Category: Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ocean Alley Celebrate Five Years of “Chiaroscuro” With Vinyl Release

How has it been five years since Ocean Alley released their breakthrough album Chiaroscuro? I have no idea, but hearing the news that they’re releasing an exclusive vinyl repress and some time capsule merch inspired me to give it another listen. Hearing it again, I still can’t believe it’s been five years. This album still sounds so fresh!

If you want one of the new vinyls, you’ll need to be quick. There are just 1000 copies of the pink and purple marble vinyl with bonus slipmat. On April 22, to coincide with Australian Record Store Day, the band will drop 1000 of the transparent orange vinyl. Both variants include a special edition postcard insert and inscription on the packaging and vinyl.

Featuring the massive single “Confidence,” which topped the Triple J Hottest 100, and “Knees” and “Happy Sad,” Chiaroscuro went gold and helped Ocean Alley play shows in Australia, New Zealand, UK, Europe, and North America. Speaking of shows, they’re playing Groovin’ The Moo and BASSINTHEGRASS in the coming months before heading back to North America. Here are all the dates you need:

21 April – Groovin’ The Moo @ Adelaide Showground, Kaurna Country/Wayville
22 April – Groovin’ The Moo @ Maitland Showground, Minderibba/Maitland
23 April – Groovin’ The Moo @ Exhibition Park, Ngunnawal Country/Canberra
29 April 2023 – Groovin’ The Moo @ Prince of Wales Showgrounds, Dja Dja Wurrung and the Taungurung Country/Bendigo
30 April 2023 – Groovin’ The Moo @ Kawana Sports Western Precinct, Kabi Kabi Country/Warana
6 May 2023 – Groovin’ The Moo @ Hay Park, Noongar Country/Bunbury
20 May 2023 – BASSINTHEGRASS @ Mindil Beach, Larrakia Country/Darwin
11 August 2023 – Antone’s Nightclub, Austin
12 August 2023 – Granada Theater, Dallas
14 August 2023 – Brooklyn Bowl, Nashville
15 August 2023 – Variety Playhouse, Atlanta
16 August 2023 – The Beacham, Orlando
18 August 2023 – The Underground, Charlotte
19 August 2023 – The Fillmore, Silver Spring
20 August 2023 – Brooklyn Bowl, Philadelphia
22 August 2023 – Webster Hall, New York
23 August 2023 – Royale, Boston
25 August 2023 – Corona Theatre, Montreal
26 August 2023 – The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
27 August 2023 – Thalia Hall, Chicago
29 August 2023 – Gothic Theatre, Englewood
30 August 2023 – Soundwell, Salt Lake City
1 September 2023 – Malkin Bowl, Chinatown de Vancouver
5 September 2023 – August Hall, San Francisco
7 September 2023 – The Observatory North Park, San Diego
8 September 2023 – The Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles

Image used with permission from Cult Logic; credit: The Sauce

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jake Davey Delivers New Anthem, “Count on a Country Song”

If you love country music, you’re going to relate to Jake Davey’s latest single “Count on a Country Song.” And if you don’t think country is for you, this fun country-rock track might just convince you otherwise.

Honestly, this is one of the catchiest songs I’ve heard in some time. I love the way Jake’s included a little classic country banjo while adding some modern flavour with the electric guitar. This is country music for the 2020s.

I can imagine this song will go off live. You don’t need to just imagine it though, as it’ll no doubt make the set when Jake sets sail as part of The Viper Creek Band’s Sydney Harbour Cruise 2023 on November 4.

Image used with permission from Rock This Country

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

August River Band Waste No Time in Releasing Stunning New Single “Beautiful Hill”

I only just discovered August River Band and their single “Lemonade”, and already they’ve dropped another track, “Beautiful Hill.” This band moves fast! It’s another gorgeous track, with poetically sensual lyrics and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Those strings are just heaven too!

“This song explores co-dependency, as well giving ourselves grace as we get older,” the band from Meeanjin/Brisbane explained. “The character expends energy pleasing his/her partner sexually at the expense of his/her own pleasure. In this, he/she finds his/her identity and this of course being the unsustainable reality that plagues so many of us. Breaking innate codependency is a critical part of the journey for most of us as we realise our own beauty and value in the world”.

“The chorus explores the emotions approaching sexual expression as an older person dealing with your own frailty and waning passions. Reflecting on your pride as a youth and realising its emptiness. Sexual expression only reaches its peak when you are stripped of this youthful pride and this process brings so much learning.”

August River Band will officially launch “Beautiful Hill” in front of a hometown crowd at The Beaded Lady tomorrow night, March 24.

Image used with permission from Fox Hole Films

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Between You & Me Drop New Single “Nevermind” Ahead of U.S. and Local Shows

Aussie pop-punk outfit Between You & Me are going from strength to strength, and it’s time for the world to know it. They’ve just dropped their fantastic new single “Nevermind” and announced U.S. dates with Real Friends and Knuckle Puck. After taking America by storm for the second time (they toured the country with State Champs in the back end of 2022), they’ll be back on local soil for their own shows.

“We knew that the next song we released after Armageddon was going to be tough because we put all that we had into the album and are very proud of what we were able to create together,” explained frontman Jake Wilson. “Since our band is now independent, there felt like a lot of added pressure to prove a lot of people wrong and remind everyone that we’re still here and we aren’t dropping off anytime soon.

“As we’re growing in our career and as individuals we’ve enjoyed playing with different genres and finding our niche. ‘Nevermind’ is the next chapter for BYAM that perfectly captures the spirit of our band and our live show.”

“Nevermind” is the first single lifted from Between You & Me’s EP, which will drop in September. They’ll announce dates for their world tour, including headlining shows around Australia, really soon, so keep an eye on their socials.

14 April 2023 – Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
15 April 2023 – The Waiting Room, Omaha (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
16 April 2023 – Beer City Music Hall, Oklahoma City (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
18 April 2023 – Mohawk, Austin (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
19 April 2023 – Vibes, San Antonio (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
20 April 2023 – Sunshine Theater, Albuquerque (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
22 April 2023 – Nile Theater, Mesa (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
23 April 2023 – House Of Blues, San Diego (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
25 April 2023 – The Observatory, Santa Ana (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
26 April 2023 – Tioga Sequoia Brewery, Fresno (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
27 April 2023 – The Ritz, San Jose (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
28 April 2023 – The Crocodile, Seattle (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
30 April 2023 – Hawthorne Theatre, Portland (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
2 May 2023 – Soundwell, Salt Lake City (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
4 May 2023 – The Black Sheep, Colorado Springs (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
5 May 2023 – Aggie Theatre, Fort Collins (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
6 May 2023 – The Truman, Kansas City (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
7 May 2023 – The Riff, Springfield (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
9 May 2023 – The Castle Theatre, Bloomington (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
10 May 2023 – Elevation @ The Intersection, Grand Rapids (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
11 May 2023 – Bogart’s, Cincinnati (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
18 May 2023 – The Gov, Tarntanya/Adelaide (with Slowly Slowly)
25 May 2023 – Tivoli, Meeanjin/Brisbane (with Slowly Slowly)
26 May 2023 – Forum, Naarm/Melbourne (with Slowly Slowly)
27 May 2023 – Roundhouse, Eora/Sydney (with Slowly Slowly)
10 June 2023 – EasyLover Fest @ Northcote Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne (with Slowly Slowly)

Image used with permission from Capital Artist Group; credit: Lars Juveland

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Give Vinyl 45’s Newest Track “Top Down” a Spin

With a name like Vinyl 45, you might expect this seven-piece from Western Eora/Sydney to deliver some serious nostalgia. They deliver with their latest track “Top Down,” a song which somewhere combines the soul of yacht rock with urban edge, thanks to the rap stylings of Truboy.

“This track holds a special place in my heart as it was the first track we recorded with the band that was a reflection of my personal feelings at the time,” explained Vinyl 45’s frontman Aaron Gunawickrema. “The lyrics basically talk about that moment when everything around you gets too stressful to handle, be it money matters, study, whatever. And you just want to leave it all behind and go to the one person that will silence all those worries and voices in your head, get in a car with them and drive away, leaving everything behind.”

A true representation of the diversity of their part of the country, Vinyl 45 has members with Sri Lankan, Myanmarese, South American, Scottish, and Welsh heritage. When you get all those backgrounds together, they’re going to create music that doesn’t sound like anything else. I can’t wait to hear what’s up next from Vinyl 45. While they don’t have any headlining shows coming up, you can catch them at The Great Club in Eora/Sydney supporting Sex on Toast on April 22.

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Kushal Bhattarai

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Holly Wild Releases Relatable New Single, “Inside My Head”

If you’ve ever wrestled with negative self-talk, you’re really going to relate to Holly Wild’s latest track “Inside My Head.” It’s a gritty pop song with powerful lyrics and vocals from this Eora/Sydney singer-songwriter.

“This is a song about the negative dialogue that goes around in my head, the endless loop telling me that I’m the jack of all trades, but master of none. Chipping away at my self-confidence every day, telling me I’m not good enough,” Holly admitted

Holly’s music has already earned praise from publications in the United States and United Kingdom. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the world discovers this local talent.

Image used with permission from KAOS

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Laurie Cave Makes a Splash With Debut Single, “Nobody Could Ever Love You”

Laurie Cave was born in the United Kingdom, but we’re pretty lucky he’s decided to call Naarm/Melbourne home. He’s just released his debut single “Nobody Could Ever Love You”, one of the catchiest rock songs I’ve heard in some time. You can hear the Sam Fender influence coming through, but there’s something about Laurie that sets him apart.

“This song is heavily inspired by ‘Seventeen Going Under’ by Sam Fender – a song that completely transfixed me”, Laurie explains. “It felt like Sam was making the music and expressing the things that I have always wanted to. In some ways, it is a homage to his song.”

He added that “This release is about doing ‘the work’ and facing up to the demons of early childhood and a ‘mis-spent youth’ of drug use and avoidance. It’s about the moment when you finally accept that you have to go to the deep and dark places to work through your trauma.”

I hear he’s got a stack of material that he’s waiting to unleash, so we can expect to hear a lot more from Laurie in the coming months.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Casey Horsfield

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

marigolden Releases Gorgeous New Single “Mars”

Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter marigolden has gotten underneath my skin with her latest single “Mars.” It’s one of those songs that sneaks up on you, a slow burner that reveals itself to be the perfect mix of folk and indie-rock. If you’re into artists like Sharon van Etten and Middle Kids, I know you’re going to love this.

“Have you ever felt a bit fed up with humanity? Like everything around you is a bit too hard and you wish you could just scrap it all and start from scratch? That’s sort of what ‘Mars’ is about,” she explained. “The ebb and flow of this feeling is mirrored in the song’s structure. Guitar drives the song from a soft, vulnerable start to a climactic full band ending that truly encapsulates the essence of feeling overwhelmed.”

If your working week is getting to you, this song is the perfect antidote.

Image used with permission from Kick Push PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ben Mastwyk Drops Original Country Single, “Actually”

Cosmic country act Ben Mastwyk has dropped his fabulous new single “Actually.” If ELO ever released a country track, it might sound a little like this.

“Performing is essential to my happiness, but it’s not always easy. Dressing up, standing out with flashy clothes and jewellery, gives me confidence and protects me from the dangers of the world. ‘Actually’ is a glimpse behind the armour of gold suits and rhinestones, reminding us that even the boldest of personas can be vulnerable,” Ben explained.

Ben is doing plenty of performing in the coming weeks. Here are all the places you can see him and his flashy clothes:

17 March 2023 – The Gem, Naarm/Melbourne
25 March 2023 – Union Hotel Newtown, Eora/Sydney
26 March 2023 – Grand Junction Hotel, The Junkyard, Minderibba/Maitland
1 April 2023 – Goulburn Valley Country Music Festival, Kanny-goopna/Shepparton

Image used with permission from Rock This Country

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

August River Band Impress With “Lemonade”

Meeanjin/Brisbane band August River Band has served up a delicious new single, “Lemonade.” With the band’s strong fiddle and minor acoustic guitar notes, I’m getting serious Dave Matthews Band vibes from this one. Trust me, that’s a really good thing.

The song explores the idea of making lemonade out of life giving you lemons through four characters: a barman, a spinster, a merchant, and a blacksmith. It’s a cool concept executed so perfectly by this inventive band.

This is August River’s first release since they dropped their debut album Thank You, Pain in 2020. Well worth the wait, it comes ahead of a new EP release later this year. They’ll play The Bearded Lady on March 24.

Image used with permission from Fox Hole Films