Category: Film Clips

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pete Murray Strikes Gold With “If We Never Dance Again”

Pete Murray burst onto the music scene with the release of his debut album Feeler in 2003 and has earned acclaim from devoted fans and critics alike since that time. Except for this one. I’ve got to admit, I’ve just never warmed to his music. I’ve certainly been exposed to it; his tracks dominate radio and he’s supported my favourite singer Rob Thomas on a couple of tours. But I’ve always found his music a little pedestrian, until now. I was prepared to yawn through his latest single “If We Never Dance Again” too, but I’ve got to admit, I like it. A lot.

Pete wrote the track in Los Angeles in May 2019 with songwriter and producer Morgan Dorr.

“Morgan had the first line of the chorus written when I got to his place, which was, “If you never see my face again” and the three chords that played over this. We worked on the song all day and I even cancelled another session that I had booked in just so I could finish this song as it felt like this had so much potential,” he explained.

When Pete returned to Australia, they continued refining the track across continents to produce what you hear today. I’m so glad they stuck at it, because I honestly believe this is the best thing he’s ever done. It’s got real heart, and I love the piano instrumentation.

“If We Never Dance Again” comes from Pete’s forthcoming release, The Night EP. Will it contain more Pete Murray tracks that I actually enjoy? We’ll find out when it drops on March 5. Fans should hear some of the new material when Pete plays the following shows.

13 February 2021 – By the C @ Glenelg Beach, Glenelg
6 March 2021 – By the C @ Don Lucas Reserve, Cronulla
14 March 2021 – By the C @ Catani Gardens, St Kilda
20 March 2021 – Crowd Surf @ Sandstone Point Hotel, Sandstone Point
27 March 2021 – By the C @ City Beach Reserve, Perth

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jessie Monk Offers Tantalising Taste of New EP With “Lonesome Winter Blues” Release

Jessie Monk has bowled me over with her gorgeous new single “Lonesome Winter Blues.” This delicate folk ditty has such an elegant ease about it. Her voice is effortlessly angelic, the perfect foil for those gentle guitar licks. She reminds me a lot of Joni Mitchell with her poetic lyrics and pure voice, which seems to slide so easily from low notes to the higher register. Trust me, that’s a very good thing.

Jessie comes from GunaiKurnai Land and writes songs inspired by the people she meets and the stories she hears. Now based in Berlin, her forthcoming EP Here, Now shares those stories. Listen out for it when it drops on February 26.

Image used with permission from the A&R Department

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Smith Street Band Goes Semi-Acoustic For COVID-Safe Shows

The last year has taught us all to pivot as we’ve attempted to thrive in this new normal. If you’ve had told me 12 months ago that The Smith Street Band were planning semi-acoustic seated shows I’d have laughed, and yet here we are. And funnily enough, it all makes perfect sense.

As soon as Victorian restrictions were eased, the band set about rehearsing and rewriting many of their songs to suit a more mellow, COVID-safe environment. The band will take these reworked tracks to fans across Victoria and New South Wales in the coming months.

The shows coincide with an album of those reworked tracks, Unplugged in Wombat State Forest. The first single, “It’s OK” isn’t too dramatic a departure from the original, but I expect we’ll hear a few left turns when the album drops on March 5. If you love what you see, you can also stream a video featuring all the songs here. And remember to get on to those The Smith Street Band Unplugged shows. With limited capacity in all venues and some shows already sold out, the remaining tickets won’t last long.

26 February 2021 – Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo
27 February 2021 – Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool
4 March 2021 – The Forum, Melbourne
5 March 2021 – The Forum, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
6 March 2021 – The Forum, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
12 March 2021 – The Enmore, Sydney
17 April 2021 – Yours + Owls Festival, Wollongong

Image used with permission from Little Giant Agency; credit: Ian Laidlaw

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Boleyn Releases Provocative Single, “Violence”

Sydney pop act Boleyn smoulders with his latest single “Violence.” It’s got such a cool, soulful sound and lyrics that confront and make you think about how we get what we want out of relationships.

Boleyn explained the song came about after a frank conversation with a friend. “’If he loves me, why won’t he hurt me?’ A friend was complaining her partner wasn’t being aggressive enough in the bedroom and that seed buried itself in my mind. ‘Violence’ is fundamentally about consent. How do we communicate our sexual needs? What boundaries do we set? How is that expressed? What anxieties do we harbor about communicating our true desires? ‘Violence’ is about letting go everything except your needs and communicating those with honesty – you want bruises? You want it to hurt? To leave a mark? Cool, I’m game – you just need to ask,” he explained.

If you love “Violence,” there’s more where that came from. Boleyn has spent the pandemic working on new material with Xavier Dunn (Peking Duk, Jack River, CXLOE) and Guy Stacey (GVY), so he’s got a stack of new material waiting to be unleashed. I for one can’t wait.

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Full Steam Ahead for Pierce Brothers With New Single, Album & Tour

So many of us approached 2021 with a sense of optimism. The year might be looking like the same old shit, but I’m not ready to surrender just yet. So I’m seeking out music that puts a smile on my face, even as the world goes to hell in a handbasket. The latest track to get my toes tapping is “It’s Alright” from Pierce Brothers.

If any band will convince you it’s all going to be OK, it’s these guys. The song’s inception reminds us of the kind of world we’ll get back to. Jack Pierce penned the chorus in 2018, while he was trekking through the mountains of Switzerland. It sat in a drawer until brother Pat took it out recently, laid down the verses, and gave it a new bluesy feel. It’s got that upbeat, energetic folk feel that sweeps you along for the ride. If you’re into Nathaniel Rateliff or Mumford and Sons, you’ll love this.

Pierce Brothers are forging ahead and doing all the things the pandemic has made so difficult. “It’s Alright” comes from the band’s sophomore album Into the Great Unknown, which will drop on March 5. They recently cancelled NSW shows, but not to be deterred they’re forging ahead with the following dates, including a few new gigs in regional Victoria. All shows have limited COVID-safe capacity, so grab those tickets before they sell out!

16 January 2021 – Moonah Arts Collective, Rye
22 & 23 January 2021 – Volta Arts & Culture, Ballarat
30 January 2021 – The Wedge, Sale
13 February 2021 – Marlo Pub, Marlo
20 March 2021 – The Sheds, Wonthaggi
2 April 2021 – Bluesfest, Byron Bay

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Step Back in Time With Bob Evans’ “Born Yesterday”

Bob Evans has me feeling nostalgic with his latest single “Born Yesterday.” If the lyrics don’t make you want to search for your high school yearbook, that killer sax line certainly will. At a time when so many of us are feeling frustrated by the world around us, this little trip down memory lane is the perfect sonic solution.

“I was backstage at a Jebediah gig when an old housemate from Perth messaged me with a link to our old sharehouse we lived in that was for sale. We couldn’t believe it when looking through the photos of the house that it hadn’t changed at all since we lived there in the late 90s. What followed was a slew of messaging between us, as well as the other two friends I used to live with in that house. It was my first sharehouse after leaving home and the whole exchange between us and seeing the house again just brought back a lot of great memories from that time and age, my late teens and early twenties,” he explained about the song’s inspiration. “I already had the music for the song pretty much written at that stage so all I needed was the lyric to go with it. It’s a deeply nostalgic song for me, looking back at a stage of my life that feels so long ago now, but at the time it felt like it would last forever.”

The video’s Super 8 footage amps up the nostalgia. It captures life in the studio and on the road in such a candid way that you feel like you were part of the action.

Bob Evans will play a couple of shows in May. Catch him at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre on the 19th and Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on the 20th.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Fall in Love With Little Quirks’ “Someone to Hold”

Central Coast trio Little Quirks continue their winning streak with their gorgeous new single “Someone to Hold.” It sucks you in with its intimate sound early, ensuring you’re firmly on board once those sublime harmonies kick in. These women are the real deal.

Lead vocalist Jaymi Toole explained the song “was loosely written as a love story between a lonely person and their shadow. The idea slowly merged with the concept of self-acceptance and being comfortable enough within yourself to embrace who you really are as opposed to what people perceive you as. This song is also a little different to our usual sound. We’ve gone for a 50’s inspired style for this track to capture a sense of nostalgia, like an old-fashioned love story. However, in the end, sometimes all we need is a connection with ourselves.”

“Someone to Hold” gives us a taste of what’s in store from Little Quirks’ fourth EP. If it all sounds this good, we’re in for a real treat.

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sunflower Drops Sublime Indie-Pop Anthem, “Thin Skin”

Brisbane band Sunflower are spreading the good vibes with their latest single “Thin Skin.” This dreamy slice of indie-pop is the perfect pep-talk for the pandemic.

“Thin Skin” is about accepting that life is going to deal you difficult cards sometimes, and letting go of anything that doesn’t add value to your life is one way you can beat the darkness,” explained co-vocalist and co-songwriter Kahlia Ferguson. “You can be your own worst enemy if you let the difficulties of life tear away at you. We only get one life, might as well learn to love it.”

Amen to that! If you need more of Sunflower’s positivity in your life, catch them at the following shows:

6 February 2021 – Mountain Goat Valley Crawl, Brisbane
27 February 2021 – Solbar, Sunshine Coast (supporting Caravana Sun)
28 February 2021 – Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane (supporting Caravana Sun)
16 April 2021 – Stay Gold, Melbourne
17 April 2021 – Wrangler Studios, Melbourne (Under 18s)
23 April 2021 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
24 April 2021 – The Brightside, Brisbane

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ali Barter Drops “Twisted Up” Single Ahead of Victorian Shows

Ali Barter wrote her latest single “Twisted Up” in a simpler time. It was February 2020, and she was in Los Angeles for her first American tour, “before the world fell down,” as she put it.

“I was feeling really weird, like I wanted to run away or blow something up and this song is about that feeling,” she explained. “It’s crazy to think what happened since this song was written and how timely it was.”

American producer Harlan Silverman (duckwrth) worked with Ali on the track before the pandemic forced her to head back to Melbourne. It’s got the local touch with a video created by Melbourne production team We Made That.

“We wanted to keep the video for ‘Twisted Up’ light, fun, and energetic” explained director Bryce Padovan. “The video explores the idea of waking up after a big night and then wandering around a beach town, dazed and confused. We wanted to steer clear of conventional “big night” tropes, so instead of the usual vices, Ali wakes up in a pile of hot chips and tries to retrace her steps.”

Ali has been busy during the pandemic, releasing the lockdown anthem “4 Days” with her main squeeze Oscar Dawson and playing a 10-date Live From Inside tour of her house. She also hosted a 14-week series of open mic nights on her Instagram page and began recording new material, like this song. In the last couple of months, she’s been able to get back in front of live audiences though. People of Victoria, at this point you can catch her at the following upcoming shows. Keep an eye on the venue pages though for the latest COVID measures.

8 January 2020 – Volta Arts & Culture, Ballarat
9 January 2021 – Pelican Bar, Queenscliff
15 January 2021 – Tanswells, Beechworth
16 January 2021 – Northern Republic, Euroa
20 January 2021 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne
14 February 2021 – The Dart & Marlin Bar, Warrnambool

Image used with permission from Inertia Music; credit: Kane Hibberd

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Start Your Year Right With The Lulu Raes

I’m not one of these people who believes you can just flick a switch, or toast to a new year, and the world will magically be better. However, I do think that finding the right soundtrack can dramatically impact your mood. So in the interest of starting 2021 with good vibes, hit that play button on The Lulu Raes most recent single, “Not for the Weekend.”

This track is really the perfect summer anthem, with infectious keyboard riffs and a danceable beat. You just see if you can resist tapping your toes along.

“When this song was first being written, it was written as a middle finger to someone who had decided it was time to move on with their life. Eventually, it morphed into self-reflection, and now it’s really a peace offering to that person. Hope you’re doing well,” the band said in the presser.

If you’re in Sydney, you can catch these local legends at Waywards in Newtown on January 23.

Image used with permission from Good Intent