Brothers Stefan and Daniel Fedele and cousin Mathew Fedele have spent most of their lives making music together. They had an average age of just 11 when they burst onto the Adelaide scene as Forbidden Envy. Now they’re back with a new grown-up moniker and sound. Meet Red Morning Light.
Inspired by the likes of the Foo Fighters and Kings of Leon, the lads have just released their brand new single “Over and Confused.” It’s got a super catchy rock sound with chunky guitar riffs and killer harmonies. The track explores heavy thematic content of betrayal and regret, but there’s an optimism to its sound that lets you know better times are ahead.
Red Morning Light say they have plenty of new material ready for release in the coming months. I’ll be waiting for it.
Prepare to fall in love with Alana Wilkinson’s newest ditty “Closer.” This laidback pop-folk track is a real charmer which perfectly captures the giddiness of falling in love.
“It’s equal part terrifying and exhilarating and for me ‘Closer’ is about the sunshiny pockets of just enjoying those moments as they come,” she explained.
The music video is the perfect accompaniment, with Alana dancing her way through the streets of Melbourne like she doesn’t have a care in the world.
Festival goers take note. With an EP on the way in early 2019, Alana will roadtest some new material with just her guitar and uke for accompaniment at some of the country’s hottest events soon. Catch her at Woodford Music Festival, which runs from Boxing Day to New Year’s Day, and Nannup Music Festival from March 1 to 4.
Sydney band The Hots are giving me retro vibes with their scorching new single “Before You,” lifted from their recently released self-titled EP.
This is the kind of straight-up rock you don’t hear anymore, delivered with power and a lack of pretension. Frontwoman Foxie Kelly is a real force, a singer in the tradition of Chrissy Amphlett or Ann Wilson. She’s aided beautifully by Ronnie Simmons on guitar, a demon with an axe who’s playing with Rose Tattoo, The Screaming Jets, and Richie Ramone of The Ramones.
If you love you rock old school, you’ll love The Hots.
Image used with permission from the A&R Department
Add some soul to your mid-week with That Gold Street Sound’s new single, “Rain.” Originally conceived as a folk-country song, the Melbourne outfit have given this stunning song a great, laidback groove and emotional gravitas. That epic 15-piece choir doesn’t hurt the sound either!
“I came up with a new chord progression, but I was struggling to write lyrics for it so I thought I would go through some old lyric books and see if I could find some inspiration,” explained guitarist Jim Griffiths. “The lyrics just worked. When I put them together I was imaging how Shaanika would sing it and when we played it as a band, it felt like it had finally become what it was supposed to be. Then, when we were in the studio, we kept adding layer after layer. The Hammond – played by Sam Cope (Blue King Brown, Dynamo, Buttered Loaf) – glued the whole track together and we went crazy on the outro with the multiple percussion, guitar and horn parts, wails, backing vocals and the choir. It just kept developing musically and it ended up sounding epic and joyful.”
“Rain” comes from That Gold Street Sound’s forthcoming album Trick of the Light, due for release on February 16. If you’re in Victoria, check out their forthcoming shows.
7 December 2018 – Major Tom’s, Kyneton
16 February 2019 – Geddes Lane Ballroom, Melbourne (album launch)
I’m not sure anyone has ever written a song more patriotic than “Only in Australia,” from Kiama’s Benn Gunn. It’s crammed with references to Aussie icons, from the Ettamogah Pub to the MCG. The film clip, shot somewhere in the middle of the Outback is also perfectly on point. Just see if you’re not charmed by this dinky-di country-rock track.
Benn will launch his Only in Australia album at Culburra Bowling and Recreation Club on Australia Day. Of course.
Rather than sitting around wallowing about a toxic relationship, Gold Coast-based country singer Brooke Lambert got together with her bestie Nina Ward and wrote a song about it. Despite the dark subject matter “I Don’t Wanna Hate You” is a sunny country-pop smash reminiscent of old school Taylor Swift or Miley Cyrus.
“I Don’t Wanna Hate You” is an exciting preview of Brooke’s upcoming EP. It doesn’t drop until next year, but expect to hear a taste of the new material at her upcoming shows.
25 November 2018 – Mr Henderson, Sandgate
22 December 2018 – Rivea Italian Dining, Broadbeach
24 January 2019 – Tudor Hotel, Tamworth (with Josh Setterfield)
25t & 27 January 2019 – The Longyard, Tamworth (with Josh Setterfield)
MAXON has stolen my heart with her powerful new single “History.” It’s one of those tracks that just stops you in your tracks with the right combination of emotional lyrics and gut-wrenching vocals.
“I have done so much growing over the past two years and I think ‘History’ is simply a diary entry in a melody. This song is the first step I’ve ever taken towards bravery and self-acceptance,” MAXON reflected. “It’s long over-due and represents a major turning point in my life and I hope my career as well. I’m breaking free from a long standing history of self-doubt, inflicted upon me throughout my life, and I’m burning all those bridges behind me to focus on a productive future full of bravery and self-love. It’s extremely hard to live a full and happy life when a person you love is constantly putting you down. I’m learning to reflect those things now and accept everyone for who they are – because we don’t know what they’ve been through to get to that point. And in turn, accept myself and reward myself more for the progress I am making with my mental health.”
The clip, directed by MAXON and filmmaker Josh Mitchell-Frey, is also so special. Shot in the Australian bush, its single take provides an unflinching look at the raw emotion driving this stunning song.
MAXON will celebrate the release of “History” with a show for hometown music lovers at Melbourne’s Paris Cat Jazz on November 22.
“I’m really excited about the launch,” she confirmed. “I just feel better when I sing – doesn’t everyone? Music is the one thing that brings us all together – I have good friends Ruby Gill, NUSSY, Plazza, Eaglemont and Magnets joining me on the night, performing renditions of both songs from my catalogue and their own. It’s a two-hour show with an intermission and it’s going to be full of harmonies and empowering female pop music. I’m so excited to get stuck into rehearsals!”
If you’re in Melbourne next Thursday, make sure you check it out!
The Milkshakes are two high school friends from Bellingen living the dream. They’re based in Sydney and Berlin, but spend their time travelling around the globe seeking the best surf breaks, festival, and venues needing “a little bit of extra froth.” Somewhere in there they find time to make some music.
In keeping with their ethos of going their own way, The Milkshakes add some electro sounds to the roots genre, ensuring their sound is a little more modern than what came before. So it’s only fitting that they’ve delivered a love song for the ages with their latest single, “Love at First Swipe.” The song, which takes a light-hearted look at finding love in the time of Tinder, was produced in Sydney. The music video takes us to the streets of Berlin, but it’s making its Australian debut here on Sounds of Oz.
Hopefully it won’t be too long before we hear these digital-age romantics playing shows on home soil!
Ashley Iona wears her heart on her sleeve with her beautiful new single “Leaving.” She wrote the track about finding the courage to leave a bad relationship while living in Los Angeles.
“I wrote leaving when I knew I had to get out of a toxic relationship but the other person didn’t want it to end. I felt trapped and like I was fighting for what I wanted every day,” she recalled. “This song came out of that exhaustion and needing to find more strength. The opening lyrics, ‘Feels like I’m losing a battle’ was where I was started and by the end of the song I’ve found my feet again. Writing it helped me actually get there.”
You don’t want to trust such a personal song with just anyone, so Ashley co-produced the track herself, marking her first time in the producer’s chair.
“I’ve always hired a producer, but then felt like by the end of the process, I was negotiating for what I wanted,” she said. “I already knew how I wanted this song to sound, so I decided to ask Johnny [Romeo, her guitarist and co-producer] if he’d help me make it.”
She also worked closely with recent Sydney College of the Arts graduate Harry Klein on the clip.
“I had this image of being a dark space, so you could barely see me. The video is an intimate journey through that dark place.”
Ashley is currently studying speech pathology at the University of Sydney. If she keeps producing music of this quality, she’s not going to need that degree!
Gympie girl Emma Beau might be a new solo artist, but she delivers “Wild Heart” the first single from her forthcoming self-titled debut album with all the confidence of a seasoned professional.
She’s got no reason for nerves though. While she hasn’t played solo for very long she’s no stranger to crowds, spending the last five years as a violinist for artists like Kasey Chambers, Jon English, Sara Storer, and Shane Nicholson. It also seems plenty of people are behind her, which must do wonders for her confidence! Fans generously donated the $13,000 she needed to record this LP through a crowdfunding campaign.
“I’m so grateful to my crowdfunding team for making this album possible – they are my record label,” Emma gushed. “It’s always in the back of my mind when I make clips, music and do photoshoots … I want my fans to be part of every bit of the process and I think we’ve achieved that.”
The clip for her beautiful new single “Wild Heart” is close to her own heart, as it was shot around her hometown. The video was also directed and produced by local filmographer Jazmyn Smith.
“We shot the video in and around Gympie – the pine forests you see in the clip are exactly as I dreamt when I was writing ‘Wild Heart’ when I was in a Melbourne hotel room playing fiddle for Jon English,” she explained. “I was homesick and kept thinking about how I wanted to drive through the pines again – so here we are!”
Emma Beau’s self-titled album will be released early next year. Until then, give “Wild Heart” another listen!
