Category: Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

You’ll Fall For Columbus’ “Full Heart”

Columbus lay their emotions bare with their latest single “Full Heart.” It’s got a great indie rock sound reminiscent of the Foo Fighters or Eskimo Joe (perhaps unsurprising as Joel Quartermain worked on the track). It might rock hard, but the lyrics reveal the band’s soft side. They’re brimming with hope and optimism, delivering a refreshingly pure take on the search for love.

“’Full Heart’ is a song about trying to find love in the dark,” explained Columbus frontman and guitarist Alex Moses. “You know how you feel, but you don’t know where to look. The song was one of those songs that took years to write. I had the main chorus and was really excited to finish it, but ironically I didn’t know where else it should go. The track went through 2-3 versions of different lyrics, I showed the band but ultimately it didn’t make the cut for our recording sessions in 2020. I re-wrote the lyrics again in early 2021, and knew I’d found what I wanted to say.”

Columbus had big plans for 2021, including a tour with Stand Atlantic, but COVID had other ideas. However, 2022 is already seeming brighter. The band’s new EP Driving in the Dark, the long-awaited follow-up to 2018’s A Hot Take on Heartbreak and their first collection of songs with their new line-up, drops on March 24. The band also has the following shows scheduled, and hopefully there’ll be more to come. Get amongst it!

31 March 2022 – The Barwon Club Hotel, Geelong (with Sly Withers)
9 April 2022 – Crowbar, Sydney

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Farewell Horizontal Drop Exciting Instrumental, “The Boring Apocalypse”

I don’t write about a lot of instrumental music. It’s not that I’m against it, but I think as a writer I gravitate towards tracks with lyrics. They resonate with me because it’s clear what they have to say. “The Boring Apocalypse,” the latest single from Melbourne duo Farewell Horizontal is different. It manages to give commentary on the pandemic without ever saying a word.

“Early in the pandemic, a friend said they didn’t expect the apocalypse to be so protracted and chaos-free. I demo’d it with guitar playing the tune, thinking I’d replace it with vocals, but then I got attached,” explained Pat Walker, Farewell Horizontal vocalist, guitarist, and bassist. “So then I started thinking about doing it like a Shadows type thing. Was also thinking about the spacious bop of a lot of peak Sonic Youth (Murray Street – Sonic Nurse – Rather Ripped) with the breathing band-in-a-room being both powerful and gentle in guitar and drum tones.”

The video is pretty apt for a single about the “boring apocalypse.” It features security camera footage from drummer Lauren Lime’s front gate.

“There was something kind of interesting about the mundane day to day of a busy Thornbury road during the pandemic that felt kind of apt for a boring apocalypse theme,” she added.

“The Boring Apocalypse” comes from Farewell Horizontal’s third album, You’re Not an Empath, which is available to stream on all your favourite services and purchase from the band’s Bandcamp page.

Image used with permission from Farewell Horizon

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sasha March’s “Can I Call” is Worth the Wait

Sasha March casts a spell with her latest single “Can I Call.” This song kind of snuck up on me. It’s subtle, but it has a way of getting under your skin with its languid electro beat and Sasha’s beautiful voice. The minimalist treatment gives the song space to breathe, ensuring you feel the full impact of her words.

“’Can I Call’ could be a dark place or a kind of comfort depending where you’re at,” Sasha admitted. “It could be a love song, or a place where you fight yourself as the super hero and the villain. But there’s always hope that there’ll be someone or something to sober you and ground you again before the next round.”

Sasha’s had the song in her back pocket for a while, but collaborating with Tristan Jvmes has transformed it into the special single you hear today.

“I left it aside for ages and then eventually took it to Sydney producer Tristan Jvmes last year,” Sasha added. “Tristan built up a bunch of ideas sonically and each time his production developed, I’d do another vocal take. This was a fun process which went on for a few months until we found together what the song meant and eventually I did a vocal take I was happy with. We lost count of the different versions, but landed on the final loved one and sent it off to be mastered by Harvey O’Sullivan at Studio 301 in Sydney.”

Sometimes music is worth the wait. This song certainly is.

Image used with permission from Beehive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Abi Muir Shows Her Dark Side With “Stockholm”

Cairns talent Abi Muir has entered 2022 with a brash and bold new sound. Her last single “Still the Same” was a sweet pop-folk ditty, but her latest offering “Stockholm” is an epic rock number. The juxtaposition of her angelic voice with the drums and distorted electric guitars is really something. Inspiration for the new single came from the most unlikely of places.

“I had just finished reading Harry Potter (for the 10th time!) and was kind of obsessed with Draco Malfoy, and wanted to write about the feeling of being trapped in love with someone you knew was a bad person and bad for you,” she explained. “I was inspired to try a different sound working with the guys in the band, who come from a heavy progressive rock background. It’s kind of a warped love song so having a rock vibe to it felt right.”

Like “Still the Same,” “Stockholm” comes from Abi’s highly anticipated debut EP which drops on March 4. If the diversity of these two tracks is any indication, it’s going to keep us guessing.

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Profanity Fair Release Pop-Punk Banger, “Strawberry Jellyfish”

Brisbane band Profanity Fair may have one of the best names I’ve come across recently. They’ve also just dropped one of the most fun singles. “Strawberry Jellyfish” is built around just two chords, but it packs a real punch.

While I love listening to this song at home, something tells me these guys are even better in a packed pub with the amps cranked up to 11. If you’re in their hometown, you can catch them at the Fireball Hospo Party at Greaser on March 1. Hopefully it’s not too long before they’re crossing state borders and entertaining the rest of us!

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Viral Hitmaker Sarah Saint James Captures My Heart With “fake ass friends”

Sarah Saint James has made a splash on TikTok, amassing 2.4 million streams and more than 1.5 million views for user-generated content using her 2021 track “mad at god.” With her latest track “fake ass friends,” she might just make the transition from viral musician to mainstream star.

This single is heartbreakingly beautiful. I feel the loneliness in her vocals and the powerful lyrics, the result of a collaboration with former X Factor winner Cyrus. The understated production lets those two elements shine, drawing you into her world and daring you to listen to her story. I wish I’d heard this song as a teenager. It resonates with me now, but it definitely would have made me feel less isolated then.

“I only got invited to a few parties when I was younger. My small group of friends and I always wanted to go out, but we were so unpopular that we had nowhere to go,” Sarah recalls. “When I was at a party in Year 11, I overheard those so-called friends calling me a loser on the other side of a bathroom door, and that experience inspired this song. I thought about how I’d rather be surrounded by fake friends at parties looking cool, than be at home on a Saturday night watching their stories alone. When I look back, I feel really sad that I compromised myself to be surrounded by fake people – but everyone feels that way at some point, regardless of where you sat in the high school hierarchy.”

Sarah Saint James has more new music coming, with her debut EP Home Is Where The Hell Is scheduled for a March 18 release.

Image used with permission from Bianca Blancato; credit: Jess Gleeson

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get Your Groove On With New Cosmo’s Midnight, “Can’t Do Without (My Baby)”

Saturdays call for tunes that make you want to groove. Whether you’re heading out to one of the country’s many venues that have recently opened their doors or you’re enjoying a party at home, “Can’t Do Without (My Baby)”, the latest release from Cosmo’s Midnight, is your perfect soundtrack.

The track samples a long-forgotten gem from the ’70s, “I Can’t Do Enough For You Baby” by Tommy Tate. With those silky soulful vocals, I have no clue why Tommy wasn’t bigger, but maybe this track will be enough to put him back in the spotlight. Cosmo’s Midnight have worked real magic here, incorporating irresistible elements of electronic and funk production into the track. Listening just makes you feel good!

“It’s strange how people can be nostalgic for eras they’ve never experienced,” Cosmo’s Midnight mused. “For ‘Can’t Do Without (My Baby)’ we wanted to capture the feel of coming of age at the turn of the millennium (even though we were just lil babies at the time) when house music was in its golden age. It was celebratory and ecstatic, which is something we really try to bring out in our tunes. This song is really a celebration of that, which feels especially poignant to us, as we all emerge from 24 months of self-reflection, isolation, and anxiety.”

Cosmo’s Midnight wowed crowds in the back-end of last year with sets at Wildlands Festival, Beyond the City, Lost Disco, and even South Korea’s virtual Busan International Rock Festival. They’re not slowing down either, with plenty of shows supporting Flight Facilities before they jet off to Portugal. If you don’t already have your tickets for one of these gigs, you know what to do!

13 March 2022 – The Cunningham Pier, Geelong
19 March 2022 – Victoria Park, Sydney (supporting Flight Facilities)
26 March 2022 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne (supporting Flight Facilities)
2 April 2022 – Riverstage, Brisbane (supporting Flight Facilities)
9 April 2022 – Bonython Park, Adelaide (supporting Flight Facilities)
23 April 2022 – Darwin Amphitheatre, Darwin (supporting Flight Facilities)
15 July 2022 – Super Bock Super Rock 2022, Sesimbra

Image used with permission from Neighbourhood PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Christine Tarquinio Releases Beautiful New Single, “Falling Free”

Sometimes you just hear a voice that cuts through. Melbourne singer-songwriter Christine Tarquinio has one of those voices. Her new single “Falling Free” doesn’t have the slick production of a mainstream pop hit, but the quality of that angelic voice really cuts through. The song is also first class. It’s pop music with real substance. There are notes of Natalie Imbruglia, Jewel, and Sarah McLachlan in there, but Christine is no imitator.

“I wrote this song just with an acoustic guitar and it was very introspective as we were in one of our many lockdowns,” Christine recalled. “I wanted to express how I was feeling at the time. The song was very easy to write and came together over a number of weeks.”

“There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a little seed of an idea I have for a song and seeing it bloom into its full potential along with my creative team, the magic just happens,” she added.

Give Christine Tarquinio a follow on Facebook to learn more about her new music and places you can see her play.

Image used with permission from Rise Indie

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get Your Groove On With The Vultures’ Stellar New Single, “Conversations”

Gold Coast indie rockers The Vultures have blown me away with their awesome new single “Conversations.” This track has such a cool indie rock vibe with just a hint of disco sparkle. It’s fresh and fun, with such a great laidback groove. It might just be the last great summer anthem to drop this year. Can’t you just imagine sitting poolside, sipping cocktails, while this bad boy plays? While it reminds me of good times with friends, the lads from The Vultures actually penned this song in response to the isolation they felt during the 2020 Melbourne lockdowns.

“‘Conversations’ is about turning to dreams as a mode of communication at the emergence of a newly chaotic world, separated from our family, friends, and the outside,” they explained. The song is complemented by a dreamy new video clip which the band describes as “a sleek retro green screen throwback of trippy visuals, mirroring the concepts and vibe of the music.”

The Vultures will launch the single officially at hometown venue Mo’s Desert Clubhouse on March 17. It’ll be their first live show in more than six years, so you don’t want to miss it. Listen out for their debut album ESCOBAR dropping later this year.

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Eliza & The Delusionals Get Me Nostalgic With “Give You Everything”

Eliza & The Delusionals are kicking off an action-packed 2022 with a brand new single, “Give You Everything.” This song is everything I love about the band, earnest and emotive with a floaty, fresh feel that encourages you to press play time and time again. It hearkens back to music from so many female singer-songwriters I loved in the ‘90s. If you had Lisa Loeb and Michelle Branch on regular rotation back then, I think you’re going to love this.

Guitarist Kurt Skuse and frontwoman Eliza Klatt started writing the song in Los Angeles with acclaimed US songwriters Sarah Aarons (Zedd, The Rubens, Childish Gambino) and John Hill (Cage The Elephant, Lykke Li, Charli XCX). Some refinements at home make “Give You Everything” the incredible track you hear today.

“We were sitting around John’s studio talking with Sarah about how we both have had similar bitter experiences within the music industry with certain people taking advantage of our benevolence,” Kurt recalled. “It was nice to be able to open up to someone who could also relate to that situation which made the whole writing process feel really natural and organic. It’s a collective favourite for us on the album and it really shaped the rest of the record thematically and sonically.”

As I hinted to earlier, Eliza & The Delusionals are preparing for a busy few months. They’ll support The Vanns on their national tour before taking their own lap of the country as headliners. Then they’re off to the United States to play Bottlerock alongside artists like P!nk, Twenty One Pilots, and Metallica. Their highly anticipated debut album Now and Then also drops on May 20. Here are all the dates you need:

5 March 2022 – Forum, Melbourne (supporting The Vanns)
6 March 2022 – Torquay, Hotel Torquay (supporting The Vanns)
12 March 2022 – Altar, Hobart (supporting The Vanns early show SOLD OUT)
12 March 2022 – Altar, Hobart (supporting The Vanns late show SOLD OUT)
13 March 2022 – Forth Pub, Forth (supporting The Vanns)
18 March 2022 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle (supporting The Vanns)
19 March 2022 – Manning Bar, Sydney (supporting The Vanns)
25 March 2022 – Wollongong Uni, Wollongong (supporting The Vanns)
1 April 2022 – Kambri @ ANU, Canberra (supporting The Vanns)
9 April 2022 – The Leadbeater, Melbourne
17 April 2022 – The Brightside, Brisbane
22 April 2022 – OAF Gallery, Sydney (early show)
22 April 2022 – OAF Gallery, Sydney (late show SOLD OUT)
23 April 2022 – La La La’s, Wollongong
24 April 2022 – Huxley’s, Caringbah
29 May 2022 – Bottlerock Festival, Napa Valley

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Luke Henery