Meg Mac has totally floored me with her gorgeous new single “Letter.” It’s a classic piano ballad that tells a powerful story about the things that are often left unsaid.
“Letter” is the latest track lifted from Meg’s third album, Matter of Time, which drops on September 16. Preorder the album now to get your hands on a gorgeous vinyl copy.
Image used with permission from Meg Mac
Eora/Sydney duo Younger Than Me has just dropped their beautiful new single “Hallucination,” and you’ll want to hear it. An experimental pop masterpiece, it’s truly hypnotic listening to the duo’s dreamy harmonies and the pretty melodies of flutes and mellotron.
“I’d just got home from a rehearsal with Em [Davis],” said Annie McKinnon, the other half of the talented duo, on the track. “I flopped onto my bed, pulled out my microkorg and started singing this story. I had an image of someone in a desert, standing on a porch, and longing for an old lover. A strange weather event hits, a huge flood of water and colour and they turn into a creature, escaping longing through fantasy”.
Another self-recorded and self-produced effort, this track shows Younger Than Me are an exciting act taking control of their creative destiny.
Image used with permission from Younger Than Me; credit: Marcus Coblyn
When you press play on a new Matt Joe Gow track, you know you’re in good hands. His latest single “’Til My Whole Heart Bursts” is another sublime slice of Americana. From Matt’s easy, earnest vocals to the cool sounds of the slide guitar, it ticks all the boxes for me.
“’Til My Whole Heart Bursts” comes from Matt’s forthcoming album Between Tonight & Tomorrow. He’s got a couple of local shows before he heads across the ditch to wow crowds in his homeland. Catch him at the following venues:
16 July 2022 – Shady Palms, Kincumba/Kincumber
17 July 2022 – Bayview Country Arts Club, Boonwurrung Land/Bittern
30 July 2022 – Radio Luna, Bunurong Land/Portsea
5 August 2022 – Bark, Dunedin
6 August 2022 – Peace Memorial Hall, Ophir
7 August 2022 – Thomas Green Pub, Gore
12 August 2022 – Maheno Hall, Oamaru
13 August 2022 – Luggate Hotel, Luggate
19 August 2022 – Hilltop House Concerts, Wellington
21 August 2022 – Wine Cellar, Auckland
Image used with permission from Matt Joe Gow
Winter may have well and truly set in, but Bad Weather are bringing the sunshine with their sweet new single “Flowers in Your Room.” This track has such a fun, radio-friendly feel. It’s the perfect blend of pop and rock, and we just don’t hear enough of that these days.
“‘Flowers In Your Room’ is one of the few songs I’ve written that started on an acoustic guitar,” recalls lead singer Callum Robertson, who also produced the track. “My writing process almost always starts on a laptop, but I had the main chords of the song and would just play them over and over again and hum to myself. The song is about the breakdown of a relationship and learning to navigate the emotions you feel throughout that process. Like a lot of the songs on the EP, it was written during the first lockdown where everyone was thrust into this new reality of living in the confines of four walls. It was a really emotional time for me, so I just locked myself away and wrote a heap of music.”
Bad Weather are heading out on the road to support fellow Boorloo/Perth rockers The Faim this week. You know these shows are going to be good, so make sure you don’t miss out on tickets!
15 July 2022 – Vision Studios, Boorloo/Perth (ALL AGES)
16 July 2022 – Jack Rabbit Slims, Boorloo/Perth
21 July 2022 – The Brightside, Meeanjin/Brisbane
22 July 2022 – Newcastle Hotel, Mulubimba/Newcastle
23 July 2022 – The Lansdowne Hotel, Eora/Sydney
24 July 2022 – La La La’s, Woolyungah/Wollongong
29 July 2022 – Transit Bar, Ngambri/Canberra
30 July 2022 – Evelyn Hotel, Naarm/Melbourne
31 July 2022 – Enigma Bar, Kaurna/Adelaide
Image used with permission from Good Intent; credit: Drew Kendell
I was pretty surprised when I heard Baker Boy had released a version of Bernard Fanning’s “Wish You Well”. But I should have known this wouldn’t be any karaoke cover. The Yolnu superstar has flipped the script here, bringing something new and very fresh to the Powderfinger frontman’s solo smash. Speaking of Bernard, he lends vocals to this incredibly cool new take.
“‘Wish You Well’ is a break-up track, but it’s all about spreading that love,” Baker Boy explained. “The original isn’t really usual for Baker Boy – that vibe. So I wanted to kind of make it into a story where I can also apply it differently and make it Yolŋu flavour. It’s not just in a romantic way, it’s about sharing the love – whether it’s your partner, whether it’s your friends or family … It’s also for the people that are having a hard time right now. I just wanted to spread some love through music.”
Bernard was also full of compliments for Baker Boy and his new version of “Wish You Well”.
“Baker Boy’s music is so full of energy and excitement that I was very happy to collaborate on a new take on ‘Wish You Well’,” he added. “I love the spirit of this new version and am so glad it’s taken such a different musical tack but maintained the buoyancy of the original. It’s the first time I’ve worked in this way, but I found it so easy because the ideas coming from Danzal and Pip [Norman, producer] were so good.”
After delighting crowds on his North American tour, Baker Boy is ready to play local shows. Catch him at Splendour in the Grass or one of his recently announced regional Victorian shows:
26 August 2022 – Ulumbarra Theatre, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Bendigo (ALL AGES)
2 September 2022 – Memo Theatre, Wurundjeri Country, Healesville (ALL AGES)
3 September 2022 – Volta, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung Country/ Ballarat (18+)
8 September 2022 – Westernport Hotel, Bunurong Country/San Remo (18+)
9 September 2022 – Pier Hotel, Bunurong Country/Frankston (18+)
10 September 2022 – Gippsland PAC, Traralgon (ALL AGES)
23 September 2022 – Lighthouse, Warrnambool (ALL AGES)
24 September 2022 – Riverlinks, Kanny-goopna/Shepparton (ALL AGES)
Image used with permission from Island Records Australia; credit: Charlie Ashfield
Imagine if the life you knew changed in an instant. That’s what happened to Naarm/Melbourne artist Bel Kil. A music production student, she was riding her bike home when a 4WD opened its door into the bike lane. The impact with that car door damaged her vagus nerve so badly that she needed to relearn how to use the right side of her body and how to sing.
Many people may have found themselves in a pit of despair, but not Bel. Instead, she realised how lucky she was, how much she appreciated her life, and that she owed it to herself to make the most of it. Rather than studying to engineer and produce music for other people, she decided to invest in her own music. “Escaping” is her first single. It’s the perfect summery jam to help you escape from the winter weather, even if it’s for just a little while.
“Escaping” comes from Bel’s debut EP My Year, which will drop later this year. Bel applied her studies to this EP, producing and mixing every track in her bedroom during last year’s lockdowns. She’ll showcase songs from this EP when she launches the single at LeadBeater on August 6.
Image used with permission from Hunger Digital
Sister act Ella and Sienna were among my favourites on this year’s season of The Voice, so I’m thrilled to hear new music from this talented twosome. Their latest single “Saved” celebrates those harmonies you fell in love with while showcasing their songwriting talents. That’s right; these teens do much more than sing.
“We were so excited to finally record this track with Matt Fell in Tasmania this May,” the sisters gushed. “[it] was actually one of the first songs we wrote. It was such a beautiful experience to see it come alive in the studio.”
Ella and Sienna are playing shows in South Australia, Queensland, and Victoria in the coming months.
9 July 2022 – Port Noarlunga Arts Centre, Nurlongga/Port Noarlunga – SA (with Lucas Day)
12 August 2022 – Ekka, Barrambin/Bowen Hills (with Amy Sheppard)
13 August 2022 – Ekka, Barrambin/Bowen Hills
11 September 2022 – Three Brothers Arms, Kangowirranilla/Macclesfield
15 October 2022 – Acoustics in the Park, Meechi/Langhorne Creek
5 November 2022 – The Barn at Wombat Flat, Ngadjuri Country/Neales Flat (with Kristy Cox + The Weeping Willows)
19 November 2022 – Sale Country Music Festival, Wayput/Sale
20 November 2022 – Pig and Whistle, Boonwurrung Country/Main Ridge
Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity
MATH have just dropped their second single “Break My Heart”, and it’s far more exciting than any high school lesson. It’s so catchy that you might just find yourself humming it for the rest of the day. You have been warned!
“It was during a songwriting session we decided we needed a fun, upbeat song to add to our repertoire,” the band explained. “We knew we wanted a feel good, wham bam song that had The Wombats and Paramore feel good vibes too it”.
MATH stands for Maddi and the Hoopers, as the band consists of frontwoman Maddi McDonald and the Hooper brothers: Clay, Dylan, and Sam. They’ve been doing big things around Queensland, supporting acts like Tia Gostelow and Thirsty Merc and warming up the crowds at the NRL semi-finals last year. Surely it’s only a matter of time before the rest of Australia discovers just how good they are.
Image used with permission from Footstomp Music
Whenever DICE release new music, it’s always a good time. “The Search” is another fabulous track from this Western Australian rock act. It’s hard to believe they’ve only been releasing tunes for a year and a half, because every one sounds like a classic.
“The Search explores the themes of uncertainty of the future ahead, which were heavily influenced by the ever-changing COVID-19 restrictions in Western Australia,” the band explained. “We also were influenced by climate change and the lack of action we see in today’s politics. This drove us to write a song where the meaning is deeper than previous songs we have written as we feel strongly about these issues.”
After playing plenty of East Coast shows, DICE are rewarding their local fans with a big launch show tonight at The Rosemount in Boorloo/Perth.
“The four of us are extremely grateful for having the opportunity to travel to the other side of Australia to play our tunes and we owe it all to the fans! Leaving the Perth music bubble was definitely daunting at first because of the tight knit community that has formed, however from the get go we felt right at home on the east coast. It was the most surreal and humbling experience to play in front of crowds where we knew not a single person”
Don’t worry Eastern Australia; we’re not missing out. DICE will hit the road in October. Before that Western Australia will have a couple of extra chances to see them play. Here are all the dates you need:
9 July 2022 – The Rosemount Hotel, Boorloo/Perth
12 August 2022 – Indian Ocean Hotel, Chi Sippi/Scarborough (with Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers)
13 August 2022 – Mojos Bar, Walyalup/Fremantle (with Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers)
6 November 2022 – Solbar, Kabi Kabi Country/Sunshine Coast (with Great Gable)
11 November 2022 – Astor Theatre, Boorloo/Perth (with Great Gable)
Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Michael Tartiglia
Western Australian music royalty Kav Temperley and Katy Steele have teamed up for a gorgeous new single “Graduation Day.” I’m a sucker for a high-quality duet, and this track definitely fits the bill. You can feel the connection between these long-time friends as they bring this nostalgic tale to life. Recording the song in Kav’s own Fremantle studio no doubt helped it feel a little more intimate and familiar.
“Growing up in Fremantle, it used to be a right of passage to jump off the old traffic bridge into the river on graduation day,” Kav explained. “People would pull over their cars and yell at you for being reckless and dangerous. The song Graduation Day is the story about someone who stayed behind and somebody who chose to leave, and about how no matter how far you go – there is always this tether pulling you back”.
“Kav is such a great writer and musician and I’ve always had a tonne of respect for him,” Katy added. “This song showcases what a great writer he is so I am truly honoured to be on it! We’ve been hanging out a little recently working on stuff and Kav played me the song in the studio. I guess we share a slight affinity both being the ‘lead singers’ doing solo stuff and all the feelings, pressures and emotions that come with it. It’s been so nice sharing those feelings together, it’s made me feel less alone”.
“Graduation Day” is the latest track lifted from Kav’s sophomore solo release, Machines of Love & Grace. It’s out in September, but if you can’t wait until then to hear more new music I suggest getting along to one of his upcoming shows. If your hometown isn’t listed, don’t despair. It’s only part one of his regional tour, so he might just be on his way to your neck of the woods soon.
14 July 2022 – Froth, Ningaloo/Exmouth
4 August 2022 – Golden Vine, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Bendigo
5 August 2022 – Our Friends Farm, Tallarook
6 August 2022 – Lighthouse Theatre (Studio), Warrnambool
10 August 2022 – The Gal, Mulumbinba/Newcastle
11 August 2022 – Drifter’s Wharf, Darkinjung Country/Gosford
12 August 2022 – Illawarra Performing Arts Centre @ The Music Lounge, Illawarra
13 August 2022 – Canberra Theatre Centre @ The Studio, Ngambri/Canberra
Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Jarrad Levy