It was love at first listen when I heard “Close To Being Apart,” the dreamy new pop bop from Melbourne singer/songwriter/producer Montgomery. All those titles should clue you in to her talent. Press play and there’ll be no doubt. I must admit, I wasn’t familiar with Montgomery’s music before, but I quickly remedied that after listening to this track. Her latest effort explores the idea of moving through life, forging new connections and letting old ones go in the process.
“I wrote ‘Close To Being Apart’ last year after moving house. There’s a mix of emotion when you’re packing up and moving on to a new place that holds no memories. I found myself reminiscing, holding on to sentiment, while another part of me was desperate to start a new chapter,” Montgomery explained. “’Close To Being Apart’ acknowledges that tension of wanting to move forward or change direction, while still clinging to old memories. Even those I’d proudly thought I‘d already let go of.”
“Close To Being Apart” is our first taste of Montgomery’s sophomore EP, which is due out later this year.
Failed relationships are no fun, but sometimes the songs that come out of them are. That’s the case with “Just My Luck,” the upbeat new single from Charlie Collins. If you’ve ever invested your heart in the wrong person, you’ll want to crank this one up.
“It’s about the feeling of always throwing yourself in the deep end, but the other person isn’t there to catch you when you fall,” Charlie explained. Thankfully it’s not something she’s had to worry about lately, as she began writing the track in her living room with partner Mitch Sexty. The track went to the next level when Charlie began collaborating with Gabriel Strum, aka Japanese Wallpaper, at Sydney’s Forbes Street Studios.
“Just My Luck” is the latest track lifted from Charlie’s forthcoming sophomore album. There’s no word on a release date, but this song should tide you over until it drops.
Image used with permission from Island Records Australia
I’m not saying that the number of singles is a definitive measure of an album’s quality, but when the eighth single you release from an album sounds as good as “Blood-soaked,” from Sydney band Crystal Cities’ sophomore effort Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight, you know it’s outstanding. I’m rarely a drums fan, but Daniel Conte’s work here is so noteworthy. And let’s just take a moment to appreciate those stellar vocals from Geoff Rana.
“‘Blood-soaked’ tells the tale of the power of the mind,” Geoff explained. “Although you get to choose the outcome, you are not always the winner. Reality is your prize, and is your creation, and that creation can be your greatest achievement or your biggest downfall. I’ve tried to convey this message through the loose narrative of a prizefighter from ancient Greece in a battle of epic proportions, hanging on for dear life.”
The quality of this album is a testament to the band’s commitment. They recorded their debut album, Under the Cold Light of the Moon, at Abbey Road Studios, and where do you go from there? If you’re Crystal Cities, you try something totally new. This time there was no iconic studio or producer. Instead, Geoff decided to learn all he could about the recording process. He applied the lessons he learned from YouTube and other free resources to recording the new material in a Sydney home studio. He was learning on the job, but I can’t imagine him doing better. World-renowned engineer Paul Lani, who’s worked with the likes of Prince and David Bowie, gave the songs a final spit polish before they were released in the world. Give them all a listen on your favourite streaming service.
Don’t you just love those voices that stop you in your tracks? Melbourne artist Lady Lash is the latest artist to get me super excited about her sound. Her powerful tone anchors her latest single “Love My Darkness,” forcing you to listen in and take notice.
“Love My Darkness” comes from Lady Lash’s new album Spiritual Misfit, which drops on November 22. If this track is any indication, it’ll be something really special.
Hitting the clubs might be a while off yet, but if you’re like me indulging in a few at-home dance parties, you’re going to want to crank up “If I Called Tonight,” the latest track from Melbourne duo Audition Tape. It’s a polished piece of dance-pop that reminds me of fine Scandi artists like Robyn and Sigrid.
“Written on the brink of calling an ex, I was frustrated and curious. I had clarity about the way I felt three months after the opportunity to say it. I had to answer the question, “What do I do with all of these thoughts and memories now?” And I guess that question was answered – crank the autotune, punch in a 4/4 kick, write a dance song.”
If you haven’t heard about Audition Tape’s music before, don’t worry; they’re just getting started. They launched and began releasing music this year, which is a pretty ballsy move in 2021 I’ve got to say. With that sort of courage and serious talent behind them, the sky’s the limit for Audition Tape.
Timothy and The Apocalypse is the solo musical project of Timothy Poulton, who rediscovered his love of music through the COVID pandemic. The project became an outlet for his frustrated creativity. His latest single “Start Again” gives us a taste of what’s in store with his second release Ethereal Event.
“Start Again” fuses classic rock influences with a little 90s rave and modern electronica. It’s a mishmash of sounds that somehow works. I can’t stop listening.
If you love this, you don’t have too long to wait to hear more. Ethereal Event drops on September 17.
Image used with permission from the A&R Department
If there was ever a time for an artist making what the press release called “emo-pop,” it’s now. With New South Wales and Victorian lockdowns dragging on, I’ll bet that AViVA’s new single “Melancholy” will resonate with more than a few of you.
“Seemingly cheerful and upbeat from the outside, it doesn’t matter what makes you feel that way, sometimes feeling down is the only way you can feel, but the power of the last line ‘it will never be the same’ is where the core message of the song lies,” AViVA explained. “Even though after negative experiences things often aren’t the same, we are always free to learn and grow from our experiences. Feeling melancholy, like so many feelings, is just a temporary state. Things will, as they always do, get better.”
AViVA is giving us all something to look forward to once lockdown ends with shows all around the country. She’s also scheduled to play Spain’s Mad Cool Festival next year. It’s ambitious to announce an Aussie tour right now, let alone international plans, but I have to admire her optimism! If you’re keen on some gigs, put these ones on your radar.
12 Nov 2021 – Enigma Bar, Adelaide (All Ages)
13 Nov 2021 – Wrangler Studios, Melbourne (All Ages)
20 Nov 2021 – Factory Floor, Sydney (Afternoon All Ages)
20 Nov 2021 – Factory Floor, Sydney (Evening 18+)
21 Nov 2021 – The Brightside, Sydney (Afternoon All Ages)
6-9 July 2022 – Mad Cool Festival, Madrid
Image used with permission from Island Records Australia; photo credit: MataisC
Kiwi-born, Melbourne-based artist Dansy serves up plenty of attitude with her latest single “Wish U Could.” The track has a real rock edge, but I can also hear Dansy’s pop influences peeking through. Dansy cites The Pussycat Dolls and My Chemical Romance as influences, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that this is powerful track doesn’t sit neatly in any genre box.
I love the song, but imagine hearing it live would be even better. Can you imagine the explosive energy Dansy would bring when she’s feeding off the crowd? Her press release says she loves performing, so hopefully it’s not too long before we can see her up on stage where she belongs. Until then, crank this one up.
Boo Seeka has dropped a very un-Boo Seeka track, and I love it! The acoustic-driven “Tripwire” is such a departure from the act’s electronic party numbers, but I think it might just be what most of us need in our lives right now. The song mourns the loss of normalcy so many of us are experiencing right now.
“The songwriting for Tripwire is really direct, I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve with this one,” Boo explained. “I realised I was writing about myself, and the stuff I was going through, which was hitting me pretty hard if I’m being honest. Writing on an acoustic guitar has always been a part of my process and usually, it would just be used to figure out the chords and structure of the song, and then it would be built into an electronic track. With ‘Tripwire,’ we used the same template, but nothing we built sonically got close to the emotion, and the rawness of the acoustic version. It’s super different to the typical Boo Seeka sound, but the diversity of the upcoming album is something I’m very proud of, and releasing it as the first single is the perfect way to kick it off”.
Covid also got in the way of Boo’s music video plans, but he was not to be deterred.
“Originally I was going to fly to WA to shoot this clip but Covid once again got in the way. My manager Cohen and his mate, Lachlan Ross (of production company Halves and Quarters) set out with Meg Charnaud (actor) on a last-minute adventure to shoot the clip on a farm close to Margaret River, Western Australia. Lachy is the mastermind behind the whole thing, and I love the beauty of it. It’s a simple yet effective clip capturing the emotion of trying to run away from all things negative. Something myself and everyone around me is going through right now.”
If you’re craving a little bit of normal, catch Boo Seeka on The Trip tour. Some shows are being rescheduled given all the current COVID dramas, but at this stage, the following gigs are going ahead as planned.
“When people come to a Boo Seeka live show, I really want to put on a night where people can leave their troubles at home, smile, and just have a whole heap of fun,” Boo said. Leave your troubles behind at the following shows.
25 September 2021 – The Triffid, Brisbane
2 October 2021 – Republic Bar, Hobart
3 October 2021 – The Royal Oak, Launceston
16 October 2021 – Magnet House, Perth
Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: @natimgraben
Aussie punk-rock act Between You & Me are set to inject some energy into your weekend with their bold new single “Deadbeat.” The track sees frontman Jake Wilton coming to terms with his own shortcomings.
“Being in a band, I am often away from home for long periods of time. Whilst at home, I also found myself prioritising my own endeavours over my relationship. During the pandemic, I was able to spend a lot more time with my girlfriend and I felt a sense of remorse for the unwavering support that she gave me whilst I was absorbed in my own career. ‘Deadbeat’ is a self-reflection of my behaviours as a boyfriend and how I recognised I needed to do better.”
“Deadbeat” comes from Between You & Me’s sophomore LP, which is coming at you really soon. With three years passing since their debut Everything is Temporary, fans will be fired up for new material, especially if it’s all as good as this track!
