Category: News

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jessica Mauboy Burns Up the Charts

Jessica Mauboy’s second solo single “Burn” has proven its slow burn appeal, landing at the top spot on the ARIA singles charts this week. With the single debuting eight weeks ago, I’ll bet Jess wondered if she’d ever score that number one!

It’s been a much more meteoric rise for Natalie Bassingthwaighte, who’s rocketed into ninth position with “Someday Soon.” What an awesome effort for its first week in the charts!

AC/DC continue their dominance, outperforming all other Aussie albums with the five-times platinum Black Ice. It’s sitting at number four after thirteen weeks in the charts.

The massive Aussie soundtrack from the even bigger series Packed to the Rafters sits at number eight. Featuring acts like Ben Lee, Josh Pyke, and Gabriella Cilmi it’s little wonder people are buying this one in droves. It sounds like ideal Australia Day barbie music to me!

David Campbell rounds out the top 10 with one of my favourite albums at the moment, Good Lovin’. This is the sixties soul cover album’s highest chart position to date!

Here’s this week’s complete top ten!

Australian Top 10 Singles

  1. “Burn” – Jessica Mauboy
  2. “Poker Face” – Lady GaGa
  3. “Let It Rock” – Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne
  4. “Get Shaky” – The Ian Carey Project
  5. “Use Somebody” – Kings of Leon
  6. “You Found Me” – The Fray
  7. “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” – Beyonce
  8. “Circus” – Britney Spears
  9. “Someday Soon” – Natalie Bassingthwaighte
  10. “Live Your Life” – T.I. feat. Rihanna

Australian Top 10 Albums

  1. Only by the Night – Kings of Leon
  2. Funhouse – P!nk
  3. Twilight – Soundtrack
  4. Black Ice – AC/DC
  5. The Fame – Lady GaGa
  6. Circus – Britney Spears
  7. Dark Horse – Nickelback
  8. Packed to the Rafters – Soundtrack
  9. I Am … Sasha Fierce – Beyonce
  10. Good Lovin’ – David Campbell
Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Frente Back in Action for Fringe Festival

Frente exploded onto the music scene in the early 90s with impossibly infectious tunes like “Ordinary Angels” and “Acidentally Kelly Street.” Then after just two albums, it was over.

Or so we thought. Angie Hart and Simon Austin will reunite as Frente for the Adelaide Fringe Festival next month.

If you want to enjoy a trip down memory lane make sure you head to The Garden of Earthly Delights in Rundle Park on February 20 and 21. Who knows whether this will be your last chance to bop along to these songs?

For the rest of us who can’t get to the shows, here’s the colourful clip for “Accidentally Kelly Street.”

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Brian Mannix Brings Back Countdown

We’ve had the tribute concerts, now comes the parody of one of Australia’s most beloved music programs, Countdown.

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Countdown is the brainchild of Uncanny X-Men singer and Countdown regular Brian Mannix. He’s enlisted Michael Veitch to play host Molly Meldrum, and original voice-over guy Gavin Wood to reprise his role.

“I was watching another show and it seemed to me that a lot of shows were playing popular songs and doing dress-ups,” Brian told Undercover News. “I thought if you are going to do a show like that you might as well do Countdown. I thought well Molly is pretty funny, so I will get someone who is funny to rip-off Molly. That would be funny. It just evolved from there.”

The show will hit Melbourne’s Crown Casino later this month. Preview shows will be on January 20 and 21, before the official opening on January 22. It runs until February 1.

Image source: Crown Casino

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Wendy Matthews Plays Free Australia Day Show

Ring in Australia Day with a free concert by one of our favorite entertainers. Wendy Matthews will perform on the steps of Canberra’s Parliament House for nix. Around 30, 000 proud Aussies are expected to attend the January 26 show.

Expect to hear songs from Wendy’s new album She, a celebration of songs by strong female performers like Chrissie Hynde, Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, and Aretha Franklin.

“These artists and songs meant a lot to me growing up,” explained Wendy. “They were strong women who used their personal suffering to create songs of such depth and beauty.”

If you can’t get to Canberra to see Wendy’s Australia Day show you can catch her at the following venues this month.

14 January 2009 – Friends Restaurant, Perth
15 January 2009 – Café Bouvard, Mandurah
16 January 2009 – Charles Hotel, Perth
17 January 2009 – Mundaring Weir Beer Garden, Perth
18 January 2009 – Bridgetown Hotel

Image source: Wendy Matthews image gallery

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Galvatrons’ Album on its Way

The Galvatrons have already earned a loyal following through their dynamic live shows and retro hit single “When We Were Kids.” Expect their fan base to get even bigger when they release their debut album later this year.

Lead singer Johnny Galvatron told The Sunday Telegraph the much anticipated release is well on its way.
“We’re halfway through tracking the recording. So we’re definitely starting to hear the overall sound come together,” he said.

Johnny says it’s been an interesting experience to work with award-winning producer Scott Horsecroft, the man responsible for albums by The Presets, The Panics, and Wolfmother.

“I liken Scott to an evil Bond villain – eccentric, but keeping in mind his all-encompassing plan of destroying the world,” he joked. That’s some description!

Image source: Newscom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Felicity Urquhart and Troy Cassar-Daley to Host Country Music Awards

Felicity Urquhart and Troy Cassar-Daley will share hosting duties at the 37th CMAA Country Music Awards.

Troy, a 14 times CMAA winner, said it was “a great honour” to host the show.

“I’m really looking forward to being on stage as a co-host with Felicity, especially as it’s an opportunity to say more than a few lines as I usually do as a presenter,” he said in a statement.

“Tamworth and I have a lot of history and I look forward to continuing to be a part of that history moving forward into 2009 at the 37th ‘Golden Guitar’ Awards.”

Felicity is similarly chuffed.

“It will be great to join Troy in hosting the 2009 CMAA Country Music Awards. The Awards represent the highest achievements in the Australian country music industry and to join my peers on our ‘night of nights’ is an honour.”

Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson, John Williamson, Adam Brand, The McClymonts, The Slim Dusty Family, Catherine Britt, and Melinda Schneider will all perform on the night. The 37th CMAA Country Music Awards will hit Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Convention Centre on January 24.

Image source: Adam.J.W.C. @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ben Lee Gets Married … Twice!

Ben Lee has been married twice in two weeks! The Aussie singer-songwriter wed actress Ione Skye in a traditional Indian ceremony on December 29, but as this wasn’t legally recognised in Los Angeles they married again at City Hall.

“You go through a huge experience on an emotional and spiritual level, then you have to go and do the paperwork,” Ben told The Sunday Telegraph.

Around 50 of the couple’s closest family and friends attended the nupitals in Malaikodi, near Chennai on the Bay of Bengal. They included Ione’s brother Donovan Leitch, Missy Higgins, Nash and Joel Edgerton, and Jessica Chapnik. The ceremony was presided over by Ben’s spiritual guru, Sakthi Narayani Amma.

A reception was held at a nearby guesthouse, with Ben’s friend The Kahn Brothers acting as the house band. The newlyweds then took their party to a nearby orphanage, where they proceeded to perform for the children. It sounds like a big day!

Ben might be forced to postpone a honeymoon as he’s due back in Australia next month to promote his new album The Rebirth of Venus.

Image source: Newscom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kaz James and Macy Gray Pair Up

Listen out for Kaz James‘ newie, “Can’t Hold Back.” The track, which features Macy Gray, is one of his album’s standouts.

The killer pairing came about when Kaz and Macy met in a nightclub. She told him she was a fan, and the rest is history. All it took was a bottle of Grand Marnier to convince her to record the song.

Kaz may have also sweetened the deal when he volunteered to return the favour. He worked on many of the tracks on Macy’s upcoming album The Gray Life.

“Can’t Hold Back” is currently available on iTunes and will be in stores on January 26, while the music video will be released next week.

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Amy Pearson Impresses Paris Hilton

Amy Pearson’s hopes of an international music career have received a boost from one Paris Hilton.

The pair hit it off at the recent Bongo Virus New Year’s Eve party in King’s Cross. Paris asked to hear some of Amy’s music, which she luckily had an on iPod. Paris loved what she heard and invited Amy to perform at one of her upcoming parties in the US. They’ve swapped numbers and e-mail addresses so more definite plans could be made!

It sounds like an exciting opportunity for Amy, who’s currently working on album number two.

Image source: Newscom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dig!!! Lazurus Dig!!! Named Album of the Year

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds impressed Aussie music fans last year. Their album Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! was named Album of the Year by Street Press Australia.

Readers of Inpress in Victoria and The Drum Media in New South Wales and Western Australia helped put Nick and the boys in the top spot.

The top 10 also saw local heroes The Drones at number three with Havilah, and The Gin Club at number nine with Junk.

Here is the complete top 10!

  1. Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! – Nick Cave & The Bade Seeds
  2. Dear Science – TV on the Radio
  3. Havilah – The Drones
  4. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
  5. Oracular Spectacular – MGMT
  6. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
  7. For Emma, Forever Ago – Bon Iver
  8. Third – Portishead
  9. Junk – The Gin Club
  10. We Don’t Belong Here – Violent Soho

Image source: Bauer-Griffin