I’m rocking out this morning to “Charis (Dream),” the powerful new single from Western Australia’s own Devon Street. Asher and London Milne, the brothers who lead the band, wrote this hard-hitting song in tribute to their cousin who sadly lost his battle with addiction.
“It’s always easier to offer advice from the outside. The real dream was for him to heal and become the person he truly wanted to be. While things didn’t turn out that way,” they explained. “’Charis (Dream)’ tells his story – and honours his struggle.”
Devon City recently signed a deal with Tone City Records, known for their work with DICE and Dear Sunday, and they’re current recording their sophomore EP. There’s also a national tour, including their first shows on the East Coast, in the works, so expect to hear a lot more from these guys in the coming months. Until then, local fans can catch them supporting Mitch Santiago and Nana’s Pie at the Indian Ocean Hotel on September 27.
I’m not always a fan of country music. Yet I’m all about “Rusty Nail,” which Yuin/South Coast singer-songwriter Felicity Dowd says is her “countriest” release yet. I think the reason it speaks so strongly to me is because it comes from such an authentic place. Felicity didn’t overthink this one. The organic way it kind of spilled out of her while she sat in a campground before a festival helps it feel so natural, no matter what genre it leans into.
“I cut my foot on a rusty nail was the first line I wrote,” Felicity said. “It was completely random – I was just sitting around before a festival and having a bit of fun writing. Then I realised it actually hinted at something I’d been going through in my life. It started as this random idea, and then the rest of the song just came from there. It was almost reminiscent of Pony or Dolly Parton – that old country vibe. And when I started playing it, I had so much fun. I thought, let’s lean into it. Let’s get some fiddle. Let’s get some mandolin.”
This is also one of the first recordings Felicity’s done without backing vocals. It gives it an extra layer of grit and immediacy that I’m really into. It might be a bit of a left turn for Felicity, but I hope to hear her playing more in this space.
Image used with permission from Bec Gracie Publicity
I’ve been following Bumpy’s beautiful music for nearly three years, so it’s amazing to me that she hasn’t yet released a debut album. Rest assured though, it’s on its way. Before she does, she’s offering us a taste of her latest music with the gorgeous new single “Cosy Comfy.” As its name suggests, this one wraps around you like a warm blanket and encourages you to take a little “me” time.
“The pressure on creatives is ever growing – stretching platforms and content. Sometimes the wheel is running so fast you don’t know how to get off it,” Bumpy acknowledged. “This song is a reminder that things can be slow. You can choose to change your pace at any point. And sometimes all ya gotta do is rug up in your favourite sweater and sit outside with a cuppa.”
“Cosy Comfy” comes from Bumpy’s debut album Kanana, a Noongar phrase meaning “land where the sun sets,” which drops on October 3. It’s available to pre-order now. Bumpy will bring her music to the following events over the next couple of months.
It’s been too long since I’ve posted some angsty female-fronted rock music. Teenage Joans always deliver that energy, and their latest single “My Heart’s Dead!” is right up there with their best. Crank this one up and sing it at the top of your lungs!
“We basically posed the question – what if Kesha made a song with Blink 182?” Teenage Joans said. “We really wanted to write a song where there are three main vocal hooks that repeat throughout the whole song and layer over each other at the end for a huge singalong that people can easily pick up at our live shows.”
Speaking of live shows, there’s a stack to come with Teenage Joans supporting Slowly Slowly all around the country before headlining their own tour. It all kicks off tonight, so be there or live with some serious regrets!
Meeanjin/Brisbane band The Comfort have rocked my proverbial socks off with their latest single “Stay.” It’s an epic number, full of angst and longing as the band confronts the collapse of society as we know it.
“There’s something strange about witnessing the destruction of a corrupt society, and not exactly being happy about it, but all the while knowing that you’re doing your part to try and save it,” The Comfort said. “We spend our lives desperately trying to be better humans and making decisions with the earth and society in mind. It hurts to watch people burn it down for monetary gain. The only consolation we can take from that is knowing we’re ready to rebuild it from the ground up.”
“Stay” comes from The Comfort’s forthcoming album Let the Love In, which they’ll release on October 3. Fresh from supporting Chasing Ghosts in June, The Comfort will play Converge Festival, alongside Sienna Skies, Young Lions, and Bad Love, this September. Tickets are on sale now:
I wrote this post a week ago, as rain bucketed down in Darkinjung Country/the Central Coast. But I queued it up to post as I arrive in Japan. As I trade their summer for the last dregs of our winter, it seemed like the right time to share “Paradise,” the summery new single from Salt Tree. If you’re not lucky enough to have a trip on horizon, close your eyes and I swear this track will get you there for a few minutes.
“The song is about imagining a life you could build with someone in a new place,” the band said. “It’s about choosing to stay, to commit, and to create something real together. ‘Paradise’ is wherever you choose it to be, wherever you feel accepted, loved, have purpose, and feel at home.”
“Paradise” comes from Salt Tree’s new EP Adrift, which drops on October 24.
“Adrift is a collection of songs about the moments in life when you feel unanchored; between places, between relationships, between versions of yourself,” Salt Tree explained. “Each track explores a different kind of drifting – from the lows of mental struggle to the excitement of new love, from the sadness of letting go to the hope of being a better person. It’s about learning to trust that even when you’re unmoored, you’re still moving toward something real.”
Salt Tree are currently touring Europe, but they’ll be back here to celebrate the release of Adrift before you know it. Here are all the places you can catch their folky goodness in the coming months.
Jessica Mauboy’s latest song “While I Got Time” has been all over TV lately soundtracking ads for Irene’s sad departure from Home & Away. Now we’ve all wiped away our tears, it’s time to stop and appreciate this incredible song.
I’ve always enjoyed Jess’ upbeat dance pop numbers, but I appreciate that she’s releasing more heartfelt ballads these days. Written with her longtime collaborator PJ Harding, “While I Got Time” is a stripped-back number that sees Jess really baring her soul.
“’While I Got Time’ really came from a place of reflection and release,” she said. “PJ and I wrote it during a moment where I was thinking about what I want to leave behind, and what I want to lean into while I’m still here. It’s about letting go of the past with grace, honouring where I’ve been, and stepping into the unknown with open arms.”
It’s only fitting that such a personal song is the first release from Jess’s own label, Jamally. She created her label so she could take more ownership of her creative process and start recording, releasing, and marketing music on her own terms.
“This is the start of a new chapter for me – not just as a singer or performer, but as a storyteller and businesswoman too,” Jess explained. “After launching my beauty brand Desert Rose, creating Jamally felt like a natural evolution. It lets me work with people I trust and chase what lights me up.”
If it means more fabulous music like this is on its way, I’m really looking forward to hearing what this new chapter in Jess’s musical evolution brings.
Image used with permission from Blue Music Services
After writing songs with Guy Sebastian and for The Voice winner Lachie Gill, Ned Houston is stepping behind the mic with his debut single. The singer-songwriter from Ngambri/Canberra wrote “Self Defence” in Nashville with Melissa Fuller, who’s written songs for everyone from Trisha Yearwood to Grace Potter, and Grammy-winning lyricist David Hodges, who’s known for his work with Ed Sheeran, Evanescence, and Christina Perri.
Melissa was pregnant at the time, and Ned said her “calm, maternal energy” helped him open up and process his feelings about the relationship he left behind six months prior. “Self Defence” was the result of that vulnerable songwriting session.
“The song came from a very real moment in my life — a betrayal I didn’t fully process until much later. I’d found out, through a friend, that my partner had been with someone else while I was overseas working,” he recalled. “When I confronted her, she tried to cover it up using a family member’s mental health crisis as an excuse. I ended things immediately – no arguments, no closure – just silence. At the time, I thought I was okay. But months later in Nashville, the grief of that relationship hit me unexpectedly, and hard. ‘Self Defence’ is about that delayed processing of a relationship that ended suddenly without any closure. It explores the blurred line between protecting yourself and leaving something unresolved.”
With a dream team of songwriters, the track was always going to feel more polished than your average debut. But couple those lyrics with Ned’s vulnerable vocals and you’ve got a recipe for success. Hopefully this marks a new chapter as a solo artist, because he’s clearly got the goods.
I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy listening to new material from John Butler. His latest single “King of California” celebrates his 25-year partnership with his wife, muse, and regular collaborator Mama Kin. If you love love, I know you’ll fall for this one as hard as me.
“My partner and I have been on a pretty big ride together, constantly evolving and working out what it means to be life partners,” he said. “With every new phase of living comes a new season of self-reflection and reassessment. We’re here to ground and uplift each other, never to minimise or restrict.”
“King of California” comes from John’s new studio album PRISM, which drops on September 5. You can preorder the vinyl, CD, or merch bundles now. He’ll play shows all around the country, across the ditch, and in the UK and Europe to support its release. Tickets are selling fast though, so get on it!
Naarm/Melbourne chanteuse Kee’ahn casts a spell with their latest neo-soul single “Heavy.” While you’re settling into the groove, don’t miss the lyrics which speak of the importance of connection in the healing process.
“It’s a reminder that our heaviest moments are meant to be shared,” Kee’ahn said. “That we need each other. It’s about the power of community, holding on and letting ourselves be held. A message we all need right now.”
Kee’ahn looked to their community to bring this one to life. It features guitar and bass from OjiAji, keys from Yusuf Harare Jnr, flute from Kasinda Faase, and drums from Kawel Che. This soundscape is all tied together neatly with production from Pataphysics. “Heavy” also comes with a film clip shot and edited by Sapphic Flicks in Kee’ahn’s hometown of Gurambilbarra and Thul Garrie Waja/Townsville after a period of intense flooding.
“All three of us stayed in the house I grew up in and filmed in the backyard with my mum, aunties, cousins, nan, and niece assisting and featuring in the piece,” Kee’ahn explained. “I wanted the visuals to honour women, family, and country. That we must hold each other just as country and water hold us.”
I can hear Kee’ahn’s influences like Lauryn Hill and Janelle Monae coming through, but they reinterpret the neo-soul genre in such an exciting, Australian way. I love this song and can’t wait to hear more from Kee’ahn.
