For the first day this week I’ve had a cruisy day. A day where I don’t have any deadlines, where I can work on things at my leisure, get to do a bit of blogging and listening to some smooth, soulful jazz. “Put It Down,” the new single from Melbourne independent artist Zoe K totally fits the bill.
Zoe recorded this gorgeous track in New Orleans with a host of talented musicians including Mister Goldfinger from The Roots. It comes from Zoe’s album It’s Just What I Like, which will drop in April.
Zoe K will play the following shows to promote her album’s release.
15 April 2017 – Spotted Mallard, Brunswick
5 May 2017 – Lazy Bones Lounge, Sydney
6 May 2017 – Small Ballroom, Newcastle
It’s so hard to get into the groove of things on a Wednesday, but it’s made that much easier with cool tunes like “Deep End” by Melbourne’s Vincent Sole.
This song is just so cool, floating along with a gentle electronic groove and Vincent’s mellow vocals.
“[“Deep End”] tells a story about freestyling the rest of my teen years and taking a leap of faith, to lead my life into something much bigger,” Vincent explained.
With two singles under his belt now, the time is right for Vincent to take his music to the masses. Catch him on his debut live performances at World Bar in Sydney on April 7 and Gasometer in Melbourne on April 8.
Sydney pop-punk act With Confidence showcase a softer side with the release of new single “Long Night.” It’s a beautiful piano ballad that really tugs at the heartstrings.
“We filmed this video spontaneously in LA whilst staying at our A&R rep’s house,” said lead vocalist Jayden Seeley. “He saw me playing the song on his old upright piano and knew we needed to film it. This song is a pretty sentimental one, and I’m excited to see people connect with it in the same way.”
“Long Night” comes from With Confidence’s latest album Better Weather, which also features the singles “Voldemort,” “Keeper,” and “We’ll Be Okay.” The band is currently treating fans around the globe to their live show. Hopefully we’ll see them back in Oz really soon. Until then, international fans can catch them at the following gigs.
14 March 2017 – Legend Club, Milano
15 March 2017 – Schuur, Lucerne
16 March 2017 – L’EspaceB, Paris
17 March 2017 – Charlatan, Gent
18 March 2017 – Dynamo Basement, Eindhoven
7 April 2017 – Agora Theatre and Ballroom, Cleveland
8 April 2017 – St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit
9 April 2017 – Concord Music Hall, Chicago
11 April 2017 – Wooly’s, Des Moines
12 April 2017 – The Ready Room, St Louis
14 April 2017 – Summit Music Hall, Denver
15 April 2017 – The Complex, Salt Lake City
17 April 2017 – The Showbox, Seattle
18 April 2017 – Wonder Ballroom, Portland
19 April 2017 – The UC Theatre, Berkeley
20 April 2017 – The Observatory, Santa Ana
21 April 2017 – The Teragram Ballroom, Los Angeles (SOLD OUT)
23 April 2017 – Observatory North Park, San Diego
25 April 2017 – Vinyl @ Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas
26 April 2017 – The Pressroom, Phoenix
28 April 2017 – Emo’s, Austin
29 April 2017 – Gas Monkey Bar & Grill, Dallas
30 April 2017 – Warehouse Live, Houston
2 May 2017 – Cannery Ballroom, Nashville
3 May 2017 – The Masquerade, Atlanta
5 May 2017 – Beacham Theater, Orlando
6 May 2017 – Neighborhood Theatre, Charlotte
7 May 2017 – Baltimore Soundstage, Baltimore
9 May 2017 – Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia
11 May 2017 – Irving Plaza, New York (SOLD OUT)
12 May 2017 – Irving Plaza, New York
13 May 2017 – Upstate Concert Hall, Clifton Park
14 May 2017 – Royale, Boston
25 June 2017 – Bazooka Rocks, Manila
Gareth Jay has floored me with his incredibly beautiful new single “The Fox & The Rabbit.”
This gorgeous song, featuring British drummer Ben Hooper, explores the theme of alcohol dependency in a poetic and profoundly moving way. I love the way the delicate fingerpicking guitar mimics the interplay between the metaphorical fox and rabbit. This is truly special stuff.
“For people that suffer from alcoholism, there is an ever present want for alcohol even though you know what the outcome will be. Similar to a rabbit attracted to the chase of a fox. There’s a risk at play there. That fundamentally the rabbit will succumb to the fox’s vicious objective, but the rabbit still wants to take the risk. To chase to see if he can escape this time,” Gareth, who co-wrote the song with his wife, explained.
Are you as impressed with this song as I am readers?
The weekend is finally here! To put you in the mood, wrap your ears around the delightful dance-pop stylings of “Doin’ What You Want,” the latest track from Asta.
“Doin’ What You Want is about never giving up. It’s about acceptance also and being the person you were born to be, never being afraid of your identity and sexuality because they are what make us who we are,” Asta explained. “Screw judgment and fear, just keep doing what you’re doing, the universe has got your back.”
“Doin’ What You Want” is the latest track lifted from Asta’s Shine EP, which is out now.
It’s probably no secret that while I love an eclectic range of music, there’s something about modern folk that really moves me. So I was thrilled to hear “Want You to Know,” the debut single from Queanbeyan singer-songwriter Patrick McKinney.
This song is so raw and honest. It really got me in the heart. It builds from a simple strumming acoustic guitar to a symphony of sound that’s big but not overblown or overproduced. The lyrics, which speak of moving through life and the trials it can bring, really speak to me.
Take a listen to this one. You won’t be disappointed.
After honing their musical talents in other bands, Hamish and Nick, two pals from the suburbs of Melbourne, have joined forces as Kings of Cough Syrup. The name might be new, but bonding over music isn’t for this pair.
“Nick was the first person I shared music with,” Hamish reminisced. “Before Nick, there was only me in a bedroom, fumbling a few chords on one of my dad’s guitars. We would have only been 13 or 14 years old; even then Nick, as he has always done, and continues to do, brought a uniting vision. It was obvious immediately; Nick’s talent dwarfed mine, and that of anyone else we played with. Nick could hear things no one else could hear, play things no one else could play, though most importantly; he was the one who was able to arrange any musical rabble into something inspiring. And, so it has been through out our lives; Kings of Cough Syrup is no different.”
Kings of Cough Syrup has just released a sublime new single “Take Me Out” which hints at the good things to come. It’s a delicate track, subtle and honest that really draws you in. “Take Me Out” is the first track lifted from Kings of Cough Syrup’s self-titled debut EP, which drops on April 21.
Fresh from performances at the St. Kilda Festival and The Mountain Goat Valley Crawl, Polish Club is set to rock stages across the country to promote the release of the highly anticipated debut album Alright Already.
The album, which drops on March 31, features the latest single “Come Party.” It feels like an instant pub rock classic and has a film clip that’s set to impress anyone who likes looking at beautiful women. They’re gorgeous!
Polish Club’s headlining tour mid-year is their biggest to date, so if you’re a fan there should be no excuse for missing it.
5 May 2017 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
6 May 2017 – Narara Festival, Kariong
11 May 2017 – Small Ballroom, Newcastle
12 May 2017 – Rad Bar, Wollongong
13 May 2017 – Republic Bar, Hobart
19 May 2017 – Rocket Bar, Adelaide
20 May 2017 – Amplifier, Perth
25 May 2017 – The Foundry, Brisbane
26 May 2017 – Elsewhere, Gold Coast
27 May 2017 – Big Pineapple Festival, Woombye
1 June 2017 – The Transit Bar, Canberra
2 June 2017 – Workers Club, Geelong
3 June 2017 – The Corner, Melbourne
Melbourne band Jazz Party has taken me back to a 1930s speakeasy with the soulful new single “Talking In Your Sleep.”
The song is the perfect combination of soul and jazz, with on-point vocals from Loretta Miller and an irresistible old school feel. I love the way it builds from this demure little thing to a heartbreaking climax. You just try to resist this.
If you like what you hear, make sure you get out and see Jazz Party launching the single with shows around Victoria this month.
11 March 2017 – Golden Plains Festival, Meredith
24 March 2017 – Castlemaine State Festival, Castlemaine
31 March 2017 – Howler, Brunswick
1 April 2017 – By the Meadow, Bambra
ILUKA’s “Blue Jean Baby” was one of my favourite songs of 2016. Good news is there’s more where that came from; ILUKA’s sophomore EP Blue My Soul is out now and available through a number of channels including iTunes and Spotify. The EP was mostly self-produced and tracked to tape as a live band at Linear Recording Studios in Sydney, giving it a real spontaneous, raw feel.
ILUKA is soon ready to take all the songs from Blue My Soul to the masses with a tour around the East Coast. Check her out at the following venues.
16 March 2017 – The Pier, Port Macquarie
17 March 2017 – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
18 March 2017 – The Milk Factory, Brisbane
30 March 2017 – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra
31 March 2017 – The Gasometer, Melbourne
1 April 2017 – The Workers Club, Geelong
7 April 2017 – Rad Bar, Wollongong
8 April 2017 – Hudson Ballroom, Sydney
