Meeanjin/Brisbane artist Alex Edwards aims to erase the stigma around mental health with his brave new single “I Have Schizophrenia.” It’s a gorgeous, honest track featuring guest appearances from Dorothy Daisy, Blaq Carrie, Sean FitzGerald, and Trav Jenkins.
Renee Brazel Photography directed the video, which sees Alex and Dorothy Daisy bearing all, quite literally. The visuals are the ideal match for a song that’s so intimate and personal.
Alex has several local gigs coming up. Catch him at the following Queensland venues:
4 August 2021 – It’s Still a Secret, Meeanjin/Brisbane
25 August 2021 – Mo’s Desert Clubhouse, Jellurgal/Burleigh Heads
27 August 2021 – Ric’s Bar, Meeanjin/Fortitude Valley (FREE)
Meet Evergreener, an exciting new act that’s formed from the ashes of Stand Tall. Like so many bands, the pandemic ground Stand Tall to a halt. Someone left the group, but not to be deterred they’ve decided to keep on making music under a new moniker. “Deciduous” is Evergreener’s first release, a track that shows these guys still have all the angst and energy that brought them together all those years ago.
Evergreener say their new single is “A light-hearted and positive outlook on a dark time, similar to that of deciduous leaves falling from a tree, only to grow back again more vibrant than before.”
Evergreener will support Bad Neighbour when their If No One Gets to Win EP tour rolls hits Bad Decisions Bar in Ngár-go/Fitzroy on September 10.
Have you ever met that person who’d be absolutely perfect for you, except for that small matter of their partner? If you have, Katie Thorne’s new single “Hate Your Girlfriend” is for you. The title prepares you for an angsty punk or rock track, but Katie prefers to keep her anger just simmering below the surface with this cool jazz number.
“IHYG was written as a kind of self-exorcism to placate my very own green-eyed monster – you know, say the bad thing out loud and then maybe it won’t feel so big,” Katie explained. “I’ve always been drawn to music that portrays the flawed woman who feels pain.”
Whether you’re going through your own mess right now or feeling nostalgic about the crushes of the past, crank this one up and I swear you’ll feel better.
Image used with permission from The PR Files
Queensland indie act LT takes us on a trip with her dreamy new single “Rollercoaster.” This track brings you all the fun of the fair, with plenty of twists and turns. It sounds beautiful and bright, but make sure you don’t miss the message in those lyrics.
“Rollercoaster is about caring for someone who battles with bipolar disorder,” LT explained. “It’s about navigating through sleepless nights and uncontrollable highs, and keeping afloat during days of slumber and sweeping lows. It’s about love, perseverance, and riding that rollercoaster until you next see light.”
LT worked closely with emerging Meeanjin/Brisbane creator Brendan Shoenmaker to bring this story to life with a gorgeous video.
“Due to the sensitive subject matter of Rollercoaster, it was really important we created something beautiful that in no way added to the stigma that people battling mental health issues can experience,” LT added. “Brendan used inspiration from filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s persona, creating a film depicting inner duality. The story demonstrates a study of yin and yang told through the cat and mouse relationship of two dancers, representing not just the duality of bipolar but the togetherness of the relationship as well as a healthy dose of self-love. It explores the relationship of duality from a perspective of absence and presence, with the dance built around two characters slipping in and out of each other’s space. It is the tug of war between these moments that we wanted to showcase along with connection, endurance and the will to push on through.”
I hear this is just one of several new tunes from LT we should hear this year. Bring them on!
Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Rhea Caldwell
If you love pop music that combines catchy melodies with messages that matter, Naarm/Melbourne act Ellery Cohen will be up your alley. His latest single “Demons” is the perfect combination of happy-sad. The lyrics explore some dark subject matter, but those sweet retro synths provide the right balance.
“Demons is a step above what I’ve released before, both musically and lyrically, and it’s more vulnerable than anything I’ve done previously,” Ellery admitted. “It’s a song about accepting the things in life we can’t change. We all face struggles and battle addictions and we wanted to write a song about there being comfort in knowing that all humans struggle and although we are different, we are all the same.”
Ellery worked closely with producer-turned-filmmaker Daniel Kelaart to create a film clip that complements “Demons” perfectly.
“We really wanted a video that showed the message of the song. Demons is all about the struggles we all face in life. The video follows the stories of two people just trying to work through their ‘demons’ in life,” Ellery added. “One is a lady trying desperately to be in a body she loves and the other is someone who is working a job he hates and hoping to get away. I wanted to make a video that hits emotions that we have all experienced in life.”
Hometown fans can catch Ellery launching “Demons” at The Toff in Town this Friday, July 22. “You can expect new songs, high energy, and some very, very bad jokes,” he says. If that sounds like your idea of a good time, make sure you lock those tickets in!
Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Liam Frogley
I’m absolutely enamoured with “Pressure in my Chest,” the new single from Aussie expat Indigo Sparke. On hearing this song, I couldn’t stop thinking about my own struggles with anxiety. Indigo is cryptic about the song’s meaning, simply stating “In the birth of memory, there is the eternal moment of time. All things exist here. Through night dreams and wishes, and hot tears and laughing stars, I carried myself to the desert to traverse the landscape of history and reconcile the ever-present Pressure in my Chest.”
I don’t mind that Indigo keeps us guessing. It means we can take whatever we want from this beautiful song.
“Pressure in my Chest” comes from Indigo’s forthcoming album Hysteria, due out on October 7, a collection of songs conceived while Indigo was stuck in Australia at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, waiting for her visa to be renewed so she could return to New York City. She was far from the place she now called home, processing a difficult breakup, and seeing the whole world seemingly crumble around her. If that doesn’t make for a compelling album, I don’t know what will. “Pressure in my Chest” is certainly a great start.
Image used with permission from Inertia Music; credit: Angela Ricciardi
Winter may have well and truly set in, but Bad Weather are bringing the sunshine with their sweet new single “Flowers in Your Room.” This track has such a fun, radio-friendly feel. It’s the perfect blend of pop and rock, and we just don’t hear enough of that these days.
“‘Flowers In Your Room’ is one of the few songs I’ve written that started on an acoustic guitar,” recalls lead singer Callum Robertson, who also produced the track. “My writing process almost always starts on a laptop, but I had the main chords of the song and would just play them over and over again and hum to myself. The song is about the breakdown of a relationship and learning to navigate the emotions you feel throughout that process. Like a lot of the songs on the EP, it was written during the first lockdown where everyone was thrust into this new reality of living in the confines of four walls. It was a really emotional time for me, so I just locked myself away and wrote a heap of music.”
Bad Weather are heading out on the road to support fellow Boorloo/Perth rockers The Faim this week. You know these shows are going to be good, so make sure you don’t miss out on tickets!
15 July 2022 – Vision Studios, Boorloo/Perth (ALL AGES)
16 July 2022 – Jack Rabbit Slims, Boorloo/Perth
21 July 2022 – The Brightside, Meeanjin/Brisbane
22 July 2022 – Newcastle Hotel, Mulubimba/Newcastle
23 July 2022 – The Lansdowne Hotel, Eora/Sydney
24 July 2022 – La La La’s, Woolyungah/Wollongong
29 July 2022 – Transit Bar, Ngambri/Canberra
30 July 2022 – Evelyn Hotel, Naarm/Melbourne
31 July 2022 – Enigma Bar, Kaurna/Adelaide
Image used with permission from Good Intent; credit: Drew Kendell
Western Australian music royalty Kav Temperley and Katy Steele have teamed up for a gorgeous new single “Graduation Day.” I’m a sucker for a high-quality duet, and this track definitely fits the bill. You can feel the connection between these long-time friends as they bring this nostalgic tale to life. Recording the song in Kav’s own Fremantle studio no doubt helped it feel a little more intimate and familiar.
“Growing up in Fremantle, it used to be a right of passage to jump off the old traffic bridge into the river on graduation day,” Kav explained. “People would pull over their cars and yell at you for being reckless and dangerous. The song Graduation Day is the story about someone who stayed behind and somebody who chose to leave, and about how no matter how far you go – there is always this tether pulling you back”.
“Kav is such a great writer and musician and I’ve always had a tonne of respect for him,” Katy added. “This song showcases what a great writer he is so I am truly honoured to be on it! We’ve been hanging out a little recently working on stuff and Kav played me the song in the studio. I guess we share a slight affinity both being the ‘lead singers’ doing solo stuff and all the feelings, pressures and emotions that come with it. It’s been so nice sharing those feelings together, it’s made me feel less alone”.
“Graduation Day” is the latest track lifted from Kav’s sophomore solo release, Machines of Love & Grace. It’s out in September, but if you can’t wait until then to hear more new music I suggest getting along to one of his upcoming shows. If your hometown isn’t listed, don’t despair. It’s only part one of his regional tour, so he might just be on his way to your neck of the woods soon.
14 July 2022 – Froth, Ningaloo/Exmouth
4 August 2022 – Golden Vine, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Bendigo
5 August 2022 – Our Friends Farm, Tallarook
6 August 2022 – Lighthouse Theatre (Studio), Warrnambool
10 August 2022 – The Gal, Mulumbinba/Newcastle
11 August 2022 – Drifter’s Wharf, Darkinjung Country/Gosford
12 August 2022 – Illawarra Performing Arts Centre @ The Music Lounge, Illawarra
13 August 2022 – Canberra Theatre Centre @ The Studio, Ngambri/Canberra
Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Jarrad Levy
Getting his start busking from the age of eight, Daniel Shaw is an artist committed to his craft. All that hard work is starting to pay off, as Daniel recently signed with Island Records Australia. His first release under the label is “drunk high low,” a relatable pop song that marries upbeat melodies with dark themes of overthinking and overdrinking.
“I battle with self-expression sometimes, I’m not good with uncomfortable situations and conflict, I run away from them. In this song I point out how my coping mechanism was to drink, I felt that anxiety and depression went away, and I could handle it, I was fine,” he admitted. “I wasn’t in a good place, I’d moved out fairly suddenly, but the reason the song is called ‘drunk high low’ is because it was just that cycle of getting drunk, feeling alright – which is the high – and then I went right back to feeling low and the cycle would start again.”
Daniel has spent the last year writing songs for his new EP, which will drop later this year.
Image used with permission from Island Records Australia
CLAUDIO’s new single “Losing You (One Day at a Time)” was only released recently, but it’s already earned a swag of awards for its stunning film clip. The music video took home gongs at international film festivals in Rome, Berlin, and New York City. Featuring ballet dancer Rose Alice, it’s such a glorious piece of creative work.
While you’re marvelling at the clip, make sure you pay attention to CLAUDIO’s incredible vocals. This soulful song is the perfect soundtrack for this visual feast.
“It’s inspired by the witnessing of self-sabotage in real-time; and feeling powerless against the momentum of trauma patterning,” CLAUDIO explained. “I came to the difficult-to-swallow understanding some years back via a rapidly failing relationship, that self-awareness is not always enough to outrun the deeper wiring of the subconscious.”
A self-described “sonic scientist”, CLAUDIO is a vocalist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. Rest assured, we’ll be hearing a lot more from her.
Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Blair Gauld
