Category: Video

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ben Witkowski Drops Superb Single “Lucky Land”

Melbourne singer-songwriter Ben Witkowski has knocked it out of the park again with his second single of the year “Lucky Land.” The follow-up to the fabulous “Mountain Man,” this track is an epic slow-burner that reminds me of Gang of Youths and Bon Iver. When those vocals really kick in, I swear it’ll give you chills.

Ben wrote this track two years ago after taking a “life-changing” journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway.

“I was sitting alone on the longest train journey in the world, watching the world go by, thinking how unbelievably lucky I was to be enjoying such a moment. Travelling through Siberia gave me time to think about what I really wanted in life, and allowed me to make some decisions to change it for the better. As we travel, not only do we get to experience new people, places, and cultures, but sometimes we also discover a new, pure side of ourselves. I wanted to capture that moment forever, and that’s how ‘Lucky Land’ was born.”

Remember travel folks? Thankfully we at least have great music like this to take us away while we’re waiting for the borders to open up again. The release of “Lucky Land” also brings us one step closer to the release of Ben’s debut EP, which should drop later this year.

Image used with permission from Ben Witkowski

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Baby Shakes Covers The Angels Classic in Lockdown

Doc Neeson and the Brewster brothers could never have imagined COVID-19 when they penned the classic Aussie rock song “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again.” However, it’s the perfect anthem for our times. New York punksters Baby Shakes first covered The Angels’ hit for their 2019 album Cause a Scene, but they’ve revisited it in a new lockdown video.

Baby Shakes filmed the clip on their phones, mostly within their Brooklyn apartments. Its release has been a great way for the band to communicate with their fans and make some new ones.

“The news has been pretty gruesome and many friends outside of NY have expressed their concern. We thought it was important to show everyone how we’ve been living our common everyday lives from the safety of our homes,” explained the band’s bass player, Claudia Gonzalez.

“Some people said it made them cry and some laughed and said it cheered them up. We were thrilled that so many Australians expressed pride and nostalgia overhearing a classic song from their youth. Overall, most people said that they felt the same way,” added lead guitarist Judy Lindsay.

I love the energy Baby Shakes breathed into their take on “Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again.” Their cover makes it sound so fresh and edgy. What do you think of it?

Image used with permission from Dave Laing Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

CVIRO and GXNXVS Take Us Way Back With “Stay With Me”

Gold Coast singer CVIRO and his producer buddy GXNXVS for a slamming new single “Stay With Me.” It’s giving me old-school R’n’B vibes. If you were listening to Boyz II Men, Dru Hill, or Jagged Edge back in the day like I was, or you stole their albums from your mum’s record collection, you’re definitely going to dig this.

No wonder these guys are already generating plenty of buzz. They’ve got fans in the United States and United Kingdom, not to mention right here at home, and they’ve been championed by tastemakers including Vice, Clash, and the OVO team (who have incidentally never featured an Aussie act before). They’ve also clocked up 38 million streams!

CVIRO and GXNXVS will drop a few more singles before releasing an EP in the last quarter of the year. That means there’s plenty of new music for anyone else loving their sound.

Image used with permission from Universal Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Mick Thomas Releases New Pandemic-Inspired Folk Charmer, “See You When I’m Looking at You”

Former Weddings, Parties, Anything frontman Mick Thomas is back with a whole swag of new tunes for your isolation playlist. The new Mick Thomas & The Roving Commission album See You On the Other Side: A Postcard from April 2020 features a selection of choice cuts written and recorded in lockdown. They might be apart, but Mick couldn’t have done it without the help of his famous friends. The album features appearances from Angie Hart (Frente), Nick Barker, Vikki Thorn (The Waifs), Darren Hanlon, Shelley Short, Alana Jagt, Brooke Russell, Van Walker, Ron S. Peno (Died Pretty), Alannah Russack (The Hummingbirds), Ben Salter, Dana Gehrman, Cam Butler, and Jen Anderson. Talk about star power.

You’ll see many of them on my favourite track from the album, “See You When I’m Looking at You.” But there’s plenty more where that came from. All the new music is available now on all the best streaming platforms. If you prefer something more tangible, check out the Mick Thomas Bandcamp page.

Gigs are few and far between these days, but Mick is making the most of the streaming technology available. Fresh from his own virtual album launch, he’ll take part in Memo Music Hall’s “Keep the Circle Unbroken” streaming show tomorrow night. Visit Memo Musical Hall’s website for ticket details.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Paige Black Reminds Us Of the Silver Linings With “Rebuild”

If there are any upsides to the pandemic, it’s hearing all the beautiful music it’s inspired. One of the latest additions to our pandemic playlists is “Rebuild,” a beautiful single from Yarra Valley native Paige Black.

“Rebuild” is a gentle folky number, the kind of song that would go down a treat while you’re enjoying a glass of red in front of a crackling fire.

“I wrote this song about hope, while reflecting on the current pandemic we are all going through,” Paige explained. “It captures the way our reality suddenly changed overnight and how communities throughout the world were compelled to band together to overcome the devastating loss and forthcoming challenges, some worse than others.”

“As time went on in isolation, I began to reflect on the silver linings that have transpired as a result of staying put in our homes. Mother Nature has had a chance to breathe and bloom and our consumerist and workaholic behaviours were forced to alter. Maybe this has created an opportunity to change our habits for the greater good of the human race and the environment. A chance to “shape a world that matters”, slow down and think about our values.”

That new lockdown might not be easy Victoria, but perhaps you can hear this song and reframe your thinking. Stay safe everybody!

Image used with permission from Arow Agency

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dylan Wright’s Latest Song “Passing Through” Resonates

Dylan Wright started writing his latest single in 2016, “Passing Through” when Donald Trump won the American election and the world seemed so chaotic. Four years later, there’s even more turbulence and unrest. As Victorians are in lockdown and the rest of Australia nervously watches COVID-19 cases climb, this track’s lyrics hit hard.

“The song talks about the world as we know it crumbling down around us but that there is a light within all of us that will get us through our darkest days, even though we may not think we’ll be able to get through as first,” Dylan explained. “Unfortunately, there have been many disasters and tragedies over the past couple of years since I wrote ‘Passing Through’ and that light still does shine out from us in those moments.”

Gigs are few and far between these days, but Dylan recently managed shows in Sydney and Mudgee. Follow his Facebook page for news of any upcoming gigs as they’re announced.

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jasmine Rae Hits Back at Critics With “Don’t Do It For the Haters”

Country artist Jasmine Rae seems to get even better with every passing year. She’s losing a little of her sweetness and her vocals are becoming richer and more compelling. If you haven’t heard her music for a few years, her tough new single “Don’t Do It For the Haters” might take you by surprise!

Jasmine was inspired by a copyright lawsuit levelled at her 2017 song “When I Found You.” The negative emails, phone calls, and comments from keyboard warriors took her aback but fuelled a fire inside her.

“Because I was the face of our song, I copped an enormous amount of hate anyway, from all directions. It was a really confronting and confusing time for me,” she admitted. “For a while, I didn’t want to co-write with anyone, didn’t want to put myself out there or be vulnerable and I was questioning everything. People around me actually thought that I would give up…

“I wanted to write something about that whole experience. I initially wrote some very angry songs but this one feels truer. This song is the one that sums up the real lessons learned by that experience and puts a full stop on it for me. It gives me closure.”

This powerful and deeply personal song comes from Jasmine’s brand-new album Lion Side, which drops on July 24.

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Million Goes Retro For “Check Up” Video

Winter’s chill has definitely set in, but Central Coast trio The Million is here to chase the cold weather blues away with a summery new tune “Check Up.”

Of course, releasing new music during a global pandemic comes with its challenges. How do you make a music video when the world is in lockdown? The Million got creative and worked with French animator Meryl Jocktane on an 8-bit video game inspired clip that sparks serious nostalgia.

“Even though we haven’t been able to be together in the harsh circumstances, it was great to work with each other over video chat and Meryl across the world to put together the music video,” the band said. “We all love playing video games – it brings us together and gives us a chance to forget about the outside world. It was a lot of fun sneaking in some references from our journey through music blended with some things we’ve always found funny about the industry.”

While The Million still can’t get out and play shows for us all, the band has been busy creating some amazing online content. Follow The Million’s Facebook page for podcasts, covers, and other iso goodness!

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pierce Brothers Release Uplifting New Single, “Kanko”

With all that’s going on in the world at the moment, the soothing folk sounds of the Pierce Brothers is just what the doctor ordered. Their most recent single “Kanko” is full of light and optimism, gentle acoustic guitars, and those unmistakable harmonies.

Of course, releasing a new tune in the time of COVID-19 isn’t easy. They’d planned to film a music video in New Zealand around the time of Jack’s wedding, but the pandemic put pause on both of those plans. Instead the video features footage from the duo’s trips around the world.

“We had big plans on making a little trip while we were in New Zealand and getting some of the beautiful landscapes and mountains as a feature, but then we had to cancel it all, so we had to improvise,” Pat recalled.

“The song is about holding on and knowing that those times will come again so we used the footage from tours we’ve done over the last few years, and filmed new stuff in our little home studio, with a cast and crew of just the two of us. I think it reinforces that feeling, that we will get through all this, that this isolation won’t be forever, and we can always make do!”

“Kanko” is the first track lifted from the Pierce Brothers’ new album. They’ll release new singles right up to its November release.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Paradise Club Releases Uplifting New Single “All You Got”

Adelaide act Paradise Club is just about to unleash its self-titled debut album. But before the LP drops on July 17, there’s time for one more single. “All You Got” is just the sort of dreamy feelgood pop track most of us need to elevate our Monday. Just take a listen to those glistening guitars and saturated synths and see if you don’t feel like you can keep powering on, just like frontman Gere Fuss did during the hard time that inspired this song.

“At the end of 2018 I learnt about some family stuff that was going on. At the start of 2019 a close friend passed away. A month later my dog died. It was one of the worst times of my life but I learnt a lot from what had happened,” he explained. “The song is about that period of my life, how I should never take the time I have with people for granted, and how thankful I am to have a supportive network of family and friends. It’s fucked up how certain things can make you feel helpless and isolated, yet how resilient and understanding of the world you can become.”

COVID might have put a hold on so much of the music industry, but knowing there’s more superb indie-pop like this tune to look forward to is definitely helping me look forward to the future!

Image used with permission from Deathproof PR