Melbourne indie-pop act The Run have released their sublime new single “Missing Out On.” It starts small, with just the vocals from Connor Morel and a gentle electric guitar keeping his voice company, but builds to a soulful crescendo. I couldn’t help thinking of Sam Smith as I listened to this track’s awesome falsetto notes.
“This year has been our best one yet with people really loving what we’re doing and really wanting new material from us,” the band explained. “‘Missing Out On’ is our way of giving back and thanking people for their reception to our music.”
If you love what they do, get to The Run’s single launch at The Gasometer in Melbourne on September 12.
Tasmania’s Maddy Jane has captured my heart with her relatable new single “Something Old and Something New.” This charmer should resonate with anyone who’s fallen for someone at the wrong time. Let’s face it, who hasn’t been there?
“‘Something Old And Something New’ is about meeting someone when you’re not looking for a relationship and all the conflicting thoughts that come out of that situation,” she explained. “I think there’s an outdated assumption that women always want a relationship and this song’s basically like, we can not want it just as much as the boys.”
“Something Old and Something New” comes from Maddy Jane’s debut album, which is due out early next year. Until then, she’s playing a string of launch parties to celebrate the single’s release. Catch her at the following gigs.
2 November 2019 – Til the Wheels Fall Off, Launceston
8 November 2019 – Yah Yah’s, Melbourne
9 November 2019 – Forum, Melbourne (supporting Spiderbait)
16 November 2019 – Vic on the Park, Sydney (FREE)
5 December 2019 – Prom in the Gong @ Unibar, Wollongong
Central Coast family band Little Quirks have just released their latest pop-folk charmer, “Life Wouldn’t Be.” The song will have you tapping your toe in time to the music and marvelling at the harmonies from sisters Abbey and Mia Toole and their cousin Jaymi Toole. This crowd-pleaser is the first track lifted from Little Quirks’ forthcoming EP Cover My Eyes, and it has me excited about what is to come.
Little Quirks are packing up the tour bus and hitting the East Coast this October and November to celebrate the EP’s release. This marks the first time the teens will headline shows in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, so get out show your support. Catch them at the following coastal venues later this year.
5 October 2019 – Dashville Festival, Lower Belford
11 October 2019 – OAF Gallery Bar, Sydney
12 October 2019 – Junk Bar, Brisbane
2 November 2019 – The Espy, Melbourne
3 November 2019 – Lost Lands Festival, Werribee
Image used with permission from Ditto Music; photo credit: Al Parkinson
Melbourne songstress Essie Holt has unveiling her sparkling new indie-pop single “Last One.” The personal track will win you over with its powerful lyrics and danceable melody. While it’s got a great upbeat pop feel, Essie says the writing process was her way of exorcising demons about a difficult time in her life.
“’Last One’ was written recently about a pretty dark place I got myself into a couple of years ago,” she explained. “I was partying hard and living this fantasy life. I couldn’t see that I was sacrificing a lot of people who were close to me. It’s about realising who is important. The writing process was really organic. We sat down at the piano in the studio and the song came out quite fast. It’s taken me a while to find a place where I feel like I’m being genuine and real in my writing, and these new songs are completely me. They’re bold and quirky and take the approach of what feels good, not necessarily what’s technically correct.”
Essie is set to wow crowds at some summer festivals before the end of the year. Catch her at Newcastle’s This That on November 9 or Perth’s Ice Cream Factory Festival on December 28.
Image used with permission from Habit Music Company
Newcastle artist BOI speaks for all those women scorned with her new girl power anthem “Sick of Loving You.” This super-catchy track is the perfect song to blast when you’re ready to move on from a relationship that’s just not right.
BOI knows a thing or two about moving on and taking charge. Growing up she was told to act more like a girl. Her moniker is her effort to reclaim those insults and embrace her identity.
BOI has appeared at Splendour in the Grass, featured on an LDRU track, and worked with heavy-hitters like Alex Lahey, The Chainsmokers, and Godlands. If she keeps producing music that’s this irresistible, no doubt we’ll be seeing a lot more of her.
“Bad Kisser” is a coming-of-age charmer from Brisbane’s own Asha Jefferies. It’s what I imagine a good teen movie might sound like, a John Hughes flick set to music if you will. There’s angst and pain, but also an optimism that this will get better.
“I wrote it about an extremely euphoric and tragic moment involving a festival; lust, longing, intoxication & one ultra-big insult,” Asha reflected. “It takes a bit of growing up to realise not every interaction you have with a stranger you like and meet will be romantic.”
The introspective track is a bit of a new sound from Asha, but one that shows incredible growth from her debut EP.
“After the satisfaction of releasing my first debut EP and first headline tour, I took an enduring time and effort away to re-discover myself – grow up as a person, not just developing as an artist,” she explained. “I’ve created a new sound and direction, in ode to the many things I did experience in the months I had off and in the movement of growing up.”
Get to know the new and improved Asha when she plays shows in the East Coast capitals in the coming months.
21 September 2019 – Low 302, Sydney
28 September 2019 – Brisbane Festival @ Riverstage, Brisbane (supporting City & Colour)
4 October 2019 – Grace Darling Hotel, Melbourne
26 October 2019 – The Foundry, Brisbane
Image used with permission from Habit Music Company
As if the release of her last stellar single “Eyes Wide Shut” wasn’t enough to convince you to buy tickets for her upcoming shows, Wollongong’s own Bec Sandridge has sweetened the deal with a brand new banger, “Stranger.”
It’s got such an approachable pop sound, but some really deep themes bubbling just beneath the surface. It asks the big questions about whether we can ever really know someone, and even if we can ever really know ourselves.
“’Stranger’ is the proudest I’ve been of any song to date. It’s the most honest I’ve been with myself and others,” Bec said. “At the time I was struggling with image dysmorphia and unable to manage the anxiety that came along with that. I was lucky enough to marry the track with the visuals of diva/director/drag king Tanzer which helped me make sense of a lot of things. I felt it was the first time someone has been able to capture who I am holistically – the ugly, the unhinged, the raucous. I was forced to be comfortable in vulnerability – having a leaf blower on my face certainly helped!”
I really feel like Bec is making some of the best music of her career right now, so I can’t wait to hear her debut album Try + Save Me, which gets released on October 4. Remember, Bec is playing shows all over the country in October. Catch her at the following venues.
4 October 2019 – The Foundry, Brisbane
5 October 2019 – The Northern, Byron Bay (FREE ENTRY)
12 October 2019 – Hobart Brewing Company, Hobart
18 October 2019 – Cats @ Rocket Bar, Adelaide
19 October 2019 – Howler, Melbourne
25 October 2019 – Lansdowne, Sydney
26 October 2019 – UC Hub, Canberra
8 November 2019 – UniBar, Wollongong
River Lane has come a long way since becoming the first busker in the history of Mannum, in regional South Australia. A former tradie and competitive water skier, River has just released her new single “Ghost of a Girl.”
It’s a gorgeous song that’s already earned airplay on Double J and Triple J. I love the haunting tone of River’s voice and the subtle dramatic world she creates. It’s one of those songs that makes you stop for a moment and just soak it all in.
“’Ghost of a Girl’ to me is about growing up and leaving my innocence behind,” River explained. “It’s about accepting who I am now and the decisions I have made whether right or wrong but never forgetting where I’ve come from.”
“Ghost of a Girl” comes from River’s forthcoming sophomore EP.
Start your week right with “Growing Pains,” an indie pop pleaser from Melbourne band Telescreen. The track reminds us of the importance of letting life take its course.
“Sometimes you can find yourself in this kind of neutral zone where you’re letting life direct you where to go. You feel like you’re having no influence on the next phase of your existence, like you’re mindlessly living day to day,” explained Telescreen front man Nic. “’Growing Pains expresses how it’s okay to take a hands-off approach and allow things to come to you – you can’t always be reaching out for the next big step.”
“Growing Pains” comes from Telescreen’s forthcoming debut EP, which drops on September 26. Victorians can hear tracks from this EP first at the following shows. Hopefully it won’t be too long before they announce some shows outside their home state.
28 August 2019 – The Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood (with ZUMA)
13 September 2019 – Grace Darling Hotel, Melbourne (with Chela)
Image used with permission from Habit Music Company
What’s better than one incredible new song by Melbourne singer-songwriter Sannia? Two incredible new songs! That’s just what she serves up with her new double A-side single “Daylight + Better.”
I’ve had these songs on high rotation and I honestly can’t split them. Both showcase Sannia’s powerhouse vocals and equally affecting lyrics.
Sannia wrote “Daylight” on the way home from a big night with friends.
“I sort of had this weird semi-inebriated epiphany that I was head over heels for someone close to me, and in that same moment I realised he absolutely didn’t feel the same at all,” she recalled. “Like two ships passing in the night, or maybe a ship and a rowboat in my case.”
“Better” picks up after the dust settles, with Sannia determined to rebuild and move forward.
“I decided to release these two together because I feel like they’re one and the same, not just in terms of their production or both videos being centred around dance and movement, but the two songs were really two different responses to the same situation,” Sannia explained. “’Daylight’ was the initial, really vulnerable call out and ‘Better’ was the more defiant and explosive response.”
Sannia will play two shows to launch the single next month. Catch her at the following venues.
12 September 2019 – Workers Club, Fitzroy (18+)
14 September – Golden Age Cinema, Newtown (ALL AGES FREE)
