Twinsy Get us Through Monday with “Tear it Down”


Mondayitis can hit hard, but Ballarat trio Twinsy are here to help you get through it with their single “Tear It Down.” The anthemic single is a real winner, with melodic hooks, driving drumbeats, and a sing-along chorus. It’s our first taste of Twinsy’s new EP Espiritus, which is due out on October 31.

“’Tear It Down’ started coming together while on tour, somewhere between New York and Washington and we ended up finishing it in a tent the day before we played Splendour in the Grass,” explained one third of the group, Guy Chappell.

Has “Tear It Down” impressed you?

Image used with permission from Dew Process

Calm Collected Make Me Smile

If you’re looking for the next pop act to brighten up your weekend, then look no further than Perth four-piece Calm Collected. The lads recently released the catchy as hell single “Nothing Like the Movies” ahead of the October 13 launch of their EP Give Me Your Worst.

The quartet might not be breaking new ground here, but it’s an awful lot of fun. I love those big pop hooks, and I was tapping my toe in time before the song’s end. It’s also impressive that frontman Tim Tan writes the band’s songs himself and is a dab hand in the producer’s chair. Add the instrumental skills of all involved and you’ve got an act that’s got the edge over many of the pop artists on the charts.

Catch them at The Nexus Arts Centre in Adelaide on October 3.

Miss Elm’s “Bitter Taste” is Oh So Good

Brisbane’s Miss Elm are giving us a sneak peek of their new EP, Hybrid, with the release of the sassy new single “Bitter Taste.” I love the blend of sugar meets sour in this tale of a jilted lover. It’s pop with a dark undercurrent that’s just so delicious.

Miss Elm will celebrate the release of “Bitter Taste” with an East Coast tour, which kicks off in the band’s hometown on October 2. Here are all the places you can catch them play.

2 October 2014 – The Globe Theatre, Brisbane
10 October 2014 – The Petersham Bowls Club, Sydney
24 October 2014 – The Gasometer, Melbourne
25 October 2014 – Currumbin Creek Tavern, Gold Coast

Image used with permission from Pricewar Music

The Secret City Release Eye-Popping Animated Clip

Sydney band The Secret City have outdone themselves with their incredible video for new single “Little Darling.” This animated clip is Dreamworks worthy stuff, which tells a timeless tale of a boy and girl thwarted in their quest for love. Sure, most love stories don’t take place inside clocks, but I’m sure you’ll be able to relate. Major props go to Big Cookie Studios for their work on this.

And the song itself is pretty fabulous too. It’s a beautiful marriage really, with gorgeous visuals matching a really unique blend of folk and pop.

I hear these guys are incredible live, with three dynamic performers out front of an ever-changing cast of bass players, drummers, keyboardists, and programmers. You can find out for yourself when The Secret City launch “Little Darling” at the following shows.

17 October 2014 – Lazy Bones, Marrickville, NSW
6 November 2014 – Lass O’Gowrie, Newcastle
8 November 2014 – Ric’s, Brisbane
30 November 2014 – Petersham Bowling Club, Petersham

Safia Showcase “You Are The One” Single on National Tour

Safia are hitting the road to celebrate the release of their stunning new single “You Are The One.”

This is one of the most emotional electronic numbers I’ve heard in some time. I’m all for a song that gets you on the dance floor, but when you find a song that gets you grooving and really moves you it’s something special.

If you love it too, then make sure you check Safia out on the single launch tour, which kicks off in Queensland tonight!

19 September 2014 – The Factory, Maroochydore
20 September 2014 – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane
21 September 2014 – ‘Stranded’, Gold Coast
25 September 2014 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
26 September 2014 – Star Bar, Bendigo
27 September 2014 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
4 October 2014 – ‘Yours & Owls’ 4th Birthday, Wollongong
5 October 2014 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
31 October 2014 – ‘Halloween Party’ @ The Bakery, Perth

Antiskeptic Release Retro Clip

The right music video can make any song so much more awesome. Melbourne’s Antiskeptic have certainly gotten it right with their Back to the Future-inspired clip for “Hey Dissident,” the lead single from their third album Stare Down the Ocean. It’s a fitting return for this band after a six-year hiatus.

Stare Down the Ocean hits stores on September 19. The album was crowdfunded by fans who raised more than $20,000 to support its release. That’s not bad for an act that’s been out of action for a while. Early reports insist that it’s Antiskeptic’s most cohesive and anthemic release to date, so it sounds like it’s been money well spent.

Antiskeptic will celebrate the release of Stare Down the Ocean with a string of shows later this month.

25 September 2014 – Newtown Social Club, Sydney
26 September 2014 – The Small Ballroom, Newcastle
27 September 2014 – Enigma Bar, Adelaide
4 October 2014 – The Brightside, Brisbane
11 October 2014 – The Evelyn, Melbourne

Tulane Impress with “But I Say”

Wrap your ears around “But I Say,” the stunning debut single from Sydney duo Tulane. The vocals are sublime and the folky acoustic music the perfect accompaniment. There’s no technical wizardry at play here. It’s honest and so striking. I definitely look forward to hearing more from this exciting duo.

“But I Say” gets an official released on September 22, but you can enjoy it early here.

Image used with permission from Grandpa Records

David Craft Wows me with “Smokey Lungs & Dirty Puns”

Every so often you hear a song and it stops you in your tracks. You are shaken out of whatever you’re doing. The music goes from being something in the background to something that demands your attention. “Smokey Lungs & Dirty Puns” by Perth folk muso David Craft is one of those songs.

It’s got such a compelling honesty to it. It’s very gentle and delicate, but there’s this raw realism to it that just can’t be ignored. The video, starring local performer Lily Roberts, is also beautiful. It’s amazing to think it’s the first clip he’s released.

Stunning stuff!

Mia Dyson Does it Again with “Idyllwild”

I think Mia Dyson might be one of Australia’s most consistent musicians. She doesn’t release music to a lot of fanfare, but it’s always so solid. Her latest, “Idyllwild,” the title track from her latest album, is another fabulous showcase for this incredible songstress’ talent.

Mia explained that this rollicking single is a love song of sorts to the small town where she spent an unconventional honeymoon.

“I got hitched not that long ago at the Los Angeles county courthouse and afterwards, we found ourselves driving up into the mountains to this little town called Idyllwild, sort of laying our decision out there and celebrating in the natural world,” she said.

“It was a surreal, utopian journey and out of it came this frenetic, high-spirited song, stylistically influenced by bands from my 80s childhood like Elvis Costello & Talking Heads.”

Mia will celebrate its release with a string of intimate shows this October and November.

1 October 2014 – Lizotte’s, Kincumber
2 October 2014 – Newtown Social Club, Sydney
3 October 2014 – Lizotte’s, New Lambton
4 October 2014 – Lizotte’s, Dee Why
5 October 2014 – Blues on Parade @ The Norwood Hotel, Norwood
9 October 2014 – Harvester Moon, Bellarine
10 October 2014 – Howler, Melbourne
11 October 2014 – Caravan Club, Melbourne
12 October 2014 – Old Hepburn Springs, Hepburn Springs
16 & 17 October 2014 – Darwin Railway Club, Darwin
18 October 2014 – Tanks Art Centre, Cairns (with Shane Nicholson)
19 October 2014 – Beav’s Bar, Geelong
23 October 2014 – Red Hot Music, Devonport
24 October 2014 – Republic Bar, Hobart
21 November 2014 – New Globe Theatre, Brisbane
22 & 23 November 2014 – Mullum Music Festival, Mullumbimby

Take a Holiday from the Everyday with Skyways are Highways

Even if you can’t afford a sneaky getaway this weekend, you can start Saturday off right with “Holiday,” the lead single from Skyways are Highways’ brand new EP I Found My Fear.

There doesn’t sound like there’s even a hint of nerves in the single though. It’s a feel-good slice of pop-punk that should get a smile on your dial. Lead singer Eli J Hood says the song is an antidote to the dreary Melbourne winter, a “dream to escape a disappointing reality and to dive deep into the endless summer of imagination.”

Skyways are Highways will launch I Found My Fear at The Evelyn Hotel on August 29.

Image used with permission from Skyways are Highways