Tarntanya/Adelaide outfit The Tullamarines perfectly balance upbeat vibes with bittersweet lyrics in their latest single “Lying.” It’s got a laidback summery feel, but once you start digging into those lyrics you realise it’s really raw and introspective.
“‘Lying’ is about insecurity, imposter syndrome, self-loathing, and the effort to do better,” The Tullamarines explained. “That feeling of people leaving before we perform is a running joke, but it comes from real doubt. We struggle with confidence in our music, image-everything. So we said exactly how we felt, but wrapped it in sunny, 90s pop-inspired sounds. It’s sad-happy. Sometimes it’s easier to pretend you’re okay than to be vulnerable. We hope this song helps people feel seen and encourages real conversations.”
The Tullamarines are currently on tour with the Preatures and have plenty more new music on the way. You’ll also see them at some of the hottest upcoming festivals, so the back half of the year is shaping up to be huge for them. Here are all the places you can catch them live in the coming months.
A force on the Eora/Sydney live music scene for more than 20 years, Josh Orange have just released their fantastic new single “Believers and Dreamers (What Have We Become).” A reworked version of a track from their 2024 album Birds For the Bayou, it showcases the talents of this veteran folk-rock act. I caught up with founding member Gordon Burke to chat about the single, the creative team that brought it to life, and what comes next for Josh Orange.
You’ve just released your new single “Believers and Dreamers (What Have We Become)” today. At its heart, it’s a classic protest song. What inspired you to write it?
I once heard someone say if you can’t say it, then sing it. I loved that. The song is a protest song. It’s hard not to get angry about the state of things around us at the moment, and the feeling of helplessness at the behaviour of some very powerful entities. It’s also a very personal look inside ourselves and how much we can ignore before we stand up and do something. The world needs Believers and Dreamers more than ever right now.
What issues are getting you fired up lately?
Have you tried to book a flight recently? Living in Australia and having a lot of family and friends in Europe, I fly most years. It’s gone crazy, literally. And then when you get to Europe you have to change the Aussie Battler into Euros … heart breaking stuff LOL.
While I might joke about a first-world problem, there are a lot of things currently that are hard to watch, hard to swallow and even harder to understand. Our world is changing, but I am not quite sure if it is headed in an entirly good direction. Believers & Dreamers asks some hard questions, both of ourselves and others.
The single is actually a new studio version of “What Have We Become,” which features on your fifth album Birds for the Bayou. What made you want to re-record it?
Great question. We had thought of it as an album track at four and a half minutes long. In saying that though, we don’t write songs to fit in a particular bag. We try and get out of the way of the song as much as possible. This song opened a few live shows in support of the album and we kept getting asked about it after the shows. We decided to go back into the studio and take another look at it, and be very pointed about it. We went into Everland Studios in Sydney in April 2025 to record a single. We then had a great bit of luck getting Tim Palmer to mix the record and do some co-production. He loved it and spent a week working on the song. That was such a great experience.
What really struck me when comparing the single to the album version is the addition of the harp, which isn’t an instrument we normally associate with rock music. How did that come about?
It was one of those cases of just trying something new. A friend of ours Kaela Phillips plays harp in a Sydney orchestra, and we met at a show we were both playing. We simply asked her if she would be interested in playing some harp on a pop-rock song and she said why not. We had no idea what would come out in the studio, but Kaela is amazing, and she has such a beautiful energy, it was a pleasure to have her involved.
I noticed the single was mixed by Tim Palmer, who’s worked with industry heavyweights like Pearl Jam and U2. How did you connect with him?
Back in my youth, I was in an Australian band called Oblivia. We were signed to BMG/RCA. Tim Palmer was in Sydney and came to an Oblivia show. I met him after the show and he quite liked a song we had on the album called ‘Stupid’. To cut a long story short, Tim ended up mixing ‘Stupid”. Funny enough, the song ended up on a compilation CD released by BMG alongside U2’s “Beautiful Day.” I thought he was a talented legend when I was with Oblivia and always wanted a Tim Palmer’s creative touch on a Josh Orange song. “Believers & Dreamers” just felt like the song to get him involved in. We simply reached out with a dump of everything we had recorded and he just loved it. In fact, he said it sounded like a hit song to him, whatever that means these days.
You also reunited with Ben Worsey at Everland Studios for this one. He’s been your engineer for the last few albums. What is it about Ben that makes you want to keep working with him?
Another great question. When you have a band as experienced as Josh Orange at recording, things can happen very quickly. The red light so to speak is not always on, but Ben never misses a beat. He is sharp, fast and he hears the music, he catches things we don’t. He also has a great rapport with the band, which is so important when recording. And he is an amazing mixer. We have been in studios where there is all sorts of fancy coffee machines and fridges full of all sorts of beverages, but we didn’t go back. With Ben you are lucky if there is milk in the fridge, his head is in the music, the placements of mics, the dynamic in the room, the speed of the song … he is literally an extra member of the band when we head into Everland. And that’s the way it should be.
Obviously, everyone should be listening to Josh Orange right now. But who are you listening to at the moment?
Haha, yes of course they should. There is a playlist on our Spotify channel called JO Preshow, and we are always updating it with what we are listening to. I think it’s about 12 hours long now. There is also the vinyl in the home studio which I love to sit back and listen to. Currently that would be Steely Dan, Paolo Nutini, Thin Lizzy, and always some Thom Yorke.
Josh Orange formed way back in 2004. How do you think you’ve evolved as a band in that time?
The great thing about being in this band is that we are not here for fame or money; that ship sailed a long time ago. We simply love each other’s company. We love to write and spend many hours pulling stuff apart, throwing it in the bin, then taking it back out. Andrew Wass and myself founded the band and we are still as in love as ever with what it gives us. There is a purpose in being able to create something from thin air that has such a wonderful reward. Alex Miller joined very shortly after, and the three of us have been together for 21 years now. We are excited to be releasing a new song. We are like a bunch of brothers really, and we rarely argue at all anymore (wink, wink) LOL.
You’re launching the single at Lazybones on August 28. What can people expect from that show?
This will be an awesome show. We are so excited for this one. There has to be at least two songs from each album in the set, so it will span all five albums and 21 years of writing. We also have the amazing Primitive who is doing so well in Sydney with his hip hop sound. He is an amazing performer and I am personally hanging to see his set. We also having Kadi Paton opening for us on the night. Kadi has a voice that just floored me the first time I heard it, so we are very lucky to have her. We also love playing Lazybones as it is one of the coolest venues in Sydney, with an amazing stage and sound system. We sold it out in February this year, so we are hoping it will be a big night.
After the launch, what’s next for Josh Orange?
We dropped an album in 2024 and we are enjoying playing live at the moment. We don’t tend to make any grand plans; we are a bit laid back in that way. There is some writing happening in the background but nothing heavy at this stage. We will just roll with the punches, I think. That being said, if the musical God’s answered my prayers, I would be performing on the road.
“Believers and Dreamers (What Have We Become)” by Josh Orange is out today. Tickets are on sale now for Josh Orange’s single launch at Lazybones in Bulanaming/Marrickville on August 28.
Chuck Sics shows you don’t need a big studio or years in the business to create a fantastic song. He recorded, produced, and mixed his psychedelic-rock debut single “Redo” in his bedroom studio, but it sounds every bit as polished as a major label release.
“The song is about the aftermath of confessing love for a friend who doesn’t share those feelings, and wishing everyone could forget it happened. Wishing you could disappear, or do it over again,” Chuck said. “The shame of rejection surely drives this need to forget it ever happened, but in the song I also tried to address that the way I dealt with the rejection at that time had not been fair. So the song is also about the pitfalls of self-victimising. Wallowing in sorrow and feeling as though everyone is out to get you – you manufacture this reality to justify your attitude, when really it’s your attitude that’s the problem. It’s a pretty high school problem, and I wish I’d been mature enough to handle the situation differently.”
Chuck Sics has set the bar pretty high on his debut release, but I can’t wait to hear how he evolves as a musician.
Harrison Storm is injecting a little folky goodness into your Thursday with his gorgeous new single “Find A Way.” Penned in a quiet moment during a solo cabin retreat, it’s a celebration of self-care and comfort that so many of us need.
“This song is a conversation between myself and the anxious part of me that I have been nurturing for years. The part that doesn’t feel safe in the world,” Harrison explained. “It’s a very literal song in that sense. The place I’m singing from is the calm, peaceful, and compassionate part of me that exists within, and the version of myself I’m singing to is this part that needs a lot of care and support.”
“Find A Way” gives us our first taste of Harrison’s sophomore album, which he’ll release later this year. He’ll play a couple of shows here in Australia before heading to the United Kingdom and Europe in November. Here are all the dates you need:
Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Hassall hits all the right notes with her relatable new indie-pop single, “Overpopulator.” With intricate lyrics and unpredictably addictive melodic movements, just see if you can resist playing this one a few times in a row.
The song’s music video, filmed by Willem Kingma (Bones & Jones, The Grogans), was shot in several locations around the regional Victorian town of Kolijon Country/Colac. Hassall said the clip aims to replicate the song’s over-caffeinated vibe.
“My favourite part of the day was shooting at our friend Maggie’s house,” she added. “It was a beautiful old house with feature pieces of furniture, and each room was painted a totally different colour, which made it ideal for filming.”
“Overpopulator” comes from Hassall’s debut album Means More to Me Than It Does to You, which drops on July 3. Before that she’ll support Killing Heidi on their 25 Years of Reflector shows, so if you’ve got some tickets make sure you don’t miss her set!
James Johnston tugs at the heartstrings with his nostalgic new single, “Back in the Day.” The track, which James cowrote with Morgan Evans, celebrates a simpler time when the world felt more connected, honest, and a little less crazy.
“’Back in the Day’ was written from a raw and unfiltered place!” James said. “I’ve known Morgan since I was about 10 years old and we just started chatting about that time in our lives and how things just seemed simpler. We started writing and the song came effortlessly! Putting myself back there brought back mixed feelings. On one hand there is a real joy in going back to those simpler times, but at the same time there is a sadness in missing what felt like a happier, safer world! I feel ‘Back in the Day’ really captures both of those emotions.”
James has some exciting headlining shows and appearances at leading country music festivals coming up, so make sure you catch him anywhere you can.
If you’re struggling to get through the working week, give yourself a moment to crank up “So What!”, the latest track from Naarm/Melbourne-based emo pop-punk act Cordiform.
I don’t throw the term perfect around lightly, but this might just be the perfect pop-punk song. Its energetic intro piqued my interest, but those relatable lyrics delivered so convincingly by James Hibble assured me these guys are the real deal. Then when the intensity of those drums went up a notch to match the power of Liam Nolan’s grittier vocals in the second verse, my adoration went to another level. “So What!” is anthemic, perfect for singing along to when life gets too much.
“[So What!] was one of the first songs we started working on after we released our debut EP, Growth & Despair, in October 2023,” Liam said. “The original idea was Tim Irwin’s [drummer] really early in writing, always looking at it wondering how we would use it. It went through a lot of changes but the foundations were always linked back to the original demo. It took working with [producer Ionei] Heckenberg to really pull a chorus together that felt big enough to give the energy to the song we thought it deserved.”
Ionei also shot, directed, and edited the music video for “So What!” with Jaydon Colvin. The clip sees the band coming together with Cordi Club, their playful take on Fight Club. While it’s lighthearted, it also emphasized how even the most mundane things can become meaningful when they’re shared.
“Working with [Jayden and Ionei] was so effortless,” Liam enthused. “They really took our ideas and our lack of experience and really guided us through a massive day. They are so energetic and uptempo with their work and they really want you to walk away with the best product possible. It was something like 36c when we filmed that day and everyone was struggling under all the lights in the cramped spaces but they never showed it, even if we did.”
Cordiform are wasting no time celebrating the release of “So What!”, kicking off an epic East Coast tour supporting Chasing Ghosts tomorrow. Tickets are still available, so get on it!
Emerging Meeanjin/Brisbane indie punk act Bad Neighbour have just become the latest band to sign with new Aussie label Ninth Life Records. To celebrate, they’ve just dropped a killer new single “Snarling” which really shows their teeth.
“’Snarling’ was written after the end of a long relationship,” explained Bad Neighbour frontman Cooper Riley. “I was coming to terms with letting someone down, and how my life had changed and what the landscape of my future looked like.”
After dropping their debut album Millions last September, the release of “Snarling” marks a new chapter for Bad Neighbour. They’ll celebrate by joining The Smith Street Band on their upcoming shows all around the country, so make sure you don’t miss their sets.
Guyanese-Australian act Thorne has just released his latest single “Honey,” and I know it’s exactly the vibe you need this Saturday. Whether you’ll be hitting the town later or staging a private dance party at home, this sexy celebration of queer love will get you grooving. No matter how you identify, this fierce, feel-good anthem slaps.
“I want people to feel unstoppable when they hear ‘Honey’ — like they’ve lived through the storm and come out hotter, louder, and impossible to ignore,” Thorne said.
Zoe Robinson directed the steamy video which features, according to the press release, “towel-draped teasing, honey-drizzled ice cream, flirty snapshots in bed with a boy, and a house party buzzing with fans, food, and chosen family.” Did it get a few degrees hotter in here or is it just me?
“We were originally meant to film at my dad’s place—until he read the script and said it was too sexy. So we rented an Airbnb, shot it all in a whirlwind night and day, and honestly, it turned out better,’ Thorne said. “The whole process brought me and my friends even closer—it’s silly, it’s steamy, and it’s exactly the delicious kind of queer joy ‘Honey’ is all about.”
Merpire is giving me serious ‘90s vibes with her latest single “Leaving With You.” It’s got a cool grungy feel that reminds me a little of tracks from artists of the era like Juliana Hatfield and Liz Phair.
“‘Leaving With You’ is about those feelings you get around a crush when you have an inkling they feel the same way: the wonder if they’ll turn up to the party you’re at is both unnerving and exhilarating, you’re not sure if you’re hiding it well, nothing fills you with more energy than your crush being in your vicinity,” Merpire said. “You think about going home, you’re tired, but then they turn up and suddenly you could stay all night, living in this space where the probability between hooking up with them and not hooking up with them is equal.”
“Leaving With You” comes from Merpire’s forthcoming album Milk Pool, which drops on July 4. Click through to order your copy on vinyl. No doubt she’ll road test tracks from that release when she supports Ball Park Music at the Metro on May 31. If you’re getting along, make sure you arrive early enough for her set.
