“London,” the latest single by Dan Keyes + The New Rides, is one of those songs that sneaks up on you. I thought it was nice on the first listen, but before long I realised I’d played it three times straight. I’m pretty sure I’ll be humming its chorus for the rest of the day.
The outfit is fronted by Dan Keyes, who was born and raised in Texas but now splits his time between Australia and Los Angeles. While this is his new outfit’s first single, Dan’s every bit as experienced as his voice suggests. He began touring at just 18 when his former band Recover, a post-hardcore act, inked a deal with legendary label Fueled by Ramen. He then went on to form the dance rock project Young Love in the mid-2000s, but felt unprepared for the fame and all that came with it. And so, he left Young Love behind and headed west, which ultimately led to the birth of Dan Keyes + The New Rides.
Dan, who collaborated with local songwriter and producer Tim Metcalfe on the track, said, “We wanted it to sound classic, familiar and new all the same time. A modern, Aussie take on Americana, if you will … The song lyrics are quite intentionally vague; it’s how you interpret it. Do I sound like I come from London? No. Does Tim, who I co-wrote the song with, sound like he is? Maybe. It’s about wanting to walk, or run to someone, in the middle of the night, for no real reason other than wanting to be with them; in that moment.”
“London” isn’t just the first song from Dan Keyes + The New Rides. It’s also the first release from the newly revived Wheatley Records. First established in 1980 by the late, great Glenn Wheatley, Wheatley Records nurtured the careers of John Farnham, Real Life, Pseudo Echo, and heaps more. I for one can’t wait to see what comes next for this independent label.
The release of “When I’m Alone,” the debut single from Meeanjin/Brisbane artist Rosa Mack shows she’s a force to be reckoned with. This is one of the strongest debuts I’ve heard in some time, a soaring, soulful number that effortlessly combines blues, soul, and jazz influences into a song that’s timeless, yet fresh. You’ll feel this one while you’re marvelling at her impressive pipes.
“’When I’m Alone’ reveals the tension of journeying from the confines of a toxic relationship into the liberating freedom of aloneness. The desire for connection is juxtaposed with desperation for solitude and inner peace, having found loneliness in partnership and empowerment through new-found independence,” Rosa explained. “’When I’m Alone’ is a reclamation of one’s self, defining and celebrating the distinction between loneliness and the joy of being alone.”
Rosa Mack and her seven-piece band have already played their last show of the year, but you’ll want to follow her on the socials to see what they do next.
Eora/Sydney bedroom pop act Harley Alaska has impressed me with his latest single “Déjà Vu.” This upbeat bop is absolutely infectious, in the best possible way.
“I loved the idea of writing a song about the saying ‘right place, wrong time’ but in a really tangible way – like this house is THE house / the right place, but I can’t tell whether the time I’m here is the right one – and it’s messing with me,” Harley said. “It’s like, when the person you’re with keeps reminding you of someone from your past, what does that mean? Is that a good or bad thing?”
“Déjà Vu” came out of a fairly intense period for Harley following an ADHD diagnosis. He spent the time honing his songwriting while adjusting his sleep schedule, habits, and medications to find the right combination.
“Being told I had ADHD didn’t feel too crazy at the time, but the ways in which that knowledge has changed my life since then has been actually quite profound,” Harley explained. “All these habits and behaviours are things that have been compounded over the years of my life… Now I understand so much of my self-sabotaging was essentially the result of parts of my brain. Having that knowledge means I can allow more freedom in where a song goes and how I feel about it – to me, there is nothing standing in my way anymore.”
“Déjà Vu” and Harley’s previous single, “Lose You Too”, are both set to appear on his EP, which is due next year.
When we lost Archie Roach last July, we lost one of the country’s great talents. He might be gone, but there are plenty of new exciting projects that keep his memory alive. I’ve already told you about all the incredible songs released as part of the Singing Our Futures initiative developed by the Archie Roach Foundation. All those songs saw established First Nations artists performing with up-and-coming Indigenous acts they mentored. Mentorship was something Archie was so passionate about, so it’s only fitting that we get to hear his voice one last time duetting with Ngarrindjeri singer-songwriter Ellie Lovegrove on her beautiful debut single, “I’m Gonna Fly.”
“After sharing some time touring with Uncle Archie and listening to his stories, I had commuted back to Adelaide and written the song in a time of deep reflection,” Ellie recalled. “With just the first verse and the chorus, I wasn’t sure as to where to go next and humbly asked if Uncle Archie would be interested in hearing what I had and if he would be interested in collaborating on the piece. I had no expectations, if anything I just wanted to share with him as he had with me and I was deeply taken back when I was told Uncle had included a verse to the song. To then be able to intertwine our voices together in the last chorus was a really special moment for me. ‘I’m Gonna Fly’ is a song I wrote about breaking free from things I felt were holding me back from being true to myself. It’s about personal growth and being in alignment with my miwi (Spirit) and trusting that despite the trials and tribulations I may face, if I am true to myself and my spirit, I will prosper, spiritually, mentally and therefore physically. This song is very sentimental, and it is about growth, letting go and overcoming those heavy feelings change can bring. I feel as though it will create a life of its own as different people interpret the lyrics to their own circumstances.”
If you’re an Archie fan (and let’s face it, who isn’t?) you should also get yourself a copy of Songs from the Kitchen Table, a new book commemorating the lives of Archie Road and his beloved Ruby Hunter through songs, stories, photographs and tributes. It’s also out now.
Naarm/Melbourne alt-rock act Order of Owls have fired me up with their latest single “Speak Up.” In just their second release, Order of Owls show they can release anthemic rock tracks with the best of them. The band drew on their own experiences battling depression to create a vivid picture of how mental health struggles can impact your worldview.
“Depression isn’t just a feeling of bad, it’s an exhausting cycle of dis-regulation,” said the band’s guitarist, Nathan M. “Feeling fine or even euphoric at one point and utterly hollow at another. Vacillating between these extremes in a debilitating parade of moments towards an erosion to the sense of self. Preferring the allure of a permanent ends to a seemingly endless drudgery. An inability to find any breadcrumbs leading back to connection with others.”
“My goal is to put into words what others struggle to articulate. Help them realise that they are not alone in the way they feel and encourage them that it’s okay to seek help so they can become their best selves,” added vocalist Tim L. “The amount of time and work that might be required will seem like a small trade for the reward of happiness and finding mechanisms towards those ends is the strongest thing a person can do. Doing so myself provided a mechanism that has vastly improved handling my day to day.”
The band has also put together a fabulous music video, conceived by bassist Johnny M, which puts the lyrics of “Speak Up” front and center. I love this release, not just because of how it sounds but also what it says. Great work from Order of Owls.
I am a sucker for a great duet. And “28,” by Ethiopian-Canadian singer-songwriter Ruth B. featuring our own Dean Lewis is right up there. At its heart, this is just a really well written pop-ballad. But then you add Ruth and Dean’s voices onto it and it just takes it to another level.
“This song means so much to me. I wrote it during a time when I didn’t think I could write … but as always, songwriting proved to be my safety net. Amidst what felt like an inescapable grey cloud, I fell into this comforting blanket of a song that I can now look back on and say was the genesis of my favourite journey thus far. Finding me,” Ruth said. “Dean – you’re the best and I love our song, thank you.”
Dean Lewis has recently wrapped up an American tour, so hopefully it won’t be too long before we see him back on home soil.
Image used with permission from Island Records Australia
Usually when I find music I love, I know exactly why it’s up my alley. Very occasionally I find myself scratching my head, but that’s exactly what Plastiq’s new single “demons” has me doing. It’s an absolute trip, totally bonkers, yet strangely irresistible.
The duo, made up of Quartz Pistol and Moses, says “the song explores a dream-like state where the subject explores moving through a world without fear, feeling connected to and held tightly in the bosom of all biological life. The verses are playful and speak of a character hop-scotching across a mossy rainforest floor, facing inner ‘demons’ and accepting them as lessons all whilst letting intuition and child-like wonder guide them. Quartz wanted to capture the serendipitous connection of dots that happens in an altered state of mind or in a dream.”
The release of “demons” caps off an impressive year for Plastiq, who performed at the NGV, exhibited with CAPITAL WASTE in Tartanya/Adelaide, and were nominated for the people’s choice pop title at the SA Music Awards. They collaborated with CAPITAL WASTE again on the video for “demons.” 2024 looks just as bright, with the duo planning to release their debut EP.
The dying art of Rock ‘n’ Roll according to some is a lost cause … something that is unsalvageable. However, this is not the stance that Brisbane’s resident coastal misfits Reckless Coast take, as they release their latest east coast highway tune ‘Bad Habits’. Tired of the clichés donned by modern rock revivalists, Reckless Coast’s salted pub rock vibe finally forms a bond between Indie and Retro-Rock listeners. A sonic lovechild of Foo Fighters adrenaline and The Rolling Stones swagger. Sitting down with India, Jaeden and Jono, we discuss why their ’70s spiced single ‘Bad Habits’ stands out in the crowd with its surf-esque energy and pub-mosh potential.
‘Bad Habits’ immediately makes people think of alcohol or drug abuse, gambling, or social dysfunctions. However, that is not the case with this song. Can you elaborate on the song’s story? Jaeden: Whilst there are micro-narratives within the song, the main ‘Bad Habits’ storyline is based on toxic relationships. It’s telling the story of someone comfortable in a relationship diminishing their wellbeing; but being so numb to the situation they don’t do anything to change it … almost touching on a sense of Stockholm Syndrome but in the context of romantic relationships.
There’s a retro-70s persona in this track, but yet it’s refreshingly modern. Can you talk about influences on this track? Jono: Listening back to it I’d probably say it has old school surf influences in the guitars and the drums are ’90s – 2000s alt rock sort of vibes. Production-wise when I was doing the mix I wanted it to sound modern but still have an old school vibe to it. Making the drums big and room heavy combined with making the guitars and vocals bright and saturated was the approach I thought would achieve that.
Jaeden: The song came together when I fused three separately created ideas … the main riff I wrote by imagining what a “psychedelic surf song” would sound like. The verse riff is a reworking of a classic blues rock shuffle, and the chorus was a riff inspired by retro pub rock. Combining all three, it becomes a refreshingly modern indie-rock tune with retro charm.
What’s the highlight of this song? It can be a lyric or riff. What part of this song makes people hook in? India: The 70’s rock-inspired breakdown hooks people into the song after the initial hook, and it’s a cool contrast from the rest of the track. Lyrically, a highlight for me is “I don’t want to see you go, but I think it’s best for me to find my own way home”. You come to a realisation when you have to remove yourself from a toxic person or situation, that it’s either step away, or hurt yourself even more. Jaeden hit the nail on the head with that lyric.
What would you like people to take away from the moral/story of this song? Jaeden: You’re in control of your happiness and don’t be afraid to make changes to improve your well-being.
You’re supporting Delta Riggs and Press Club at Crusher Fest for the release of this new single. How are you feeling about that? Is this your first festival? India: We’re so keen! This is the band’s first festival, and it’s cool to share it alongside heaps of great local acts and two killer headliners.
No tour this time? I know there’s a story behind that one regarding broken bones. Jaeden: Yeah honestly not my best work. I was being silly with some mates of mine … Long story short I tried to pick two of them up, and adding 150kg to my body weight pretty much broke my entire left foot. I had to have surgery, and with Crusher Fest coming up, the overall safety risks of doing a tour without any sort of team or entourage were too high, and I didn’t want to further injure myself. It’s the first time we had to cancel anything like this … We didn’t want to, but the surgeon’s words were “it was like jelly in there”, and we weren’t risking further injury before the festival.
Is this just a single? Or something more on the way? Jaeden: So this is the first single off a 5 track EP. It’s our first major EP release as Reckless Coast, and we’re keen to put out a release that’s reflective of our current live catalogue. It’ll be released mid 2024.
What’s your thoughts on bands only releasing singles rather than EPs/LPs? Is there anything worthwhile in them, or are singles the only interest from fans now? Jono: I mean, I personally love bigger bodies of work like albums and EPS. I can see why PR agencies and marketing teams push artists to stick to singles. It’s much easier to build a fanbase by marketing different songs to a fanbase every couple months as opposed to marketing the same album to fans for a year. The general trend I have noticed with artists is they stagger release a bunch of singles to try and build a fanbase and when they feel like they have a solid amount of listeners they release an album. But who knows, rules are meant to be broken. Maybe in like four years there will be a new formula.
First release versus this release … How do you feel when you look back at the older catalogue? India: Each release we get more and more confident in ourselves. I love playing our (only four years) “old” tracks – same amount of enthusiasm and passion, now with a stronger sound and a big step in progress. I’m really proud of the natural growth we’ve had from our first release. Our genre has become more refined and we now really know who we are and what we sound like.
If you could choose one song to re-record, which would it be and why? Jaeden: “Got That Feelin’” … would love to improve guitar layers and shorten some sections … but that said, I like seeing an artist’s progression from release to release … going back to see where they’ve come from compared to where they’ve ended up both in songwriting and production terms is really interesting. It’s an organic part of an artist’s career.
Reckless Coast are appearing at ‘Crusher Fest’ at The Brightside in Meeanjin/Brisbane on December 2 alongside The Delta Riggs and Press Club. Their latest single ‘Bad Habits’ is now available on all platforms.
You can stream ‘Bad Habits’ here.
Tickets for Crusher Fest can be found here.
Worm Girlz have come out swinging with their fierce debut single “Dirt.” If you’ve ever been harassed at a live show and felt frustrated because you just came to see the band, I know this track will resonate with you.
“I am so sick of feeling uncomfortable at gigs, I am sick of hearing that other people are feeling uncomfortable at gigs,” stressed proud Worm Girl, Jade Montgomery. “’Dirt’ is a big eff off to anyone that thinks it is okay to ignore boundaries and touch people without their consent.”
“When Jade shared the chorus of ‘Dirt’ with me for the first time I fell instantly in love with the world I saw for Worm Girlz,” added her band mate Lauren Rowe. “The rest of the song came together really quickly after that. It was electrifying.”
Apparently this song marks the start of worm domination, and I’m here for it. This band say they’re committed to the message of the song and want to work hard to promote safe habits at gigs to ensure women and members of the LGBTIA+ community feel safe at their shows. They’re also imploring other bands on the scene to do the same. Worm Girlz also hope that their queer voices can help others in the community known they’re not alone.
“There’s a saying in the asexual community, ‘I’d rather have cake’ and I love the connection in our chorus,” Lauren added.
According to the press release, “Worm Girlz is an energy; a way of life; a mantra. Why be anything else when you can be a worm girl?” Why indeed? Residents of Meeanjin/Brisbane can get on board when Worm Girlz play The Bright Before Christmas at The Brightside on December 15.
I’m really digging “Porcelain,” the brand new single from North Queensland singer-songwriter Will Blume. Produced by Holy Holy’s Oscar Dawson, it’s got an infectious dance beat married with some really powerful lyrics.
“People that I’m close to have been through some hardships and I wanted to write a song, something that they can listen to and find comfort in when I’m not around,” Will said. “‘Porcelain’ is about renewal and was deeply inspired by the important women in my life. It’s for anyone who has ever been made to feel less than and is dedicated to all the survivors, fighters and children at heart. Horrible things may happen, but you can always come back to that pureness of yourself; the beautiful soul you were born to be.”
Will said he wrote “Porcelain” on a writing trip where he isolated himself in a beach cabin for two weeks with no internet, no phone reception, and no conversations or contact with the outside world except for a single “beach buddy”. Through this process he learned to connect more to himself and his music. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty keen to hear what else he came up with on that trip!
Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia
