Category: Single Releases

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bishop Get Me Grooving with “Save Me”

Aidan Bishop and James Lord, formerly of The Ride, have a brand new act called Bishop and it’s really got my attention.

The project came about while Aidan was finishing up his music studies in Lismore late last year. After hearing the demos, Aidan’s former bandmate Lordy couldn’t wait to be part of the new act.

I don’t blame him, because the first single “Save Me” is pretty sensational. I love its soulful sound and its easy groove. I’m more impressed to hear the lads recorded and produced the track in a home studio.

Something tells me we’ll be hearing a lot more from Bishop.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ocean Alley Impress with “Muddy Water”

Based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, it’s only right that Ocean Alley should be influenced by the surf rock music of the past. Throw in some reggae and psychedelic sounds and you might have some indication of what their new single “Muddy Water” is all about.

However, those genres don’t quite manage to capture the whole story. I can hear all those influences shining through, but the song has a darkness that I don’t often associate with surf rock or reggae. It’s really intriguing, and I can’t wait to hear more.

“Muddy Water” comes from Ocean Alley’s forthcoming second EP In Purple. You can hear songs from it when the band kicks off their EP tour this Friday in front of a hometown crowd. It’ll make stops in the East Coast capitals and key regional destinations before arriving back in Sydney in October.

28 August 2015 – Rare Finds #5 @ Oxford Art Factory Gallery, Sydney (FREE)
6 September 2015 – Bald Faced Stag, Sydney (ALL AGES)
11 September 2015 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
17 September 2015 – The Brightside, Brisbane
19 September 2015 – Great Northern, Byron Bay (FREE)
20 September 2015 – Sounds of Sunday, Gold Coast (FREE)
25 September 2015 – Uni Bar, Wollongong
2 October 2015 – The Evelyn, Melbourne
15 October 2015 – Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Brash THE EMPIRE Launches Hot New Single “Forgive Me”

My computer’s been buggy for the last few days. Thank god for queued up posts or I would have had nothing to show you guys in the last week. The biggest problem, whenever I tried to do something involving Flash it crashed. That meant no games of Scrabble over Facebook, and no listening to Soundcloud. You don’t realise how much that website is your lifeline to new music until it’s gone.

Anyway, long story short, my IT expert husband worked his magic this weekend and did something I don’t really understand, and I’m back in business. And I was pretty thrilled that the first song I got to hear was “Forgive Me,” the debut single from cool new Melbourne singer-songwriter Brash THE EMPIRE. It comes from her upcoming new EP A New Country, which sounds like a pretty apt name.

This song is definitely a new kind of country. I love the way that she’s played with the genre, giving it a treatment that’s quite bluesy and sultry. Her voice has such a distinctive, interesting tone too.
If you’re into it, make sure you get along to Some Velvet Morning in Melbourne for the single launch on August 27.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Safia Deliver Cute Amish Inspired Clip

I’ve long been fascinated with the Amish, so I was thrilled to see Safia’s looked to this religious sect to inspire their new clip for “Embracing Me.” It tells the story of the star-crossed relationship of two ridiculously good-looking Amish folk beautifully, and the song’s not bad either just quietly. Look out for the Canberra trip amongst the clip’s cast.

Safia are currently promoting “Embracing Me” with shows all around the country which are selling out at a great rate of knots. These will be Safia’s last shows for the year, and looking at the number of sold out dates they’re bound to be big.

15 August 2015 – Darwin Festival, Darwin
20 August¬ 2015 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
21 August 2015 – Bended Elbow, Geelong
22 August 2015 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
23 August 2015 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
24 August 2015 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
25 August 2015 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
27 August 2015 – Wollongong Uni Bar, Wollongong (SOLD OUT)
29 August 2015 – The Small Ballroom, Newcastle (SOLD OUT)
30 August 2015 – The Small Ballroom, Newcastle (SOLD OUT)
2 September 2015 – Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane (SOLD OUT)
3 September 2015 – Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane (SOLD OUT)
4 September 2015 – The Beach Hotel, Byron Bay (FREE)
9 September 2015 – The Factory Theatre, Sydney (ALL AGES)
10 September 2015 – The Factory Theatre, Sydney (ALL AGES – SOLD OUT)
11 September 2015 – The Factory Theatre, Sydney (ALL AGES – SOLD OUT)
12 September 2015 – ANU Bar, Canberra
18 September 2015 – Fowlers Live, Adelaide (ALL AGES – SOLD OUT)
19 September 2015 – Amplifier Bar, Perth (SOLD OUT)
20 September 2015 – Mojo’s Bar, Fremantle (SOLD OUT)
21 September 2015 – Amplifier Bar, Perth

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Unwind with Tim Wheatley’s “Valerie”

After a busy working week, we all need to shift gears and start winding down. Tim Wheatley can help you get into the right frame of mind with his cruisy new single “Valerie.” This is a world away from the upbeat track Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson made famous a few years back. It’s perfectly chilled folky acoustic goodness, with a dreamy slide guitar and the sort of husky vocals that make me melt. Or perhaps that’s just the sight of Tim himself?

Anyway, if you love his music or you’re just a bit smitten too, make sure to check out Tim’s album Cast of Yesterday when it hits stores on August 28. He’s currently supporting the release with dates all around the East Coast, so get along to one of the following shows for your folk fix.

14 August 2015 – The Vanguard, Sydney
16 August 2015 – Central Park, Sydney
20 August 2015 – Café Del Mar, Sydney
21 August 2015 – Illawarra Brewery, Wollongong
22 August 2015 – Howlin’ Wolf, Wollongong
23 August 2015 – The Soda Factory, Sydney
27 & 28 August 2015 – Gympie Music Muster, Gympit
29 August 2015 – The Triffid, Brisbane
30 August 2015 – The Grace Darling, Melbourne
2 September 2015 – Café del Mar, Sydney
4 September 2015 – The Metro, Sydney

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Cheap Fakes Release a Good Song

It might be Monday, but Brisbane party band Cheap Fakes will help put a spring in your step with their latest single “Baby, It’s a Good Song.” This track is just what it says on the tin, a high energy number effortlessly blending ska, funk, and pop.

It’s just one of the tracks to come from the band’s third-full length album, Mondern Vintage, which saw them working with legendary producer John Merchant. You might not know his name, but he was responsible for music from Michael Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, the Bee Gees, and Barbra Streisand. In short, he’s a big deal.

Strangely enough, this “Baby, It’s a Good Song” didn’t actually come from the sessions with John Merchant. In fact, a rough cut was recorded around 15 years ago. Hayden Andrews recently rediscovered it on one of his old cassette tapes and he couldn’t get it out of his head. So even though the album was nearly complete, he knew it deserved a place on Modern Vintage.

Modern Vintage hits stores on October 9. Before the release, you can catch Cheap Fakes doing their thing at the following Queensland festivals.

21 & 22 August 2015 – Yeppoon Village Festival, Yeppoon
20 September 2015 – Mitchell Creek Rock N Blues Festival, Sunshine Coast
25 September 2015 – Brisbane Festival, Theatre Republic, Brisbane
3 October 2015 – Red Deer Music Festival, Brisbane

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Playwrite Remember Past with “Animals Housed” Clip

Playwrite have released a gorgeous anthemic new track “Animals Housed.” I love the way it builds to a fist pumping conclusion. But perhaps more than the song itself, I love the video that accompanies it.

You see, the band’s guitarist Patrick Holcombe lost his mum and dad in the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009. They were trying to defend their family home in Kinglake National Park. The home took his parents more than 25 years to build. They raised their children there. Yet after the fire tore through, there was nothing left but crumbling mud bricks and scraps of metal and pottery.

It was around this time that Patrick started making music with his mate Jordan White. “Animals Housed” was one of their earliest tracks.

Over the years, Patrick has spent a lot of time at his parents’ property in Kinglake. He built a cabin there, which doubles as writing and recording space, and he planted some fruit trees in memory of his parents. So it’s only fitting that Kinglake provides the backdrop for this clip.

“The only place that seemed right to make a video of this song was back up at Kinglake with the people who have supported us and our music since the very beginning,” Patrick explained. “So we threw a party, with our friends and we filmed it.”

So now that you know the story, check out the clip, which celebrates today while always remembering the past.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Daniel March Gives Powerful Message with “Future Shock”

I’m really digging the funky grooves of “Future Shock,” the soulful new single from Aussie expat Daniel March.

“The term, first brought to my attention by Curtis Mayfield, means “a state of distress or disorientation due to rapid social or technological change”, where people develop new lifestyles and belief systems to suit them,” Daniel explained. “To seek power, to feel good, to be fearful and have it permissable, for whatever reason.”

It’s the power behind those two words that inspired the song. It’s got a great message, but an equally strong sound. You can hear some of Daniel’s influences, like Jimi Hendrix and Prince, coming through.

Daniel, a Sydney-born musician, is currently pursuing music in London.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Doctrin Does it Again

Doctrin knocked my socks off with her debut single “Take Me,” so I was thrilled to discover this local talent, who divides her time between Melbourne and LA, has a lot more in her arsenal. With her follow-up release “Give Me Love,” Doctrin’s delivering more grungy vibes with a whole lot of energy.

This is the sort of song that my angsty teenage self would have loved dancing around my bedroom to. No matter how old you get, I don’t think you ever lose that part of yourself, and “Give Me Love” taps into it beautifully. It’s so awesome to hear a gusty female voice demanding that someone give them love, rather than pleading for it.

Doctrin just keeps on delivering. I can’t wait to hear what she does next.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Darren Middleton Releases Double-A Side Single Ahead of Album Shows

I’ve always thought that if your album has just one great single, you’re doing alright. But when you have enough superb material to release a double-A side single, with two songs that are equally as compelling, well the album’s got to be pretty special. That’s the case with Splinters, out November 6. The latest effort from former Powderfinger guitarist Darren Middleton features the double-A side “The Lines” and “Our Road.” The album’s title comes from the concept of Darren shedding a splinter of his soul as he shares these stories.

It’s really hard to pick a favourite out of these songs, but if you had me at gunpoint I’d go for “The Lines,” just because of the big gospel sounds courtesy of the Monash Choral Society. Talei Wolfram and Guy Pearce also guest on the track. I really wish the Soundcloud links that were passed on to me were shareable, but you can get the single yourself from iTunes. You can also hear a bit more if you catch one of Darren’s upcoming album preview shows.


28 August 2015 – The Vanguard, Sydney
12 September 2015 – The Toff, Melbourne
18 September 2015 – The Brisbane Powerhouse, Brisbane

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music