Category: Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jordy Maxwell Releases Uplifting Folk Anthem, “Let Me Out”

Boorloo/Perth indie-folk act Jordy Maxwell will make your day better with his new single “Let Me Out.” It’s a textbook example of how you build a song. I love its gentle acoustic opening but really appreciate how it builds to this cathartic climax once the percussion and strings kick in.

“‘Let Me Out’ started as a phone recording and some seriously silly lyrics. After listening back, the chord progression and melody were kept, and the song evolved from a simple, sweet start, into a massive build-up and release,” Jordy explained. “With the help of the violins and drums, I wanted to create momentum in the back end of the song that inspires and motivates. The song is a journey of feeling so trapped in life, whether it be a location, a relationship, or work and eventually being able to release yourself from what’s dragging you away from what you love. It’s a song I hope can inspire people to make a change if they feel they need it in their life.”

Jordy will join fellow Aussie singer-songwriter Jack Botts on his national tour, which kicks off later this month in Tandanya/Adelaide.

31 March 2023 – Lion Arts Factory, Tandanya/Adelaide
1 April 2023 – The Rosemount, Boorloo/Perth
14 April 2023 – The Triffid, Meeanjin/Brisbane
15 April 2023 – Factory Theatre, Eora/Sydney
28 April 2023 – 170 Russell, Naarm/Melbourne

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

LOSER Drop Rocking New Single “The More I Know” Ahead of East Coast Tour

I’ve been really impressed watching Stadium Dreams On a Bedroom Budget, the new EP from LOSER, unfold. In case you missed it, these local rockers have opted to drop a new track every few weeks, giving us time to sit with each one, rather than just dumping them all at once. You might think that four tracks in the project might be losing steam, but the latest cut, “The More I Know” might just be my favourite. It’s giving me serious Foo Fighters stadium vibes. Crank it up and you’ll hear what I mean.

“After lockdown it was hard to get back to regular programming, I lost faith in playing music and I was questioning whether I wanted to do it anymore. Craig and I sat down and punched this song out in a day,” explained the band’s frontman, Tim Maxwell. “The lyrics are the most meaningful on the EP. It’s about getting out of that rut and wanting to succeed more than ever after spending so much creative energy trying to make ends meet.”

This would be a great time to let you know that LOSER will tour the East Coast in May to celebrate the release of Stadium Dreams On a Bedroom Budget. While you’re at the shows, you may be lucky enough to score one of the limited edition signed clear 12” vinyls. LOSER will randomly draw a ticket holder’s name in the middle of each set to score one of these babies, which are the only physical merch available for this release.

“Call it crazy, call it genius, call it something in between – either way we thought this was the best and coolest way to share something special for this EP with our fans,” the band said. “It’s a gift to the people who come to see us live and hopefully a cool collectible in the future as we won’t ever be pressing this release again in its current form. We’re yet to know if our signatures will actually de-value the vinyl or not.”

If you want one, you’re just going to have to get to one of these gigs!

4 May 2023 – Oxford Arts Factory Gallery Bar, Eora/Sydney
5 May 2023 – Cambridge Sideroom, Mulubinba/Newcastle
6 May 2023 – Dicey Riley’s, Woolyungah/Wollongong (FREE)
11 May 2023 – Vinnie’s Dive Bar, Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast
12 May 2023 – Black Bear Lodge, Meeajin/Brisbane
13 May 2023 – Northcote Social Club, Naarm/Melbourne

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Ian Laidlaw

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Danika Wows With “FYA” Ahead of EP Release

Before releasing her debut EP, Down Love, tomorrow, Danika’s dropped one more single “FYA.” The third track lifted from the EP, this gorgeous track casts such a spell, I think I might be my favourite one yet. Listening to Danika’s voice joining with a 16-piece female choice as she turns her trauma into a triumphant song is so special.

“It’s about me saying I support you. A song of support for all women and all people. Not feeling alone and being silenced,” she explained.

Down Love, featuring “FYA” and “Coolshit Bullshit,” drops tomorrow. Don’t miss her when she plays some of Victoria’s hottest festivals real soon:

18 March 2023 – The Warrandyte Festival, Wurundjeri Country/Warrandyte (FREE All Ages)
8 April 2023 – Boogie Festival, Kulin Country/Tallarook

Image used with permission from This Much Talent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Rookies Drop Stellar Single “On the Shoulders of Giants”

I don’t write about enough instrumental jazz. Not because I don’t like instrumental jazz, but there’s just not enough good stuff that comes my way. The Rookies buck that trend with their very cool new single “On the Shoulders of Giants.” Consider that your cue to organise an afternoon tea break and take a few minutes to submerse yourself into this one.

“On The Shoulders Of Giants’ is an ode to the wisdom of those who’ve come before us and a reminder that although things may appear bleak in the future, one only needs to look to the past to see just how far we have come thanks to the hard work of our elders,” the band explained. “Ideally, we should be inspired by their work and look at the view from the giants shoulders with a renewed sense of optimism that real change is possible even if we may not see it in our lifetimes – just like the parable of the man who plants trees of whose shade he will never sit, but he does so for the love of future generations that will enjoy the tree.”

“On the Shoulders of Giants” comes from The Rookies’ upcoming fourth album Feed the Fire, which drops on March 22. You can catch them every Wednesday night at Rooks Return in Ngár-go/Fitzroy from 8:30 pm.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Fingerless Drops Trippy New Track, “More to Come”

The press release for Fingerless’ new single “More to Come” describes the Meeajin/Brisbane act as a psych-folk-indie-rock group. It’s one of the more eclectic band descriptions I’ve read, but listening to this song it all makes perfect sense. It somehow reminds me of The Beatles, Suede, Pulp, and Powderfinger all at once. Playing with so many genres could get messy for a lesser act, but this song somehow works. It’s a love song with a difference, which rather than celebrating a relationship that will last a lifetime acknowledges uncertainty and that there is “more to come.”

The band recorded this single, and a few other tracks, at Black Box recording studio, where they worked with producer and recording/mixing engineer Jeff Lovejoy (resin Dogs, Sahara Beck) for the first time.

“We recorded these songs live, with vocal, percussion and acoustic guitar overdubs added later,” said Marc Cheeseman, Fingerless’ vocalist and guitarist. “We prefer to do it this way because that’s how we write the songs. It feels better, it’s more fun and it just makes sense. One really cool thing that happened during recording was getting to use the same 1950s mic stand that was used in the Baz Luhrmann Elvis film. Jeff worked on the film as a music equipment consultant and had some of the gear from the film at his studio while we were recording. So all the vocals from this single were done using that mic stand!”

Fingerless will launch the single for hometown fans at The Cave Inn on March 10.

Image used with permission from 4000 Records; credit: Jonny Pickvance

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dande and the Lion Release Indie-Pop Treat, “Children of the Hour”

I love a happy-sad song. You know those ones that get you up and dancing, but are a lot darker than they first appear once you start listening to the lyrics. So “Children of the Hour,” the latest single from Eora/Sydney act Dande and the Lion, has everything I’m looking for. Rest assured, it will get you up off your seat and grooving along to the beat. But once you tap into the words, you’ll start to fully appreciate this gem.

‘Children of the Hour’ was inspired by a play I read by Lilian Hellman – ‘The Children’s Hour’ – that was later adapted into a film starring Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine,” explained vocalist Natassa Zoe. “Hellman’s story played a part in helping to initiate my songwriting process and I started to reflect on how this related to experiences in my own life at that time. ‘Children of the Hour’ centres around the push and pull within an intimate relationship; meeting someone who takes you completely off-guard and shakes up your world in a totally unexpected way. So much so, that you start creating excuses to see them, thinking about a future with them, yet despite all those feelings it never quite matches up, for whatever reason you’re both just out of touch.

“The song itself is about being playful in the moment, following the feeling rather than over-thinking things. Yet, despite this, the ‘hour’ never being quite right and ultimately leading to the endless wondering of how things might have been under different circumstances, in another time.”

Dande and the Lion are current touring around the East Coast to support this single’s release. Here are all their remaining dates:
3 March 2023 – Oriental Hotel, Mulubinba/Newcastle
25 March 2023 – The Jynx House @ Venue 114, Kabi Kabi and Jinibari Country/Sunshine Coast (supporting The VANNS)
5 April 2023 – Mumbo Jumbo’s, Darkinjung Country/Terrigal
14 April 2023 – Towradgi Beach Hotel, Dharawal Country/Towradgi
21 April 2023 – The Gum Ball, Wonnarua Country/Lower Belford
28 April 2023 – Kelly’s on King, Eora/Newtown

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Saz Watson

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

MANE Wows Me With “Breathing Again”

LGBTQIA+ indie pop artist MANE has floored me with her beautiful new single “Breathing Again.” Giving us our first taste of her sophomore EP, this stunning track makes me pretty excited about what comes next. It’s anthemic and dramatic while being rooted in honest emotions.

“I distinctly remember writing this song with Charlie (McClean, cofounder of She Writes) at Kobalt studios in LA and feeling overwhelmed by a waterfall of happy/sad emotions … Charlie really gently helped coax them out of me in a way where I didn’t need to be specific or elaborate into any detail which was really nice,” she said. “The song to me is about a moment of clarity or relief in the midst of healing from something – the sometimes fleeting feeling that it is in fact going to be OK, for me those moments provide a lot of hope. It’s refreshing, relieving and sometimes exciting to feel, especially if it’s felt heavy and dark for so long. I think finding a space where you can genuinely smile, breathe and just exist after a grief is a testament to your own resilience, because even though you may still be going through it your finding room around it to seek hope and happiness and I think that’s brave as hell!”

A true creative, MANE also produced and edited the music video for her latest single.

“The footage of the dancer was filmed by Omri Ohana and although the choreography was not intended for my song it was really special editing it myself and seeing how well it came together,” MANE added. “The dilapidated settings of the dancing scenes had a real sense of finding beauty in the ugliness and heaviness that some of us face daily which is kinda what Breathing Again is about … so it just felt really right

The release of “Breathing Again” is the start of an exciting new chapter for MANE. Not only is her new EP on the way, she’s heading to the United States for festivals and a string of headlining shows. America, you are in for such a treat.

8-11 March 2023 – New Colossus Festival, New York City
12 March 2023 – Beerburg Brewery Festival, Austin
13-18 March 2023 – SXSW, Austin
19 March 2023 – New New Festival, Dallas
22 March 2023 – The East Room, Nashville
24 March 2023 – The Monarch, Louisville
25 March 2023 – TBA, Cincinnati
1 April 2023 – Plan 9 Records, Richmond (Acoustic Pop-Up Show)
4 April 2023 – The Camel, Richmond
12 April 2023 – TBA, Los Angeles

Image used with permission from Pretty Good Thanks; credit: Friends on Film

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Anna O Releases Fantastic New Single “We’ve Got Time”

Boorloo/Perth electro-pop act Anna O has given me chills with her latest single “We’ve Got Time”. This track draws you in with a stripped-back opening verse which showcases Anna O’s vocals before that beat drops. If you love acts like Montaigne and Ngaiire, this will be right up your alley.

I also appreciate that Anna O is a woman who has lived a life because it makes her music so much meatier than your average pop song. Managing life as a mother of two with birth trauma, postnatal depression, physical disability, and undiagnosed neurodivergence, Anna’s relationship with her partner naturally struggled. “We’ve Got Time” came out of that period where they came back to one another despite the obstacles for the sake of the family they’d created.

“This song, for me, is about hope. It’s about the life we are building together now, and making a beautiful situation out of what felt like a very broken one,” she explained. “The last two lines of the bridge say ‘Can I see you right in front of me now? Cos you’re my way home. You’re my way home.’ And that’s just it, we’re finding our way home to each other again.”

“We’ve Got Time” is one of several new Anna O tracks produced by Luke Minness (PRISCILLA, Have a Good Day). Their partnership has led to one of the most productive years of Anna’s life, so it sounds like there’s plenty more fantastic music in store.

Image used with permission from Kick Push PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

High Tropics Rock Out With “Girlfriends”

Kabi Kabi/Sunshine Coast indie-rock act High Tropics has put a smile on my face this morning with their cool new single “Girlfriends.” With gritty guitars, easy vocals, and an infectious melody, I know you’re going to dig it too.

“‘Girlfriends’ is a down-and-out love song that doubles as a love letter to the green queen Mary Jane,” explained the band’s creator, Josh Stewart. “Written during the healing process of a six-year relationship ending, it’s a song about picking yourself up and moving on.”

This track sounds effortless, but Josh has recently been candid about the struggles he faces with Crohn’s disease.

“I first got into music for all the wrong reasons, eventually completed a bachelor of audio engineering and got really ill in my final year of the degree,” he shared. “I ended up getting diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2013, which altered the course of my life. Ironically though, it was the thing that made me fall in love with and develop my songwriting, as it became my way of escaping reality. It’s my therapy.”

“As I’ve seen a bit of the stigma around disabilities lessen in society over the last few years, it’s helped me reflect and embrace my own struggles and experiences, and see it as part of my story, not something to be ashamed of. I want to be a force for good, and hiding my condition from the world doesn’t help anyone. Our industry has made some great headway with diversity over the last few years, but disabled artists are still extremely underrepresented, and my silence certainly hasn’t helped. I’d like to see more support for people living with disabilities, specifically within the music industry. It’s time to lose the stigma, let’s show the world everybody can rock.”

You can see Josh and his friends rock out when High Tropics hits cities around Queensland to promote this single in the coming months. Catch them at the following venues near you:

31 March 2023 – Solbar, Gubbi Gubbi/Maroochydore
21 April 2023 – Ole Bar, Kabi Kabi/Noosa
12 May 2023 – Tomcat, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Polish Club Soundtrack Rugby League Season With “Good Time”

I’m not sure how many of you share my sentiments, but I’m pretty excited this week for the return of the regular seasons of the NRL and NRLW. With the trial games out of the way, it’s time to see whether my beloved Eels can go one better in 2023. The Nine Network has a history of opting for fairly safe choices for their rugby league theme song. Everyone loves the Hoodoo Gurus and Barnesy, but Nine’s shaken things up this year, opting for a little Polish Club instead. Rest assured, you’ll be hearing their track “Good Time” a lot this year. And that’s a very good thing.

“We wanted a short, sharp song, filled with nothing but catchphrases, with each part being its own hook. I think we nailed it,” said Novak. I don’t disagree.

Now hopefully we can see Polish Club booked as part of the grand final entertainment!

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia; credit: Derek Bogart