Melbourne songbird Essie has released her beautiful debut single “Electric Wires.”
The song reflects on Essie’s travels and the people and places she’s discovered on her journeys. I love Essie’s angelic vocals which are laid over lush synths, which give the song a hint of 80s nostalgia.
“When writing, a song usually grabs hold of me and my subconscious takes over. Sometimes it’s a very therapeutic process, other times it can be a little daunting to really address those deepest inner thoughts. I get bored pretty easily so creating something that is unique to each song is really important to me,” Essie explained.
After spending time writing and recording in the UK over the past few years, Essie is excited to release her debut EP in 2017. Image used with permission from the A&R Department
Melbourne’s Spike the River aspired to create something “explosive.” It’s met the brief with the brand new single “Rally.”
What a firecracker this song is, all enthusiasm and energy. The guest vocals from Georgie Darvidis are the perfect foil for those of Spike the River mastermind Rosco Elliott.
I hear Spike the River injects every bit of that energy into its live shows, so keep your ear to the ground for those. Until then, good luck getting this song out of your head today!
I have had one of those weeks that I’d rather forget. A week where there seems to be too much bad news to comprehend and I just needed to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. I could listen to depressing music and wallow, but I’d much rather find something to uplift me. I’ve found it in “L.E.D. Nights,” the latest track from Sydney electro act Dead Language.
I don’t normally go for floor fillers like this, but the shimmery synths are taking me right back to my childhood spent at roller discos. I also love the rich powerful vocals from Dominic Price.
“I began writing L.E.D. Nights over a year ago, but it’s taken me until only now to finally realise fully,” he explained in the press release. “It was a particularly hard song to get right. It came from feeling completely stifled and frustrated by being a musician. LED Nights was the first song I could finally get right; it’s now become my own personal anthem to try not to doubt myself too harshly.”
Prepare to feel empowered ladies. Melbourne songstress Magnets has created one hell of an inspired video for her latest single “Fight.”
It explores the strength and power women have to protect themselves against the odds. Magnets wants to remind all the women and men who see this clip that women deal with the situations her clip shows every single day.
“There was a time in my life where the attacks brought on by men had me broken,” she explained. “It’s taken me everything to rebuild, restore and come back swinging. Fight isn’t necessarily about about fighting an ‘aggressor’, it’s about fighting for your self worth.”
Make sure you listen to the lyrics while you’re taking in this clip. The song and the visuals work so beautifully together. This is truly special art.
It’s been five long years since Carus Thompson has released any new music, but he’s making a real statement with his comeback single “Beach Fires.” The track explores the ice epidemic and way this terrible drug erodes friendships and communities.
“Beach Fires” comes from Carus’ forthcoming album Island, which is slated for release in early 2017. Expect more big themes on the record, with songs exploring isolation, refugees, apathy, and other issued affecting our social climate.
Carus will take these songs on the road with local shows in February and March.
12 February 2017 – The Grace Emily, Adelaide (Matinee)
17 February 2017 – Mojos, Fremantle
25 February 2017 – Piping Hot Chicken Shop, Ocean Grove
26 February 2017 – Grampians Festival, Halls Gap
3 March 2017 – Republic Bar, Hobart
4 March 2017 – The Workers Club, Melbourne
5 March 2017 – Newtown Social Club, Sydney
10 March 2017 – The Quarry Ampitheatre, City Beach
Now based in Los Angeles, Perth-bred musician Cameron Avery is coming home to play shows supporting his dreamy new single “C’est Toi.”
Cameron penned the stunning piano ballad about the last time he fell in love. It’s got a nostalgic vibe about it that I really love, as well as some gorgeous poetic lyrics. It’s the first track lifted from Cameron’s highly anticipated album.
You’ll no doubt get a sneaky listen to more of the album tracks at the following shows.
14 January 2017 – Freo Arts Centre Courtyard, Fremantle
18 January 2017 – Newtown Social Club, Sydney
19 January 2017 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
Show me a band that can harmonise beautifully and I’ll show you a very happy music lover. The acts that get it right tend to have a close relationship. They might be siblings, for example, or in the case of >The Campervan Dancers, husband and wife. The Sydney folk duo has entranced me with their debut single “Starlight (Pickin’ Pears).”
The song has such a timeless appeal that despite being written in 2012 it hasn’t dated one jot. Ryan and Chelsea Collings wrote the song while they were falling in love; perhaps that’s what gives this song that extra bit of magic. I love the way the duo has layered sounds underneath their vocals, like the bossa nova drums from their grandma’s old organ, cats from YouTube, samples from astronauts, and even the sound of a real star.
“Starlight (Pickin’ Pears)” will feature on The Campervan Dancers’ self-titled EP, which will be available next year. Hopefully the other songs on this five-track recording will be every bit as special.
I like to think of the late 90s and early 2000s of the glory days of Aussie pop-rock. We produced so many quality acts like Invertigo, Taxiride, Vanessa Amorosi, and Bachelor Girl. It was a time when Australian musicians were mainstream, and that wasn’t a dirty word. The local music industry might have moved away from pop-rock, but when you hear the genre done well you stop and wonder why we don’t make more of this music.
I’m glad Casey Barnes is still flying the flag though. Every song he releases is excellent, and his newie “Just Like Magic” is no exception. It’s ridiculously catchy, perhaps because Casey collaborated with the MSquared Boys (Michael Paynter and Michael Delorenzis).
“The song touches on a guy’s complete and utter fascination with a girl who basically has him under her ‘spell’. I’m sure a lot of people can relate to that feeling!” Casey explained in a press release. “Writing and producing ‘Just Like Magic’ with Michael Paynter and Michael Delorenzis was such a great experience, and I think it shows in how the song turned out. It’s one of my favourite tracks on the album … it gets people dancing.”
“Just Like Magic” is the latest track lifted from Casey’s current album Live as One.
It’s the weekend! The time when we can forget about the stress of our working week and just relax. Saturdays are my favourite days because the weekend is finally here with all its possibilities and Monday seems so far away. A day like Saturday deserves a feel-good song, and I’ve found the perfect one. Meet Fatty Boomba.
The name of this band from Melbourne’s outer western suburbs might not be very PC, but you’ll soon forget that when you’re listening to this super catchy song. I guarantee it’ll get stuck in your head, and you’ll find yourself humming it to yourself for days. You have been warned!
“It’s the Life” is the lead track from Fatty Boomba’s EP New Year, which will drop on February 28.
It’s been some time since I’ve heard a true girl power anthem. Thankfully Amber Lawrence has filled the void, with the help of Catherine Britt and Fanny Lumsden. Their new single “Cheers to the Girls” is everything I’ve been waiting for.
It tells the story of women each broken in their own way who draw from their inner strength to reclaim their identities. I also like that it doesn’t stoop to blanket male bashing, as so many feminist things do. Instead it deals with very specific circumstances and focuses on what women did to overcome them.
“I’m really proud of this song. A lot of courage went into writing this song, and telling it how it actually is for some women. This song in part eludes to domestic abuse, but also praises women of all types – those that were bullied at school, those that didn’t know their inner strength until the only choice left was to rely on and stand up for themselves,” Amber explained. “It’s a rousing song of strength and is already a crowd favourite – add to this, the stunning vocals of Catherine Britt and Fanny Lumsden, and this is also one of my favourites.”
“Cheers to the Girls” is the latest single lifted from Amber’s fifth studio album Happy Ever After. She will tour the album with Catherine Britt next year. Fanny Lumsden will appear at selected shows. More dates will be announced, so if there’s not one close to you keep an eye on Amber’s website.
3 March 2017 – Gloucestor Soldiers Club, Gloucestor
4 March 2017 – Muswellbrook RSL, Muswellbrook
31 March 2017 – Red Hot Music, Devonport
1 April 2017 – Granada Tavern, Hobart
7 April 2017 – Rooty Hill RSL, Rooty Hill
8 April 2017 – Soul Central, Dee Why
9 April 2017 – Lizotte’s, Newcastle
13 May 2017 – Ettalong Diggers, Ettalong Beach
18 May 2017 – Loxton Club, Loxton
19 May 2017 – Pretoria Hotel, Mannum
20 May 2017 – Trinity Sessions, Adelaide
25 May 2017 – Glen Innes & District Services Club, Glen Innes
26 May 2017 – South Grafton Ex-Servicemen’s Club
27 May 2017 – Sawtell RSL Club, Sawtell
29 June 2017 – Barham Services Club, Barham
30 June 2017 – Commercial Club, Albury
1 July 2017 – Club Mulwala, Mulwala
