Category: Album Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sticky Fingers Get Patriotic with “Australia Street” & National Tour

It seems I’m a little late to jump on to the Sticky Fingers bandwagon. When radio listeners voted their song “Caress Your Soul” into the number 61 spot on the last Hottest 100, I was still clueless. But now that I’ve heard their third single “Australia Street”, I’m hooked.

It’s not just the patriotism that’s won me over. The song has such an intriguing mix of hip hop, ska, and rock. I also love the band’s story. Drummer beaker and bass player Paddy Fingers met their lead singer Dylan Frost when he was busking outside Newtown’s Coopers Arms hotel. Now that’s rock and roll.

Surely the hype will amp up once Sticky Fingers release their debut album, also called Caress Your Soul, tomorrow. They’re also doing things the right way and taking the music to as many people as they can. You can get in on the ground floor when Sticky Fingers visit a town near you soon!

22 March 2013 – Manning Bar, Sydney
23 March 2013 – Mona Vale Hotel, Mona Vale
27 March 2013 –  Rosemount Hotel, Northbridge
28 March 2013 – The Prince Hotel, Bunbury
30 March 2013 – Settlers Tavern, Margaret River
5 April 2013 – The Entrance Leagues Club, Bateau Bay
12 April 2013 – Republic Bar, Hobart
13 April 2013 – Royal Oaks, Launceston
18 April 2013 – The Zoo, Brisbane
19 April 2013 – Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
20 April 2013 – The Big Pineapple Festival, Sunshine Coast
20 April 2013 – Hoey Moey, Coffs Harbour
10 May 2013 – The Governor Hindmarsh, Adelaide

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

7Bit Hero Marries Modern Technology with Old School Gaming

Humpdays are always hard. You’re tired of work already and the weekend seems so far away. So today’s the perfect day to introduce you to 7bit Hero and their ridiculously charming pop single “Come On. Stand Out.”

And stand out the Brisbane electronic band does. They actually call themselves a “bit-pop band” because they use old school video games and chiptune samples to create their unique sounds.

Seeing the band live takes the 7bit Hero concept to the next level. A multi-player game is projected behind the band and audience members can control characters using their smart phone as a joystick. Your opponents are your fellow music lovers and the band forms the soundtrack. Too cool!

You can experience 7bit Hero in all their glory when they launch their debut EP We Eat Loot at Brisbane’s State Library of Queensland on March 2. Make sure your phone is charged so you can join in all the fun!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Airbourne Announce Album Number Three

The last I heard of Airbourne they were slagging off local success stories like Wolfmother and Jet and insisting they’d treat Australia as nothing more than a tourist destination. They seemed confident that they would be the next big thing, but most of us forgot all about them.

They’re aiming to get back into the spotlight with the May 17 release of their third album Black Dog Barking.

“A lot of thought and effort has gone into this record not only by the band, but by the production crew who worked countless hours, seven days a week, even through Christmas and New Year’s Eve to achieve the best possible performances, backed by real undying tones,” the band said in a statement.

It remains to be seen whether this is the Airbourne album that lives up to the band’s (largely self-generated) hype.

Image source: URunlCon @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Snowdroppers Keep on Rocking

The Snowdroppers clearly enjoyed their time on the road recently. They only just wrapped up their sophomore album preview shows, and they’ve already announced another string of dates.

The Snowdroppers will celebrate the March 22 release of Moving Out of Eden with intimate shows and festival appearances. These gigs are especially enticing with the addition of Sydney’s Little Bastard to the bill. The seven-piece punk-string act is just quirky enough to appeal to The Snowdroppers’ fan base.

Strap yourself in for one hell of a show when it reaches the following cities.

18 March 2013 – Barrio @ Adelaide Festival, Adelaide
22 March 2013 – The Standard, Darlinghurst
22 & 29 March 2013 – Bluesfest, Byron Bay
5 April 2013 – Northcote Social Club, Northcote
6 April 2013 Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine
12 April 2013 – The Zoo, Brisbane
13 April 2013 – Woombye Pub, Woombye

Image used with permission from Reckoning Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Roger Knox Covers Aboriginal Songs on “Stranger in My Land”

The Koori King of Country Roger Knox will celebrate his indigenous heritage with the release of his new album Stranger in My Land.

The album showcases songs penned by Roger’s Aboriginal peers and predecessors. Many of these songs have been difficult to find on other recordings, while others are folk songs handed down through the generations never recorded before.

Together the tracks create a moving picture of the alienation Aboriginal people often feel on their own soil, and their resilience and hope. Roger is joined on the album by special guest vocalists and musicians including Bonnie Prince Billy, Kelly Hogan, Dave Alvin, and the late Charlie Louvin.

Stranger in My Land hits music stores across the country on March 9.

Image source: Bloodshot Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ainslie Wills To Tour Debut Album

Ainslie Willis will celebrate the release of her highly anticipated debut album You Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine with a national tour this April.

The 12-track collection is an eclectic mix taking us from the spiky pop of “Fighting Kind” to the epic swell of “Ocean,” and from the folkiness of new single “Weighing the Promises” to the soulful honesty of “Early Morning Light.” The songs were recorded in their rawest form in just ten days at a beach house on the Victorian Peninsula. Ainslie then added strings at the Northcote United Church, before giving the songs some extra polish in the converted studio of her best friend’s family home.

You Go Your Way, I’ll Go Mine will hit record stores everywhere on March 4. Ainslie will give fans a little time to become acquainted with the music before embarking on her biggest national tour to date. Here are all the places you can see her play!

13 April 2013 – The Golden Vine, Bendigo
17 April 2013 – The Front Bar, Canberra
18 April 2013 – FBi Social, Sydney
20 April 2013 – The Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle
24 April 2013 – The Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
26 April 2013 – The Grand Poobah, Hobart
3 May 2013 – The Hotel Metropolitan, Adelaide
11 May 2013 – Railway Friendly Bar, Byron Bay (FREE)
12 May 2013 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Basics Serve Up Leftovers

Before he was Gotye winning Grammys, Wally de Backer was one of The Basics. Along with his good mates Tim and Kris, Wally made a big impression with his stellar original songs. Now ten years on the Melbourne band is looking back at their legacy.

Late last year we saw the release of Ingredients, a “best of” if you will featuring songs from each album and tracks that fell in between. Today we get the final piece of the puzzle with the release of Leftovers. As its name suggests, these are the bits that didn’t make the albums. Available in digital and limited edition vinyl formats, the release features B-sides, demos, and alternate versions of the songs fans know and love. You might think that if they ended up on the cutting room floor the tracks are below par, but if the rocking raw lead single “So Hard for You” is any indication that’s far from the truth.

With Gotye impressing music lovers around the world and the other members busy with other musical endeavours, it’s nice to take a look back at where their musical journey began.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Fletcher Goes Solo with Upon Ayr

Fletcher, a founding member of Bluebottle Kiss and The Devoted Few, is striking out on his own with the release of his debut solo album Upon Ayr.

This album is a return to the storytelling so often forgotten in the modern day craft of music making. Its songs pay tribute to the literary legacy of Jack Kerouac, recall Polynesian whale myths, and recreate a 1920s synchronised swimming mermaid’s dream. In short, this isn’t a run of the mill, middle of the road record.

It was clearly a labour of love for Fletcher, who wrote Upon Ayr over two years on tour as part of Sarah Blasko’s band. She returns the favour contributes backing vocals on the album.

Upon Ayr will hit Australian record stores in March and those in the United Kingdom in April. Fletcher will support the local release with the following shows.

17 March 2013- The Workers Club, Melbourne
27 March 2013 – The Vanguard, Sydney

Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Emma Dean Signs American Record Deal

Emma Dean seems on the path to international stardom after signing a record deal with American indie label Candyrat Records. The label is best known for its stable of instrumental guitarists, but more recently it’s begun to champion exceptional singer-songwriters.

The US label will release Emma’s forthcoming EP White, which should hit the market in March or April of this year. It will be one of three colourful digital EPs Emma will release this year. White will feature intimate ballads about new beginnings performed on a Wurlitzer. The following release, Red, will showcase theatrical and passionate songs focused around the heart. Finally there’s Black, the darkest of the bunch, sexy and jazz-inspired.

Emma and her long-time musical collaborator and co-producer Ben Stewart will move to New York next month to support the upcoming releases.

Image used with permission from Emma Dean

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ben Lee Comes Home for Album Release

Ben Lee will return home this April so celebrate the launch of his brand new album Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work.

As its unusual name suggests, this album is being touted as Ben’s most creative and honest yet. Ayahuasca is a South American vine known as the death vine. South America’s indigenous people used the vine to create the tea they drink as part of a ceremonial ritual. The tea is said to help the drinker see their soul’s contents clearly. And so with Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work, Ben is exploring his soul and shining a light on the things he’s buried deep inside.

“It’s more devotional music than anything else, but not easy listening,” Ben explained. “It’s demanding, experimental music, just as ‘the work’ itself is demanding.”

Given that the album’s creation is all about healing and discovering a higher consciousness, Ben didn’t feel it was right that he benefit from his profits. And so he’ll donate half of the album’s artist royalties to the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies and the other half to the Amazon conservation team.

Ben will play the following shows to support Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work’s April 23 release. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.

5 & 6 April 2013 – Byron Bay Community Centre, Byron Bay
11 April 2013 – Paddington United Church, Sydney

Image used with permission from Positive Feedback