Anyone who sees them knows that the best way to experience The Basics is to see them live. So it’s pretty exciting news that the Melbourne trio will release a brand new live album, In The Rude, on May 27.
Recorded at Melbourne’s legendary Howler, In The Rude is the band’s first release since Age of Entitlement in 2015. It features a bunch of killer tunes including the lead single “With This Ship.”
There’s no word about shows yet, but surely we deserve a run of dates to coincide with the release of this live treat!
It takes me a bit to get moving on a Monday. So rather than the mellow music that helps me cruise through the weekend, I like to fire up some dirty rock and roll. If that’s your thing too, fire up “Wishing Well,” the latest single from Melbourne’s Localles.
“Wishing Well is about always wanting what you don’t have, a grass is always greener type thing,” the band said in a press release. “But it is also a statement about positivity, about how things can be better if people work together.”
The track is ridiculously catchy will still maintaining a sense of rock and roll rebellion. Who else is feeling this one?
When you’re a writer blogging on your own, it’s easy for some stories to fall through the cracks. I’d intended to write about the video for “Paint This Land,” Busby Marou’s latest single on its ANZAC Day release, as the clip serves as a timely reminder of the contributions of Australian soldiers, particularly the Indigenous men and women that served who weren’t recognised for their efforts until far too late in my opinion. However, I was too busy playing Two Up and drinking schooners of beer, like all good Australians should, to get there. And now it’s May and the moment has well and truly passed.
But no matter what the time of year, this is a pretty awesome clip, co-directed by Wayne Blair who made Redfern Now, The Sapphires, and Cleverman. The video also features Wayne’s father Bob Blair, a Vietnam War vet and the first Aboriginal Regimental Sergeant Major, and actor Tony Barry. And it’s one of my favourite songs from Postcards From the Shell House. So is there really a wrong time to share it? I think not.
Besides, it serves as a timely reminder that Busby Marou will be loading up their van and touring the country in the next couple of weeks. These guys are sensational live, so if you haven’t seen them yet or you’re ready for another serve, make sure you head along.
25 May 2017 – 48 Watt Street, Newcastle
26 & 27 May 2017 – Leadbelly, Sydney
28 May 2017 – Heritage Hotel, Bulli
1 June 2017 – Southern Cross Club, Woden
2 June 2017 – Launceston Country Club, Launceston
3 June 2017 – Wrest Point Casino, Hobart
8 June 2017 – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
9 June 2017 – Triffid, Brisbane
10 June 2017 – Sea & Sound Festival, Sunshine Coast
11 June 2017 – Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
15 June 2017 – Fat Controller, Adelaide
16 June 2017 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
17 June 2017 – Workers Club, Geelong
18 June 2017 – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave
22 June 2017 – Settlers Tavern, Margaret River
23 June 2017 – Northshore Tavern, Hillarys
24 June 2017 – Mundaring Weir Hotel, Mundaring
25 June 2017 – The Boston, Perth
30 June 2017 – Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin
1 July 2017 – Triffid, Brisbane
Most singers rely on musicians to support their vocals. But not Aurelia, who uses the sound of her own martial arts practice as the background for her new single “Are We Losing.” It’s a fitting way to combine the passions of this musical songstress who competes in martial arts at an international level.
Listening to the track, it’s so easy to forget that the background music is a woman working out. It’s unique, sure, but it sounds far more beautiful than anything I’ve heard in a gym! Aurelia’s layered the sound of her training with her own vocal samples to create a really wonderful soundscape. I also love Aurelia’s voice. It has such a special, hypnotic tone which also helps set this song apart.
“Recording the Are We Losing demo was a pivotal experience for me of how magical I think making music should feel,” she explained. “This, and the fact that Are We Losing is essentially about freedom and abandon, lead me to the realisation that I’m free to release whatever I want, so I am.”
After discovering such an original single from Aurelia, I can’t wait to hear what she surprises us with next!
It seemed like mission impossible, but Bliss N Eso have triumphed where many acts have failed and unseated Ed Sheeran from the top of the ARIA charts. The hip hop act’s latest album Off the Grid has claimed the number one spot on debut.
Adam Harvey and Beccy Cole’s latest collaboration, The Great Country Songbook Vol. II, has also made an impressive showing in its first week. It sits at number six, just ahead of Mark Vincent’sA Tribute to Mario Lanza.
Where are the Aussies in the singles charts though? Despite some great local releases in recent weeks, the best we can manage is Dean Lewis at number 14!
Top 10 Albums
1. Off the Grid – Bliss N Eso
2. ÷ – Ed Sheeran
3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2 – Soundtrack
4. Humanz – Gorillaz
5. DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
6. The Great Country Songbook Vol. II – Adam Harvey and Beccy Cole
7. A Tribute to Mario Lanza – Mark Vincent
8. Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 – Soundtrack
9. 25 – Adele
10. 24K Magic – Bruno Mars
Top 10 Singles
1. “I’m The One” – DJ Khaled feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne
2. “Shape of You” – Ed Sheeran
3. “HUMBLE.” – Kendrick Lamar
4. “Galway Girl” – Ed Sheeran
5. “Symphony” – Clean Bandit feat. Zara Larsson
6. “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back” – Shawn Mendes
7. “Something Just Like This” – The Chainsmokers and Coldplay
8. “Stay” – Zedd feat. Alessia Cara
9. “Sign of the Times” – Harry Styles
10. “Despacito” – Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber
Way back in 2015 I wrote about TAD, a cool app which made it easy for musicians to create their own cover art. Technology has evolved at such a rapid pace since then, so TAD’s creators have updating the app with video functionality.
Now artists can use TAD to create awesome video content and add it to their Facebook profiles. Video content is a great way to announce gigs, tease your latest album, take fans into the studio, and heaps more. TAD also lets you brand these videos with you logo, text, and other design elements.
In time the indie musicians behind TAD hope their program will help fellow musos create online video album cover art. Video album covers might not be a thing yet, but folks working in tech always have to be thinking about the next big thing.
I absolutely love finding strong, relatable female voices. One of the latest to strike a chord with me is Elli Schoen, a singer-songwriter from Fremantle who’s just released her new EP Gold Mess.
The EP explores themes of growing up and moving on, whether it’s from romantic relationships in “Hard Heart” or from the family home in “Mumma.” I especially love the EP’s title track and our introduction to the EP, “Gold Mess.” Its lyrics about attraction that’s wrong despite feeling so right should resonate with most listeners.
Elli has such a beautiful, rich tone that sounds even stronger with the heavy drum beats that drive these tracks forward. She also knows how to pen a lyric that’s poetic, yet instantly accessible to the listener. In just four tracks, she’s won me over.
Gold Mess is out now. Elli Schoen is currently touring the recording. You can still catch her at the following shows.
6 May 2017 – The Firestation, Busselton
11 May 2017 – The Astor Theatre, s/ Tash Sultana
20 May 2017 – Babushka, s/ Airling
21 May 2017 – Mojos Bar, s/ Airling
25 May 2017 – The Marly Bar, Sydney
26 May 2017 – Bistroteque, Brisbane
27 May 2017 – The Worker’s Club, Melbourne
5 June 2017 – State of the Art Festival, Perth
I discovered Emilee South last year when she released her Halloween single “Howl.” I loved her sultry vocals and the song’s dirty, bluesy feel. There are more stunning vocals and vintage sounds with the release of Emilee’s new album, Motel.
Motel opens with a bold, rockabilly number “My Baby (Don’t Return My Calls).” This track is rollicking good fun and a wonderful way to set the stage for this retro-inspired album. The latest single “Old Flame” feels like pure vintage country. I could imagine it easily slipping into the set of Patsy Cline or Rosemary Clooney. “Howl” makes even more sense when it’s here beside its companion songs.
Emilee South is an old soul with a handle on classic rock, country, and soul sounds, but there’s also something fresh about what she does. The lyrics have a little bit more bite than the vintage-inspired music she was clearly influenced by. She’s no shy violet or damsel in distress, as she reminds us in songs like “Watch Out” and “Bad Things I Do.”
Motel drops on May 11. Emilee will launch the album with a show at The Gasometer Hotel in Collingwood on May 13.
With so much going on in Sydney for Vivid over the next couple of months, it can be difficult to figure out exactly how you’ll spend your time. If you only attend one event though, I suggest you make it CLIPPED, a music video festival returning as part of the Vivid Ideas program.
You’ll get to see some of the best Australian and New Zealand music videos and attend workshops, but the real drawcard for me is a keynote speech from visionary American music video director Warren Fu. This guy has created mindblowing clips for the likes of Daft Punk, Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg, and the Strokes. If his name doesn’t ring a bell, check out this video on the CLIPPED Facebook page for a refresher.
CLIPPED is at SUNSTUDIOS on Saturday June 3. Tickets are available now through the Vivid website.
Brisbane’s favourite BYO “booze and couch” event, the Red Deer Music & Arts Festival, is gearing up for a big seventh year this October.
There’s bound to be a little Bowie influence in this year’s Space Oddity theme. With a third stage celebrating the talents of regional and emerging artists, there’ll also be more live music than ever. The line-up will be announced in a month or so, but with acts like Art vs Science, The Grates, Regurgitator, and Clare Bowditch playing in previous years you know it’ll be good. You’ll also see unique art installations and an immersive camping experience. I’m not a camper, but that sounds just interesting enough to change my stance.
“Red Deer is basically a house party at your mate’s place, except your mate lives on 40 acres of pristine grazing land beneath the rolling hills of the D’Aguilar Range,” explained festival co-founder Bas Pelly. “Instead of listening to an awful playlist on your mate’s iPod, you’ll boogie to an exciting and eclectic mix of emerging acts from around the country while you sip your BYO bevvie of choice, on your BYO couch, while you ponder which food truck’s menu you’ll explore first.
The Red Deer Music & Arts Festival hits Mount Samson on Saturday October 14. Tickets are on sale now through Eventbrite.
It seemed like mission impossible, but Bliss N Eso have triumphed where many acts have failed and unseated Ed Sheeran from the top of the ARIA charts. The hip hop act’s latest album Off the Grid has claimed the number one spot on debut.
