With every single release, Victorian singer-songwriter MAXON has been building a reputation as one of the most solid female voices on the scene. Now that her debut album Talking With Strangers is out in the world, there’s no doubt that she’s the real deal.
As someone with eclectic music taste, I appreciate the diversity of Talking With Strangers. MAXON delights in exploring different sounds. It all seems so effortless for her to move from raucously upbeat numbers like “18” and “Yabada” to heartbreaking ballads like “Best Shot” and the stunning closer, “Circles.” Often she plays in an Americana/country/folk space, but she isn’t afraid to throw us curveballs, like the synth-heavy retro pop-inspired “Tangerine Dream.”
While Talking With Strangers takes plenty of musical left turns, the album never gives listeners whiplash. It’s anchored so beautifully by MAXON’s voice. It’s rich, warm, comforting, authentic, steady. You know you’re in safe hands listening to her, so you’re open to wherever these songs take you. And then there’s MAXON’s exceptional songwriting skills. She’s a natural, writing songs that speak to the heart of her experiences as a woman and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Together, they do an exceptional job of introducing MAXON to music lovers.
For a long time, I’ve said if you’ve never lived in Mulubinba/Newcastle, you don’t really understand how special the place is. It’s one of those cities that never leaves your heart, no matter how far you move away. Once a Novocastrian, always a Novocastrian. But now with the release of Steel Town, I think Morgan Evans might have given the country the scoop. His third album is a beautiful love letter to the place he still calls home and the feelings associated with it.
As someone born and raised in Newy, I was thrilled to hear the references to Burton Road, The Cambridge Hotel, and the rowdy home ground crowd (if you’ve ever been to a Knights game, you know) in the title track. It’s the perfect opener, rooting this album in a place that means so much to Morgan and many of his loyal fans. But he understands that many of the people who listen to his music don’t know Newy, and so other songs tap into the essence of the city without being so specific. If you’ve ever frequented local watering holes like The Del or The Lucky, you understand the culture that drinking songs like “Beer Back Home” and “Another Drink Coming” bring to life. But these songs could just as easily be written about pubs across Australia, bars across America, and beyond. “Land I Love” is a more general tribute to Australia, one which takes us from the white sand and crashing waves of the coast to the “red dirt tracks” of the Outback.
Then there are the stunning love songs celebrating the feeling of home that you get when you’re with the right one. “Two Broken Hearts,” a duet with American singer-songwriter and new love interest Laci Kaye Booth, talks about mending the pain with the right person. Her home state gets a nod in “She Talks About Texas.” The closer, “Settle It Down” perfectly brings together those ideas of love and home.
Listening to Steel Town, it seems like this is the album Morgan Evans was always meant to make. It’s a loving tribute to the things that matter most to him, although it’s accessible enough to touch the hearts of fans far beyond his hometown. As a Novocastrian, I’m very proud of this one, but I hope the rest of the world gets behind it too.
Steel Town is out now. Morgan will play Meatstock this month before kicking off his Aussie tour in May.
Most of us fondly remember the first act that we loved independently of our parents. We discovered them on our own and they spoke to us as individuals, meeting us as the people we were becoming, not the children still tied to the adults who raised us. They’re there for us at a time we needed them to forge our own identities. If we’re very lucky, they’re still there for us in the years that follow. For me that band was the Counting Crows. As a 13-year-old, I enjoyed singing along to “Mr. Jones” but I felt truly seen by “Round Here.” Yes, I was an angsty little thing! I got a copy of August and Everything After in my Santa sack and had it on repeat until Recovering the Satellites dropped in 1996. With the release of Hard Candy I was a little older and finally able to start seeing Counting Crows in concert. I developed a new respect for their artistry with every subsequent show, marvelling at the way frontman Adam Duritz could play with melodies and lyrics to make the songs I knew well feel fresh. That experimentation wasn’t to everyone’s taste, but I was here for it.
It was a case of first-world problems when I missed the last tour due to a holiday in Western Australia. So I was thrilled when Counting Crows announced they’d be a part of the ill-fated Bluesfest lineup for 2026. I counted my blessings when mercifully they weren’t a casualty of the collapsed festival. Before one of my favourites, I finally saw Kingswood. I say finally, because the Naarm/Melbourne act has been around for nearly 20 years, yet for some reason our paths had never crossed. Their blend of country, rock, and blues was the perfect foil for Counting Crows. Every member of the band has serious musical chops. I loved hearing the members harmonise and Fergus Linacre and Alex Laska trading off lead vocals. They had so much energy. It was the perfect entrée for the evening’s entertainment.
From the first notes of new track “Spaceman in Tulsa,” there was a different energy about this Counting Crows gig. It sounded so true to the album, a celebration of this new chapter. I thought perhaps Adam was sticking to the script just because this was a new song, but as the band moved into older numbers like “Hard Candy” and their breakthrough hit “Mr. Jones,” Adam stayed faithful to those recordings, even encouraging us to sing along as he held the mic aloft. We were all sharing a moment here, and it was glorious. Of course, Adam can never resist a little experimentation, but I think this show had a perfect balance between those sing-along moments and more creative sections.
The set was inspired. Counting Crows is a band with relatively few big hits. While they’re happy to tick them off for casual radio listeners, they’ve got time to deliver plenty of those favourites that more hardcore fans just don’t expect. The set is always changing, dependent on the vibe of the band and the audience. I was thrilled to hear so much from the fabulous 2025 album Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets! Then there were songs I’ve long held close to my heart like “Angels of the Silences,” “Goodnight Elisabeth,” and the stunning closer “Holiday in Spain.” You expect a band to fill your cup with a song that you already adore. It’s more surprising when they can floor you with a song you’ve ignored. “Washington Square” has never hit me before, but I felt it last night.
Counting Crows are such a good band. Five original members are still waving the flag, bringing a sense of camaraderie which is so special to witness. Adam is a force of nature, a little less angsty than he used to be but no less passionate. I got a little thrill every time Charlie Gillingham stepped out from behind the keys and picked up the piano accordion. David “Immy” Immerglück can seemingly play any instrument, but his turns on mandolin were highlights. I had so many moments though where I just marvelled at the sound as I bopped along in my seat.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Adam so humble, so grateful, as I did last night. He’s always been a man of few words, preferring to let the music speak for him. But he took a moment to pause and thank us for the support through all the years that has allowed him to continue making music. It was heartfelt, an acknowledgement of the magic we all felt in that room. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all my Counting Crows shows, but I have no hesitation in saying last night was the best of the bunch. Like a fine wine, they just seem to get better. Tickets to the rest of the Aussie The Complete Sweets! shows are rare, but if you can get yourself to a show I promise you won’t regret it.
The album opens with “A Habit of Dreaming,” a gentle soundscape of slide guitars, piano tones tells you to buckle up and settle in. “Something in the Winter” arrives like a hurricane. It’s country with a healthy dose of rock, anchored by Chloe’s incredible voice which can seemingly do anything. Her low tones are beautiful, but when she opens up on the chorus she really soars.
As the album continued, I became even more enamoured with Chloe’s voice. While “Pushing Punishment” had given me a taste of Chloe’s vocal capabilities, I didn’t know it had the bluesy tones she employs on “Why?” or the edge she exhibits in “Going Down the Drain.” I wasn’t prepared for the way she left herself so exposed in the haunting “Missed Mistakes.” She’s got such a strong solo voice, the beautiful harmonies of “a bad day in februrary” and the gorgeous duet, “Weight of It All,” featuring Jesse O’Neill, also caught me by surprise. The chemistry sizzling through this unforgettable closer makes it one of the album’s highlights.
While Chloe’s voice compelled me, it’s her songwriting talents that really held my interest. As I became more acquainted with the songs I marvelled at her knack for sharing her own heart while creating songs that resonated so strongly with me.
“My goal with this project is not only for neurodivergent people but is for anyone who has ever felt different,” Chloe said. “The record’s whole point is to remind people that it’s everyone’s first time being alive, as well as everyone’s last time being alive. How it’s just so much more worthwhile and meaningful to be kind, grateful, present, not get so caught up in things that don’t serve you, work, life stress, things you can’t control or the past. It’s about leading your own life, dreaming your own dreams and bringing them to life. I have always had a very supportive network around me and I understand not everyone has that privilege or ease in life and that sometimes it’s more complex than that, but this album really serves as a place for people to come to when they just need to feel a little more loved, believed in, confident, capable, strong, fearless and totally inspired to lead their own lives.”
I Have a Habit of Dreaming is out now. Chloe will mark its release with a string of shows kicking off in her hometown this April.
With the release of his debut EP i’ve been looking for you my whole life, Eora/Sydney-based singer-songwriter jnr. establishes himself as one of the freshest names in indie pop. His tunes are ultra catchy with sweet vocals and romantic sentiments that will have listeners swooning. But pay attention and you’ll soon discover that this local talent has a unique point of view that sets his music apart.
Like so many great pop records, i’ve been looking for you my whole life was inspired by a girl. But as he wrote music in France, his partner’s birthplace, jnr. found himself contemplating much more than their relationship.
“When I got there, I started to think a lot more about my relationship to my own culture and the reasons I didn’t want to face my own identity,” he admitted. “Writing my first body of work, which could be some people’s first introduction to me, in a place so foreign to me felt quite ironic. These songs became love songs for both her and my inner child who’s still figuring out where he belongs.”
i’ve been looking for you my whole life is full of bops. The beats are sure to get you grooving and the choruses are made for singing along. Every one delivers a dopamine hit, but understanding the depth of emotions behind them makes for a much richer experience. Up-tempo numbers like the outstanding singles “I guess it’s fine.” and “as you are” dominate, but jnr. shows he can shine in gentler moments too with the poignant closer, “everything.” jnr. strips back his sound here to deliver his final declaration of love. If you weren’t already taking notice, this will be the track that forces you to pay attention.
i’ve been looking for you my whole life is a fantastic pop EP, a collection of irresistible songs that provide powerful commentary on romantic love and self-acceptance. jnr. will showcase this music for hometown fans tonight when he officially launches the EP at Buddy’s Bar. The music kicks off at 7:30 pm with support acts GRXCE and Zhuli.
Bully Hay lays his heart bare with his sophomore album Anywhere But Here. At its core this is a break-up album, but describing it as such doesn’t quite convey all that makes this collection of songs one of the best you’ll hear this year.
After all, albums based around themes of love and loss are a dime a dozen. But few have the grittiness and soul of Bully Hay’s latest release. His voice soars on the opening rock anthems “Lovers Get High” and “If You Can’t Forgive Me, Forgive Yourself” before drawing you in with a heartbreaking acoustic rendition of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” This song has seeped into the public consciousness since its feature in Stranger Things, but I promise you’ve never heard it quite like this. While I’ve appreciated versions from Placebo and Meg Myers, this has become the definitive cover for me. It’s one of three “acoustic versions” on this album, but these aren’t the only songs stripped back. Songs like “Trinkets and Coal” and the haunting closer “Here it Comes Again” are also gentle folk numbers that showcase Bully Hay’s impressive vocals and unfiltered lyrics. These quieter moments provide the perfect counterpoints to cathartic rock songs like “Another Lost Soldier” and “Talk Me Off the Edge.”
Anywhere But Here goes beyond the standard break-up album because it doesn’t wallow in that post-relationship limbo. Its powerful songs instead deal with moving forward any way you can, the struggle that comes from putting one foot in front of the other when the ground has collapsed from underneath you. It’s about surviving the fallout, resilience, and the human spirit.
Anywhere But Here is out now. Bully Hay will mark the release with the following Tasmanian shows:
I still rate a 2009 Whitlams concert with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, so when the band announced a run of dates with local orchestras I snapped up a couple of tickets, hoping to recapture the experience. Of course, concerts are like snowflakes, and one can never replicate another, but Saturday’s show with the Sydney Philharmonic Orchestra certainly had a magic that scratched the itch.
The Whitlams’ rich back catalogue keeps me coming back. It also ensures a symphony show makes so much sense. The set list leaned more towards their introspective numbers which might get lost at a rowdy pub gig. How incredible to hear all Charlie songs in order. How special to hear an extended version of “Out the Back,” complete with a five-minute orchestral interlude arranged by the late, great Peter Sculthorpe. How brilliant to hear the way strings elevated lesser-known tracks like “Fondness Makes the Heart Grow Absent” and “The Ease of the Midnight Visit.”
Not that this show totally sidestepped the hits. I’m sure Tim and his mates know they have an obligation to play “No Aphrodisiac” and “Blow Up the Pokies” at every show until the end of time. They always hit, but I took greater joy in the singles that I didn’t expect. “Thank You,” “Gough,” and “Sounds Like Louis Burdett” turned the Civic Theatre into party central. Just when we thought we couldn’t smile any wider, Tim said he’d try to play one that he hadn’t played this tour. It took a few notes to settle into the groove, but once he was there, “I Make Hamburgers” was just a joy.
I’ve seen Tim Freedman play countless times over the years, with The Whitlams, The Black Stump Band, solo, and the very best shows are always those where he can vibe with exceptionally talented musicians and an attentive audience. His joy jamming with other talents is palpable, and it takes familiar songs to another gear. His appreciation for fans who love what they do is evident, and he gives to them so selflessly. If you get a chance to see The Whitlams on their symphony run, do not hesitate. Tickets are on sale now via the links for the remaining shows.
I’ve championed Sidney’s music for years, so I made sure to write a review of her brand new EP what if it ends? before I left for my overseas trip. New on all your favourite streaming platforms today, it’s a poignant exploration of love and loss with the title question at its core.
The single “sliding doors” opens the EP with its jubilant chorus and upbeat indie-pop feel. While it was inspired by the fictional romance movie, as you move from this track to the songs that follow, you realise Sidney’s drawing from her own experiences in this collection. They’re so real, so raw, that anyone who’s ever loved and lost hard will relate. “Long haul” is another fantastic single, but it hits a little bit harder with its lyrics exploring the reluctance to let an established relationship slip through the fingers.
We’re getting deeper, in preparation for “golden boy.” This beautiful, bittersweet ballad kills me. I rarely recount lyrics, but the lines “Can we just make out until it’s over? Can we just keep on holding our breath? ‘cause that way we’re both distracted and we won’t see how this ends” have my heart. We stay in the quiet a little longer with “the difference.” Its dreamy, melancholy feel reminds me so much of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You.” If your heart wasn’t already split open, the deep yearning of “anything” might get you there. Sidney’s vocals, which seem to move effortlessly from breathy falsetto to powerhouse full voice, have never sounded better. Sidney brings the energy back up with the EP’s title track. Feeling a little like a bookend for “sliding doors,” it really is the perfect closer with a feel-good vibe that softens the blow of those sucker-punch lyrics.
Emotionally honest, beautifully real, and always compelling, what if it ends? is out now.
Image used with permission from Nettwerk Music Group
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, I don’t need to tell you how good ixaras is. I’ve been following her career since before she dropped her stellar debut EP full lover fake friends. I loved her early material, but I’m thrilled to see how she’s evolving with every release. She recently released her sophomore EP WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN’T which serves as a timely reminder of the superb rock music she’s making.
I’ve already written about four of the six tracks, so there’s not a lot I haven’t already said. You know these tracks are solid, brimming with all the energy and angst that you hope to hear from an artist still in their teens. I can also report that the two “new to me” songs are every bit as good as the tracks previously released. There are no fillers. In fact, the defiant closer “CAUGHT UP” has become a new favourite.
ixaras’s music is just so relatable. I might be more than twice her age, but I get it. I feel this music down to my bones. Perhaps that’s because ixaras has such a strong sense of self. She certainly has more figured out than I did at her age!
“I know who I am, and who I am not. Even if you know what’s real nobody can fully know what is and what isn’t. This body of work is a release of my fears, insecurities, lessons and truth that I had to learn while navigating these past couple years,” she explained. “I had to kill part of myself to make this EP because not only was I deeply scared to be ambitious, but living in Australia there is a secret shame for wanting to succeed. This music is not only a mantra for those who want to have control of their own life, but it’s me letting go of the past and shedding old skin to make space for what I have planned for the future.”
Whether you’re already a fan like me or you’re new to ixaras’s music, take a listen to WHAT IS AND WHAT ISN’T. This fantastic EP is on all your favourite streaming platforms right now. And if you like what you hear, make sure you get along to one of her January shows.
Meeanjin/Brisbane-based sibling trio Favourite Kid have won me over with the wit and wisdom of their debut album 2 Cents Journal. As the album’s name implies, this outfit’s songs deliver honest and unfiltered points of view. In the wrong hands some of these songs could come across as preachy, but Favourite Kid has a warm, gentle touch and humour that made me lap up their insights.
Sonically, 2 Cents Journal refuses to sit neatly into any genre box. Favourite Kid’s sound is built on a solid foundation of pop, country, and folk-rock, but I hear a little reggae in there too. Whatever genre they’re playing in, they have a knack for crafting irresistible melodies that elevate their relatable lyrics and balance some heavy themes. The breezy ukelele of “Uncomfy” and the brutally honest words of “I Fucked Up” really put a smile on my face. Ordinarily I’d be irked at the repetition of “Feel Like Shit,” (albeit reworked as “Feel Like Shite” with a guest rap from The Lyrical), but it’s such a gem I would have hit play again anyway.
Lead vocalist and songwriter Ethan said he wrote these songs to make sense of the world around him. “While we can’t control everything in life, it’s important to take time to notice how we’re feeling. Writing these songs has helped me through some difficult times with my own mental health, and I hope they can influence others’ minds to rest a little easier. This album is all about my neurodiverse experiences of learning to deal with anxiety in a world where it can seem like you always have to feel amazing and compare yourself to others.”
2 Cents Journal shows its heart openly, lifting listeners up and giving them food for thought. The more I listen, the more I find lyrics that resonate with me. It’s sweet without being saccharine, a joy from start to finish. It’s available now on all your favourite streaming services.
