Cameron Avery has outdone himself with his brand new single “Wasted on Fidelity.” It’s a masterclass in the art of songwriting, with poetic lyrics that really deserve to be listened to set against sparse instrumentation that lets those words shine.
“Wasted on Fidelity” comes from Cameron’s debut solo album Ripe Dreams, Pipe Dreams, which will drop on March 10. He’ll showcase songs from the album at the following Aussie shows. Since the Perth-bred singer-songwriter is now based in New York City, these gigs offer a rare opportunity to experience his music live.
14 January 2017 – Freo Arts Centre Courtyard, Fremantle
18 January 2017 – Newtown Social Club, Sydney
19 January 2017 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Performing under the moniker Spinifex Gum, Felix Reibl and his Cat Empire pal Ollie McGill have joined forces with Indigenous girls choir Marliya to highlight the tragic death of Ms Dhu.
At just 22 years of age, Ms Dhu died in police custody in Port Hedland in August 2016. A coronial inquiry into her untimely death was released late last year.
Felix wrote “Ms Dhu” after hearing the story while travelling to the Pilbara with the Gondwana Indigenous Children’s Choir, where the teens from Marliya got their start. He says a lot about its origins, but it’s all so significant I wanted to print his comments in their entirety.
“When I first read about what happened to Ms Dhu my reaction was first disbelief, then anger and heartbreak. How was this poor young woman let down so badly by the police, medical, and justice systems in WA? How could she be called a liar and her cries of pain not be taken seriously for three days, when even the most basic care or respect would have saved her life? How is it that a young, injured, Indigenous woman with unpaid fines gets locked up, and the people who let her die out of sheer neglect not be held accountable in any meaningful way? What does this say about endemic, institutional racism in Australia? What does this say about us as a broader community? Where do we go from here?” he questioned.
“It’s a political song. I’ve tried to tell the story as it happened, often using direct quotes from the courtroom. The young Indigenous singers of the chorus are the heart of the piece – a voice of youth and defiance. We’re dedicating the track to Ms Dhu’s family, who have shown extraordinary courage and resilience in the face of tragedy and loss. We’ve been in communication with them along the way. Any profits it generates will go to them. We hope it does something to keep this terrible event – and the necessity for change – at the forefront of the broader public’s mind. We hope it serves as a statement of solidarity with Ms Dhu’s family and the Indigenous community as a whole.”
All proceeds from the single’s sale will benefit Ms Dhu’s family as they try to rebuild their lives. You can raise awareness of the issue and single by writing about it on your socials with the hashtag #imissdhu.
I don’t post about a lot of dance music on my blog. It’s not that I don’t enjoy dance music, but I think it rarely translates into my day-to-day life. It usually loses a little something when you’re pumping it through computer speakers while you’re working at a desk. To really reach me as a dance act, you need to do things a little differently to draw me in. Ezrato, a producer from Tasmania, has done just that with his latest single “Noir.”
Featuring the silky smooth vocal talents of StellaRhymes, “Noir” effortlessly blends jazz music with house to create something that’s so fun to listen to, no matter where you are.
“The idea came to me when watching one of my favorite TV series, Gotham,” Ezrato explained. “Centering around a detective assigned to dispel crime from an anarchic city, I was transfixed by the edgy, Chandler-esque and slightly anachronistic atmosphere of the show’s setting. This inspired me to try and embody this neo-noir film approach in a song. Lyrically, I drew from my own experience of addiction with both love and lust. To create cryptic layers and fit with the neo-noir theme, I utilized metaphors using terminology often found in the murder-mystery genre of film and other media. The result is an ambitious and somewhat sultry jazz/house hybrid that sets a very specific atmosphere.”
“Noir” is available for digital download now.
Image used with permission from the A&R Department
Entering a new year, everything seems a little brighter. I’m not sure the optimism and good vibes will stick, but right now I’m just enjoying the positivity that comes with putting 2017 behind me. I think that’s reflected in my music taste, because for the second day in a row I’m drawn to a shimmery piece of feel good pop music. This latest pop gem is “Can I Go Back?” from Burleigh Heads’ own Sunset City.
This is the ideal summer anthem, with its upbeat tempo and memorable chorus. Its message of realising the mistakes made in the past and learning from this is also so apt at this time of year.
2017 is set to be a big year for Sunset City. They’ll release an album and tour the country, so look out for them in your neck of the woods. Until then, crank this one up and dance like nobody is watching.
A new year calls for a new attitude, a spring in your step and a smile on your face. Even if you’re grinning through a hangover, I suggest faking it until you make it with the help of Asta and her feel good new single “Shine.”
This funky little pop gem is the title track from Asta’s debut EP, which will drop on February 17. To celebrate its release, Asta will embark on a massive national tour taking in five states and two territories. See her at the following venues later this year. Tickets are available from her website.
17 February 2017 – Jack Rabbit Slims, Perth
18 February 2017 – Hyperfest, Midland
23 February 2017 – ANU Bar, Canberra
24 February 2017 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
25 February 2017 – Small Ballroom, Newcastle
2 March 2017 – Uni Bar, Wollongong
3 March 2017 – Fat Controller, Adelaide
4 March 2017 – The Toff, Melbourne
9 March 2017 – Sol Bar, Maroochydore
10 March 2017 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
11 March 2017 – The Foundry, Brisbane
12 March 2017 – Coolangatta Hotel, Coolangatta
17 March 2017 – Republic Bar, Hobart
18 March 2017 – Club 54, Launceston
In 2017, James Reyne celebrates a 30-year solo career. To mark the milestone, he’ll re-release his solo album on vinyl and play two very special live shows.
That self-titled album built upon his artistry developed with Australian Crawl. Even if you don’t own it, you’ll know the songs, tracks like “Fall of Rome,” “Motor’s Too Fast,” “Rip It Up,” and one of my favourites, “Hammerhead,” performed so beautifully here.
James will play with a full band at Memo Music Hall in St Kilda on April 28 and The Basement in Sydney on May 5. Tickets are on sale from the venues now.
Add a little soul to your day with “The Fader,” the gorgeous new single from Melbourne’s Zillanova.
I love the way Joshua Tavares’ chocolatey vocals combine with the delicate strains of an electric guitar. The pitch-perfect backing vocals give the track an old school soul sound that instantly evokes nostalgia. However, it’s not just some Motown throwback. It sounds fresh and funky.
“The Fader” comes from Zillanova’s debut EP, which is scheduled for a February 17 release.
Sydney rock act Halfwait take us back to the 90s with its grungy new single “Fly Away.”
The track documents the struggles of making a relationship work when you’re a musician living so much of your life on the road. The song itself is a little rough around the edges, but there’s an honesty about it that I find so endearing.
“Fly Away” is the first track lifted from Halfwait’s sophomore EP Forever, which will be released shortly. We can also expect the band to return to the live scene in the coming months.
Perth band The Plastic Attraction continues its winning streak with another killer single, “No Foresight.” The follow-up to “Holding You” is an irresistible high-energy ditty which you’ll be humming for days to come.
“I’ll never forget how ‘No Foresight’ started its life,” lead singer Liam recalled in a press release. “We were at a rehearsal and Matt said he wanted to show us a new riff he’d come up with. He let loose playing what is now the chorus riff, and it was one of those moments when everyone was like ‘Yes!’ this is our next song! The track spiralled from there, with the instruments materialising very quickly”.
With the quality of their singles, hopefully it won’t be too long before we see an EP or album from these guys.
Image used with permission from the A&R Department
When I first heard Betty Who’s new single “Human Touch,” I wasn’t that impressed. It was one of those tracks I could imagine getting played on radio, but while it was catchy I found it ultimately forgettable. I didn’t really get it. It’s amazing what happens when you strip away some production though. In this acoustic version she recorded with Jarryd James, I feel like we finally get to see what this song is all about.
“I write so many of my of my songs on guitar or piano – it seemed only fitting to showcase the way this song came to be,” she explained. And having Jarryd sing it with me is a dream come true, the first time I heard his voice on the radio I knew I just had to sing with him. So I am so honoured to share this performance with him.”
“Human Touch” comes from Betty Who’s sophomore album, which will be released early next year.
