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
Gold Coast singer-songwriter Jacob Lee has gotten well and truly under my skin with his beautiful new single “With You.” It’s such an intimate song full of the advice he hopes to impart to his future daughter one day. Awww.
“With You” is the latest cut from Jacob’s forthcoming debut album Philosophy. Fresh from shows in the United Kingdom and Ireland, he’ll be back on home soil soon. Hometown fans can see Jacob at Q1 on August 11.
With Byron Bay band PLTS kicking off their East Coast single tour tonight, I figured I’d better introduce you to their kick-arse new song! “Maelstrom” is such a great indie rock anthem which sees the lads wearing their hearts on their sleeves and being a little more vulnerable than we’ve seen in the past.
“Writing this track proved the most challenging process we’ve navigated as a group to date, this shines through in a strong theme of melancholy,” they explained. “We chose to focus on a water theme, it’s such as significant theme in our personal lives and also is a great representation of the unpredictable nature and challenges in navigating the creation of music and in particular, this track. It’s a high-energy song and we can’t wait to convert that energy in to the live space. Delve beneath the surface and see things from the other side. Let the Maelstrom pull you in.”
If you like what you hear, make sure you get up close and personal with the band at one of their intimate single shows.
6 July 2018 – Bloodhound Bar, Brisbane
12 July 2018 – Waywards Bar, Sydney
14 July 2018 – The Brewery, Byron Bay
Image used with permission from Habit Music Company
I’m getting serious Lenny Kravitz vibes from “Consciousness of What You Think,” the latest single from Harts. The track sees the Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist getting back to his bluesy, rock and roll roots, and I love it.
“Consciousness of What You Think” is the first track from the latter of two new Harts albums scheduled for release this year. Most albums won’t even drop one album in the next six months, so knowing he’s got two in the pipeline is so impressive.
“I’ve always loved writing different styles of music and working on different songs simultaneously,” Harts explained of his unconventional approach. “I love all kinds of music and I love to create. This is a song about freedom. Feeling free to be who I want to be and create what I want to create.”
Expect to hear some of that new material Harts is so excited about when he plays Howler in Melbourne this Saturday, July 7.
Image used with permission from the A&R Department
Melbourne chanteuse Sannia wears her heart on her sleeve with her debut single “Go and Get Over.” I feel this one to my bones. It’s got so much soul, so much raw passion, so much honesty. It’s also so perfectly measured, without vocal acrobatics and unnecessary frills.
“This song developed really organically for me,” recounted Sannia. “I was actually driving home late one night and just sort of started singing the first words that came to mind to keep myself awake … ‘Go And Get Over’ is about literally just that, the cyclical process of moving on from someone while at the same time reminiscing on everything that was and what it’s become now, which I think a lot of people can relate to. You almost go through these sort of seven stages of grief – leaving them, missing them, going back, getting hurt, and trying to exact change – it takes its toll.”
Sannia will celebrate the release of “Go and Get Over” with an intimate show for hometown fans at the Wesley Anne on July 13.
