The Veronicas Crack US Top 20

The Veronicas have become the first Aussies since Kylie Minogue to have a top 20 single in the United States. “Untouched” is currently at number 17 on the American charts after selling 758, 000 units.

“Feeling the energy of ‘Untouched’ doing so well in America is a great feeling. It’s a different style of music to breakthrough on the American charts, and people are excited. Especially us!” The Veronicas said in a statement.

Kylie peaked at number 7 in 2002 with “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.” Can the Brisbane twins do better? Only time will tell, but they should definitely be congratulated on their chart success so far!

Here’s the song that did it for them live at last year’s ARIA Awards!

Happy Australia Day!

I hope that wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, you’re having a wonderful Australia Day! Personally I’m planning on indulging in a few of the things that make this country so great. We’re visiting my parents to have a barbeque, knock back a few coldies, and listen to some great Aussie music. Does it get any better than that?

Here are a few top tunes to help you all feel just a little more patriotic!

An Australia Day cannot go past without listening to “Down Under” loudly and singing along, preferably after a few beers. Time marches on but this Men at Work classic never stops being fun.

GANGajang didn’t have a lot of hits, but they really didn’t need much more than this song to cement their place in Oz music history. “Sounds of Then” is often referred to as an unofficial anthem, with good reason!

Finally I’ll slow things down a little with Icehouse’s classic “Great Southern Land.” Doesn’t it just make you proud to be an Aussie?

Cassie Davis Likes it Loud

Multi-talented Aussie Cassie Davis has been impressing all the right people, with will.i.am and Fergie amongst her biggest fans. The local singer-songwriter-producer has worked with hot producers Rodney Jerkins (Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Beyonce) and Wayne Wilkins (Natasha Bedingfield, Kylie Minogue, No Doubt), and now she’s ready to unleash her debut single.

“Like It Loud” is set to become a summer anthem. It’s irresistible girl pop with plenty of attitude. Get it in stores and online this weekend!

New Song Obsession: "Between the Lines" by Evermore

A few months ago I mentioned Evermore was offering free downloads of their new single “Between the Lines.” Now the song’s been released officially, and we can see the film clip. It’s a new darker direction for the lads, and I’m not just talking about the CSI-style lighting in the music video! But a change is as good as a holiday, and their risk taking has really paid dividends here. I love it!

Jessica Mauboy Burns Up the Charts

Jessica Mauboy’s second solo single “Burn” has proven its slow burn appeal, landing at the top spot on the ARIA singles charts this week. With the single debuting eight weeks ago, I’ll bet Jess wondered if she’d ever score that number one!

It’s been a much more meteoric rise for Natalie Bassingthwaighte, who’s rocketed into ninth position with “Someday Soon.” What an awesome effort for its first week in the charts!

AC/DC continue their dominance, outperforming all other Aussie albums with the five-times platinum Black Ice. It’s sitting at number four after thirteen weeks in the charts.

The massive Aussie soundtrack from the even bigger series Packed to the Rafters sits at number eight. Featuring acts like Ben Lee, Josh Pyke, and Gabriella Cilmi it’s little wonder people are buying this one in droves. It sounds like ideal Australia Day barbie music to me!

David Campbell rounds out the top 10 with one of my favourite albums at the moment, Good Lovin’. This is the sixties soul cover album’s highest chart position to date!

Here’s this week’s complete top ten!

Australian Top 10 Singles

  1. “Burn” – Jessica Mauboy
  2. “Poker Face” – Lady GaGa
  3. “Let It Rock” – Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne
  4. “Get Shaky” – The Ian Carey Project
  5. “Use Somebody” – Kings of Leon
  6. “You Found Me” – The Fray
  7. “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)” – Beyonce
  8. “Circus” – Britney Spears
  9. “Someday Soon” – Natalie Bassingthwaighte
  10. “Live Your Life” – T.I. feat. Rihanna

Australian Top 10 Albums

  1. Only by the Night – Kings of Leon
  2. Funhouse – P!nk
  3. Twilight – Soundtrack
  4. Black Ice – AC/DC
  5. The Fame – Lady GaGa
  6. Circus – Britney Spears
  7. Dark Horse – Nickelback
  8. Packed to the Rafters – Soundtrack
  9. I Am … Sasha Fierce – Beyonce
  10. Good Lovin’ – David Campbell

Baby Animals Still Rocking

It looks like the Baby Animals might be back together for good. After a 15 year break, the band got back together last year to record the acoustic best of, Il Grande Silenzio. Now it seems a third studio album, the first since 1993’s Shaved and Dangerous, might not be too far off.

“I think that a relevant quote for the story of my life would be ‘Time Flies’,” lead singer Suze DeMarchi said in a statement. “It’s been a year since we did our last shows and a year that proved to be really creative but also a reminder of how geography affects everything!! Dave and I have been plowing ahead with work on new songs.”

We can expect to hear the new songs when the Baby Animals hit the road in April. Here are all the dates.

5 April 2009 – The Gov, Adelaide
7 & 8 April 2009 – Prince of Wales, Melbourne
9 April 2009 – Shoppingtown Hotel, Doncaster
11 April 2009 – Chelsea Heights Hotel, Melbourne
12 April 2009 – Hallam Hotel, Melbourne
15 April 2009 – Waves, Wollongong
17 April 2009 – Revesby Workers
18 April 2009 – Doyalson RSL, Wyong
19 April 2009 – Rooty Hill RSL
21 April 2009 – The Metro, Sydney
23 April 2009 – Caloundra RSL, Sunshine Coast
24 April 2009 – Mansfield Tavern, Brisbane
25 April 2009 – Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast

To get you in the mood here’s a little “Early Warning”!

Frente Back in Action for Fringe Festival

Frente exploded onto the music scene in the early 90s with impossibly infectious tunes like “Ordinary Angels” and “Acidentally Kelly Street.” Then after just two albums, it was over.

Or so we thought. Angie Hart and Simon Austin will reunite as Frente for the Adelaide Fringe Festival next month.

If you want to enjoy a trip down memory lane make sure you head to The Garden of Earthly Delights in Rundle Park on February 20 and 21. Who knows whether this will be your last chance to bop along to these songs?

For the rest of us who can’t get to the shows, here’s the colourful clip for “Accidentally Kelly Street.”