Category: News

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Keith Urban Still on Top of ARIA Charts

After a couple of weeks out of the country, I’m thrilled to return to see an Aussie act on top of the album charts. Keith Urban’s album Ripcord has notched up its second week at the top of the charts, which no doubt bodes well for his upcoming Aussie tour.

The Living End and Paul Dempsey have made respective debuts, with Shift and Strange Loop sitting at numbers four and five respectively. Both are long awaited albums coming five and seven years after their last recordings.

Dami Im’s Eurovision appearance has done her no harm on the charts. “Sound of Silence” sits at number five on the singles charts while her album of Carpenters’ covers is at number ten.

Flume’s collaboration with Tove Lo is also paying dividends. “Say It” sits at number nine this week.

Here are all this week’s top tens.

Top 10 Albums
1. Ripcord – Keith Urban
2. Lemonade – Beyonce
3. Thank You – Meghan Trainor 
4. Shift – The Living End
5. Strange Loop – Paul Dempsey
6. A Moon Shaped Pool – Radiohead
7. 25 – Adele
8. Views – Drake
9. Eurovision Song Contest Stockholm 2016 – Various
10. Classic Carpenters – Dami Im

Top 10 Singles
1. “One Dance” – Drake feat. Wizkid & Kyla
2. “This is What You Came For” – Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna
3. “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” – Justin Timberlake
4. “Don’t Let Me Down” – The Chainsmokers feat. Daya
5. “Sound of Silence” – Dami Im
6. “No Money” – Galantis
7. “Just Like Fire” – Pink!
8. “I Hate U, I Love U” – Gnash feat. Olivia O’Brien
9. “Say It” – Flume feat. Tove Lo
10. “Panda” – Desiigner

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Build Homes with the Baby Animals

The Baby Animals are heading to Indonesia to build houses for the needy, and they want you to help. The initiative called Rock the House is part of the band’s vital work with Habitat for Humanity.

The 25 homes built from October 22 to 29 in Yogyakarta will benefit locals living in shelters without access to water, electricity, or sanitation. The campaign also aims to provide a clean water facility for the new community.

“Our rock community is built on the power of music, so let’s call on that passion and unite to empower others,” Baby Animals frontwoman Suzi DeMarchi said. “Join us and help to build a rock solid future for generations to come.”

The Baby Animals hope 300 Aussies will volunteer their services by the application deadline of July 22. You can read more about the project and the application process on the Rock the House website.

Image used with permission from Social Family Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Camp Cope Tour Debut Album

With their self-titled debut currently in stores and an album launch tour on the way, there’s no better time to discover the music of Camp Cope.

This Melbourne act is everything punk music should be: angry, opinionated, with an authentic voice an Aussie listening audience can really relate to. It’s also so refreshing to hear a female voice; the fairer sex is certainly underrepresented in the genre.

You can hear all the things I love about the band in the album’s lead single, “Jet Fuel Can’t Melt Steel Beams.” Make sure you tune in to the insightful lyrics; they’re so important.

Tickets for the Melbourne show are available from the hotel; all others you can get on the door before the gigs.

13 May 2016 – John Curtin Hotel, Melbourne
14 May 2016 – Crown & Anchor, Adelaide
20 May 2016 – Black Wire Records, Sydney
21 May 2016 – Janes, Wollongong
28 May 2016 – Crowbar, Brisbane

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bye Bye for Now

Last year my husband and I caught the cruising bug. We adored our first trip, a cruise to New Zealand, so much so that we took a three-nighter food and wine cruise later that year, just because we were desperate to get back on a ship. Now that my husband has accrued some more holidays, we’re off again, this time to Vanuatu and New Caledonia. As an added bonus, my parents have agreed to work on renovating our house while we’re gone. Score!

So today we’re heading off, and I’ll be gone for roughly two weeks. I’ve written some posts to go live while I’m gone so you don’t miss me too much, but I won’t be answering comments or emails while I’m gone. I’ll be far too busy enjoying being unplugged.

Be good while I’m gone!

Image source: Corey Ann @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Vivid Hosts VISIONS

Sydney’s Vivid festival isn’t just about pretty lights. It’s also got an incredible arts program which includes VISIONS, a local music festival playing out across multiple venues on June 4.

The event’s curated by Deep Sea Arcade, with the assistance of Chugg Music and Rare Finds. Together they’ve put together a line-up which pushes the boundaries of genres including garage rock, psychedelia, and electronic music, just to name a few. Deep Sea Arcade will of course be on the bill, as well as other local talents like Kirin J Callinan, Montaigne, Gideon Bensen, Hedge Fund, and Flyying Colours.

VISIONS will be held between Fredas and the Lord Gladstone in Chippendale. Entry is free but tickets are limited to availability on the day. You can find out more at the VISIONS website.

Image used with permission from Rare Finds

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

A Tribute to Prince

I’ve been a bit quiet over the last few days. Writing about the Australian music scene, listening to local artists, just hasn’t felt right. Because like so many music lovers, I’m grieving the passing of Prince.

When we lost David Bowie earlier this year, I was also shocked, stunned, saddened. I also felt a part of my childhood die. But I rationalised that I write an Australian music blog, and the death of a British artist was outside my scope. I found it much easier to move forward. With the loss of Prince though, I’m struggling in a way that I can’t remember.

I can’t resolve that the talented, breathtaking, unique, funny, sexy man that I saw live only two months ago is gone from us. That was such a special concert, and I knew that at the time, but right now I’m holding the memories of the moments we shared so much closer. I’m also thinking back to the wonderful holiday I had in Brisbane in 2012, seeing the Purple One live for the first time with my best friend Lisa.

It was so good on both of those occasions to be among people who really got Prince. I lived in a family where my dad made fun of him because he didn’t fit his idea of what male sexuality should be. My husband will ordinarily see any concert with me, but he’s always been happy to give Prince gigs a wide berth. To his credit he hasn’t complained once when I’ve been tuned in to Double J’s back-to-back Prince songs this weekend, or on Friday when I was transfixed by MTV Australia’s music videos. And the father who teased me and called Prince names rang me on Friday morning to check I was doing OK.

I think what hurts most is that he wasn’t done. We weren’t done. HitnRun Phase Two is a wonderful album, and there was so much more to follow. Prince was so prolific, yet the quality of the music never faltered. He was always so exciting, so original. When so many artists seem to create music by the numbers, he was special. He made me feel better about being different. He made me feel brave when I was bullied, because he seemed so fierce. When I was taught sexuality should be hidden, should be ashamed of even, his brazen cheek was a delicious counter-balance.

Prince might not be an Australian artist, but he’s touched so many of us here. For that reason, perhaps despite my earlier call, a tribute to everything he did and everything he was deserves a place on Sounds of Oz.

Prince, I love U. I will miss U terribly. Thank U for everything.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rare Finds Club Turns 1

It’s been 12 months since the Rare Finds team held their first club night in Sydney and they’re ready to celebrate. Deep Sea Arcade, Lime Cordiale, Owen Rabbit, Hedge Fund, Good Boy, and heaps more will all play to celebrate the one year milestone.

In this day of lockout laws and more venues passing over up-and-coming acts for big-name artists, what the Rare Finds team does is really special. They’ve always believed in giving emerging artists a platform and nurturing a community of people that’s excited to discover what’s dwelling outside the mainstream.

If you think that’s worth supporting, head on down to the first birthday bash at Oxford Art Factory in Darlinghurst on April 16. Tickets are just $18 (plus booking fee) and available from Moshtix.

Image used with permission from Rare Finds

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Matt Corby Tops Albums Charts

Matt Corby fans have sent his long awaited debut album Telluric to the top of the ARIA charts this week. It’s his best chart result to date, after “Brother” peaked at number three and “Resolution” got to number five.

The Molly soundtrack is proving to have more staying power than most. It’s at number three this week, 16 weeks after its release. It’s also gone platinum.

Hilltop Hoods are also lingering in the charts, with Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung sitting at number five this week. The Adelaide hip hop act is also making their presence felt on the singles chart. “1955,” a track recorded with Montaigne and Tom Thum, is at number three. The Cat Empire’s new album Rising With the Sun, which like all these releases is also a former number one, now sits at number nine.

The singles charts has more of a local flavour than it usually does. “Never Be Like You” by Flume featuring Kai is at number seven, and Sia rounds out the top ten with “Cheap Thrills.”

Top 10 Albums
1. Telluric – Matt Corby
2. You and I – Jeff Buckley
3. Molly – Soundtrack 
4. 25 – Adele
5. Incarnate – Killswitch
6. Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung – Hilltop Hoods
7. This Unruly Mess I’ve Made – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
8. Have It All (Live) – Bethel Music
9. Rising with the Sun – The Cat Empire
10. Purpose – Justin Bieber 

Top 10 Singles
1. “7 Years” – Lukas Graham
2. “Faded” – Alan Walker
3. “1955” – Hilltop Hoods feat. Montaigne & Tom Thum
4. “Stressed Out” – Twenty One Pilots
5. “One Call Away” – Charlie Puth
6. “Work From Home” – Fifth Harmony feat. Ty Dolla $ign
7. “Never be Like You” – Flume feat. Kai
8. “My House” – Flo Rida
9. “Hide Away” – Daya
10. “Cheap Thrills” – Sia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jo Kathleen Marie Releases Stunning New Single “The Next Step”

Melbourne singer-songwriter Jo Kathleen Marie has just released a beautiful new single “The Next Step.” Produced by Alexander Biggs, the quietly powerful song speaks battling through dark periods and taking steps towards the light. It’s a poignant song which helps raise awareness of mental health issues, something we as a nation still don’t talk enough about.

Jo Kathleen Marie will launch “The Next Step” with special guests Vinten at LongPlay on March 19.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

R.I.P. Jon English

It seems the Australian music industry just can’t catch a break. Just days after the death of Daddy Cool’s Ross Hannaford, we’ve lost another of our legends, Jon English. At just 66 years old, in the middle of a tour, it just doesn’t seem fair.

Jon was hospitalised in Newcastle after suffering broken ribs. During surgery to correct the problem, doctors discovered an issue with his aortic valve. He suffered an aortic aneurysm from which he never recovered.
It was just days ago that Jon was apologising to his fans for postponing shows and posting that he couldn’t wait to be “rocking out on stage.” He was booked to be part of Cruise N Groove 2016 in October. This was a man who wasn’t supposed to be going anywhere.

We’ve all got our special memories of Jon English. For me he was a big part of my discovery of music theatre. I remember seeing him in Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore in the 90s. He had such charisma. He was larger than life up there on the smallish Civic Theatre stage.

Jon leaves behind his wife Carmen, four children, and a legion of fans. He will be missed.

Image source: Lynott88 @ Wikimedia Commons