Category: Single Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get On Board With The Northern Folk’s New Single

Genre-bending Melbourne-based band The Northern Folk is preparing to release an exciting new single “Get On,” and I can’t stop listening. It won’t officially drop until October 12, but you can wrap your ears around it early here.

Like so many of the best songs, “Get On” came out of feelings of frustration.

“Frustration with religion, politics and absurdly priced scones,” according to male vocalist Paul Dyason. “The consequence was less of a sermon, but more an informative manual that outlines fun ways to not be a dick.”

The track reminds me of something Ed Sheeran might do if he wasn’t a solo act. It builds on that honest, rhythmic lyrical base with lush harmonies, heavy-handed piano, and a rich horns section. The sound is so intricate, with so many elements coming together, but it works so well.

The Northern Folk will take up residency at The Gasometer Hotel in October and tour the East Coast over the coming months.

4 October 2017 – The Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne (with Rose Burgess Trio & Zac Saber)
8 October 2017 – Beer Deluxe, Albury
10 October 2017 – UMSU Tuesday Bands @ Melbourne Uni, Melbourne
11 October 2017 – The Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne (with The Peeks & Domini Forster)
15 October 2017 – Spring Fling St Festival, North Melbourne
18 October 2017 – The Gasometer Hotel, Melbourne (Single launch with Ben Whiting & Joyce Prescher)
19 October 2017 – Transit Bar, Canberra
20-22 October 2017 – Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival, Kangaroo Valley
23 October 2017 – Rad Bar, Wollongong
25 October 2017 – Brighton Up Bar, Sydney
26 October 2017 – The Black Malabar, Newcastle
27-29 October 2017 – Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival, Dorrigo
9-11 November 2017 – Bendigo Blues & Roots Festival
12 November 2017 – Healesville Music Festival, Healesville
9 December 2017 – By The Banks Festival, Albury
27 January 2018 – Summer Sounds Festival, Bermagui
2-4 March 2018 – Cobargo Folk Festival, Cobargo

Image used with permission from This Much Talent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sun Sap’s Dreamy Single Comes to Life

With a healthy dose of honky tonk and a cool, laid back vibe, Sun Sap’s “Miss Behind” has me anticipating warmer weather. It’s that perfect lazy summer weekend song, with classic influences given a modern twist.

The song came to the Illawarra band’s Shaun Gaida after a wacky lucid dream.

“I was eating pancakes served on the face plate of a Baldwin piano while Burt Bacharach himself sung ‘Miss Behind’ to me the whole time never breaking eye contact,” he said. Whether their take is better than Mr Bacharach’s we may never know, but you can hear Sun Sap’s version live at their upcoming shows.

30 September 2017 – Yours & Owls Festival, Wollongong
4 October 2017 – Rad, Wollongong (with Julia Why?)
14 October 2017 – Brighton Up Bar, Sydney
27 October 2017 – Rad, Wollongong (with The Ruiins)
9 November 2017 – Rad, Wollongong (with Heart Beach)

Image used with permission from Future Popes

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Slowly Slowly’s New Single is Out of This World

Melbourne rockers Slowly Slowly continue their winning ways with their epic new single “Aliens.”

I absolutely love this track. It starts small but builds to the kind of crescendo that encourages you to punch your fist in the air and sing along.

Slowly Slowly frontman Ben Stewart says “”the song is a stream of consciousness, equal parts self-loathing and self-pity. I wrote it in my car on my phone in about four minutes. I guess that’s why it kind of sucks.”

It doesn’t.

“Aliens” comes from Slowly Slowly’s forthcoming second album. If you love the song, you can score a 7” with two versions of “Aliens” and the live track “Dinosaurs” from Slowly Slowly’s Bandcamp page. They’ll launch the single in front of hometown fans at Howler in October before joining Something for Kate on their national tour.

6 October 2017 – Howler, Melbourne (single launch)
10 November 2017 – Manning Bar, Sydney (with Something for Kate)
11 November 2017 – The Triffid, Brisbane (with Something for Kate)
17 November 2017 – The Gov, Adelaide (with Something for Kate)
18 November 2017 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth (with Something for Kate)
24 November 2017 – 170 Russell, Melbourne (with Something for Kate)

Image used with permission from Deathproof PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Enjoy Black Bird Hum’s Reggae Sounds Live

Sydney reggae outfit Black Bird Hum has shared the stage with the likes of Arrested Development, Collie Buddz, Kingfisha, The Melbourne Ska Orchestra, and Bobby Alu. Now they’re stepping out on their own with a string of headlining shows and festival slots to celebrate the release of their new single “Down”.

These guys are the real deal. Find out for yourself why they’ve earned a reputation as one of the best reggae acts in the country at the following shows.

28 September 2017 – Federal Hotel, Bellingen
29 September 2017 – Shark Bar, Miami
30 September 2017 – Royal Mail Hotel, Goodna
1 & 2 October 2017 – Caloundra Music Festival, Caloundra
7 October 2017 – Coogee Beer and Cider Festival, Coogee
22 October 2017 – Marrickville Festival, Marrickville
28 October 2017 – Spring Street Social, Bondi Junction
3 November 2017 – Northern Beaches Music Festival, Narrabeen
4 November 2017 – Lass O’Gowrie, Newcastle
5 November 2017 – Moonshine, Manly

Image used with permission from Beehive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get Ready For Summer With Reuben Stone’s “Brighter Than the Sun”

Summer doesn’t seem so far away when you’re listening to Reuben Stone’s new single “Brighter Than the Sun.” Its release is the latest highlight in a busy year for the Melbourne reggae artist, who has toured the country with Tash Sultana, the Pierce Brothers, and the one and only UB40.

It’s such a cool track, with husky vocals, a great groove, and bright and bold horns.

“’Brighter than the Sun’ was written about love, life, the highs and lows of existence,” Reuben explained. “Struggles that come out of nowhere can be fixed with self-reflection while looking deeper inside yourself you can mentally step back and take an outside perspective.”

Reuben’s live shows are always something special with their blend of acoustic and electronic sounds. Find out for yourself at the following gigs, kicking off with a Sydney show tonight!

21 September 2017 – Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney
22 September 2017 – The Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
14 October 2017 – Birregurra Festival, Birregurra
18 November 2017 – Brown Brothers Spring Wine & Food Festival, Milawa
14 December 2017 – Waywards Hotel, Sydney (Single launch)
15 December 2017 – The Penny Black, Melbourne (Single launch – FREE)
16 December 2017 – Noosa Oval, Noosa (with Tash Sultana)

Image used with permission from Beehive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Lenka Releases Stunning New Single “Heal”

Lenka has offered us a taste of her new album Attune ahead of its October 13 release. The lead single “Heal” is a gentle pop ballad with introspective lyrics, the result of a collaborative songwriting session over tea with Sally Seltmann.

If you love “Heal,” you’re in luck. Preorder Attune now and you’ll receive a digital copy of “Heal” and another song “Lucky” to enjoy while you’re waiting for the album. Speaking of the album, it sounds very cool with a papercraft diorama sculpture piece part of its unique packaging. As someone who’s long bemoaned the death of interesting liner notes, I’m impressed.

Lenka will celebrate Attune’s release with a show at Los Angeles’ Hotel Café on October 17 and another at New York’s Mercury Lounge on October 19. Hopefully it’s not too long before we see her back on home soil.

Image used with permission from Wiking PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ricki-Lee Releases Incredible New Single “Not Too Late”

When Ricki-Lee was unceremoniously booted from Australian Idol well before her time, it was called one of the great scandals of TV history. People still talk about how she was robbed. There’s no doubting her talent, yet somehow despite all that chatter her career has never quite taken off as the careers of some other former Idols have.

My theory is that she’s never released the right song. Her upbeat pop numbers have been fun but ultimately forgettable. But I think she’s on to a winner with “Not Too Late.” On her Facebook page, Ricki-Lee wrote that she poured her heart into the track, and it shows. It’s such a special song and hopefully signals a new, more soulful era of music from this talented Aussie.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Alex Lahey Drops Indie-Pop Gem “I Haven’t Been Taking Care of Myself”

There’s no sign of second single syndrome from Alex Lahey, who’s just released her brand new pearler “I Haven’t Been Taking Care of Myself.” The second cut from her forthcoming debut album, I Love You Like a Brother, this track is absolutely irresistible. I just love its pop energy and introspective lyrics.

“A lot of the songs on the record are about the relationships that we engage in with other people. ‘I Haven’t Been Taking Care Of Myself’ deviates from that in that it’s about the relationship that we have with ourselves and how that is reflected in the way we bring others into our lives,” Alex explained. “If you feel shit about yourself, you’re generally going to get off on the wrong foot with someone else.”

The single will no doubt encourage more people to see Alex on her I Love You Like a Brother tour, celebrating the album’s October 6 release. Catch her in the capitals and major regional centres next month.

4 October 2017 – 48 Watt St, Newcastle
6 October 2017 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
7 October 2017 – The Zoo, Brisbane
11 October 2017 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
12 October 2017 – Workers Club, Geelong
13 October 2017 – Fat Controller, Adelaide
14 October 2017 – Republic Bar, Hobart
18 October 2017 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
19 October 2017 – Rosemount, Perth
20 October 2017 – Mojos, Fremantle

Image used with permission from Riot House Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Phia Breaks the Mould With “Oxide” Ahead of EP Release

Like Melbourne’s Phia, I was interested to see Björk writing last year about the criticism female artists face when they write music that departs from exploring relationships and touches on atoms, galaxies, or activism. I’m also thrilled that Phia used Björk’s comments as a songwriting challenge. While she face backlash? Who knows, but she’s delivered “Oxide” anyway!

With her words in mind, Phia read of scientists who discovered 60,000-year-old bacteria inside subterranean caves in Mexico. “Oxide” is told from the perspective of that ancient micro-organism. It definitely thinks outside the box of acceptable female songwriting, but that’s a big part of its appeal.

“Oxide” comes from Phia’s EP The Woman Who Counted The Stars, which will drop on September 29. The EP’s title refers to astronomer Vera Rubin, the first scientist to quantify dark matter. To celebrate its release, Phia is playing throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, and here in Australia in the coming months. Catch her at the following venues.

16 September 2017 – The Gladstone, Brighton
17 September 2017 – The Betsey Trotwood, London
20 September 2017 –Café Galao, Stuttgart
21 September 2017 – Die Wohngemeinschaft, Cologne
22 September 2017 – FZW Das Hochste Der Gefuhle Festiva, Dortmund
25 September 2017 – Tonfink, Lubeck
26 September 2017 – Norgelbuff, Gottingen
29 September 2017 – Anlangencafe, Schwabisch-Hall
30 September 2017 – Rang Teng Teng, Freiburg
1 October 2017 – Hafen 2, Offenbach
6 October 2017 – Moritzhof, Magdeburg
7 October 2017 – Badehaus, Berlin
12 October 2017 – Kramladen, A-Wien
13 October 2017 – Fumreif, A-St. Georgen
30 November 2017 – The Old Bar, Melbourne
2 December 2017 – The Newsagency, Sydney
3 December 2017 – The Grace Emily, Adelaide
8 December 2017 – The Flying Cock, Brisbane
9 December 2017 – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Neighbourhood Youth Knock It Out of the Park With “Lately”

After selling out their Melbourne EP launch and supporting big name acts like British India and Dappled Cities last year, Melbourne’s Neighbourhood Youth have generated plenty of buzz. They show us why with the release of new single “Lately.”

It’s a whirlwind of track clocking in at just over two minutes, but what the band achieves in a short space of time is mesmerising. It rocks hard with a frenetic energy that should have you punching your fists by the time the chorus rolls around.

Melbournites are in luck with a couple of hometown shows announced for the coming weeks. Catch them at Old Bar tomorrow, September 17, and Yah Yah’s on October 7.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Company