Category: Album Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Alex Lloyd Launches Crowdfunding Campaign

After living in the United Kingdom for the last five years, Alex Lloyd is coming home. He’s hoping you’ll welcome his return, and perhaps fork over a little of your cold hard cash. You see, Alex is the latest muso to launch a crowdfunding campaign to finance a new album. Donating to Alex’s Pledge Music campaign will help him complete his sixth studio album Urban Wilderness.

It seems like a pretty worthwhile endeavour, as Alex is making some great music at the moment. His new single “Better The Less You Know” combines the pop sensibility he’s known for with a great bluesy vibe. You just wait and see if you’re not singing along by the end.

The clip’s also pretty cool, as it sees Alex shooting the reactions of people hearing the song for the first time. They loved it and you probably will too!

Alex also plans to take the album on the road, so watch this space for the dates when they’re announced!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Boogie Celebrates ’70s Country-Rock with Silver Roads

They brought us blues, R&B, and heavy rock last time around, and now the Boogie! team promises to treat us to the other side of the return-to-roots coin. Their latest compilation, BOOGIE! Presents Silver Roads: Australian Country-Rock and Singer-Songwriters of the ‘70s, hits stores tomorrow.

The two CD set features big names like Axiom, Russell Morris, Richard Clapton, and Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs alongside more obscure numbers from acts like Autodrifters, Tymepiece, and Hot Knives.

Its release means I don’t have to wrack my brains for a Father’s Day gift for dear old dad. I have a sneaking feeling I’ll want him to burn me a copy too!

Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Boy Outside Plays Redfern Shows for EP Release

British-born, Sydney-based singer-songwriter Boy Outside will release his self-titled debut EP tomorrow, August 9.

The EP features the gorgeous folky single “River Runs to the Sea” and five more stellar songs recorded at Linear Studios late last year.

Boy Outside will celebrate the EP’s release with launch shows every Thursday in August at Redfern’s Arcadia Liquors. The first show’s tonight, so make sure you don’t miss it!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Little Scout Prepare to Release Second Album

Little Scout were one of my favourite acts of 2011. So I’m thrilled to hear they’re back this year with their second album Are You Life, which will hit stores on September 6.

Are You Life was self-produced and recorded at several spots around their hometown of Brisbane. It reflects the band’s evolution, with the stronger, more distorted sounds Little Scout have been playing with in their live shows. Happily though Are You Life still features those gorgeous vocal melodies I first fell for. It also features the lead single “Go Quietly”, which has scored plenty of airplay on commercial radio and JJJ.

You can enjoy a sneak peek of the Are You Life when Little Scout support fellow Brisbanites Hungry Kids of Hungary at the following shows.

23 August 2013 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
24 August 2013 – Small Ballroom, Newcastle
30 August 2013 – Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta
31 August 2013 – The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba
5 September 2013 – The Barwon Club, Geelong
6 September 2013 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
7 September 2013 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dead Letter Circus Treat Fans to New Single, Album, & Tour

Dead Letter Circus’ sophomore album The Catalyst Fire doesn’t drop until Friday, but you can enjoy a sneak peek with the video for the lead single “Lodestar”. This is an epic rock song that gives us a great taste of what’s to come from the Brisbane quintet.

Of course a song like this is only going to sound better in the flesh, so fans will be excited to hear that Dead Letter Circus will tour the album around the country this August and September.

29 August 2013 – HQ, Adelaide
30 August 2013 – The Wool Exchange, Geelong
31 August 2013 – The HiFi, Melbourne
4 September 2013 – Zierholz @ UC, Canberra
5 September 2013 – The Metro, Sydney
6 September 2013 – Waves, Wollongong
7 September 2013 – The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
12 September 2013 – Kings Beach Tavern, Caloundra
13 September 2013 – The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba
14 September 2013 – The Hifi, Brisbane
19 September 2013 – Prince of Wales, Bunbury
20 September 2013 – Metropolis, Fremantle

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Tom West Launches Debut Album with Aussie Shows

I became enamoured with Tom West when I heard his first single “Jonathan’s Farm” in May. Back then I said his album was sure to be something special. We get to find out when Tom tours his first-long player A Spark in the Dark around the country.

That song, and the follow-up “Malecón” unfold slowly, taking their time to draw us in. Perhaps that’s not surprising, as the album took some time to come together too. Tom spent a year travelling and writing songs before heading in to the studio with fellow Adelaide musicians Alister Douglas and Todd Sibbin. I use the term studio loosely, but really the trio worked together in a shed equipped with two microphones and a laptop. That gives these tracks a really raw, organic quality which is so appealing.

Tom’s been playing solo shows locally and around North America for the first half of the year, but he thought it only fitting that he take Alister and Todd on the road with him for the A Spark in the Dark shows.

21 August 2013 – Folk Club @ The Soda Factory, Sydney
22 August 2013 –The Great Northern, Newcastle
23 August 2013 –The Aztec, Forster
24 August 2013 –The Hideaway, Brisbane
25 August 2013 –The Evelyn, Melbourne
30 August 2013 –The Hotel Metro, Adelaide

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Elephant Eyes Launch Debut EP

Melbourne act Elephant Eyes are preparing to celebrate the release of their debut EP with a launch show for hometown fans next week.

I’m thrilled to see more from this outfit who thoroughly charmed me with their single “Mother Said” last year. Apparently chronic illness, line-up changes, and the nine-to-five drudge made producing something else a bit slow, but I for one am glad they took the time. The single “India” gives us a beautiful taste of the EP. Lead singer Kate McMahon positively soars on this number about globetrotting from the comfort of your armchair.

The launch is a double headliner show with Susy Blue at Fitzroy’s Workers Club on August 11. Doors open at 1:30 pm, and Elephant Eyes will take the stage at the very civilised time of 3.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Blackwater Fever Tour New Bluesy Single

The Blackwater Fever are celebrating their recent deal with Brisbane management company Pricewar Music with the release of a brand new single “Won’t Cry Over You” and an accompanying tour.

I just love this song. It’s so swampy and bluesy and dirty. It gets underneath your skin from the first listen. It comes from The Blackwater Fever’s third album The Depths, which critics and the band themselves claim is their best yet.

“The Depths is our best release yet and the first we have made entirely under our own steam,” said lead singer and guitarist Shane Hicks. “It was a huge learning curve with much trial and error but in the end I think the result has vividly realised our ideas and vision. This is how we will make albums from now on.”

You can hear tracks from this stellar release, including “Won’t Cry Over You” at the following shows.

3 August 2013 – El Grande Festival, Gladstone
16 August 2013 – The Zoo, Brisbane
23 August 2013 – Spectrum, Sydney
24 August 2013 – Lass O’Gowrie Hotel, Newcastle
6 September 2013 – Solbar, Maroochydore

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Beasts of Bourbon Celebrate 30 Years with Live Album & Shows

The Beasts of Bourbon are celebrating three decades in the business with a 3CD live set dubbed 30 Years of Borrowed Time.

The CDs feature sets from All Tomorrow’s Parties, Byron Bay Bluesfest, and a show at Festival Hall.

To celebrate the release, band fixtures Tex Perkins and Spencer P Jones will play their hits and fan favourites with a different Beasts of Bourbon line-up each night in Sydney and Melbourne. Each show promises a different set too, so why not get along to all three? Tickets cost $44 for a single show, $79 for two, and $110 for all three in your nearest capital.

30 Years of Borrowed Time will be available exclusively at the following shows ahead of its digital and in store release in mid-September.

22 Aug 2013 – Factory Theatre, Marrickville (Original line-up)
23 Aug 2013 – Factory Theatre, Marrickville (Low Road line-up)
24 Aug 2013 – Factory Theatre, Marrickville (Current line-up)
29 Aug 2013 – The Memo, St Kilda (Original line-up)
30 Aug 2013 – The Memo, St Kilda (Low Road line-up)
31 Aug 2013 – The Memo, St Kilda (Current line-up)

Image used with permission from Two Fish Out of Water

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Elliott Wheeler Captivates with “Baker Man”

Elliott Wheeler has mesmerised me with his debut single “Baker Man”, the first cut from his debut album The Long Time. The long-player hits stores on August 16, but this beautiful song and accompanying clip should help generate some buzz before the official release.

All I have to say about this song is, give it time. It’s very gentle and understated. It certainly doesn’t smack you in the face. But it builds so beautifully that about three-quarters in I was utterly captivated. That gorgeous music video, featuring the talents of animator Marieka Walsh, doesn’t do it any harm either.

Just like the single, The Long Time is no rush job. It’s been six years in the making, and that attention to detail shows. Elliott worked as composer and engineer on the record which has clearly been a real labour of love.

He’s also the bloke behind the music of Baz Lurhmann’s The Great Gatsby, a project which saw him collaborating with the likes of Jay Z, Jack White, and Lana Del Ray as well as adding his own original contributions. Elliott’s impressive resume also features George Miller’s new Mad Max movie and The Chaser TV series. He was also behind that incredible Ship Song Project for the Sydney Opera House back in 2011. How exciting that the musical talents of such a gifted artist can now come to the fore with this release.