Category: Album Reviews

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“61-615” – O’Shea

I’ve been listening to O’Shea’s new album 61-615 for the past two weeks now. I start taking notes to write a review, but invariably I find myself losing myself in the music rather than analysing it. Perhaps that’s as it should be.

This album has all the polish you’d expect from a duo now based in Nashville. It’s also got a greater cross-over appeal than many of the recordings we hear from Australian country acts. It’s not that this duo is ashamed of its country roots, but the recording isn’t alienating to people like me who don’t consider themselves country music fans.

The album opens with “Start Over,” the lead single that reached the top spot on the Australian country music charts. Listening to it now, in the context of the album, I’m struck by its power, which hasn’t diminished with subsequent listens. The song sets the tone for an album that isn’t afraid to tackle some big emotions.

“Just Got Real” is one of those emotional songs that really strikes a chord with me. Its astute lyrics about the start of a relationship and the flood of emotions that come with it take the listener back to times in their own lives they stood on the precipice of something great, yet frightening. “I Will Not Give Up,” a song of real grit, determination, and beauty, also packs a real emotional punch.

O’Shea seems most comfortable with the big, emotive ballads, but songs like “Karaoke and Carona” show this duo knows how to have some fun. This playful song, which sounds like it deserves to be played in a Southern dive bar, is a real standout. A cover of Little River Band’s “Playing to Win” with guest vocals from Aussie The Wolfe Brothers and Travis Collins, is also bags of fun.

While the guest performances are welcome, I love the interplay of O’Shea’s voices most. That connection that comes with being a real couple translates into something special whenever they’re singing together, whether it’s on a playful upbeat number or a song with a bit more emotional meat.

It’s a shame we’ve lost O’Shea to the United States, but it seems the twosome hasn’t forgotten its roots. O’Shea is back in Australia to support the album’s release with the following shows. 61-615 is in stores now.

28 July 2017 – Leadbelly, Newtown
29 July 2017 – Centro CBD, Wollongong
30 July 2017 – Live n Cookin’ at Lizottes, Newcastle
3 August 2017 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
4-11 August 2017 – Tunes in the Tropics, Fiji
12 August 2017 – Mt Isa Rodeo, Mt Isa

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Billy Billy” – Donnarumma

The musicians from Adelaide band Donnarumma are no shrinking violets. The music they create is bold and confident. It forces you to pay attention, with big brassy hooks and driving drumbeats. With their new EP Billy Billy, they show why they should be on your radar.

The single “Love Your Man” kicks things off in all its unapologetic glory. “Into The Moss” keeps the energy levels up. Its jazzy Latin vibe had me grooving in my seat. “The Anxious Dance” is epic in the best possible way, very left of center but delightful because of its difference. Speaking of difference, it’s rare that we hear a song as brutally honest “All Night Long.” I love its rebellious heart. With the title track “Billy Billy,” Donnarumma closes its EP with a bang. “This is the end” frontman Louis Donnarumma sings, and for the EP that’s true. But for Donnarumma, I have a feeling things are only just beginning.

Billy Billy drops on June 30. Donnarumma will tour the EP next month.

1 July 2017 – Grace Emily Hotel, Adelaide
7 July 2017 – Whole Lotta Love, Melbourne
13 July 2017 – Rad Bar, Wollongong
14 July 2017 – The Townie, Sydney (FREE)

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“King of Me” – The Lyrical

When I reviewed The Lyrical’s single “Fuck It All,” it was a Monday. That song and the day met in perfect harmony. Now it’s another Monday and I’m here preparing to write another Lyrical review, this time for his EP King of Me. There’s a lovely symmetry about that.

“Fuck It All” happens to be the opening track of this EP. It still strikes a chord with me so many months later. I love its cheery rebellion and reggae vibes. The single was such a standout for me, I wondered whether The Lyrical could sustain the momentum. However, King of Me is one of the best EPs I’ve heard in some time.

It features collaborations with some of my favourite female voices: Jac Stone on “Cheating” and Sahara Beck on the toe-tapper “Old Revolver.” I love the way their sweet voices juxtapose with The Lyrical’s gruffer masculine tone.

This EP has a whole lot of wisdom in its rapid-fire lyrics. “Teach Me” showcases The Lyrical’s commitment to making music that does much more than please the ears. As he says in that song, “I feel I’ve got a bigger purpose here than to entertain.” He does that too though, with music that sits comfortably alongside the offerings of John Butler and The Black Eyed Peas. Like these entertainers, he wants to tackle the big things, but he knows we’ll need it coated with amazing music to swallow it.

In just five tracks, The Lyrical shows he’s a really special performer, a gifted lyrical poet ready to engage hearts and minds. King of Me is released on June 16.

Image used with permission from Minor Major

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Gold Mess” – Elli Schoen

I absolutely love finding strong, relatable female voices. One of the latest to strike a chord with me is Elli Schoen, a singer-songwriter from Fremantle who’s just released her new EP Gold Mess.

The EP explores themes of growing up and moving on, whether it’s from romantic relationships in “Hard Heart” or from the family home in “Mumma.” I especially love the EP’s title track and our introduction to the EP, “Gold Mess.” Its lyrics about attraction that’s wrong despite feeling so right should resonate with most listeners.

Elli has such a beautiful, rich tone that sounds even stronger with the heavy drum beats that drive these tracks forward. She also knows how to pen a lyric that’s poetic, yet instantly accessible to the listener. In just four tracks, she’s won me over.

Gold Mess is out now. Elli Schoen is currently touring the recording. You can still catch her at the following shows.

6 May 2017 – The Firestation, Busselton
11 May 2017 – The Astor Theatre, s/ Tash Sultana
20 May 2017 – Babushka, s/ Airling
21 May 2017 – Mojos Bar, s/ Airling
25 May 2017 – The Marly Bar, Sydney
26 May 2017 – Bistroteque, Brisbane
27 May 2017 – The Worker’s Club, Melbourne
5 June 2017 – State of the Art Festival, Perth

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Motel” – Emilee South

I discovered Emilee South last year when she released her Halloween single “Howl.” I loved her sultry vocals and the song’s dirty, bluesy feel. There are more stunning vocals and vintage sounds with the release of Emilee’s new album, Motel.

Motel opens with a bold, rockabilly number “My Baby (Don’t Return My Calls).” This track is rollicking good fun and a wonderful way to set the stage for this retro-inspired album. The latest single “Old Flame” feels like pure vintage country. I could imagine it easily slipping into the set of Patsy Cline or Rosemary Clooney. “Howl” makes even more sense when it’s here beside its companion songs.

Emilee South is an old soul with a handle on classic rock, country, and soul sounds, but there’s also something fresh about what she does. The lyrics have a little bit more bite than the vintage-inspired music she was clearly influenced by. She’s no shy violet or damsel in distress, as she reminds us in songs like “Watch Out” and “Bad Things I Do.”

Motel drops on May 11. Emilee will launch the album with a show at The Gasometer Hotel in Collingwood on May 13.

Image used with permission from Emilee South

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Floating in the Darkness” – Thomas Oliver

Ordinarily Kiwis move to Australia and we claim them as our own. Rarely do we lose Australian talents to the nation “across the ditch,” but that’s the case with Aussie-born New Zealand-based musician Thomas Oliver. He might not call Australia home any more, but he’s making music so special I think he still deserves a place on Sounds of Oz. His album “Floating in the Darkness” has just dropped, and it’s a real stunner.

He drew me in with the first song “Tenderly.” Its immediately accessible with a laidback, sexy groove. The sensual sounds continue with “Shine Like the Sun,” an intimate song that totally charmed me. I also fell for “Budapest is Beautiful,” a delicate track about appreciating a new city but feeling wistful because you’re not there with a loved one.

Thomas is an artist who shines in quiet moments. Songs like “Losin'” and the closer, “Tell Me Something New” are stripped back, with just an acoustic guitar and a voice, but they are some of the most powerful tracks on the album.

Floating in the Darkness gets you in with soulful hooks but settles into a gentler place. Some people might relegate it to background music, but it’s an album worth staying engaged with. Thomas Oliver has such a wonderful sound, from his husky low tones to his killer falsetto. He reminds me musically of a few artists I really admire, Ben Harper and Amos Lee. Floating in the Darkness might be a slow burn for some music lovers, but I think it’s a pretty special release.

See Thomas Oliver promoting Floating in the Darkness at the following shows.

7 June 2017 – The Grace Emily, Adelaide
9 June 2017 – The Milk Factory, Brisbane
10 June 2017 – Wesley Anne, Melbourne
11 June 2017 – Leadbelly, Sydney
Thursday 15 June – Babushka, Leederville WA

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“24 Hours in Lapa” – Tamil Rogeon

It’s rare to listen to music that’s truly different. The stuff that transports you to another world, taking you out of your comfort zone and making you wonder why you don’t listen to more music like it. But that’s just what happened when I listened to 24 Hours in Lapa, the debut solo album from Melbourne composer Tamil Rogeon.

I call it an album, but it seems like so much more than that. Perhaps opus is a more appropriate term. The press release calls is a “mesmerising 12-part song cycle built on Brazilian rhythms, an orchestral score, and subtle electronics.” It’s all these things and more.

24 Hours in Lapa tells the story of Joseph Martin, a young expat who was shot dead in Rio’s party district, Lapa, when he intervened in a mugging. He was celebrating his 30th birthday that fateful night. This musical collection uses the story of this man’s final hours to meditate on themes of vice, impetuosity, and life cut too short.

It’s an ambitious work for one’s first solo effort, but Tamil Rogeon is no stranger to the music scene. He’s part of the orchestral jazz group The RAah Project and the disco/house/funk trio Harvey Sutherland & Bermuda. He’s also been behind a tribute to Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, performed by a 100-piece orchestra, a soundtrack to a concern screening of the drawn 2010 AFL grand final, and the Red Bull Beat Suite.

For 24 Hours in Lapa, Tamil Rogeon works with Orchestra Victoria and a host of talented vocalists. The result is quite simply incredible. The blend of Brazilian samba and orchestral elements in opening track “De Manha” intrigued me. But as I was introduced to more of the entirely instrumental numbers, 24 Hours in Lapa began feeling like the soundtrack for a Broadway musical. There’s a theatricality about it that’s familiar, although the exotic Latin beats make it feel fresh.

By the time I heard “Does Nothing End?” with sublime vocals from Krystle Warren, I was hooked. This magical, joyous song is so different from “Jealousy,” an edgy rapid-fire hip hop track featuring Raashan Ahmad which comes just a couple of numbers later, but this too is strong. Krystle Warren proves again to be a revelation with “Living in a Dream.” I love her rich tone, which reminds me a little of Nina Simone’s with its commanding presence.

24 Hours in Lapa comes together like a rich tapestry. It has stunning elements that can be appreciated on their own, but it’s when you look at the entire work that you’re truly struck by its impact. It certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I encourage you to take a chance on it.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“The Meltdown” – The Meltdown

I’ve been so impressed by everything I’ve heard from Melbourne soul outfit The Meltdown. So naturally when the band released its self-titled debut album, I couldn’t wait to wrap my ears around it. And I’ve been listening ever since.

The opening track “Darkness Into Light” sets the bar high with its epic gospel feel. It’s such a strong way to start an album, but the rest of the album certainly doesn’t feel like it lags. Every song feels like a hit, with big brassy notes and plenty of swagger. “Don’t Hesitate” feels like it could have come straight from an Otis Redding record. It’s got such a cool groove. The swampy “How Funny is Another Man’s Pain” is another real highlight.

I love it when The Meltdown is big and brassy, but the band is equally effective when things are pared back. The poignant “Forever and Always” and the striking closing number “Colours in the Sky” show just how effective restrained songs can be.

The Meltdown is just so cool, soulful, with a hint of funk and blues. The band is one of the tightest working in the country, with sublime vocals from Simon Burke and its self-titled record is one of those albums that you want to listen to again as soon as it’s done.

The Meltdown will launch its debut album with the following shows.

21 April 2017 – Gumball Festival, Hunter Valley
5 May 2017 – Venue 505, Sydney
19 May 2017 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
16 June 2017 – The Republic, Hobart
30 June 2017 – Caravan Music Club, Melbourne

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Tailored for Now – Eleven R&B Super Jams” – CDB

I’ve been conspicuously absent after taking another cruise. I know I just took one, but I’ve definitely been bitten by the bug. It’s easily my favourite way to travel. Only problem is, I end up feeling pretty flat when I come home.

It can be hard to shake me out of my funk, but if anything was going to do it it would be the advance stream of Tailored for Now – Eleven R&B Super Jams, CDB’s latest album waiting for me in my inbox when I returned home. Speaking of conspicuous absences.

Like so many Australian teenage girls of the ’90s, CDB were a significant part of my coming of age. I remember queuing to get their autographs one day at Sound World in Newcastle. So many things date that sentence. Does anyone do instore signings any more? And why have so many of the independent music stores closed? At any rate, I loved CDB as well as so much of the R&B music of the time. So to have the original members of this iconic Australian boy band back together paying tribute to that period in music, it’s the dream album I never knew I wanted. But does it deliver?

In a word, yes. If you loved the original songs, the music of CDB, or like me, both, you’re going to eat this up. Opening with “If I Ever Fall In Love,” Shai’s breakthrough a capella hit, is such a smart move. It makes the strong statement that CDB is back, sounding just as tight as ever. Without any music you can really appreciate just how insanely good the vocals are.

From there the party gets started, with floor fillers like “She’s Got That Vibe” and “Every Little Step.” There are softer moments too with hits like “End of the Road” and an a capella version of “All My Life” which in my opinion outshines the original. The final cut “90s Chill Medley,” featuring a little Tevin Campbell, Janet Jackson, Hi-Five, and Soul For Real, is a master stroke.

Under the wrong hands this album could so easily sound dated. But instead it feels fresh and so funky, a fitting tribute to the ’90s with slick production that makes it feel current. And CDB has lost nothing over the years. Their voices mesh as if they never went away. These guys could give any modern boy band a real run for their money.

Tailored for Now – Eleven R&B Super Jams drops on April 28. I hear word the lads intend to play some reunion shows to celebrate the album’s release, so I’ll let you know when those dates are locked in!

Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Ocean” – Xander Holmes

He hasn’t even graduated from high school yet, but already Brisbane teen Xander Holmes is creating the kind of songs that musicians many years his senior would be proud of. His debut EP Ocean is an epic release made up of five tracks set to excite fans of artists like Matt Corby and Jeff Buckley.

Opening song and title track “Ocean” is an anthemic song that builds to a stirring crescendo. “My Will” and “Islands” are two of the strongest songs on the recording, in my opinion, with Xander’s dreamy vocals showing they’re up to the task, whether they’re contrasting with the urgent wailings of an electric guitar or keeping time with a driving drum beat. “Tidal” is an exquisite, atmospheric instrumental. A real master stroke. The closing track “Let There Be Light” is perhaps the EP’s most accessible song, a romantic piano ballad that really speaks to the heart. It’s much more stripped back than the other songs, yet for a track that speaks of love the way this one does I think the gentler touch works.

I love Xander’s voice and the way he’s built such beautiful soundscapes that complement it perfectly. Ocean is an accomplished EP that gives listeners a glimpse at a potential superstar of the future. It’s available now on a range of digital channels including iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify.