Category: Film Clips

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sienna Skies on the Comeback Trail With “Let it Burn”

I usually prefer my music on the mellower side of things. But every now and again something comes along that is so good that I don’t care that it rocks harder than I’m used to. “Let It Burn,” the latest track from Sienna Skies, is one of those songs.

“Let it burn, stemmed from the events that happened on the east coast of Australia during the summer of 2019/2020.” explained vocalist Thomas Pirozzi. “The appalling handling of the situation by our government, it’s like they didn’t care at all. Ignoring all the warnings of catastrophic conditions, the defunding of the State’s Rural Fire Services and National Parks. Whilst the disaster was unfolding our Prime Minister, our apparent ‘leader’, left the country for a tropical holiday, and it came to light that during this time, our state leader was flushing party money through her lover’s interests. Three billion animals killed, 400+ people killed and 2,000+ homes lost.It felt like they didn’t care at all, they just sat back and watched our country burn.”

“Let it Burn” is the band’s first release since their 2019 A Darker Shade of Truth, so it’s been a long time coming for fans. If you love the band, you’ll be happy to know they won’t leave you waiting so long for the next one. This is the first of many singles to be released in coming months. They’re also set to announce a string of shows really soon, so get excited.

Image used with permission from Capital Artist Group

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Shangrila Drop Fantastic Rock Single, “Afterlife”

Boorloo/Perth alt-rock act Shangrila have release their hard-hitting new single, “Afterlife”. It’s an epic track with stellar vocals from Devyn Jupp, thumping bass and drums, bold guitars, and powerful, personal lyrics.

“Afterlife is a track about struggling with your direction in life, feeling as though you are existing but not truly living,” Devyn explained. “The song explores apprehension towards change, and the ultimate realization that often we are standing the way of our own growth, and need to go through uncomfortable moments and hard work to realise the best version of ourselves and enjoy the rewards that life has to offer.”

Fresh from playing the Winter DRPØUT Festival in Tartanya/Adelaide and shows with American post-hardcore act Thrice, Shangrila will kick off a new tour with Young Lions tonight. Make sure you arrive early enough for their sets!

22 September 2023 – The Brightside, Meeanjin/Brisbane
23 September 2023 – Mary’s Underground, Eora/Sydney
28 September 2023 – Stay Gold, Naarm/Melbourne
29 September 2023 – Jive Bar, Tartanya/Adelaide

Image used with permission from Bigmouth PR; credit: Jess Wharehinga

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Andy Penkow Releases New Local Anthem, “Aussie Rain”

“Aussie Rain,” the latest single from 2023 Golden Guitar nominee Andy Penkow, is one of those truly great Australian songs. It’s heartfelt and honest, with lyrics that speak of local small towns and the characters in it.

“As a full-time musician, I get the amazing opportunity to travel across Australia and visit some pretty neat places”, Andy explained. “I first visited a small town in outback New South Wales called Coonabarabran a few years back and I felt an instant connection. There was something so special and unique about it. The people, the land, the history, the nighttime stars, it really moved me. ‘Aussie Rain’ is a love letter to the town, to thank them for being part of my journey as an artist, singer and songwriter”.

When Andy says he’s a full-time musician, he’s not kidding. He’d booked more than 100 shows this year and there’s more to come. Next year he plans to head overseas to play gigs abroad and release his fourth studio album. You can see Andy at one of these upcoming shows:

6 October 2023 – Romano’s Hotel, Wiradjuri Country/Wagga Wagga (with Alan Fletcher)
7 October 2023 – Dundallimal Homestead, Wiradjuri Country/Dubbo (with Alan Fletcher)
14 October 2023 – The Barn at Hibbards, Guruk/Port Macquarie (with TC Cassidy)
19 October 2023 – Metro Bakery, Berrin/Mount Gambier (with Anne Fraser)
20 October 2023 – Raidis Estate Coonawarra, Bindjali Country/Penola (with Anne Fraser)
21 October 2023 – Shotgun Willie’s, Tartanya/Adelaide
26 October 2023 – GPO Bendigo, Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung Country/Bendigo (with Alan Fletcher and Riley Catherall)
28 October 2023 – Brycee’s Tavern Café & Bar, Wurundjeri Country/Mooroolbark (with Alan Fletcher and Riley Catherall)
4 November 2023 – Sutton Forest Inn, Tharawal Country/Sutton Forest
8 December 2023 – The Ophir Hotel, Wiradjuri Country/Orange
9 December 2023 – Sutton Forest Inn, Tharawal Country/Sutton Forest
23 January 2024 – Capitol Theatre, Kamilaroi Country/Tamworth (with TC Cassidy and Donella)

Image used with permission from Red Rebel Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

PRETTY BLEAK Tackle Addiction With “do you feel the same?”

It’s a dark gloomy day in my part of the country, perfect for some new PRETTY BLEAK material. This Naarm/Melbourne emo/pop punk act delivers the right balance of happy-sad with their latest single “do you feel the same?”

“The song is about the human tendency to placate our emotions with menial pleasures, which develop into addictions or dependencies,” explained vocalist Sam Thomas. “The specific nature of the addiction is dependent on the listener’s interpretation, whether it be drugs, or laughter, or the amount of times you look in the mirror each day.”

Fresh from their debut appearance at BIGSOUND, PRETTY BLEAK will launch the single for hometown fans at The Gasometer Hotel on September 28.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co; credit: Tom Thomas

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ghost Care Release Fun New Synth-Pop Single, “Arcade”

I didn’t expect indie-pop act Ghost Care to get turned on by classic rockers Creedence Clearwater Revival, but inspiration often comes in the most unlikely of places. Their latest single “Arcade” is more synth-driven pop than swamp rock, but Ghost Care found themselves inspired by the lyrical content of the classic band.

“The original idea was named ‘Dance’ on our voice memos, but when we dove into the lyrics we found that the name ‘Arcade’ fit the theme of love and a relationship being likened to a game. Inspired by a Creedence Clearwater Revival song, I loved the idea of not wanting to be on the bench and that if you want to win you have to feel like everyone is giving their all and that you are working as a team,” explained the band’s vocalist and guitarist, Beau Torrance. “We were playing this song originally as a guitar heavy driven song and it felt like it could stay there or we could take it somewhere we haven’t really been before. When we got to the studio, our producer Dave Parkin had the exact same mindset and it was then decided we should take it into the synth world.”

The music video, directed by fellow Western Australian Stephanie Senior, sees Beau and fellow vocalist Tanaya Harper duking it out in a video game arcade.

“We love this video clip so much! We knew we wanted fun whilst not being too funny, and Steph totally nailed the vibe,” Tanaya said. “We really had this idea of making a video that had this funky, neon atmosphere. Steph really took it to another level for us and we feel like we chose the perfect person for capturing the song’s energy!”

After recently touring in support of Spacey Jane, Ghost Care are packing up their tour bus and playing shows that kick off in their hometown tomorrow night. Catch them where you can:

8 September 2023 – Badlands, Boorloo/Perth
21 September 2023 – Workers Club, Naarm/Melbourne
22 September 2023 – Black Bear Lodge, Meeanjin/Brisbane
23 September 2023 – Waywards, Eora/Sydney

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Aref Rashidan

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

GANGgajang Support Yes Campaign With “Speak To Me”

Much has been made of John Farnham lending his smash hit “You’re the Voice” to the Yes campaign for the Voice referendum. And quite rightly so. John is an icon and his endorsement might just be enough to encourage some uncertain members of the community to vote yes. But he’s not the only local artist who’s getting behind the Yes campaign. GANGgajang have also offered their support, rerecording their ‘90s hit “Hundreds of Languages” with William Barton and Jack Thompson as a new single, “Speak to Me”.

GANGgajang were pioneers in the Australian music scene, campaigning for the rights of the First Nations community long before the term “woke” even existed. The process of creating this song stretches back to conversations they had with members of First Nations communities back in 1989. Now, they say, is the time for everyone to listen to what those communities are saying. They note that in 2012, before he passed, their friend Uncle Jimmy Little wrote to every politician in the Federal government asking them to listen to Indigenous people on matters that impact them. Now more than a decade later, they say they “stand with Uncle Jimmy and say Yes to the Voice.”

Image source: PeterTea @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Vermont Rock Out With “Regretting Me”

Naarm/Melbourne emo-rock act Vermont has really impressed me with their latest single “Regretting Me.” Its vocals and lyrics hit hard, but it’s got a catchy melodic core that makes it an accessible and addictive listen.

The single comes with a cool, quirky collage-inspired video clip directed by “good bloke” Andrew Vaughan. Vermont have supported the likes of Clay J Gladstone, Reside, Sleep Talk, and more. With awesome songs like this in their repertoire, expect more headlining gigs in the near future. Follow their socials to learn about them as soon as they’re announced.

Image used with permission from Bigmouth PR; credit: Justin Wiraldi

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Laurie Cave Releases Heartfelt New Single, “Perfect Lover”

British-born, Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Laurie Cave has wowed me with his latest single “Perfect Lover.” Written shortly after his relationship with his fiancé ended, this is a powerful snapshot of the grief so many of us feel when we’ve lost someone who has a massive piece of our hearts.

“This song was incredibly hard to write … I wrote it shortly after my relationship with my fiancé ended which was the hardest thing I have ever done as she is the most beautiful and wonderful woman I have ever met,” Laurie shared. “I wrote this song on an acoustic guitar in my bathroom, where the acoustics amplify and reverberate my voice and guitar, and I felt safe to bare my soul.”

From these humble beginnings, Laurie worked with producer James Seymour to transform the song into the indie rock-folk powerhouse it is today.

“James helped me to realise this song exactly as I imagined, from the slow and tender start building to the climatic and epic release of raw energy that are the constant waves of realisation of a beautiful partnership now ended,” Laurie explained. “There is a sound reminiscent of a hospital life support machine that was inspired by Bon Iver’s ‘Hey Ma’ which is symbolic of the incredibly painful decision to turn off the machine. Bon Iver’s influence is also omnipresent in the song, they were a seminal band for me and continue to be to this day.”

With the release of “Perfect Lover,” Laurie is now focused on bringing his live music to stages around the country. Follow his socials for news of his upcoming gigs as they’re announced.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.; credit: Rick Clifford

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

DULCIE Drops Fabulous New Single, “Off By Heart”

DULCIE are back with another irresistible indie-pop banger, “Off By Heart.” It’s incredibly catchy, with sweet harmonies and empowering lyrics about moving on from the wrong relationship.

“There’s a fine line between giving someone another chance and finally calling it quits. ‘Off By Heart’ is about learning to stop ignoring the red flags and to put yourself first above all the excuses and false promises.” DULCIE said. “Ash (Carr-White) wrote the song around the phrase ‘Off By Heart’ with the intention of creating something emotive and relatable. It started out as a soft, slow piano ballad that eventually evolved into much more of a pop anthem! We tried recording it a few different ways but could never get it quite right; it wasn’t until our producer Konstantin Kersting messaged us, ‘I had a dream last night – and we need to completely redo the drum timing and tempo’ that we found the synth-infused, beat-driven direction we wanted to take. The contrast between the lyrics and production gives the song a feeling of empowerment and strength.”

DULCIE haven’t long wrapped up an East Coast tour, but they’re itching to get back on the road again with some choice supporting slots and festival gigs. Here are all the places you can see them play in the coming months.

4 October 2023 – Albany Entertainment Centre, Kinjarling/Albany (supporting Boy and Bear)
5 October 2023 – The River, Wooditup/Margaret River (supporting Boy and Bear)
6 October 2023 – The River, Wooditup/Margaret River (supporting Boy and Bear)
8 October 2023 – Out of the Woods Festival @ Esplanade Park, Walyalup/Fremantle
21 October 2023 – Red Hill Auditorium, Whadjuk Noongar Country/Red Hill (supporting Ocean Alley)
25 November 2023 – Spilt Milk @ Exhibition Park, Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country/Canberra
26 November 2023 – Spilt Milk @ Gold Coast Sports Precinct, Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast
2 December 2023 – Spilt Milk @ Victoria Park, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Ballarat
3 December 2023 – Spilt Milk @ Claremont Showgrounds, Boorloo/Perth

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Stephanie Senior

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Hit the Volume on lovemedo’s “Dancing on the LINE!”

I’ve just heard lovemedo’s latest single “Dancing on the LINE!” and I can’t stop smiling. The Eora/Sydney artist calls the song a “sonic tantrum,” but listening is much more fun than hearing the histrionics of any petulant child.

“It embodies that nauseating feeling of falling yet feels uplifting too,” lovemedo admitted. “The imagery of ‘the line’ being reality and the idea of me dancing on it was amusing to me. At the time I was hurt, confused and embarrassed about a particular situation so this song became a way of shrugging my shoulders, throwing my hands in the air and asking some loaded rhetorical questions, not because I wanted the answers but to make fun of what they may be.”

This is just the start of the lovemedo story. This is the first lovemedo single released through Sony Music Australia, and the musical project made its live debut just a few weeks ago. But already it shows such promise. You can bet I’ll be listening out for more material.