It might be icy outdoors, but Venice Queens are giving me summer vibes with their new single “Bad Heart.” It’s got a great surf rock feel and an infectious groove that should quickly have you tapping your toes in time.
“Bad Heart” comes from the Adelaide band’s self-titled debut EP, which is in stores now. They’ll celebrate its release with shows around the country in August.
3 August 2108 – Vic on the Park, Marrickville
5 August 2108 – Frankie’s Pizza Bar, Sydney
10 August 2018 – The Last Chance Rock N Roll Bar, Melbourne
11 August 2018 – The Toff in Tow, Melbourne
17 August 2018 – Fat Controller, Adelaide
Image used with permission from Pompadour PR; credit: Dylan Minchenberg
Echo Drama are making a big statement and a big sound with their latest single “Insanity.” The Melbourne nine-piece explore the selfishness that seems to dominate modern society in this genre-defying track.
“Insanity” is a little reggae, a little hip hop, a little rock, and so much more, with Alex “Sinks” Sinclair spitting rhymes at a frantic pace and Thando Sikwila laying down the silky smooth hook. Add in some bold horns and a creeping bassline and you’ve got a track that could easily become confused in the wrong hands. I’m not quite sure how it works, but it does.
Echo Drama will launch “Insanity” for hometown fans at The Workers Club on July 26.
Crank up your speakers because “Feel It Again,” the latest track from Perth rockers J.F.K sounds best at 11. Full of swagger and chunky guitar riffs, it’s the perfect slice of garage rock to brighten your Humpday.
“‘Feel It Again’ is a fast paced, energetic garage rock banger reflecting my thoughts during a relationship. It’s about wondering if you’ll still feel the same about the person when everything goes wrong,” the band explained.
The energy of this single makes me think J.F.K are the kind of band best experienced in person. You can catch them doing their thing at the following shows.
25 July 2018 – Ronnie Nights, Fremantle
30 August 2018 – Old Bar, Melbourne
31 August 2018 – Yah Yah’s, Melbourne
1 September 2018 – Botany View Hotel, Sydney
8 September 2018 – Badlands, Perth
Have you got your tickets for Xavier Rudd’s upcoming tour yet? If not, his new single “Honeymoon Bay” might just give you the push you need. It’s the sort of rollicking folk song made for road trips that Xavier delivers so well.
“’Honeymoon Bay’ reminds me of the magic of our earth,” he explained. “I began writing it deep In the Kimberly northwest Australia whilst viewing ancient rock art and then wrapped it up filming the clip surfing perfect waves while immersed in the beautiful culture of Fiji. Pure magic!”
What a life, right? I was only just in the South Pacific, but the film clip has me itching to return.
Xavier Rudd kicks off his Storm Boy album tour next month.
2 August 2018 – UC Refectory, Canberra
3 August 2018 – Uni Hall, Wollongong
4 August 2018 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
5 August 2018 – Civic Theatre, Newcastle
10 August 2018 – Night Quarter, Gold Coast
11 August 2018 – The Tivoli, Brisbane (SOLD OUT)
12 August 2018 – The Tivoli, Brisbane
17 August 2018 – Odeon Theatre, Hobart
18 August 2018 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
24 August 2018 – The Forum, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
25 August 2018 – Costa Hall, Geelong
27 August 2018 – The Forum, Melbourne
23 November 2018 – Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle
24 November 2018 – 3 Oceans Winery, Margaret River
Melbourne indie folkster Harp Samuels has given us a taste of his sophomore album Breathe with the release of the enchanting single of the same name.
The song is a bit of a slow burner, but I urge you to listen to it until you get it. Because once you do, wow. That slow, soulful build-up is so worthwhile. Harp penned the track following the death of his father, capturing the tension of leaving a dark place and seeking the solace only home can provide.
“It’s one of those songs that I feel like I want to sing when I’m overwhelmed, as it has a ‘hope’ theme and makes me feel like no matter what’s happening at the time, things can change, and everything is going to somehow work out,” he explained.
Harp Samuels’ new album Breathe drops on September 14.
I seem to be on a bit of a hip hop kick today. While guys like 360 have been impressing me for years, Australia also has a new crop of urban talent we should also listen to. Sydney’s Brad Sabat is part of the new breed. He’s just dropped his new single “Bounce” and it’s an absolute banger.
I love the old-school feel of “Bounce.” It reminds me of the songs that first got me interested in hip hop with its strings, really deep groove, and positive vibes.
“Bounce” comes from Brad Sabat’s recently released solo album Value$.
Image used with permission from the A&R Department
Mondays are never easy, but that first Monday after holidays is particularly trying. This time last week my husband and I were living it up on the Pacific Aria. We love so much about cruising, from lazy days on the deck to the seemingly never-ending supply of food, but what we love most is discovering great live music. Cruise performers have a reputation for being a bit loungy, but over our last four cruises we’ve been entertained by an artist who breaks the mould: Hunter deBlanc.
Hunter hails from New Orleans, but after 18 months on Australian cruise ships he considers himself right at home here in Oz. At night he covers everything from Billy Joel to Blink-182 in the piano bar, but by day he works on his original music. Those original songs have been so well received Hunter will soon leave the ships behind and announce his own Australian shows. With that Aussie tour in the works, there’s no better time to become familiar with this exciting independent artist.
While cruising around Australia and the South Pacific playing to packed-out rooms each night might seem glamorous, the life of a cruise ship entertainer isn’t always easy. Hunter touches on the isolation and tedium of those cruise contracts, and the way a visit from someone special can brighten the dark times, with his latest single “Sydney.” It’s got a great pop-punk feel, which makes me nostalgic for the late ‘90s, although I can hear the influence of our own INXS creeping in. Fittingly the lyric video for Sydney shows the New South Wales capital at its brightest during the annual Vivid festival.
If you’ve never cruised before, don’t be surprised if the lyric video for “Tides” tempts you to take the plunge. Its ocean imagery is just stunning, the perfect support for this banging tune. Released in late May, this dynamic synth-driven track tells of the way Hunter’s first cruise contract reignited his love of music and gave him the drive to pursue his dreams.
“It challenged me in so many ways, and made me grow as a person, a performer, a musician, and a songwriter. It gave me the confidence and reassurance I needed to come back from that first contract and hit the ground running,” he explained. “The lyrics of the song say ‘Right when I was about to sink, I started flying. I came alive, started to live like I was dying,’ because that’s exactly how I felt— almost as if I had caught a second wind. I felt revitalized, rejuvenated, and ready to complete my unfinished album (Daydreaming) and get back out there writing new material, and use every day to continue to further my music career.
“Sydney” and “Tides” are both available now on all your favourite digital platforms including Spotify, iTunes, and Google Play. Look out for Hunter deBlanc’s shows around the country later this year.
It’s been three years since Western Australia trio Dan Cribb & The Isolated graced us with new music. Good things come to those who wait though, and their new single “Run Away” is a very good thing indeed.
I love this track’s pop-punk energy. You just see if it doesn’t have you moving your body in time once the chorus rolls around. But under all that dynamism, the track explores some serious themes of isolation and anxiety.
“A lot my close friends started moving away from Perth around the same time, which was a real shock to the system, but taught me a lot about myself in a weird way,” he said. “It was while I was battling those anxieties that I wrote this song, which sort of helped me work through everything and realise how important certain relationships are.”
Dan Cribb & The Isolated will launch “Run Away” at new Perth venue Hell Hole on July 21.
Image used with permission from Write Timing; Photo credit: Karen Lowe
If anything good can come from all of the social and political turmoil in the world, it’s great music. Lachlan Bryan and the Wildes lend their voice to the commentary with their latest single “I Hope That I’m Wrong.”
“I’m saddened by the timeliness of this release,” Lachlan said. “But in truth, the awful things we’ve seen in the news right now are not new. This song meant just as much to me when I wrote it a year or so ago, and when we made the video last month. I continue to hope that I’m wrong, but I fear that I am right.”
Make sure you tune in to the lyrics when you’re listening to this one. You’re not likely to hear better.
“I Hope That I’m Wrong” comes from Lachlan Bryan and the Wildes’ new album Some Girls (Quite) Like Country Music. Fresh from shows across the United Kingdom and Europe, Lachlan Bryan and the Wildes will appear at the Gympie Muster on August 23 and 24.
If you haven’t heard it on Triple J yet, make sure you wrap your ears around “Moving On,” the new single from Melbourne’s Bad Juju. It’s a ball-tearer of a track, full of punk attitude and catchy hooks.
“Moving On” comes from Bad Juju’s debut EP Hidden Desire, which isn’t too far away! It’ll drop on July 13, the same day the band kicks off a series of capital city shows. After honing their live show supporting acts like Dream On Dreamer, Trophy Eyes, and Columbus, Bad Juju are in fine form. Get in on the ground floor, because these guys could be big.
13 July 2018 – The Workers Club, Melbourne (with Trophy Eyes)
17 August 2018 – Foxxy Dolphin, Melbourne
18 August 2018 – West Thebby, Adelaide
30 August 2018 – Marly Bar, Sydney
Image used with permission from Habit Music Company
