Category: Video

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rachel Costanzo Gets Pop Ballad Right with “Miles Away”

When my husband and I were dating, I lived here in Australia and he was in Philadelphia. For a little over two years it was all about too-short visits, phone calls lasting for hours, even longer instant message conversations, and stilted webcam chats. Oh how I wish we had the high-speed broadband and quality webcams we do today. He’s been here for nearly ten years now, but every now and again I hear a song that takes me back to that time we had apart. “Miles Away,” by Melbourne songstress Rachel Costanzo is one of those songs.

I think even if I hadn’t been in a long-distance relationship, I’d still love this song. It’s been a really long time since I’ve heard such a quality pop ballad. It seems like most modern pop singers want to trill all over songs, showing off their vocal acrobatics rather than really honing in on a lyric. There’s a purity to what Rachel does that I really warm to.

If you feel the same way, and you live in Melbourne, make sure you head out to support Rachel when she launches “Miles Away” at Soho Southbank on Friday, August 7.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kickstart Your Career with Melbourne Music Bank

Are you a Victorian musician looking for your big break? Then you might want to consider applying for the Melbourne Music Bank.

An initiative of the Bank of Melbourne, the competition will give one talented local muso some recording time at Sing Sing studios, a film clip, album artwork, printed CDs, and the chance to get their song on a Bank of Melbourne TV ad. The prize also includes access to a dedicated team of Victoria’s finest music industry professionals.

“Being involved in the Melbourne Music Bank 2014 was an extremely valuable experience for me as an artist,” said last year’s winner, Heloise. “I received some incredible prizes and tools that have made networking, promoting and growing my fan base much easier, tools that I otherwise wouldn’t have had access to. I have met some incredible people who have been an excellent support base and offered precious guidance and knowledge, something that is invaluable in a tough industry.”

To enter, just submit an original song on the Melbourne Music Bank webpage before August 23. Good luck!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Bronwyn Rose Wows Me with “Moonlight”

I love it when a voice is so powerful that it cuts through everything else. I’m one of those people that doesn’t equate power with big belting notes or vocal gymnastics. For me, a powerful voice is simply one that commands your attention. I found just that listening to “Moonlight,” the latest release from Melbourne songbird Bronwyn Rose.

This song has an ethereal, almost creepy quality that gave me goosebumps. Her voice is mesmerising, so pure and haunting. I love the way it intermingles with the rich soundscape Bronwyn and her musicians have created.

“Moonlight” comes from Bronwyn Rose’s debut EP Alive which is available through her Bandcamp page.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gurrumul Gives Praise with “Jesu” From The Gospel Album

I don’t know what it is about the music of Gurrumul, but listening to him just makes me feel at peace. I don’t need to know what he’s singing about, because I can feel it on an emotional level. Checking out the film clip for “Jesu,” the lead single from Gurrumul’s third studio album The Gospel Album, is just what I needed on this Friday afternoon.

The clip for this song of praise was recorded on location at Brighton’s Trinity Uniting Church and Galiwinku on Elcho Island. It’s the ideal companion for this mellow gospel tune.

The Gospel Album sees Gurrumul delivering his take on the spiritual songs the Christian missionaries brought to Arnhem Land. It’s in stores on July 31, just a couple of days after Gurrumul kicks off the album tour.

29 July 2015 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
2 August 2015 – QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane
5 August 2015 – Festival Theatre @ Adelaide Festival Centre, Adelaide
8 August 2015 – Supersense Festival, Melbourne
10 August 2015 – Canberra Theatre, Canberra
12 August 2015 – Perth Concert Hall, Perth

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Coin Banks Releases Cute Clip for “Cursive”

The hip hop genre really isn’t known for its love songs, but Coin Banks bucks the trend with his cool new single “Cursive.”

The Perth emcee lays down some fierce rhymes here, and featured vocals from New York City’s Apani B Fly give the track the right amount of sweetness. I also love the film clip, set in Apani B Fly’s hometown. Has there ever been a cuter couple than these kids?

“Cursive” comes from Coin Banks’ Tails EP. He’ll be releasing a full-length album soon, so keep your ears out for that.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Paper Kites Debut Big New Sound with “Electric Indigo”

The Paper Kites have really impressed me with every one of their singles, so it surprises me to realise I’ve never actually written about them here. The release of their new single “Electric Indigo” and their upcoming Aussie tour is the perfect time to change all that.

There’s such a surety about everything this Melbourne quintet releases, and that makes their music feel comfortable from the first listen. This song is instantly accessible but complex, with lush instrumentation and gorgeous vocals. “Electric Indigo” sounds a bit bigger than their previous releases, but it ticks all the boxes for me.

It’s the first track lifted from The Paper Kites’ forthcoming album twelvefour, which hits stores on August 28. Following that, the band will hit the road and play the following shows all around the country. Don’t wait until then to get your tickets. I predict they’re going to sell quickly.

15 October 2015 – The Gov, Adelaide (ALL AGES)
16 October 2015 – Amplifier, Perth
17 October 2015 – Settlers Tavern, Margaret River
22 October 2015 – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine (ALL AGES)
23 October 2015 – 170 Russell, Melbourne
24 October 2015 – The Workers Club, Geelong
29 October 2015 – Solbar, Maroochydore
30 October 2015 – The Soundlounge, Gold Coast
31 October 2015 – Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane
5 November 2015 – Lizotte’s, Lambton (ALL AGES)
6 November 2015 – The Metro, Sydney (ALL AGES)
7 November 2015 – ANU Bar, Canberra
8 November 2015 – Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul (ALL AGES)

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Acfields Sing of Love Rekindled in “The Years”

My love affair with brother-sister duo The Acfields continues with the release of their powerful new song “The Years.” It tells the real-life story of an elderly divorced coupled reunited again after suffering from dementia.

“Once we tell the story live, people tend to fall in love with the message of the song,” explained Hannah, who herself was told the story by a grandchild of one of the song’s subjects.

As the tale goes, the husband and wife married, had children, then separated forty years later. As fate would have it, as dementia took hold they ended up at the same nursing home. Despite losing his memory, the ex-husband really did ask the nurse “Who’s the pretty one?” when he clamped eyes on his ex-wife for the first time in years. The song doesn’t go into the particulars, but apparently the pair was often spotted holding hands and fumbling at each others clothes as they rekindled their romance without the baggage of conscious memories.

The brother and sister act decided to make the song a focus after discovering that the song connected with audiences all over the nation, while touring to promote their self-titled full-length album last year. who was originally told about this true story by her friend, a grandchild of the song’s subjects.

The Acfields will celebrate the release of “The Years” with an East Coast tour, kicking off in Brisbane this week.

23 July 2015 – The Milk Factory, Brisbane
24 July 2015 – House Concert, Lismore
25 July 2015 – Mandala Organic Arts, Mermaid Beach
26 July 2015 – Bohemian Bungalow, Eumundi
31 July 2015 – Pizza Paradiso, Byron Bay
1 August 2015 – Thirty Three on Hickory, Dorrigo
2 August 2015 – Flow Bar, Old Bar
5 August 2015 – Lizotte’s, Lambton
7 August 2015 – Humph Hall, Allambie Heights
8 August 2015 – House Concert, Terara

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Immigrant Union Tour “Anyway” Album

Get ready to start tapping your toes to Immigrant Union’s new single “War is Peace,” the latest cut from the critically acclaimed album Anyway.

The song’s a great modern twist on an old-fashioned hoe down tune, and the film clip is a brilliant a satire on home shopping networks.

Immigrant Union have earned high praise for their live shows, so make sure you see what the fuss is all about when they head out on their Anyway album tour next month.

7 August 2015 – The Grace Emily, Adelaide
8 August 2015 – The Loft, Warrnambool
13 August 2015 – Transit Bar, Canberra
14 August 2015 – The Lass, Newcastle
15 August 2015 – Gallery Bar @ Oxford Arts Factory, Sydney
16 August 2015 – The Junkyard, Maitland
27 August 2015 – Lefty’s Music Hall, Brisbane
28 August 2015 – The Great Northern Hotel, Byron Bay
29 August 2015 –Solbar, Maroochydore
4 September 2015 – David Bowie Late Nights @ ACMI, Melbourne
5 September 2015 – The Grand Poobah, Hobart

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Queensland’s Red Deer Fest Back

After a one-year hiatus, Red Deer Fest is back in Queensland, bigger and brighter than ever. This year’s event will see Frenzal Rhomb, Andy Bull, Salmonella Dub Soundsystem, Ayla, Hey Geronimo, and heaps more taking over the natural amphitheatre beneath the D’Aguilar range in the Samford Valley.

This is a festival that loves being different. Tickets are strictly limited to create an intimate atmosphere, there are food and market stalls, and camping is encouraged. If you do have your heart set on a night under the stars, be warned though. Organisers have reduced the number of camping tickets available to ensure this beautiful site stays at its best.

Red Deer Fest hits Mt Sampson on October 3. Tickets are available now from the festival website.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get Addicted to Nussy’s “My Heroin”

Melbourne synth-pop act Nussy has reunited with her favourite collaborators Michael Paynter and Michael Delorenzis for her brand new single “My Heroin.”

The drug reference is sure to raise a few eyebrows, but I love the way her sugary sweet vocals juxtapose with the dark subject matter. It really helps it stand out from so much mainstream pop.

“My Heroin is about being involved in a toxic relationship,” explained Nussy. “It’s like an addiction where something else within you takes over and you can’t make logical decisions – hence the reference to the drug heroin – that even at the very lowest of the low points, you convince yourself that the highs are worth it.”

Nussy will launch the single with a show at Melbourne’s The Shadow Electric on July 17 and one at the Gallery Bar at Sydney’s Oxford Arts Factory on August 13.