“Believe,” the new single from Queensland indie folk singer Mitch King is like chicken soup for this cold-ridden music blogger. It’s got a beautiful message delivered so sweetly with an acoustic guitar and Mitch’s superb vocals.
“The more you believe the more you’ll create what you want out of life,” Mitch explained of the song’s inspiration. “Sometimes you have to let go of old ways of thinking and ingrained programs in the mind to sincerely believe in yourself, goals and passions.”
Amen. This stunning song is paired perfectly with the film clip, shot in picture-perfect New Zealand.
Mitch plans to spend the rest of 2018 recording, writing, releasing, and playing live gigs. He’ll play BBQ Bazaar at Burleigh tomorrow night from 7 pm.
William Crighton has wowed crowds here in Australia, most recently at Bluesfest, and across North America. He’s been called a visionary and an Australian icon, and seeing him live has been compared to a religious experience. So it’s surprising to discover he only has one album under his belt. That’s all about to change though, with his second album Empire set to drop on May 4.
If May seems too far away, you’re in luck. William is giving us a taste of what’s to come with the release of his single “Happiness.” It’s everything you want it to be, fiery, powerful, passionate, honest, and bloody good.
Look out for Empire when it’s released on May 4.
Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute
Stevie Burr sounds like a musical veteran, with some gravel in his voice and a confidence in his lyrics. So it might surprise you to learn that “Got a Story” is the debut single from this Melbourne-based singer-songwriter.
What a debut it is though, full of grit and emotion. Perhaps that’s because he’s lived a hell of a life to this point, leaving a home tainted by drugs and violence at just 13 to live with his grandparents. His grandfather taught him how to play the guitar, which led him to songwriting as he attempted to make sense of his unconventional start in life. He lost several people close to him at just 25, and again music helped get him through. You can hear all of that pain and heartache in this amazing song, which Stevie wrote while living on the floor of his uncle’s one-bedroom public housing flat. Deeply depressed and contemplating his life, he penned this track about his upbringing.
It probably doesn’t surprise you to hear Stevie has plenty of music up his sleeve. After the release of this single, I can’t wait to hear more.
Image used with permission from the A&R Department
“Wish It Would Rain” is the first single for Melbourne soul outfit The Sugarcanes, but if you didn’t know better you’d swear these guys had decades of industry experience. It has such a fantastic old school feel, with confident vocals from Lucy Wilson.
The Sugarcanes are no strangers to the live music scene, with performances at Meredith, Boogie, and the Beechworth Music Festival over the years and supporting slots for Smith Street Band, The Bennies, and Loose Tooth. If they kept releasing singles this good, they’re sure to step up as headliners soon.
Just a week out from the release of his debut album Running, Ryan Downey has dropped another stellar single. “1+1” is a dreamy ballad featuring guest vocals from Zoe Randall.
Zoe’s voice is lovely, but I think Ryan is the real star here. He reminds me a little of Chris Isaak, which his rich, resonant voice, but I find his music much more compelling and captivating than the American crooner’s.
I also love the clip, which again sees Ryan collaborating with filmmaker Alex Badham. It has such a simple premise, but like the song itself it draws you in and hits you right in the heart.
Ryan is set for a busy couple of months with shows supporting Sarah Blasko and his own headlining dates for the album. See him at the following venues.
11 May 2018 – The Great Northern, Byron Bay (with Sarah Blasko)
12 May 2018 – The Triffid, Brisbane (with Sarah Blasko)
17 May 2018 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
23 May 2018 – Canberra Theatre Centre (with Sarah Blasko)
24 May 2018 – The Junk Bar, Brisbane
26 May 2018 – Oxford Art Factory Gallery, Sydney
1 June 2018 – Metro Theatre, Sydney (with Sarah Blasko)
8 June 2018 – The Gov, Adelaide (with Sarah Blasko)
14 &15 June 2018 – The Rosemount, Perth (with Sarah Blasko)
21 June 2018 – The Capital, Bendigo (with Sarah Blasko)
22 June 2018 – 170 Russell, Melbourne (with Sarah Blasko)
Image used with permission from Remote Control Records
I intended to listen to “Pinball King,” the current single from Terra Lightfoot’s new album New Mistakes to decide whether it was putting on your radar ahead of her Aussie tour this month. But Terra Lightfoot music is a little like Easter chocolate. It’s impossible to stop at just one song. Needless to say, this article got put on the back burner because I needed to listen to the entire album. Twice. It’s just that good. And no doubt her upcoming tour will be as well.
Terra is playing shows along the East Coast, both as a headliner and in supporting duties for Letters to Lions.
“We came to Australia for the first time in the spring, and were welcomed with open arms. Each city we visited was more beautiful than the last—and I was properly initiated when I got stung by a bluebottle on the beach in Cronulla,” Terra explained. “I felt very at home in Australia; I loved all the musicians we met, and we made so many friends and can’t wait to see them all again! We are going to have so much fun.”
Get on this one music lovers. If her new album is any indication, Terra’s shows are sure to be excellent.
18 April 2018 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla
19 April 2018 – The Gasometer (Upstairs), Melbourne (with Letters to Lions)
20 April 2018 – The Loft, Warrnambool (with Letters to Lions)
22 April 2018 – The Spotted Mallard, Melbourne
24 April 2018 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla
27April 2018 – Gumball Festival, Dashville
28 April 2018 – Beaches, Thirroul
29 April 2018 – The Quarterdeck, Narooma
2 May 2018 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla
3 May 2018 – Lefty’s Old Time Music Hall, Brisbane
4 May 2018 – Nightquarter, Gold Coast
5 May 2018 – Sol Bar, Maroochydore
6 May 2018 – Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff
It’s a case of turning lemons into lemonade, or heartbreak into indie pop gold for Iluka, who’s just released her new track “Ritual.”
“When I wrote ‘Ritual’ it was quite melancholic and full of longing and sadness,” she explained. “The original demo is slow and kind of heart breaking. I was in this place of loneliness, this bitter sweet kind of feeling that comes after a relationship has ended and you’re reflecting back and in this self-searching phase trying desperately to figure out who you are again. Then as I began playing it with the band and eventually took it into the studio, it became more of this celebration and defiant kind of song. The ritual of falling in and out of love, learning to stand on your own two feet again. To be defined as yourself, by yourself, and follow your own star. Everyone has their own ritual, and this is mine.”
Ritual is the title track of Iluka’s new EP, which is available through her website from Friday. Not so coincidentally, that’s when Iluka kicks off her East Coast tour. Check her out at the following venues.
6 April 2018 – Mo’s Clubhouse, Gold Coast
7 April 2018 – Bloodhound Bar, Brisbane
12 April 2018 – Transit Bar, Canberra (FREE)
14 April 2018 – Grace Darling, Melbourne
20 April 2018 – Rad Bar, Wollongong
21 April 2018 – Waywards, Sydney
I’ve spent most of the day wondering whether I was in a bad mood on this Tuesday that feels like a Monday, because none of the songs I listened to grabbed me. I was starting to lose hope than anything would excite me today when I wrapped my ears around “Fighting With the Devil,” the new single from Sydney musician Chris Arnott.
This is stellar stuff, as you might expect from a musician with nearly two decades experience in the business. Make sure you hone in to the lyrics, which Chris penned in memory of a close friend who lost his own battle with the devil.
“Alas, he is just one of a growing number and it absolutely breaks my heart,” Chris said. “I wanted a super simple approach to this song, the overall tone is quite bleak and flat, the rhodes detuned to the hilt and the timpani ostinato unrelenting, not unlike the depression that consumes too many of us. But most of all it is pretty, because, for the most part, life is.”
The song was a real labour of love for Chris, who wrote, recorded, and produced the track himself. If you only make time to listen to one song today, make it this one.
Image used with permission from the A&R Department
New Zealand-born, Melbourne-based singer songwriter Sarah Mary Chadwick has blown me away with her new single “Sugar Still Melts in the Rain.”
The title track from her forthcoming album, this song is so creative and honest and beautiful. Perhaps that’s because Sarah Mary is committed to music that captures moments, rather than pursuing “the perfect vocal take.” That gives songs like this a rawness which makes connecting easy.
Sarah Mary Chadwick’s new album Sugar Still Melts in the Rain drops on May 11.
When Jessica Mauboy’s Eurovision entry “We Got Love” hit my inbox, I initially resisted. I take my Eurovison seriously and I typically prefer to hear the songs for the first time in the Eurovision arena. That way my ears are fresh and familiarity doesn’t make me biased.
But curiousity got the better of me, and I figure if I’ve had a listen I might as well share my thoughts. It’s a good song. It’s incredibly catchy, and its positive lyrics are the kind of thing Eurovision eats up. But is it a winning song? That I’m not so sure about.
It’s quite predictable. People will enjoy it, no doubt, but in my opinion it doesn’t have enough quirk to separate it from so many other good Eurovision songs. I think of recent past winners and they typically had something that set what they did apart. This feels like it’s what Eurovision wanted five years ago, but not now. Jess has charisma in spades, but she’ll need to rely on more than charm to get this one over the line.
Anything can happen when we hit Lisbon, but I’m not expecting victory here.
