Category: Album Reviews

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Into the Black” – Karise Eden

While the country is captivated by the search for the next Voice superstar, Australia’s original winner Karise Eden has dropped a brand new EP, Into the Black. Its release doesn’t have the same fanfare as tonight’s winner’s announcement inevitably will, but it’s a timely reminder that it’s worth looking back at some of the talents who’ve come through the competition rather than simply seeking out the next big thing.

Into the Black is officially called an EP, but at seven tracks it feels more like a mini-album. And just like an album, this is a collection of songs with something to say. It starts strong, with rock-blues numbers “Beast” and “Black Crow”. They’re unflinching, uncompromising, the perfect vehicles for her trademark gravelly vocals. Karise reveals a more tender side with singles “My Old Friend” and “Gone”. No matter what type of song she’s singing, it’s all heart. This is a longer EP than most, but when the final note of “So Far” faded away I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. That’s a testament to the quality of every song included here.

Into the Black is Karise’s first collection of songs since 2018’s incredible Born to Fight album. Like a fine wine, she’s becoming even more compelling as time goes on. This is a brilliant collection of songs that reminds listeners of her unparalleled vocal talents and stellar songwriting ability.

Karise will play River Heads Rocks 2022 on June 25 and The Gathering of the Goddesses festivals in Victoria and Tasmania next year, but that’s not all. Expect a national tour announcement really soon.

Images used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“20 and Bored” – Nick Keogh

I’m not sure there’s any feeling greater than falling in love with new music. You know the feeling, that head over heels sensation that makes you want to stand on a street corner and tell everyone they need to listen to it. That’s the way I feel about Nick Keogh’s debut EP, 20 and Bored.

I’m not always so quick to impress. Sometimes it takes me a few listens to really gel with new music. But when I hear something this good, it’s like a bolt from the blue. I was hooked from the folky acoustic guitar intro of “Sweater Weather.” It’s such a beautiful song, but there’s more where that came from. As I continued listening, I fell just a little more in love.

This kind of folk-pop music is right up my alley. It’s introspective, with lyrics that are powerful in their relatable simplicity. The acoustic melodies are so gorgeous. Nick’s voice is warm and welcoming. It stands up on its own, but I also love hearing it contrast with the sweet, feminine tones of his special guest vocalists. Nancie Shipper joins him for “Red Flags,” an uplifting track that looks back on mistakes made in past relationships. Another stunning duet, “Let Me Let You Down” with Stella Who follows. Nick has a knack for creating these songs that sound so optimistic sonically, but the lyrics reveal darker truths. There’s heartache, regret, shame, the whole messy human experience.

“Baby Blue” continues the trend. The first part sounds like the sort of song you might sing along to with your drinking parties on a fun night out, but the cutting lyrics swipe at an old love. Part two is softer, the other half of the story, more reflective, the sort of song that might come out when the friends have gone home and the booze is wearing off. The simple, unadorned acoustic guitar melody and heart-on-sleeve powerful vocals of the final track “Outliers” is everything I love about Nick’s music.

Naming your EP 20 and Bored hardly raises expectations. But this music is anything but boring. This special collection of songs has quickly made Nick Keogh one of my favourite Aussie artists. If you’re near Albury, click through for tickets to his show tomorrow night in Birddog.

Image credit: Mike Ridley

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Now and Then” – Eliza & The Delusionals

It feels like I’ve been waiting forever for Eliza & The Delusionals to release an album. I started writing about the band way back in 2018 and singles from this album like “You” and “Save Me” have been out in the world since 2021. However, as the old saying goes, good things come to those who wait. My expectations were high, but Now and Then exceeds them.

It’s hardly the band’s fault that this music has taken so long to reach us though. There was that little matter of the pandemic which made moving forward on so many projects challenging. It was made during the pandemic, but don’t mistake it for a “pandemic album”. It’s far more upbeat than that, focusing on the personal strength and resilience gained during the period than pervading doom and gloom.

Sitting with so many of these songs for so long makes the album feel instantly familiar. We’ve already fallen in love with Eliza’s powerful vocals and the way the band combines rock edge with catchy pop vibes. If you’ve somehow missed all those singles, it won’t take you too long to come up to speed. This music is so accessible, with nods to acts like Michelle Branch, The Cranberries, and even Taylor Swift. Album tracks that are brand new to me like “Lonely” and “All The Time” have become firm favourites.

Now and Then might have taken some time to reach us, but its shimmering optimism is the ideal antidote for the gloomy winter weather setting in. Before the season leaves us, they’ll be spreading their good vibes with capital city shows around the country. Catch them at the following venues:

6 August 2022 – Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney
11 August 2022 – Crown and Anchor, Adelaide
12 August 2022 – Mojos Bar Fremantle, Perth
26 August 2022 – The Zoo, Brisbane
3 September 2022 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Luke Henery

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“What Did You Expect?” – Lemaire

Lemaire really impressed me a few months ago with his relatable single “Ford Laser”. He’s dishing out more rhymes with an Aussie flavour in his new EP What Did You Expect?

In truth, if you’ve listened to “Ford Laser”, you know exactly what to expect from this EP. And it’s fabulous. The rap scene is full of posers, up-and-comers who believe in faking it until they make it and established artists keen to flaunt their wealth. But you’ll never catch Lemaire being anything other than authentic. He celebrates his “shitbox” Ford Laser. “Shiraz” tells us he’d rather sip on an Aussie red than Cristal. There’s no coincidence that “Be Myself”, a collaboration with BOY SODA, sits square in the middle of this EP, anchoring it with its theme of self-acceptance. Lemaire knows where he came from. Rather than avoiding Australianisms that might not translate to a global audience, he’s happy to namecheck everything from that iconic car to Queensland’s premier. These are songs written with tongue planted firmly in cheek. International music fans might not quite catch or understand the humour, but as an Aussie listener, I had a blast with these songs.

What Did You Expect? didn’t just meet my expectations, but exceeded them. This collection of songs is so much fun. Lemaire represents the new breed of Aussie rappers well. Like Illy and Baker Boy, he’s creating music that’s so positive and proudly rooted in our culture. With his first EP, Lemaire shows us who he is and that he’s got a bright future ahead.

Images used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Everybody Knows I’m Here” – Various Artists

As every new single dropped, I got a little more excited about Everybody Knows I’m Here. Albums of cover versions are a dime a dozen. Usually they’re designed simply to sell. Gather up some popular artists, get them to record some popular songs, and you’ve got a recipe for success. Now that it’s finally dropped I can confidently say, this album doesn’t play it so safe. It’s so much better for it.

Of course, the music from Chess Records is enduringly popular. Songs like “Johnny B. Goode”, “Mannish Boy”, and “Susie Q” are pop culture staples. But the versions on this album aren’t karaoke covers. Each one is thoughtful and considered. The diverse artists featured use these songs from the great American songbook as a platform to say something about their own experiences. They’re First Nations people, immigrants, gender-diverse acts, people who know what it’s like to walk outside privilege. I’d wager their names aren’t familiar to many Australians, but their insightful interpretations and new rap sections breathe new life into these songs.

If you don’t know your history, Chess Records was established in Chicago in 1950. For two and a half decades it gave black American artists a voice. It launched as a blues label but the stable grew to celebrate soul, gospel, jazz, and early rock and roll. Today this album celebrates its legacy and gives our marginalised artists their chance to speak up. These songs were recorded in a different time and place, but listening to these songs you understand a lot hasn’t changed. Themes of struggle, independence, identity, pride, and love still resonate.

Everybody Knows I’m Here is an exciting and important piece of work. It pays loving tribute to the legacy of Chess Records and reinterprets the music to make powerful statements about life for Australian black, Indigenous, and people of colour today. Make sure you take a listen.


Images used with permission from Chester Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Real Love in Real Life” – Greta Stanley

Greta Stanley is an artist who refuses to be pigeonholed. Just when you think you’ve got her figured out, she takes a left turn. It’s exciting. She showcases the full breadth of her artistry on her sophomore album Real Love in Real Life.

Real Love in Real Life seems like a pop record at first. The upbeat vibes of tracks like “Plant My Feet” and “Keep My Cool” match the vibrant pinks and purples on the album cover. It’s incredible pop music, energetic and fun and fresh. And then just like that, we’re on track six, “Heartbeat Harbour”, and everything changes. It’s darker, bluesier, more raw. “Hold on You” brings back the pop beats, but doesn’t shake that darkness. We’re getting to know another side of Greta. It’s different but so compelling. As the album progresses, it seems like Greta Stanley peels back more layers. “Favourite Songs” and “Close Call” are some of my favourite songs. The instrumentation is pared back, giving the honest lyrics space to breathe. They’re confessional, like diary entries, giving us real insight into the artist and her experiences. The current single “Red Earth Dirt” sees Greta return to pop princess mode, bringing the album full circle … or so I thought. However, Greta leaves us with the title track, a beautiful country song that sounds like it’d be at home in a honky tonk bar.

I must admit, it took me a little time to warm up to Real Love in Real Life. All the twists and turns took me by surprise. While I heard flashes of brilliance on the first couple of listens, I needed a little time to embrace the album as a whole. However, by the third listen, I was hooked. This is an album that challenges the listener, but since when was that a bad thing?

Real Love in Real Life is out today. She’s giving us a couple of months to familiarise ourselves with the songs before she hits the road for her headlining tour. Check her out at the following venues:

7 July 2022 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
9 July 2022 – Waghorn to West Festival, Ipswich
14 July 2022 – La La La’s, Wollongong
15 July 2022 – Waywards, Sydney
16 July 2022 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
22 July 2022 – Suburban Vibes, Western Australia
23 July 2022 – Four5Nine, Perth
30 July 2022 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
5th August 2022 – Otherwise Bar, Townsville
6 August 2022 – Tanks Art Centre, Cairns

Images used with permission from Six Boroughs

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Lonesome Blue” – Racing Birds

Just a couple of weeks ago I was raving about Racing Birds’ single “Rarely Never Loaded”. The reason I was so excited is that I already knew these guys weren’t just a flash in the pan. I was already listening to their debut EP Lonesome Blue, anticipating the day when I could tell you all about it.

I love the upbeat energy of “Rarely Never Loaded”, but the EP shows this duo has more than one gear. They seem more comfortable taking things at a slower pace, where their brand of bluesiness has time to marinate. They linger over lyrics, wringing every bit of emotion out of them. It ensures we feel the yearning in that title track, that we can see the beautiful imagery of “Silver Sun Bohemian” and “Vampires and LSD” coming to life without missing a detail. The raw, honest vocals from Jeremy Strother are a revelation, the perfect foil for Bobbie Lee Stamper’s rootsy blues rhythms. Together they’re creating some of the best alt-country music I’ve heard in some time.

I can’t wait to catch these guys live, because something tells me these tunes will sound even better experienced in a crowd of enthusiastic music fans. Until then, I’ve got this EP on repeat. Lonesome Blue is out today.

Image used with permission from Beehive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Queen of Turbulent Hearts” – ILUKA

On a grey and gloomy day, ILUKA’s long-awaited debut album Queen of Turbulent Hearts brings the sunshine. With irresistible pop melodies and danceable beats, this is the perfect album to take you into the weekend.

No moment is wasted here. As the old adage goes, it’s all killer, no filler. I was instantly hooked from the opening notes of girl power anthem “The Limit.” As ILUKA namechecks history’s most iconic female trailblazers, you get the sense that this Blue Mountains singer-songwriter is proudly following in their footsteps. She may not be as well known yet, but she’s got such a powerful, distinctive voice. Not just sonically, although that’s undeniable. But ILUKA really has something to say. I’m listening.

The songs that come next bring the picture of ILUKA into focus. “Higher Love” is pure and optimistic. There’s a fierce determination in “Get Free”. She reveals her wild side in “Mess”, a brilliant collaboration with Lime Cordiale. This upbeat song hints at a vulnerability that tracks like “Hercules” and “Willing to Break” explore more deeply. The title track “Queen of Turbulent Hearts” is achingly nostalgic. These songs reveal so many facets of ILUKA’s personality, the positive and the flawed. While the music is eclectic, the honesty with which ILUKA shares herself ties this collection together beautifully.

I’ve been following ILUKA’s career since 2016. I’ve loved listening to her evolve from sweet folk-pop songstress to a bold indie-pop act. Queen of Turbulent Hearts shows how fearless she’s become. She knows who she is and she’s not afraid to share it. You don’t have to like it, but it’s much more fun if you get on board.

Queen of Turbulent Hearts is out today. ILUKA is currently touring the country with Lime Cordiale. Limited tickets are still available for some of the following shows:

8 April 2022 – Fremantle Arts Centre, Perth (SOLD OUT)
12 April 2022 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
20 April 2022 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
21 April 2022 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
27 April 2022 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney (SOLD OUT)
6 May 2022 – Riverstage, Brisbane (SOLD OUT)

Image used with permission from Six Boroughs Media

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Baltimore Train” – William Street Strikers

I’ve been maintaining this blog for so long that when things began I regularly received CDs in the mail to review. I understand digital review copies make more sense for artists and record labels, but I miss having my mailbox full of great music instead of bills. This week I received my first physical album for review in years: a copy of Baltimore Train, the latest album from Adelaide rock act William Street Strikers.

Interacting with this album made me remember just how good physical music can be. The ritual of removing the CD from its cardboard sleeve and placing it in the CD player heightens the anticipation. Incidentally, I borrowed the player from my husband when I discovered my relatively new laptop doesn’t have one. Putting the CD in the activated Windows Media Player, a program I didn’t even realise modern computers have. What a nostalgia trip. Listening to this album though, that process feels so right.

Baltimore Train has such an old-school feel. There are no bells or whistles, no electronic beats or production wizardry, just a bunch of blokes making music. From the first guitar strums of the opening track “Poor Boy,” the album transports listeners back to a simpler time. The songs drip with nostalgia. I love the psychedelic feel of “How Does It Feel,” the classic surf rock vibe of “I’m Going Home,” those big Who-esque guitar chords in “Everything’s Wrong.” Up-tempo rock tracks dominate the release, but William Street Strikers has a softer side. Intimate ballads like the current single “Bad Man” and “Shelter” reveal different layers of the band’s sound. William Street Strikers are natural rockers, but with these tracks they remind us that they’re more than capable of switching gears. They might have swagger, but there’s real heart hiding underneath.

As the final chord of the closing track “Let You Down” faded out, I thought to myself “They just don’t make albums like that anymore.” Baltimore Train is a throwback in many ways, but there’s a reason why so many of us are nostalgic about music from the past. Catchy melodies, charismatic vocals, tight harmonies, and a band with members that sound like they’re genuinely having fun playing together never go out of vogue. In today’s era of accessible yet disposable music, there’s also something special about an album that people have to seek out and invest in to hear. Check out the music video for “Bad Man” below. If you like what you hear, email William Street Strikers at thewilliamstreetstrikers@yahoo.com and they’ll hook you up with a copy.

Images used with permission from William Street Strikers

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Driving in the Dark” – Columbus

On a gloomy day in a week that seems far too long, Driving in the Dark, the new EP from East Coast act Columbus is the perfect punky pick-me-up. This three-piece band has punk-pop down to a fine art. Combining a nostalgia for the genre’s glory days of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s with a fresh perspective, I can’t get enough.

The five-track EP starts with recent singles “Temporary Summer”, “Full Heart”, and “Pain is a Mirror” bringing new fans up to speed and reminding those of us who’ve been on the bandwagon for months just how good this music is. Things take a little left turn with “The Holiday,” with the band trading in the electric guitars for acoustic ones. It’s still got the band’s trademark energy, but it’s delivered with more sweetness. I love when the band is full throttle, but it’s exciting to hear them working with a different gear. Columbus cranks it up for the EP’s closer “Care About You”. It’s anthemic and glorious, the perfect final impression.

“I wrote the Driving in the Dark EP about learning how to love – my life, others, and myself,” frontman Alex Moses explained. “With each release we’re adding to the fire what Columbus means to us. This EP represents where we’re at right now. It’s been a wild time driving in the dark, but I think we’ve finally arrived.”

Driving in the Dark is out now. Columbus will play the following shows next month to support its release.

9 April 2022 – Crowbar, Sydney
14 April 2022 – The Brightside, Brisbane
17 April 2022 – North Gong, Wollongong
29 April 2022 – Fat Controller, Adelaide
30 April 2022 – Stay Gold, Melbourne

Images used with permission from Habit Music