Category: Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Skipping Girl Vinegar’s Mark Lang Drops Stellar Solo Single

Skipping Girl Vinegar’s Mark Lang returns to the music scene with a gritty slice of honest rock, his latest single “Ride On.” That return almost didn’t happen though. After three albums with Skipping Girl Vinegar Mark found himself at a crossroads, wondering whether he had anything left to say with music.

“The band had decided it was time for a collective hiatus and my wife and I were emerging from the wake of a cancer recovery. I was in a personal and musical pit unsure of where to go next when I received an invitation to tour solo into the US. It was something to hold onto so on a whim took it up to see where I landed,” he recounted.

Driving through Missouri late one night, he saw the familiar flash of police lights in his rearview mirror. The officer ran his license and checked his visa before the conversation turned to music, family, and the U.S. election campaign.

“It was a surreal experience sitting on the other side of the world swapping stories of unfulfilled dreams and new beginnings with an officer of the law,” he remembers. “Somehow that conversation helped me understand where I wanted to go next giving me the confidence to step forward and not look back.

The cop let Mark off with a warning and a final piece of advice. “As I stepped from the car I thanked him, he looked me square in the eye and said, “It’s okay son, ride on.”

And so a song was born.

Mark Lang will spend most of this year touring North America and Europe, but he’s currently back in town to promote “Ride On.” Catch him at the following shows.

22 April 2018 – Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall, Brisbane
28 April 2018 – Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne
11 May 2018 – Portland Arts Centre,

Image used with permission from Maths and Magic

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rachel Caddy Lays Soul Bare in “Reach For You”

Victoria’s Rachel Caddy casts a spell with her beautiful new single “Reach For You.”

This is the kind of song that passed me by at first. It had it on while I was working, and it faded into the background a little. It’s not a song with big notes or catchy choruses to sweep you away. But there was something about Rachel’s voice that drew me back in, so I listened again. I turned up the speakers, put down my work, and just listened. That’s when it hit me. That’s when I heard all the nuances and the pain and the beauty in this song. Honestly, if you can spare a few moments I encourage you to do what I did and give it your full attention. “Reach For You” deserves that.

If you like what you hear, make sure you catch Rachel at Whole Lotta Love in Brunswick East on April 22.

Image used with permission from The A&R Department

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Put Papaya Tree on Your Radar

Sydney band Papaya Tree, wear their melting pot of influences on their sleeve with the release of their latest single “Radar.”

It’s a funky track which seems to effortlessly combine elements of jazz, soul, reggae, rock, and pop. I love its big brassy flourishes and its fearless delivery. Just when I thought I’d settled into the groove, “Radar” took me to a new place which was every bit as cool.

Papaya Tree will promote the release of “Radar” with a launch party at the Landsdowne Hotel on April 29.

Image used with permission from Rare Finds

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Ruiins Make Strong Statement With “Nobody”

Mid-North Coast duo The Ruiins have knocked it out of the park with their epic new single “Nobody.” It’s got a bigger, moodier sound than previous releases, and I think it’s better for it.

“It takes a more dynamic approach which we haven’t yet explored. It highlights raw emotion and the difficulties of relationships, getting caught up in thought and realising when to act upon your emotions,” noted the band’s drummer and vocalist, Adam Dooker.

“Nobody” is the title track from The Ruiins’ debut EP, which is out now. Fresh from shows in Bali, The Ruiins will launch the EP with the following shows on Australia’s East Coast.

8 June 2018 – The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
9 June 2018 – The Union Hotel, Sydney
15 June 2018 – Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
16 June 2018 – The Pink Motel, Gold Coast

Image used with permission from WHO Collective

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Slow Talk Releases “Golden” New Single

Melbourne band Slow Talk have offered an explosive taste of their debut EP New Vernacular with the release of the single “Golden.”

It’s a “take no prisoners” kind of epic rock song, with soaring electric guitars from Ash Fuller and magnetic vocals from his partner in crime, James Butler.

Ash says the track is “an exploration of our desire for people that physically fit the ideals we look for in a partner, whether they be people we briefly encounter in our daily lives, models we see on Instagram, or celebrities. It discusses our ability to extrapolate the little we know of these people and develop high opinions of them.”

If you like this, you won’t be left waiting too long for more. New Vernacular drops on April 27.

Image used with permission from Collision Course

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Melbourne’s Howlite Impress With “Orchestra”

Melbourne’s Howlite have captured my heart with their exquisite new single “Orchestra.”

This is one of those tracks that just stops you, no matter what else you’re doing. It’s a captivating soundscape, so mesmerising and haunting it’ll leave an impression on you long after the music fades away.

Howlite have a couple more shows lined up in their hometown before they take off to Toronto for Canadian Music Week. Catch them at The Tote Front Bar tonight and again on April 24.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Liam Gale & The Ponytails Go Their Own Way With “It’s Alright, Speak Nice”

Liam Gale & The Ponytails are offering an exciting taste of their upcoming release “’The Desire Lines,” dropping the single “It’s Alright, Speak Nice” for your listening pleasure.

This is such an original track, with a trippy psychedelic rock feel meeting some sexy jazz grooves. Rosie Jackson brings some soul to the track, which touches on reckless drinking, religion, forlorn love, and bushfires.

Liam Gale & The Ponytails are playing several shows around Sydney over the coming weeks, including one in Marrickville tonight. Here are the places you can catch this talented band.

17 April 2018 – Lazybones Lounge, Marrickville
29 April 2018 – Upstairs at Fred’s, Camden
11 May 2018 – Sofar Sounds, Sydney (secret show)

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Baby Animals Back to Best With “Tonight”

Baby Animals were the real surprise packet of this year’s Red Hot Summer shows for me. They were one of the only acts I’d never seen live before, and their blistering sets made me wonder why I’d left it this long. Suze deMarchi oozes cool and the band is one of the tightest I’ve ever seen. I also appreciate that they weren’t like so many other acts resting on their laurels. Trading on nostalgia is easy, but bringing new music to an audience takes balls. The new single “Tonight” was a highlight of the set, a track I wanted to make sure you all wrapped your ears around.

Baby Animals do too, so they’re touring the country as headliners to support its release. Expect to hear more tracks from their forthcoming EP along with all your old favourites at the following shows.

22 June 2018 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
23 June 2018 – The Gov, Adelaide
29 June 2018 – Doyalson RSL, Doyalson
30 June 2018 – Waves, Wollongong

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Harry Carman’s New Single “Prisoner” Much More Than Pop

Canberra’s Harry Carman defies genre with his new single “Prisoner.” The press release claims it’s “a melodic, up-tempo 3-minute pop song” but that description doesn’t go far enough. The brass hooks and bass have a real jazzy flavour, and those wailing guitars are pure rock. It takes the listener on a real journey, engaging from start to finish.

“When I wrote ‘Prisoner’ I was broke, sleeping on a friend’s couch and living a self-destructive lifestyle. My first EP was out, and I wanted the rock star lifestyle – sex, drugs and rock & roll – the problem was that I wasn’t a rock star, in fact far from it,” Harry explained. “’Prisoner’ is a song about breaking up with that way of life and focusing on the music, I wrote the song from the perspective of an abusive relationship, because that’s what it was, an abusive relationship between myself and the person I wanted to be.”

“Prisoner” comes from Harry’s upcoming EP State of Sedation, which should drop in the middle of the year.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Mitch King’s New Single Will Make You a Believer

“Believe,” the new single from Queensland indie folk singer Mitch King is like chicken soup for this cold-ridden music blogger. It’s got a beautiful message delivered so sweetly with an acoustic guitar and Mitch’s superb vocals.

“The more you believe the more you’ll create what you want out of life,” Mitch explained of the song’s inspiration. “Sometimes you have to let go of old ways of thinking and ingrained programs in the mind to sincerely believe in yourself, goals and passions.”

Amen. This stunning song is paired perfectly with the film clip, shot in picture-perfect New Zealand.

Mitch plans to spend the rest of 2018 recording, writing, releasing, and playing live gigs. He’ll play BBQ Bazaar at Burleigh tomorrow night from 7 pm.