaide’s grooviest four-piece Neon Tetra are hitting the road to celebrate the recent release of their EP Pollen.
At just three tracks, Pollen is the kind of EP that leaves you wanting more, in the best possible way. It features the super-catchy single “The End Begins Again” along with two more tracks for your listening pleasure.
“Dan wrote a lot of tunes while listening to artists like Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes … the soul funk shines through with Josh’s gospel-like vocals lending themself passionately to the feelings of the Motown era,” the band explained. “The use of synth and strong grooves links the band’s more experimental beginnings with current pop tones of the music.”
Get ready to get your groove on at the following Neon Tetra shows.
3 August 2018 – Rocket Bar, Adelaide
11 August 2018 – The Grace Darling, Melbourne
17 August 2018 – Botany View Hotel, Sydney
24 August 2018 – Netherworld, Brisbane
25 August 2018 – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
26 August 2018 – Shark Bar, Gold Coast
1 September 2018 – Crown & Anchor Hotel, Adelaide
Thelma Plum is giving me nostalgic ‘80s vibes with her poppy new single “Clumsy Love.” It’s the sort of song that will have you reaching for your hairbrush and bopping around your bedroom, but its lyrics should resonate with anyone who’s ever felt their current love pining for someone from their past.
“The year just gone has been a really rough one for me and ‘Clumsy Love’ is my reflections on that – and I have to say I am far happier with the song than with the memories,” she confirmed.
Thelma will tour around the country in August and September to celebrate the release of “Clumsy Love.” Catch her at all the following venues.
31 August 2018 – The Foundry, Brisbane
1 September 2018 – Solbar, Maroochydore
6 September 2018 – Mojo’s, Fremantle
7 September 2018 – The River, Margaret River
8 September 2018 – Amplifier, Perth
14 September 2018 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
15 September 2018 – Howler, Melbourne
Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia
Legs Electric makes big, ballsy rock in the tradition of Rose Tattoo and Led Zeppelin. It’s a space we don’t often see women occupying, but their music is a welcome addition to the genre. The Perth act’s new five-track EP Two Sides perfectly showcases their hard-hitting signature sound.
“Dark Paradise” shows these women mean business. This retro number doesn’t take a step backwards or a foot off the throttle. I love its big chunky guitar chords and powerful vocals. “Wanna Riot” takes us from the ’70s to the ’80s, with rebellious lyrics and unbridled passion. It’ll have you punching your fists in the air in no time. There’s more of that rebellion with every biting lyrics of “Shine Right Through.” The drums and bass anchor this track which builds to a crescendo of wailing guitars and vocals. “Strange Addiction” is perhaps the simplest song on the EP. It doesn’t have a lot in terms of lyrics content, but it makes up for that with its driving sound which will have you banging your head in time to the driving beat. “Kingdom” makes a strong final statement. There’s more attitude, great harmonies, and those big chunky guitars that are Legs Electric’s trademarks.
If I have any criticism it’s that Two Sides is a little one-note. There isn’t a lot of light and shade. Legs Electric’s EP rocks hard from start to finish. However, if you’re a fan of unflinching rock music, you’re not going to mind that one bit.
Two Sides is available now from all your favourite digital outlets. Legs Electric are currently playing shows around the country to support its release. See them at the following venues.
27 July 2018 – Rad Bar, Wollongong
28 July 2018 – Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar, Melbourne
29 July 2018 – Whole Lotta Love Bar, Brunswick East
Bloods’ new single “Feelings” is a grungy punk-pop charmer. With all the appeal of a track from ‘90s icons like Juliana Hatfield and Veruca Salt, “Feelings” is sure to please the Sydney band’s growing fanbase.
“Feelings” is the title track from Bloods’ forthcoming sophomore album, which gets a worldwide release on August 17.
“It’s felt like such a huge feat to get this album done,” MC explained. “We faced so many challenges along the way, including writer’s block and running out of money. I went through a pretty debilitating break-up and Sweetie moved to Melbourne. Sometimes it felt like this album would never be finished! I think so many of these things ended up influencing what shaped Feelings. There are some deeply personal songs on this record, something that is very new to Bloods. When we listened to the finished album, I said to Dirk ‘there are so many feelings on this record, we should call it Feelings’. So we did.”
Keep your ear to the ground, because Bloods promise to tour the album in September.
Image used with permission from Little Giant Agency
Since I’ve gotten home from holidays, I feel like I’m playing catch-up. I’ve been catching up on work, catching up on washing, and perhaps most importantly catching up on TV. While I didn’t see it when it aired, I was thrilled to catch our very own Morgan Evans making his American TV debut on The Bachelorette. While it’s not the coolest program, his appearance singing “Kiss Somebody” left no doubt that he’s going to go gangbusters in America. He just oozes charisma, he’s easy on the eye, and he’s bloody talented to boot.
With Morgan threatening to take America by storm, we can expect the Nashville-based singer’s visits home to become less frequent. When he does come back, he’s going to play stadiums before too long. So if you’re a fan, you’ll want to snap up tickets for his gigs this September. Catch him singing “Kiss Somebody,” the new single “Day Drunk,” and all your favourites at the following shows.
5 September 2018 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
6 September 2018 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
9 September 2018 – The Tivoli, Brisbane
Image used with permission from Chugg Entertainment
In a world where female pop duos are an increasingly rare breed, Chasing Velvet have the right ingredients to stand out from the pack. Amira Talbot and Naomi Grashuis hail from the Gold Coast and they’ve got all the energy and optimism you’d expect. Their latest single “Replay” will have you longing for a Sunshine Coast summer.
It’s unashamedly nostalgic, although references to 2015 being the good old days make me feel a bit ancient. Crank it up, grab your hairbrush, and enjoy its good vibes.
“Replay” is the title track from Chasing Velvet’s seven-track EP which will drop on August 4.
Listening to “Passing Through,” the first single from James Van Cooper’s debut album Coming Home, you’d probably imagine this guy spent his formative years listening to Ryan Adams and Damian Rice. However, this Sydney-born muso actually spent his teen years playing metal and worshipping the likes of LA Guns and Motley Crue. There’s not a hint of those hairbands in the music he’s creating now though!
James recorded “Passing Through” and other tracks from Coming Home in the United States with acclaimed producer Scott Campbell (Alanis Morissette, Katy Perry). It’s got a great authentic, raw sound which really excites me.
“This record is fuelled by a need to break free of certain constraints and confines, whether they be imagined or real. I had to play with a fresh deck, so to speak, hence the American studio sessions,” James explained. “Being an Australian and packing up to head to Hollywood to record, while exciting was still an unknown. What fears I did have were totally unwarranted as I was introduced to a wonderful producer in Scott Campbell who understood and encouraged what I envisaged in the creative process. Scott and I collaborated with a band that got on with making a genuine country rock record, an album that stands up for the new ways while respecting and acknowledging the vintage sound of country music. I wanted to make a record with a music narrative that pulled the listener along and I think I’ve done that on Coming Home.”
Coming Home drops on August 3. If the single is any indication, you should listen out for this one.
We’re so connected to our phones and the internet these days that it’s a strange thing to go off the grid as I do on a cruise ship. We get a little news of the outside world in a one-page paper, but essentially we’re in a bubble. One thing we miss is the concert announcements. Good for my budget, bad for my blog. So just in case you missed it too, I wanted to put Scene & Heard on your radar.
This is a brand new music festival making me all nostalgic. For starters, it’s got a dream line-up of local late nineties and early naughties favourites including The Living End, Spiderbait, Killing Heidi, Something for Kate, and Sneaky Sound System. Then there’s the venue, Wickham Park, an old stomping ground for this blogger. I might live on the Central Coast now, but as anyone who grew up in Newie knows, once you’re a Novocastrian you’re always a Novocastrian.
A classic car display and vintage vinyl fair will ramp up the nostalgia on the day. Enjoy these and the music while you’re knocking back craft beers, bespoke cocktails, and delicious food truck fare.
Scene & Heard hits Newcastle’s Wickham Park on November 4. Tickets are on sale now. Get yours soon, because with a line-up this good it’s bound to sell out.
