Courtney Barnett Wins Me Over with “Depreston”

It’s taken a long time for me to “get” Courtney Barnett. I’d see her kicking goals in the U.S. and people raving about her here, but couldn’t quiet see what they saw. I appreciated her quirky songwriting and musicality, but I was missing the emotional connection I need to get really invested. However, I found it with her new single “Depreston,” an ode to a bargain-priced estate sale home and the memories it holds in Preston, Victoria.

“Depreston” is the follow up to “Pedestrian At Best,” and both tracks are lifted from her long-awaited debut album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, which hits stores tomorrow. Courtney’s playing SXSW, but she’ll be back on home soil to promote the album with a national tour in May. Teeth & Tongue will support Courtney at the following shows.

24 April 2015 – Wrestpoint, Hobart
1 May 2015 – The Gov, Adelaide
2 May 2015 – The Bakery, Perth
8 May 2015 – The Metro, Sydney
9 May 2015 – The HiFi, Brisbane
15 & 16 May 2015 – The Forum, Melbourne

The Money Go Round Release Winning Clip for “Velvet Sky (Reprise)”

Bondi band The Money Go Round have just released the video for the new single “Velvet Sky (Reprise),” and it’s an early contender for best video of the year. Its magical animation thoroughly charmed me. I’ll never look at the little men on signs quite the same way again!

This song is well overdue, as the band haven’t released anything since 2013. Releasing a claymation video which took more than a year to complete might have something to do with it, but that’s not the whole story. They also had a string of lineup changes in the last couple of years, so it’s great to see them back on track.

Prog Rock Royalty Becomes Three Tonne Deep

Local progressive rock act Three Tonne Deep are making a splash with their debut single “Time.” Perhaps that’s not surprising though, as the band are something of a supergroup: Forbes McKail (Rook, The Khyber Belt), Clint Vincent (Dead Letter Circus, Melodyssey), Scott Davey (ex-Dead Letter Circus, Mr Hyde) and Govinda Doyle (ARIA Award winning producer).

The song’s as epic as you’d expect from musicians of this pedigree. I love the way it blends Eastern influences with those delay-soaked guitar melodies. The empassioned vocals are also some of the best you’ll hear. If you’re a drummer, you can play along at home, as the band’s made the drum chart available for free download.

Are you excited to hear more from these talented prog rockers?

Isaiah B Brunt Brings Back Real Blues

With a name like Isaiah B Brunt, it’s not surprising that the Sydneysider is making blues the way it was supposed to be. He’s got this mellow Delta groove in his music that hearkens back to the greats. When he set about recording his debut album Just the Way That it Goes, he knew New Orleans was the only place to be. I haven’t been lucky enough to hear any of the album tracks, but his cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Hear My Train A Comin’” is pretty magical.

The album drops on March 26, when he’s launch it at Spring Street Social in Bondi Junction. The album launch is set to be a pretty special night with Isiah performing some acoustic songs along with tracks with a full band. Be there or be square!

We Do This Do It Well

Indie pop act We Do This hail from Adelaide, but they’re a pretty international affair. Daniel Colagrossi is a local, but his John De Michele hails from the United States and J. Tortabu’s from Venezuela.

While such diverse influences you might expect the band to have a bit of a world music flavour, but their brand of indie pop reminds me a whole lot of The Cure.

The new single “I’m Not Going Anywhere” gives us our first taste of the band’s forthcoming EP Fault Lines, which gets an Australian and American release in May.

Jerrico Say Thanks to Fans with New Album & Single

Melbourne rockers Jericco are preparing to release their brand new album Machine Made the Animal on March 13, thanks to their loyal fans. Supporters donated a massive $10,500 through Pozible to help fund the album’s release. Jerrico are offering a free download of their new single “Animal” via Soundcloud and Triple J Unearthed to thank them for their generosity.

No doubt those same fans will turn out in their droves when Jerrico kick off their national tour next month.

26 April 2015 – The Rosemount Hotel, Perth
14 May 2015 – Rad Bar, Wollongong
15 May 2015 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
16 May 2015 – The Bald Faced Stag, Sydney
23 May 2015 – Enigma Bar, Adelaide
29 May 2015 – Crowbar, Brisbane
5 Jun 2015 – The Prince Bandroom, Melbourne

Monarchy on my Radar with “Dancing in the Corner”

I had high hopes for Monarchy when I spotted the Wordsworth quote at the start of their music video for new single “Dancing in the Corner.” Thankfully this song lives up that very early promise.

Apparently Monarchy released their debut album way back in 2011 but they somehow slipped under my radar. Perhaps that’s because these Aussie expats were focusing their promotional efforts in the international market instead of here in Oz. Over the last five years they’ve headlined shows in the US, UK, Spain, Germany, France, and Russia and played massive festivals like Coachella, The Big Chill, and Melt.

Better late than never though, right? “Dancing in the Corner” comes from Monarchy’s brand new album ABNOCTO, which hits stores on March 13.

NUYON Channels 90s Vibes with “Your City”

I’m enjoying a lot of the new hip hop coming out, but there’s a bit part of me that longs for the good old days. So I’m really excited by NYUON, who’s brand new but with skills that 2Pac, Public Enemy, or Naughty by Nature would be proud of. Even the film clip for his single “Your City” feels like it stepped out of the 90s.

NUYON is a proud Melbourne resident who was born to Sudanese parents in an Ethiopian refugee camp. His family moved to Australia to escape the civil war, and our country has helped him nurture his gift.

“Just a few months ago I was in the crowd at the ‘Yeezus’ concert daydreaming about one day being the headline of my own events and now it’s actually happening,” he said recently. “Maybe I’m still daydreaming? I’m simply blessed to have all these opportunities pop up.”

“Your City” will come from NUYON’s album, which should hit stores later this year.

Amber Lawrence Spreads the Love

I know plenty of people who take umbrage with the whole concept of Valentine’s Day. We should express our love all year round they insist. So it’s for these people that I decided to hold off posting Amber Lawrence’s new video for “I Will Love You.” She released it to time with Valentine’s Day, but it might have just been a little too sugary for that Hallmark holiday. Why not show it to someone you love today to remind them that it’s not just February 14 that gets you sentimental?