ALEIA’s got me right in the feels with her beautiful new single “Pretty When I Cry.” It’s a heartbreaking indie folk/pop ballad about being in the wrong relationship. Don’t be surprised if you get a bit choked up listening to ALEIA’s confessional lyrics and heartfelt vocals.
“’Pretty When I Cry’ was written about the desperation of clinging to the belief someone has your best interests at heart when they don’t,” she said. “When you have tell yourself a lie until you trust it as the truth, even when all the sign suggest otherwise.”
ALEIA’s impressed me with two cracking singles this year, and I hear she’s not done yet. Follow her on the socials to learn more about the musical she’ll release in the coming months.
Joel Andrew B has given me goosebumps with his new solo single, “Something Between You and I.” It’s just the sort of acoustic folk that I love when it’s done right. I give that caveat, because when you don’t have the heart that Joel Andrew B delivers this type of music can easily become sleepy. No one is nodding off listening to this one though!
This is such a departure from the music Joel makes as part of his band, Sixth Avenue. While they’re an emo punk outfit, Joel’s solo material is optimistic and a little more chilled. But what’s the point of going solo if you’re just going to make the same kind of music, right? I love this direction for him and can’t wait to hear more.
Dharug Country/North-Western Sydney band In Good Hands put their heart and soul into their latest indie rock single “Integrity.” You can really hear the emotion in Jack Kenyon’s vocals, which add gravity to the introspective lyrics.
“Integrity is a song about questioning whether or not the decisions you are making at any one time are in line with the morals that you were taught as a child and by other people you respect,” the band explained. “It’s a song about checking yourself, and letting your actions speak rather than your words.”
In Good Hands will officially launch “Integrity” with a hometown show at The Chippo Hotel on August 9. Tickets are on sale now from Oztix.
For a fresh new track with an old school flavour, check out “Won’t You Decide,” the latest release from Naarm/Melbourne 10-piece Mondo Freaks. It sits somewhere around that funk-soul realm popularised by Luther Vandross, George Benson, and Teddy Pendergrass with its silky smooth vocals and addictive groove that just won’t quit.
Mondo Freaks was formed by in-demand session musos Luke Hodgson on bass and Graeme Pogson on drums. On vocals you hear Aaron Mendoza, who also plays keys in Mondo Freaks. He’s one of five vocalists in the band, so they’re always going to keep you guessing.
“Luke came around and we quickly found ourselves locking in together. I distinctly remember as I sung the pre-chorus idea, a quiet ‘Yes!’ slowly whispered from behind. Luke and I were onto something,” Aaron recalled. “‘Won’t You Decide’ is a sensitive song but it makes you wanna dance at the same time. I love those kinds of songs! To be honest, it was the impetus that led to a burst of creativity for me. Ultimately resulting in co-writing more material for the album. An opportunity I will forever be grateful for.”
“Won’t You Decide” comes from Mondo Freaks’ self-titled debut album, which drops on October 17. Click the link to order your limited-edition vinyl copy.
Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute PR
Maybe it’s the musical theatre nerd in me, but I love hearing music with a bit of drama. Something bold, something unapologetically marching to the beat of its own drum. So I was thrilled to wrap my ears around “Lovechild of the Greatest,” the latest track from genre-bending Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast talent Holy Basil. This song came about during a period of deep creative reinvention for Holy Basil. It’s brave, fearless, and so much fun.
“This track is about me re-inventing myself into my truest form. That person is the Lovechild of Kate Bush and David Bowie. They’re two of my greatest inspirations and creative guides, so this song is also a small homage to them,” Holy Basil said.
If this it what comes when Holy Basil reinvents herself, I can’t wait to hear more as she steps forward into this new musical chapter.
Gloomy winter weather has well and truly set in, but I’ve got a big smile on my face after listening to “18,” the latest single from Boonwurrung Country/Mornington Peninsula artist MAXON. Closing my eyes, it transported me to a road trip, somewhere warmer, somewhere far from the 9-to-5 grind, somewhere with endless possibilities. While listening is a joy, make sure you don’t miss the insightful lyrics.
“When you’re 18, all you want is to be a little older,” Max said. “And when you’re older, the industry wants you to be 18 again. I wanted to write this to remind myself – and anyone who needs to hear it – that age is nothing, and music is everything.”
While MAXON’s talents are front and centre, “18” is really a community effort. It features Mia Dyson on guitar and backing vocals, and a choir of locals including Kerryn Fields, Mathilde Anne, and Cousin Leonard.
“18” is the first single from MAXON’s debut album Talking With Strangers, which we should hear early next year.
Molly Millington made lemonade out of lemons when she wrote “Your Villain.” This fabulous song came out of a really tough time for Molly. You can hear that when you tune into the lyrics, but they’re wrapped up in such a shimmery pop melody that you might miss the darkness unless you’re listening for it.
“This song was written cathartically to make light of a pretty heavy situation. I found myself in a toxic relationship, I left myself behind trying to keep them safe and happy,” Molly recalled. “When I realised I needed to get out, they told me I was selfish. He had me convinced for a little while that I was a bad person, and it took all my strength to snap out of that and realise that just because that was their narrative, it didn’t mean it was true.”
“Your Villain” is the first new music from Molly since she released her 5 Stages EP in 2023, but she won’t leave us waiting too long for more. I hear she’s got plenty of new music to share with us, so make sure you follow her on Instagram to learn about all the new tunes as they drop.
Image used with permission from Nettwerk Music Group
The gloomy weather we’re having has left me a bit flat. I’ve looked to new music today to wake me up but nothing was quiet scratching that itch until I discovered “The Mill,” the new single from greater Naarm/Melbourne act Saint Victoire. This energetic folk song has a bit of a Maggie Rogers, Angie McMahon vibe, so if you’re into those artists I know you’re going to love it.
“Writing ‘The Mill’ was actually quite a bizarre experience,” reflected Saint Victoire’s frontwoman Heidi Waddell. “I was having a dream that I was performing the song to a big room of people, and somewhere in the dream, I realised I was dreaming. I woke myself up and quickly wrote down everything I could remember. The way I’ve interpreted the song—because it doesn’t even feel like I really wrote it, more like it was given to me to sing—I think I must have been processing my exhaustion in my sleep, and my frustrations about this system I feel caught up in that sends me a bit crazy. So I guess it just came out to this dream audience.
“I feel the weight of the expectations we put on ourselves to constantly produce, to try and fit into a mould that society deems ‘acceptable’—and even then, we’re told our best effort isn’t enough, as if what we do is where our value lies. This song is about acknowledging all of that and saying, ‘I won’t take it all on me. Don’t take it all on you.’ Just don’t give those ideas power anymore.”
If you’re digging “The Mill” as much as I am, the good news is there’s more fresh music from Saint Victoire around the corner. They’ll release their sophomore EP I Once Loved You, Summer on August 7.
Award-winning singer-songwriter Steve Lane delivers the goods with his latest single “A Song You Can’t Write No More.” Steve Lane has long created stellar music that plays with pop,folk, and Americana sounds, but the psychedelic elements of this one are something new. The lyrics, which champion authenticity, as always hit home.
I also love the music video, which shows Steve’s nephew and emerging Naarm/Melbourne artist Darcy Shilton shaping a limestone block into a sculpture inspired by this track. It’s such a unique concept for a music video, but it’s utterly mesmerising.
“A Song You Can’t Write No More” comes from Steve’s fourth album, Where The River Meets, which will be released on October 5. He’s all play the following shows around its release:
Lachlan Bryan and Catherine Britt are both exceptional talents, so you know any music they’ll make together will be fantastic. Their duo The Pleasures has flown underneath my radar, but as they approach the release of their sophomore album I’m taking notice. Their latest single “Was It Something I Said?” gives an exciting taste of what’s to come. It reminds me a little of those great duets that Stevie Nicks did with Don Henley and Tom Petty, where the lyrics reveal a connection in all its perfectly imperfect glory.
“It’s a conversation of sorts,” Lachlan explained. “It’s two ex-lovers that are still trying to prove something. They’re throwing so much shade and sass each other’s way that you just know they’re meant to be together. It’s a concept many of us are familiar with”.
The Pleasures release their second album Enemy Of My Enemy on August 15. If you’ve been sleeping on this duo as I have, make sure you right that wrong and get your ears around it. Vinyl and CD pre-orders are available via The Pleasures’ website. There are more tour dates to come, but until then mark these ones in your calendar music lovers.
