Category: Reviews

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“December” – Reigan

I always thought Reigan Derry was one of the more interesting acts on X Factor, but I felt she got pushed into a pop diva direction. While she pulled it off, it was in her quieter performances that I was really moved. It’s wonderful to hear her in that sort of introspective mode here with her new EP, December.

This isn’t the Christmas EP that you put on if you want a big family singalong. It’s delicate and introspective. It’s for the quiet moments of reflection that often come at this time of year, as we face saying goodbye to one year and hello to the possibilities of the next.

Reigan’s taken the bare bones of Christmas carols and traditional songs of worship and reinterpreted them beautifully, giving them new names and changing a word here or there to make them more modern. Her intimate take on “Amazing Grace,” simply called “Grace” is truly stunning. “We Three Kings” becomes “Star of Wonder,” a haunting, ethereal number. I must admit, I’m not familiar with the Lutheran carol “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” but the Middle Eastern vibe of her version, called “Rejoice,” is so musically interesting and moving. “Holly,” a version of “Deck the Halls,” is December’s lightest moment. It brings the celebratory feel that most of us associate with Christmas to the EP. With her strumming her acoustic guitar and friends lending their vocals to the chorus, it feels like a family jam at Reigan’s house.

December isn’t your traditional Christmas recording, but I think that’s a good thing. There are so many Christmas recordings delivered schmaltz and sentimentality if that’s what you want. This is a recording that showcases a real artist delivering so much more than predictable Christmas covers.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Return to the Lower Fourth Dimension” – Them Sharks

We’re only a couple of weeks into summer, but I might have already found my favourite album for this season. The unique blend of reggae, punk, and hip hop showcased by Them Sharks in their new album Return to the Lower Fourth Dimension is the ideal soundtrack for steamy summer days enjoyed with a beer in hand. It grabbed me from the first high energetic track “5am Fuzz” and didn’t let go.

You might remember me writing about the single “Tsoukalos” a few weeks ago. It’s sounding just as fresh now, and remains one of the album’s standouts. I also love the positive vibe of “All I Want.” It’s another of those tracks I keep coming back to because it just feels so good.

I might be missing the point, but I couldn’t see what “Democracy Manifest” and its penis talk really add to the album. It all felt a little puerile, and sandwiched in the middle of the album it breaks up its flow. Thankfully with the next track “Danger Zone” we were back on track.

“Haleiwa” transports the listener to a beautiful beach, taking us out of our everyday and putting us in a more relaxed frame of mind. Its big chorus makes sure the song never feels sleepy though. This is reggae with bite, something Them Sharks do oh so well.

I imagine the closing track “Hive Mind” would go off in the live arena, with its frenetic drums and raucous singalong chorus. It’s certainly the most intense track of the album, and it really sends Return to the Lower Fourth Dimension out with a bang. The recording does a pretty good job of capturing its energy, but it does hint at another level of excitement.

Return to the Lower Fourth Dimension is a really funky release from Them Sharks. It’s officially released on December 18, when they’ll launch it with a show for hometown fans at Perth’s Amplifier Bar.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“The Christmas Album Deluxe Edition” – Human Nature

As a teen, I was completely besotted with Human Nature. They were my boy band of choice; I covered my wardrobe doors with their posters and spent many hours waiting at venues just so I could secure my place in the front row. But as with so many teenage love affairs, my enthusiasm for Human Nature fizzled. They’ll always have a soft spot in my heart, but I can barely remember the last CD I bought or show I saw. In fact, while their Christmas album came out in 2013, I hadn’t heard it until they rereleased it this year with a few bonus tracks.

It makes a lot of sense for Human Nature to release a Christmas album. They’ve played more carols shows than I can count and their reworkings of the seasonal classics always please the crowds. However, I wasn’t so pleased with every track on this album. Human Nature’s always been a little cheesy, and Christmas is definitely a time when you shouldn’t take yourself too seriously, but some of the songs, including their covers of “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” and “Let it Snow,” a collaboration with Delta Goodrem, felt too corny for my tastes.

But there’s no denying that these guys have some of the best voices in the business. Individually, they’re so strong, but when they harmonise it’s magic. One Direction wish they could sing like these guys can. While some of the Motown-esque arrangements feel a little stale, I absolutely loved the mash-up of “Silent Night” and “O Holy Night” and their take on Donnie Hathaway’s “This Christmas.” I also appreciated hearing them really let loose on the rocking “Run Run Rudolph.” “Amazing Grace,” with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, is truly breathtaking. The purity of “Mary’s Boy Child,” delivered completely acapella, is also really special.

Human Nature have built their recent success on recording and performing covers, and that’s because they do it so well. With such voices, it’s unsurprising that their reinterpretations are always solid. Sometimes they’re even outstanding. But I can’t help thinking that if they were still writing and recording their own original music they might have delivered a Christmas album that feels a bit more current. However, if there’s ever a time for a nostalgic sound, I suppose it’s the festive season.

The Christmas Album Deluxe Edition by Human Nature is in stores now.

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Peter Cetera @ State Theatre, Sydney – 11 December 2015

It’s a big call to name someone “the voice of a generation.” It’s the sort of thing you typically read on marketing posters, knowing it’s about selling tickets more than the truth. But if there is an artist that’s earned that mantle, I think it’s Peter Cetera. My dad, the source of almost all of my early music knowledge, didn’t own one of his albums, yet the distinctive sound of his voice is one that’s synonymous with my childhood. I was reminded of that as the Sydney Symphony Orchestra took the seated crowd at the State Theatre on Friday night through a medley of his hits before the man himself came out. Whether with Chicago or out on his own, Peter Cetera truly was a musical force in the ‘80s. He still occupies a very special place in my heart today.

When Peter stepped out, my excitement was at fever pitch, even though I didn’t know the song “Restless Heart” that he started with. It gave me a little time to calm down before he brought out the big gun, “Glory of Love.” I could scarcely believe three songs in I was going to hear that song, the song that my husband and I danced our “first dance” to at our wedding, but there it was. When your discography is as loaded as Peter Cetera’s, you don’t need to wait for an encore to play the hits. And they kept on coming, all with the expert backing of the Sydney Symphony making these special songs even richer.

It’d be remiss of me to suggest this was the perfect concert. At 71 years of age, Peter’s voice is starting to show some limitations. He can still hit the high notes he’s famous for, but he can’t sustain them as he once could. When he’s in his comfort zone, he sounds just as good as he ever did though. He also cleverly surrounds himself with talented young musicians who can now do what he once did. Whether he’s singing a duet like “After All” with his gorgeous young backup singer Tania Hancheroff or sharing vocals on a song like “Hard Habit to Break” with his guitarist Chris Rodriguez, he knows when he needs reinforcements to make the songs sound as they should.

Peter Cetera’s passion also impressed me. He’s probably sung these songs more times than he can remember, yet he seems to genuinely enjoy sharing them with an audience. He sang with such enthusiasm, truly giving us everything he had. He also took the time to share fascinating facts about the songs and himself with us. Did you know “Glory of Love” was originally written for Rocky 4? Or that he wrote “You’re the Inspiration” for Kenny Rogers, who lost a serious hit when he passed on the track? Neither did I, and as a music trivia buff I loved discovering this stuff.

With a back catalogue as rich as Peter Cetera’s, it may seem impossible to hear every song you want, but I did. Even songs that I hadn’t remembered he did, like “After All” with Cher, and “No Explanation” from Pretty Woman. As he took his final bow after two encores, I clapped until my hands were sore.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Harvey’s Bar … The Backyard Sessions” – Adam Harvey

In this PC world we live in, we don’t hear a lot of drinking songs. But Adam Harvey has bucked the trend with his brand new album Harvey’s Bar … The Backyard Sessions. This album celebrates everything that’s great about getting together with friends and family members and knocking back a few cold ones.

Original songs like “Harvey’s Backyard Bay,” “Alcoholaday,” and “Yeah I Like Beer” are real party starters. His take on “The Nips Are Getting Bigger” was a little sleepy for my tastes, but it suited the relaxed feel of this recording. It’s not all fun and games though. Moving numbers like “Misery and Gin” and “Bartender Blues,” a duet with Lyn Bowtell, remind us of the potential dangers of the bottle.

There’s a real energy about this recording, no doubt because Adam recorded it in his backyard in Bateau Bay, on the Central Coast, a world away from those big city studios. As a fellow Coastie I know how time in this part of the country affects your mind set, putting you at ease and making you feel more relaxed. Add alcohol and it’s always going to be a good time. I really enjoyed listening to Adam banter with his mates in between the recordings; it makes hearing the album feel like you’ve got an invite to an awesome party.

I’ve never been much of a country music fan, but Adam Harvey’s won me over with his rich baritone and sense of celebration here. It might not be your typical Christmas album, but I reckon Harvey’s Bar … The Backyard Sessions is the perfect soundtrack for those parties coming up.

Harvey’s Bar … The Backyard Sessions is out now. Adam will support the album’s release with the following shows.

16 & 22 January 2016 – West Tamworth Leagues Club, Tamworth
3 March 2016 – Hallam Hotel, Hallam
4 March 2016 – York on Lilydale, Mt Evelyn
5 March 2016 – The Gateway Hotel, Corio
11 March 2016 – Windsor RSL Club, Windsor
13 March 2016 – The Oaks Hotel, Albion Park
17 March 2016 – Bairnsdale RSL Club, Bairnsdale
18 March 2016 – Italian Australian Sports Club, Morwell
19 March 2016 – Terang Country Music Festival, Terang
20 March 2016 – Wonthaggi Workmen’s Club, Wonthaggi
29 April 2016 – Lizotte’s, Newcastle
30 April 2016 – Panorama Lounge, Gosford
12 May 2016 – Bathurst RSL, Bathurst
13 May 2016 – Forbes Services Memorial Club, Forbes
14 May 2016 – Dubbo RSL, Dubbo
26 May 2016 – Inverell RSM Club, Inverell
27 May 2016 – City Golf Club, Toowoomba
28 May 2016 – Kedron Wavell Services Club, Chermside
17 June 2016 – Revesby Workers Club, Revesby
18 June 2016 – Halekulani Bowling Club, Budgewoi
23 June 2016 – The Woombye Pub, Woombye
24 June 2016 – Maryborough Sports Club, Maryborough
25 June 2016 – Brothers Sports Club, Bundaberg
26 June 2016 – The Lionleigh, Rockhampton
1 July 2016 – Dalrymple Hotel, Garbutt
2 July 2016 – Mareeba RSL, Mareeba
3 July 2016 – Herbert River RSL, Herbert River
5 July 2016 – Big Red Bash, Birdsville
15 July 2016 – South West Rocks Country Club, South West Rocks
16 July 2016 – South Grafton Ex Servicemen’s Club, South Grafton

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“XIII” – Cloves

At just 19 years of age, Melbourne singer-songwriter Cloves has created one of the most impressive debut EPs I’ve heard all year. The title XIII gives nothing away, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I pressed play. However, what I received was some of the most intimate and beautiful songs I’ve heard in some time.

Cloves drew me in instantly with her heartfelt songs about love and loss, all-too fleeting romance and the heartache that lingers. The subject matter isn’t new, but in these songs she brings some freshness to familiar terrain. I love the simplicity of these songs. With just a little acoustic guitar here, the gentle strains of a piano there, Cloves’ beautiful, rich voice and poignant lyrics are at the fore. The single “Frail Love” drew me in instantly, but every song on this four-track EP is superb. It’s seem mean to single any out, because each one is just so special.

Apparently XIII was written with the aid of Lana Del Ray, regular Sia collaborator Justin Parker, and Rich Cooper, who’s worked with Tom Odell and Mumford and Sons, just to name a few. Their influences are apparent; I can hear a lot of similarities between Cloves and Lana Del Ray’s work, yet I feel the songs are a little more accessible than those of the British chanteuse.

XIII is out now. Cloves will support its release with shows supporting British songbird Soak in January.

6 January 2016 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
8 January 2016 – Newtown Social Club, Sydney

Image used with permission from Positive Feedback

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Wild Love” – Jake Bosci

Queensland pop-rock act Jake Bosci has taken me back to my teens with his new EP Wild Love.

This collection of six songs has me feeling nostalgic for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the tracks tackle themes which tap into teenage me. They speak of big loves that promise to last the test of time, heartache that rips your guts out, warring parents that just make you want to run away from it all. It’s been a long while since I’ve experienced that kind of turmoil firsthand, but you never forget it.

The sound also has me reminiscing. It reminds me of that period in the early noughties where acts like John Mayer, Gavin Degraw, Teddy Geiger, and Ryan Cabrera were just breaking through. Like these artists, Jake Bosci wears his heart on his sleeve and delivers songs with such earnest intent that even when the lyrics get a little cheesy, you believe them. By the time the closing track, the epic “Let Love Go,” rolled around I was hooked.

I do wish Wild Love was a little less produced though. Too often the production overshadows the vocals, almost as if Jake doesn’t trust in his own voice enough. I’d love to hear these songs really stripped back, even in acoustic mode, because they really are solid. The wonderful single “Heartbreak” heads in this direction, but the vocals still aren’t pure enough for my tastes.

Jake Bosci’s EP Wild Love is available on iTunes now.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sam Smith @ Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney – 4 December 2015

Like so many of the faithful fans who filed into Qantas Credit Union Arena on Friday night, it felt like this Sam Smith show had been a long time coming. He’d cancelled the last shows after he needed throat surgery, so expectations were high that when the dates finally came, they’d be something special. He did not disappoint.

I must admit, I was less enthusiastic about support act Emma Louise. I’ve heard several of her singles over the years, and they just didn’t grab me. I’m not sure what it is. Her voice is stunning, and she puts on a decent show, but I think the songs just miss the hooks I need to draw me in. Having said that though, I might have been in the minority. I’m not sure whether the general admission holders on the floor were just happy to have someone up on stage, or whether it was Emma Louise herself, but I can’t recall a lot of crowds responding so rapturously to the support act.

While I couldn’t quite get behind Emma Louise, Sam Smith had me from the get go with “Life Support.” His voice, stunning on the recordings, is every bit as strong in the flesh. But it’s his charisma that I wasn’t as aware of. He really has an energy that radiates. So often when you buy the cheap seats you lose that energy, but he captivated us all with that certain something. He’s also a really giving performer. I love an artist who wants to really share some of themselves with an audience, who tells stories about the songs and the circumstances that formed them.

With just one album, the award-winning In the Lonely Hour, under his belt, fans were treated to almost everything they wanted to hear. I must admit to feeling a twinge of disappointment that one of my personal favourites, “Good Thing,” didn’t make the set list, but it’s impossible to feel too put out when it’s the only song that wasn’t featured. A man’s got to get the red pen out somewhere, and I appreciated that he rewarded the dedication of the really serious fans with the Disclosure track “Together” and a track from the pre-album EP of the same name, “Nirvana.”

Sam Smith is a proper soul singer, so it felt so right to see him busting out a few covers, like the excellent medley of Amy Winehouse’s “Tears Dry on Their Own,” dedicated to the late soul singer, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and “Le Freak.” “Not in That Way” provided a natural segue for a little “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” and taking “Money on My Mind” into CeCe Peniston’s “Finally” was the perfect way to close the first act of the show. The encore of “Latch,” “Make it to Me,” and finally the breakthrough hit “Stay With Me” had everyone in raptures. Those covers weren’t just a way of padding out a set. They helped balance it, adding some brightness that helped even out the darkness of the album tracks and more closely reflected Sam’s current mood.

I couldn’t help but think of George Michael as I watched Sam Smith perform, looking so dapper in his suit, charming the audience, and singing like a dream. Singers of that ilk don’t come along every day, and I feel very lucky to have seen him now, before he’s selling out stadiums. With talent like his, that time isn’t too far off.

Image source: own photo

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Eager Hearts” – Hollywood Heartache

It might come as a surprise considering that I run a music blog, but I believe music doesn’t need to be taken too seriously. Of course I love music that gets you in the gut and really moves you to the core. But I can also appreciate music that just feels good to listen to. It might be dismissed as lightweight and overly commercial by other music blogs, but I think there’s certainly a place for music that’s nothing but fun. So while an overly critical music blogger might scoff at the pop-rock stuff Hollywood Heartache has put together for their debut EP Eager Hearts, I can get on board.

With song titles like “High School Sweetheart” and the single “Summer Romance,” you kind of know what you’re getting here. The songs are aimed squarely at a tween to teen audience, predominantly female, who’ll happily sing along to all those “woah ho hos” and “yeah yeahs.” They plumb familiar ground of falling in love and getting your heart broken. These aren’t the kind of songs that are going to change the world. But they’re bound to worm themselves into the hearts of the listening public who can hear their own stories in the tracks.

I think what I love most about Hollywood Heartache is the truth that comes through what they do. On the surface the music they’re making might not seem too dissimilar from what One Direction have been doing, and what the Jonas Brothers did before them, and what countless other groups of cute young things did before that. But this Gold Coast four-piece have written these songs, played their own instruments, and laid it all down in a home studio. Engineering, mixing, and mastering; again it was all them. This is a band not put together and moulded by a corporate music giant, but just a group of guys creating music for the love of it.

Hollywood Heartache might just look back at Eager Hearts and cringe at its sentimentality, but I think it perfectly captures a moment in time that even older cynics can remember. It’s not earth-shattering music, but it shows the bare bones of a band that have the talent to evolve into true musical forces.

Eager Hearts is out now. Hollywood Heartache is supporting its release with the following all ages shows.

12 December 2015 – The Lab, Brisbane
19 December 2015 – Wrangler Studios, Melbourne
20 December 2015 – The Bluebee Room, Adelaide
22 December 2015 – The Bald Faced Stagg, Sydney

Image used with permission from AAA Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Cats @ Capitol Theatre, Sydney – 21 November 2015

Years before I saw my first rock concert, I got my first taste of live music at the theatre with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash hit musical Cats. Decades later I was thrilled to experience it all again.
Although I must admit I had my reservations. Or my reservation: Delta Goodrem. I’m such a fan of the Australian singer, and I think she’s a wonderful singer. But on paper she seemed woefully miscast as the aging, once beautiful cat Grizabella.

I forgot about those misgivings as the orchestra and colorful lights filled the theatre. As the cats leapt about the stage in the opening number, I was taken back to my youth. However, sadly my wonder with the musical didn’t last too long.

We all have a favourite cat, and for me it’s Rum Tum Tugger. However, where in the 80s he was a super cool rockstar of a cat, in the new production he’s a braided rapping thug wearing gold chains and bad pants. Rather than oozing the charisma I associated with the character, he seemed like he was trying hard to impress. I guess the creators of the new production tried to update things for a modern audience, but they missed the mark completely for me and my family.

While I’m griping, I didn’t feel there was the same attention to detail as there was in the earlier production. Back then, I felt the characters really were catlike in their movements and expressions. However, in the new production it was all too easy to remember these actors were simply posing as cats. I’d assume my advanced years were to blame for this perception – everything is more wondrous through the eyes of a child after all – but my mum felt the same way.

Despite my misgivings, Delta was one of the real highlights of our afternoon at Cats. I expected her to sing well, but I didn’t expect her performance to resonate with me on such an emotional level. I was choked up by her performance of “Memory,” and a few members of my family actually shed a few tears. For a person making their theatrical debut to move an audience so well is to be commended.

Gus the Theatre Cat also moved me, and Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat was so much fun. Mr Mistoffelees, another childhood favourite, had even more magic than he did back in the 80s. The special effects really took this part of the show to the next level, and his dancing rose to match it. But again, I really could have done without Rum Tum Tugger rapping over the song towards the end.

Perhaps it’s unfair to compare a modern production with one I saw back in the 80s, when everything about the theatre was so new and wondrous to me. However, those comparisons are unavoidable. I didn’t love this new version of Cats as I did the one I saw all the years ago, but I was moved by it and I left the theatre with a big smile on my face. That got even wider when I heard my seven-year-old niece talk so excitedly about it, her first theatre production. Really, you can’t ask for more than that.