We all like something for nothing, right? So here’s another free download to add to your MP3 collection.
Indie pop kids The Boat People are now giving away their new single “Awkward Orchid Orchard.” Try saying that three times quickly! Point your browser here to score your free download!
If you’re a music nerd like me, you’ll want to check out the song’s film clip below. It features 52 band names represented by some funky visuals. How many can you spot?
Aussie Aussie Aussie! Excuse me, but I just can’t help it. For the first time in ages, Australian artists hold the top spots on the ARIA singles and albums charts.
Gabriella Cilmi is still going strong with his massive debut single “Sweet About Me.” And then over on the album charts Pete Murray has debuted at number one with his third major label release, Summer at Eureka. Good work guys!
Vanessa Amorosi is keeping Gabriella company on the singles charts. Her newest single “Perfect” has climbed to number seven this week.
Gabriella pops up again in the albums charts. Her debut album Lessons to be Learned has climbed to the number two spot this week. Pete and Gabriella lead an eclectic collection of Aussie albums in our top ten.
There’s the electronic Apocalypso by The Presets at number four and Damien Leith’s walk down memory lane Catch the Wind at number five.
Pendulum’s In Silico and Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson’s Rattlin’ Bones round out the top ten. They’re at number nine and ten respectively.
Here’s all the chart action!
Australian Top 10 Singles
Australian Top 10 Albums
For some time now there’s been a rather bizarre rumour that Nick Cave wants to raise thousands of dollars to erect a bronze statue of himself in his hometown of Warracknabeal, Victoria. As the story goes Nick wants a full-size likeness of himself, semi-nude and riding a horse.
Now I’m not sure whether all the details are true, but apparently Nick does want that bronze statue.
“It would feel like a very exotic journey if I did make it back how as a bronze statuette,” he told Q magazine. “I don’t dwell on it. I’m not going to pretend it’s not satisfying in some ways. But there’s a lot of work yet to do.”
Righto! No one’s exactly sure where the statue would fit as the little town of Warracknabeal already has two statues: one of a dog on wool sacks and another of a sheepdog and sheep. Surely we could get rid of one dog for a replica of this Aussie living legend, right?
Image source: Alex Ex @ Wikimedia Commons
Not content with winning ARIA Awards and selling bucketloads of albums, Sarah Blasko’s decided to branch out a little. She’s currently composing the score for the Bell Shakespeare company’s latest adaptation of Hamlet.
This is her first foray into the world of theatre, but Sarah told The Sunday Telegraph she’s thoroughly enjoying it.
“I was so nervous about doing it, I came over-prepared,” she admitted. “To sit in rehearsals and watch actors has been really exciting for me.”
And it seems they love having her there.
“It’s just like an angel’s entered the room,” gushed Bell Shakespeare’s associate director, Marion Potts. “When she starts singing at the piano the whole room stops because she’s got such an incredible voice.”
Sydneysiders can hear Sarah’s latest compositions when Hamlet opens at the Sydney Opera House on June 10. Sarah has also been working on her third album, which she hopes to record in October. So it sounds like the rest of Australia won’t be waiting too long before they hear something new from this awesome talent.
Image source: Jalapeno @ Flickr
If you missed out on Splendour in the Grass tickets I’ve got some good news. I can’t get you in to see the whole thing, but I can tell you that The Wombats have announced some sideshows. This addictive British band is one of the festival’s biggest drawcards, so these shows are sure to be huge.
The band are out here to promote their debut album A Guide to Love Loss and Desperation which contains the ridiculously catchy single “Let’s Dance to Joy Division.” These lads have been selling out shows all over the UK, and this is your chance to see what the fuss is all about.
Check out The Wombats at the following dates! It’s nice to see they haven’t forgotten their younger fans with these shows too! Tickets go on sale on June 4 from the usual outlets.
2 August 2008 – The Capitol, Perth
5 August 2008 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
6 August 2008 – The Hi Fi, Melbourne (under 18s show in the afternoon, over 18s at night)
7 August 2008 – The Gov, Adelaide (all ages)
Image source: Chasingfun @ Flickr
Long-time readers of this blog may remember me writing about Krista Polvere last year. This Adelaide singer-songwriter was hanging out in the USA with the likes of Ryan Adams and Ray LaMontagne while preparing her debut album Here Be Dragons.
Fast forward several months and the album is finally ready to be unleashed. And to celebrate, she’ll play a very special show with her band The Blacklist in Melbourne next week.
Krista will showcase songs from Here Be Dragons, including collaborations with Ryan Adams, and Grasshopper and Adam from Mercury Rev. If you like the sort of dark alt-country music Ryan Adams creates you’re going to love Krista Polvere. She’s playing at The Toff on Swanston Street on Wednesday 28 May. Tickets are just $12 at the door, which makes them absolute bargain in my books!
If you can’t make that show, or you just want to hear more, you can also catch Krista on the following dates:
4 June 2008 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
17 June 2008 – The Toff, Melbourne
18 June 2008 – The Grace Emily Record Launch, Adelaide
Sorry Queensland Guy Sebastian fans. The newly married soul star has postponed his upcoming Queensland shows.
Apparently The Memphis Album was a bigger success than SonyBMG every dreamed of, so they’re preparing to release the album globally early next year. Guy’s also going to release his next album around the same time.
All that means Guy has to spend some time locally and abroad finishing up the new release, which means he simply doesn’t have time for the concerts.
The shows will be rescheduled for next year. Fans can hang onto their tickets or get a refund from their place of purchase.
I know the news must be disappointing for plenty of Guy fans out there, but chin up. Guy promises the show will be even bigger and better in 2009, so the wait could be worthwhile!
Image source: Sunrise.seven @ Flickr
Could a Canadian snag the Australian Song of the Year Award? They just might, after the song “1, 2, 3, 4” penned by Canadian singer Feist and Aussie girl Sally Seltmann was nominated for the APRA song of the year award.
But the dynamic duo will face stiff competition from Silverchair’s “Straight Lines,” Powderfinger’s “Lost and Running,” The John Butler Trio’s “Better Than,” and Thirsty Merc’s “20 Good Reasons.”
“1, 2, 3, 4” has already been nominated for a Grammy and won Canadian song of the year, but Sally said this nomination has the greatest personal significance.
“This one probably involves me quite a bit more than the other awards because it is for the songwriting,” she told AAP.
“It’s nice to think you get some recognition for something that you’ve worked on.”
The nominations were announced in Sydney this morning. The John Butler Trio led the charge with three nominations. They’re also up for the blues and roots award for “Good Excuse” and “Funky Tonight.”
The winners will be announced at the APRA Awards in Sydney on June 16.
Image source: Generica @ Wikimedia Commons
With all the excitement of Jason Mraz’s tour announcement yesterday, I forgot to check the ARIA charts. So I did it today,
and I was thrilled to see Gabriella Cilmi has taken back to the top spot with “Sweet About Me.” She ousted the powerhouse duo of Madonna and Justin Timberlake to do it, so it’s no mean feat!
Aussie girls seem to be the flavour of the month at the moment. Vanessa Amorosi’s climbed on spot with “Perfect.””She’s happily sitting at number nine, just ahead of The Veronicas’ super catchy new sopfest “This Love.”
And the album charts are jam-packed with Australians! Mum’s favourite Andre Rieu is still sitting at number one with his Aussie inspired album Waltzing Matilda.
But Damien Leith’s Catch the Wind: Songs of a Generation isn’t too far behind! It’s at number two, just ahead of golden girl Gabriella Cilmi’s newie Lessons to be Learned.
A little further down the charts we’ve got The Presets still hanging around with Apocalypso at number six. They’ve swapped places this week with Carl Riseley’s crooning covers CD The Rise.
Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson have fallen to number eight with Rattlin’ Bones, just ahead of Kate Ceberano’s newest covers collection So Much Beauty.
Check out all the chart action below!
ARIA Singles Charts
ARIA Albums Chart
Image source: Lee Jordan @ Wikimedia Commons
Yesterday Shannon Noll came clean about his addiction to drugs and alcohol. Shannon told The Sunday Telegraph that he turned to drink and drugs after the death of his father Neil seven years ago.
“You can live well, do everything right, and still be killed,” he said. “So I thought I’d have a crack at everything. I didn’t let myself think about him [his father] when I was smashed. Consequently, I found myself getting smashed a lot.”
Shannon said his children Cody, Blake, and Sienna, gave him the motivation to beat his demons.
“I got to a stage where I had to own up to it. I’d turned into a zombie on the lounge. I wasn’t doing anything useful.”
Shannon didn’t go into detail about his vices, but did admit to using marijuana heavily and enjoying a beer.
Shannon’s going to be slammed for his mistakes because he’s a role model, and I can see the logic there. Like it or not, celebrities are placed on pedestals and their behaviour does influence other people. But I think going public about his habits is gutsy move. It takes a big man to admit they’ve done the wrong thing. And who knows? Maybe his talk about change will motivate someone else to clean up their act.