Brisbane’s Rolls Bayce has got my toes tapping with the new single “Inside Out.” This song sounds so fresh. It’s not often you hear something that’s so original, yet instantly likeable.
This is the first song lifted from Rolls Bayce’s forthcoming debut album. Brisbane locals can hear more tracks from that release when Rolls Bayce launches “Inside Out” at The Foundry this Thursday, November 10.
Category: Single Releases
Central Coast’s Elliot the Bull Unleashes “Beast”
The Central Coast punches above its weight when it comes to music. In recent years we’ve seen Coasties like Ellie Drennan and Fletcher Pilon take out national talent competitions, but the Coast has also been the breeding ground for acts like Pepa Knight, Something With Numbers, and Winterbourne. The Coast is also home to Elliot the Bull, an unassuming indie-rock quartet that has consistently delivered quality tunes over the years. The latest is “Beast,” the title track from the band’s forthcoming EP.
I love this song’s passion. Jake Dobson’s vocals are endearingly raw and the guitars and rhythm section are beautifully layered. It’s emotive and honest, another solid cut from this talented act.
Elliot the Bull will travel around the country next month. The tour almost didn’t happen after the band’s home studio was robbed and thousands of dollars of equipment stolen recently. While crowdfunding has helped them replace most of what was taken, these guys could probably use your support right now!
1 December 2016 – The Bearded Lady, Brisbane
2 December 2016 – The Pier, Port Macquarie
9 December 2016 – The Croxton (Front Bar), Melbourne
16 December 2016 – The Factory Floor, Sydney
21 January 2017 – Long Jetty Hotel, Long Jetty
Image used with permission from Rare Finds
Little Wise Drops Single Ahead of “Silver Birch” Release
Little Wise transports us to the quiet towns of regional Australia with her delicate folky new single “Don’t Hurry Back.” It’s a beautiful slow burn complemented perfectly by this video directed by Agostino Soldati.
“Don’t Hurry Back” gives us a taste of Little Wise’s debut album Silver Birch, which drops on November 11. She split the recording time between Woodstock Studios and her empty childhood home. Talented Aussies including Megan Bernard, Rosie Burgess, and Ben Franz from the Waifs also make appearances on this nostalgic collection of songs.
Clearly Little Wise and Rosie had an exceptional time together, because Ms Burgess will perform as a special guest artist at many of the following Silver Birch shows.
11 November 2016 – The Treehouse, Byron Bay (FREE)
12 November 2016 – Sheoak Shack, Fingal Head (FREE @ 2pm – with Rosie Burgess)
12 November 2016 – Padre, Brisbane (FREE)
13 November 2016 – Black Bunny Kitchen, Alexandra Headland (FREE @ 3:30pm – with Rosie Burgess)
15 November 2016 – House Concert, Nambucca Heads
17 November 2016 – Petersham Bowling Club, Sydney (with Rosie Burgess)
18 November 2016 – Smith’s Alternative, Canberra (with Rosie Burgess)
19 November 2016 – Commonground Festival, Seymour
24 November 2016 – The Bella Union, Melbourne (with Rosie Burgess)
25 November 2016 – Martians Café, Deans Marsh (with Rosie Burgess)
27 November 2016 – The Wheatsheaf, Adelaide (4pm – with Rosie Burgess)
9 December 2016 – Basement Discs, Melbourne (FREE @ 12:45pm)
10 December 2016 – Brookfield Shed, Margate (with Rosie Burgess)
11 December 2016 – Marakoopa Café, Mayberry (2pm with Rosie Burgess)
Alpha Phi Impresses with “Think About Me”
Sometimes you hear those voices you fall in love with in an instant. There’s something about the tone or the way they deliver a lyric which instantly connects to you. That’s how I’m feeling about the voice of Ashleigh Poulton, the lead vocalist of Brisbane band Alpha Phi.
She could sing the phone book and I’d love it, but thankfully the band’s latest single “Think About Me” is a little more exciting than that. The song, which speaks of a love never realised, was penned by Alpha Phi and recorded with Byron Short at Sunset Studios.
After time spent in the studio, Alpha Phi promises to get back gigging around Brisbane over the next six months, so keep your ear to the ground for those dates.
Helen Perris Releases Beautiful Ballad, “Be There”
Sydney songstress Helen Perris lays her soul bare with her brand new single “Be There.”
“Be There” is the type of empassioned piano-pop ballad which we hear all too rarely these days. The lyrics are deeply personal, penned while Helen was battling post-natal depression. However, the topic is tackled so cleverly that you don’t need to have lived through that hell to feel connected to this song.
“Be There” was named among the top 20 songs in the Listen Up Australia song writing competition this year. It comes from Helen’s forthcoming album.
Harry Heart Releases “Epiphany”
Aussie expat Harry Heart has left me swooning with the release of his brand new single “Epiphany.” It’s a gorgeous heartfelt number that speaks so beautifully of the isolation that can come with chasing your dreams and how the right person can drag you out of that melancholy.
“I started writing the song as a lonely little bloke,” Harry says of the song, “which I had brought upon myself in search of a fruitful career as an artist. I had written half of a sombre song and then I met a girl who well and truly pulled me out of a rut.
“I think you can hear where I met her in the lyrics, around the time things sound optimistic. She is literally the other half of the song, feel free to interpret that as cheesily and metaphorically as you please.”
Harry officially releases “Epiphany” tomorrow. He’ll tour it around New South Wales with his five-piece band, the Harry Heart Chrysalis, next month.
4 November 2016 – Howlin Wolf, Wollongong
11 November 2016 – The Lass O’Gowrie, Newcastle
13 November 2016 – El Sol, Cronulla
18 November 2016 – Lazy Bones Lounge, Sydney
Image used with permission from Bear Family
The New Buzz Has Me Buzzing
It’s the weekend! Even if you’re spending yours working like me, I hope you can carve out a little “you” time and celebrate it. When you do, do me a favour and start spinning “Like We Used To,” the funky new single from Brisbane’s The New Buzz. You won’t regret it.
This six-piece has such a right, polished sound that borrows from soul and funk traditions. That’s not so surprising though, because the members come from some of the coolest bands around including Dubmarine, Bullhorn, Laneous & The Family Yah, Bobby Alu & The Palm Royale, and heaps more. The band works in a really spontaneous way, heading to the studio whenever its members are in town at the same time and laying down tracks using vintage gear. It’s taken them two years to get together enough material to make an album, but when it sounds this good I’m sure you’ll agree it’s worth the wait.
Until the album’s released, you’ll just need to be happy spinning this killer song. If you love it, make sure you head to The New Buzz’s PledgeMusic page where you can get a vinyl copy of the single and heaps of other cool stuff including lyrics sheets, launch tickets, and heaps more.
Noah Earp Impresses with “The Raw and the Cooked”
Aussie indie folk act Noah Earp has given us our first taste of his debut album Disinheritor with the release of the epic lead single, “The Raw and the Cooked.”
“The Raw and the Cooked is about a person who is trapped in a bad scene. At first she seems really cynical, but actually the cynicism masks a certain naivete,” Noah explained. “We all have this to some extent – nothing is too neat and nobody’s perfect. I liked the idea of a love song that wasn’t…in the end this pretty love song fragments into a million pieces, because life is scary and chaotic.”
Noah also made the charming clip that accompanies the single. Just see if you’re not grinning from ear to ear by the end of it!
Noah launches Disinheritor with a show at Melbourne’s The Toff in Town on October 27.
Enjoy Pepa Knight’s “Company”
Whether he’s with Jinja Safari or performing solo, the work of Pepa Knight is always worth listening to. He continues the trend with his beautiful new single “Company.”
There’s something so appealing about this track, which has a modern dream-like quality mixed with more primitive jungle drums.
“This tune actually came about from a six-year long collaboration with a good friend of mine and genius songwriter Stephen Engstrom (AKA Stezrat). He originally sent me the idea back in 2010 and it only finally came together earlier this year while I was in-between mixing the final Jinja Safari album,” Pepa explained. “Now that JS has come to an end, I now have the headspace to move on creatively and excited to release more music in the near future.”
If that music sounds this good, I can’t wait to hear it.
Illy Releases “Catch 22” Ahead of Album Launch Shows
After the success of “Swear Jar” and “Papercuts,” Illy’s next album Two Degrees was already destined to become one of the biggest sellers of 2016. But he’s just guaranteed that it’ll fly off the shelves with the release of another stellar single, “Catch 22.” Featuring guest vocals from British singer Anne-Marie, this is another insightful feel-good from one of Australia’s favourite hip-hop acts.
“Sometimes life isn’t about always making the ‘right’ choices. Some of the best times are when you do the opposite. Catch 22 is about knowing that,” Illy explained.
Two Degrees hits stores on November 11 and is currently available for pre-order. Illy will bring its songs to the people with some intimate launch shows in the largest capitals. In addition, Illy will play a bunch of summer festivals. Here are all the places you can catch him in the coming months.
29 October 2016 – Banana Fields Music & Arts Festival, Coffs Harbour
15 November 2016 – Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane
16 November 2016 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
17 November 2016 – Howler, Melbourne
29 December 2016 – Falls Festival, Lorne (SOLD OUT)
30 December 2016 – Falls Festival, Marion Bay
31 December 2016 – NYE Street Party, Newcastle
1 January 2017 – Falls Festival, Byron Bay (SOLD OUT)
7 January 2017 – Falls Festival, Fremantle