Category: Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Little Wise Drops Single Ahead of “Silver Birch” Release

Little Wise transports us to the quiet towns of regional Australia with her delicate folky new single “Don’t Hurry Back.” It’s a beautiful slow burn complemented perfectly by this video directed by Agostino Soldati.

“Don’t Hurry Back” gives us a taste of Little Wise’s debut album Silver Birch, which drops on November 11. She split the recording time between Woodstock Studios and her empty childhood home. Talented Aussies including Megan Bernard, Rosie Burgess, and Ben Franz from the Waifs also make appearances on this nostalgic collection of songs.

Clearly Little Wise and Rosie had an exceptional time together, because Ms Burgess will perform as a special guest artist at many of the following Silver Birch shows.

11 November 2016 – The Treehouse, Byron Bay (FREE)
12 November 2016 – Sheoak Shack, Fingal Head (FREE @ 2pm – with Rosie Burgess)
12 November 2016 – Padre, Brisbane (FREE)
13 November 2016 – Black Bunny Kitchen, Alexandra Headland (FREE @ 3:30pm – with Rosie Burgess)
15 November 2016 – House Concert, Nambucca Heads
17 November 2016 – Petersham Bowling Club, Sydney (with Rosie Burgess)
18 November 2016 – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra (with Rosie Burgess)
19 November 2016 – Commonground Festival, Seymour
24 November 2016 – The Bella Union, Melbourne (with Rosie Burgess)
25 November 2016 – Martians Café, Deans Marsh (with Rosie Burgess)
27 November 2016 – The Wheatsheaf, Adelaide (4pm – with Rosie Burgess)
9 December 2016 – Basement Discs, Melbourne (FREE @ 12:45pm)
10 December 2016 – Brookfield Shed, Margate (with Rosie Burgess)
11 December 2016 – Marakoopa Café, Mayberry (2pm with Rosie Burgess)

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Alpha Phi Impresses with “Think About Me”

Sometimes you hear those voices you fall in love with in an instant. There’s something about the tone or the way they deliver a lyric which instantly connects to you. That’s how I’m feeling about the voice of Ashleigh Poulton, the lead vocalist of Brisbane band Alpha Phi.

She could sing the phone book and I’d love it, but thankfully the band’s latest single “Think About Me” is a little more exciting than that. The song, which speaks of a love never realised, was penned by Alpha Phi and recorded with Byron Short at Sunset Studios.

After time spent in the studio, Alpha Phi promises to get back gigging around Brisbane over the next six months, so keep your ear to the ground for those dates.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Helen Perris Releases Beautiful Ballad, “Be There”

Sydney songstress Helen Perris lays her soul bare with her brand new single “Be There.”

“Be There” is the type of empassioned piano-pop ballad which we hear all too rarely these days. The lyrics are deeply personal, penned while Helen was battling post-natal depression. However, the topic is tackled so cleverly that you don’t need to have lived through that hell to feel connected to this song.

“Be There” was named among the top 20 songs in the Listen Up Australia song writing competition this year. It comes from Helen’s forthcoming album.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Harry Heart Releases “Epiphany”

Aussie expat Harry Heart has left me swooning with the release of his brand new single “Epiphany.” It’s a gorgeous heartfelt number that speaks so beautifully of the isolation that can come with chasing your dreams and how the right person can drag you out of that melancholy.

“I started writing the song as a lonely little bloke,” Harry says of the song, “which I had brought upon myself in search of a fruitful career as an artist. I had written half of a sombre song and then I met a girl who well and truly pulled me out of a rut.

“I think you can hear where I met her in the lyrics, around the time things sound optimistic. She is literally the other half of the song, feel free to interpret that as cheesily and metaphorically as you please.”

Harry officially releases “Epiphany” tomorrow. He’ll tour it around New South Wales with his five-piece band, the Harry Heart Chrysalis, next month.

4 November 2016 – Howlin Wolf, Wollongong
11 November 2016 – The Lass O’Gowrie, Newcastle
13 November 2016 – El Sol, Cronulla
18 November 2016 – Lazy Bones Lounge, Sydney

Image used with permission from Bear Family

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The New Buzz Has Me Buzzing

It’s the weekend! Even if you’re spending yours working like me, I hope you can carve out a little “you” time and celebrate it. When you do, do me a favour and start spinning “Like We Used To,” the funky new single from Brisbane’s The New Buzz. You won’t regret it.

This six-piece has such a right, polished sound that borrows from soul and funk traditions. That’s not so surprising though, because the members come from some of the coolest bands around including Dubmarine, Bullhorn, Laneous & The Family Yah, Bobby Alu & The Palm Royale, and heaps more. The band works in a really spontaneous way, heading to the studio whenever its members are in town at the same time and laying down tracks using vintage gear. It’s taken them two years to get together enough material to make an album, but when it sounds this good I’m sure you’ll agree it’s worth the wait.

Until the album’s released, you’ll just need to be happy spinning this killer song. If you love it, make sure you head to The New Buzz’s PledgeMusic page where you can get a vinyl copy of the single and heaps of other cool stuff including lyrics sheets, launch tickets, and heaps more.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Noah Earp Impresses with “The Raw and the Cooked”

Aussie indie folk act Noah Earp has given us our first taste of his debut album Disinheritor with the release of the epic lead single, “The Raw and the Cooked.”

“The Raw and the Cooked is about a person who is trapped in a bad scene. At first she seems really cynical, but actually the cynicism masks a certain naivete,” Noah explained. “We all have this to some extent – nothing is too neat and nobody’s perfect. I liked the idea of a love song that wasn’t…in the end this pretty love song fragments into a million pieces, because life is scary and chaotic.”

Noah also made the charming clip that accompanies the single. Just see if you’re not grinning from ear to ear by the end of it!

Noah launches Disinheritor with a show at Melbourne’s The Toff in Town on October 27.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Enjoy Pepa Knight’s “Company”

Whether he’s with Jinja Safari or performing solo, the work of Pepa Knight is always worth listening to. He continues the trend with his beautiful new single “Company.”

There’s something so appealing about this track, which has a modern dream-like quality mixed with more primitive jungle drums.

“This tune actually came about from a six-year long collaboration with a good friend of mine and genius songwriter Stephen Engstrom (AKA Stezrat). He originally sent me the idea back in 2010 and it only finally came together earlier this year while I was in-between mixing the final Jinja Safari album,” Pepa explained. “Now that JS has come to an end, I now have the headspace to move on creatively and excited to release more music in the near future.”

If that music sounds this good, I can’t wait to hear it.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Illy Releases “Catch 22” Ahead of Album Launch Shows

After the success of “Swear Jar” and “Papercuts,” Illy’s next album Two Degrees was already destined to become one of the biggest sellers of 2016. But he’s just guaranteed that it’ll fly off the shelves with the release of another stellar single, “Catch 22.” Featuring guest vocals from British singer Anne-Marie, this is another insightful feel-good from one of Australia’s favourite hip-hop acts.

“Sometimes life isn’t about always making the ‘right’ choices. Some of the best times are when you do the opposite. Catch 22 is about knowing that,” Illy explained.

Two Degrees hits stores on November 11 and is currently available for pre-order. Illy will bring its songs to the people with some intimate launch shows in the largest capitals. In addition, Illy will play a bunch of summer festivals. Here are all the places you can catch him in the coming months.

29 October 2016 – Banana Fields Music & Arts Festival, Coffs Harbour
15 November 2016 – Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane
16 November 2016 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
17 November 2016 – Howler, Melbourne
29 December 2016 – Falls Festival, Lorne (SOLD OUT)
30 December 2016 – Falls Festival, Marion Bay
31 December 2016 – NYE Street Party, Newcastle
1 January 2017 – Falls Festival, Byron Bay (SOLD OUT)
7 January 2017 – Falls Festival, Fremantle

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Emilee South Gets Spooky with “Howl”

As a kid growing up in Australia, Halloween wasn’t really a “thing.” I remember pestering my parents to go trick or treating with some school friends once. The neighbourhood was so unprepared for us all we ended up with was some muesli bars people had for their kids’ lunches and some very strange looks.

However, a lot seems to have changed since then and Aussies are embracing the spookiness of Halloween. In the spirit of this acceptance comes “Howl,” the creepy new single from Melbourne’s Emilee South. It’s got a great bluesy feel with dirty guitar licks and rich, sultry vocals from Emilee.

“Howl” currently has a digital release but from the end of the month you can get your hands on a 7” vinyl copy. The records will be on sale at Emilee’s single launch and Halloween party at Bella Union on October 30.

Image used with permission from Fever Shake Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Say Hello to Brufield’s “Goodbye”

It’s been a long time since I’ve heard music from a really great female-fronted pop-rock band. So I’m thrilled to hear “Goodbye,” the new single from Perth five-piece Brufield.

The track sounds a little raw – you can tell it wasn’t recorded in a big fancy studio – but I like that about it. The vocals from Lisa Caulfield are angelic with a hint of edge and the melody first class. I found the track instantly accessible, and the moment it was over I just wanted to play it again. The clip, filed at the Indie Bar in Scarborough Beach, shows you that these guys know how to deliver on stage too.

Sadly Brufield has just wrapped up a tour, but it shouldn’t be too long before we see this talented five-piece back playing in pubs and clubs around the country.