Posted on by Lauren Katulka

NECTAR Drops Cool New Single, “Waiting on the World (Won’t Work)”

Get your groove on with NECTAR’s tasty new slow jam, “Waiting on the World (Won’t Work).” It’s got a cool laidback vibe, but this track has a serious message about the importance of taking action to inspire change. Ella Pilcher lends her stunning vocals to the recording.

“‘Waiting on the World (Won’t Work)” is a statement towards the manifestation of excuses by placing blame on the world around you,” Nectar explained. “If you want things to happen in your life you have to work for it and make the change, which we have been noticing a lot amongst our day-to-day lives especially as we are emerging as young artists. The song is particularly relevant at the moment as it is easy to find yourself in a stagnant state of life. It also reiterates that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that it’s okay to be at that stagnant point.”

NECTAR will launch “Waiting on the World (Won’t Work)” at Mojo’s Bar in Fremantle on April 2.

Image used with permission from Beehive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Spici Water Reminisce With “GOOD NIGHT”

I regularly look back at Facebook memories and marvel at the world of a few years ago. I see myself with my friends or in packed stadiums and can’t believe how carefree it all was. While some people are back into socialising, some of us still find ourselves holding back due to those high case numbers. And others find that their friends have moved on in the last two years and things aren’t quite the same. Spici Water capture the nostalgia of days gone by with their rocking new single “Good Night.”

“’Good Night’ is a “Yeah the girls” anthem about missing going out and hitting the town with your friends,” Spici Water said. “Due to covid, nightlife came to a halt for many months since the nation was in lockdown. Singer AJ loved going out with her friends but by the time lockdown ended they all got full time jobs, one of them becoming a registered nurse and so they didn’t get to go out as much anymore. AJ reminisced on all the good times they had together and wanted to find a way to immortalize their friendship and memories and so ’Good Night’ came to exist.”

There are plenty of good nights ahead for Spici Water and their fans. Western Australians can catch them at the following events:

26 March 2022 – Hyperfest, Midland (supporting Spacey Jane)
2 April 2022 – World’s Greatest Shave Fundraiser @ YMCA HQ, Perth
30 April 2022 – Badlands Bar, Perth (supporting DICE)
20 May 2022 – Freo Social, Fremantle (supporting Ra Ra Viper)

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit Mitch Love

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Hit the Bussell Hwy with Ghost Care

With the Western Australian borders now open to triple-vaxxed travellers, many of us are thinking of a getaway to the Wildflower State. If you’re looking for a little inspiration, or a killer song for your playlist, check out “Bussell Hwy,” the latest track from Perth indie-rock trio Ghost Care.

“Bussell Hwy is all about the classic road trip! It’s where you’d rather be, and where you need to be and sometimes don’t realise,” the band said. “This song is about convincing your friends, and yourself, to get away from it all and just take a breather. This song is the nostalgia that we need, and the motivation to get back out there. We hope it can be everyone’s new road trip anthem for the future!”

Those open borders should help Ghost Care have a big 2022. They’ve just inked a deal with Tiny Triumphs management, and it shouldn’t be too long before we see them touring all over. Until then, local crowds can catch them launching “Bussell Hwy” at Scarborough’s Indian Ocean Hotel on April 8.

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Howie Ng

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“ThornBird” – “ThornBird”

It’s a big day for new music releases. While everyone is buzzing about the new Wiggles album, there’s a chance ThornBird’s self-titled debut may fly under the radar. That would be a great shame because it’s a really special collection of songs.

In case you didn’t know, ThornBird is Vikki Thorn, one-third of The Waifs. This album is no Waifs album. That might be jarring for some fans, but I encourage you to leave your expectations behind and embrace what this album is. The bluesy opening track “That Kinda Man” sets the scene. It’s stripped back and raw, ensuring ThornBird’s voice spends time in the spotlight. That’s only fitting because this is an album that puts her voice front and centre. In The Waifs, she was one of three. Blending in was important. Through this album, I feel like I’ve gotten to know Vikki, her strength, her vulnerability, her playfulness, her power.

The songs are Vikki’s stories from her time living in Utah, but it might be unfair to call ThornBird a solo album though. Because if not for Vikki’s backing band this album may not have happened. She stumbled across them one night playing “dirty folk blues” in the corner of a bar. They looked like they’d had a few too many, but their natural chemistry and the way they played so raw and edgy blew Vikki away. She was determined to make a record with them, and so this album was born. While Vikki’s voice is strong, they bring these songs together. I can’t imagine these songs without the epic guitar solo of “Big Girl Pants” or the beautiful harmonica and slide guitar in “Hells Backbone.”

I can imagine what it might feel to hear these songs in a honky-tonk bar as I listen to this album. You can hear the electricity between Vikki and her band as their voices harmonise on “All the Things” and the heartbreaking closer “Rough Patch.” “All I Want” is a fantastic country-rock duet. You know the love’s not perfect, but it’s palpable. Even when their voices don’t combine, Vikki and her bandmates are communicating as the instruments interplay with her vocals.

ThornBird is out today. Vikki will bring these songs to the people at the following theatre, festival, and bar gigs.

11 March 2022 – Queenscliff Town Hall, Queenscliff
12 March 2022 – Wildflower Festival @ Rochford Wines, Yarra Valley
18 March 2022 – Imperial Hotel, Eumundi
19 March 2022 – Wildflower Festival @ RiverStage, Brisbane
20 March 2022 – Byron Theatre, Byron Bay
2 April 2022 – Wildflower Festival @ Roche Estate, Hunter Valley
3 April 2022 – Heritage Hotel, Bulli
6 April 2022 – Brunswick Ballroom, Melbourne
7 April 2022 – Meeniyan Town Hall, Meeniyan
8 April 2022 – The Gov, Adelaide
9 April 2022 – Kings Park, Perth

Images used with permission from Revolutions per Minute; feature photo credit: Toni Wilkinson

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“ReWiggled” – The Wiggles

If you’d have asked me in 2020 what 2021 would bring, I wouldn’t have predicted more lockdowns and pandemic struggles. And I definitely wouldn’t predict The Wiggles topping the Hottest 100. I’m a firm believer that the darkness of the former made the latter happen. Triple J’s main demographic is the generation that grew up on the Wiggles, and they wanted a little bit of the joy they experienced as kids. And that’s exactly why the release of ReWiggled today is not just genius, but essential listening.

The first disc, A Tribute to the Wiggles, is crammed with Wiggles favourites reimagined by some of the country’s hottest acts. I didn’t know I needed to hear Polish Club rocking out on “Apples and Bananas” or The Chats going hard on “Can You (Point Your Fingers and Do the Twist)?” but they’re real highlights. Emma Donovan and The Putbacks put the soul in “Say The Dance, Do The Dance.” There’s such a gentle charm about Stella Donnelly’s take on “Ba Ba Da Bicycle Ride” and Emily Wurramara’s “Dressing Up.” Every song is performed with such loving reverence. The acts are clearly having fun, but they’re not taking the piss. The Wiggles’ material is hallowed ground after all.

The surprises continue with the second disc, Wiggly Covers. Here the Wiggles take on more cool covers in the way only the Wiggles can. Their banging version of “Elephant” comes first, followed by such an exciting mixed bag of modern and classic material. If you thought taking on Tame Impala came from left field, just wait until you hear them belting out hits from The Chats, Fatboy Slim, and Rihanna. They bring an innocence to Melanie Safka’s “Brand New Key.” And while I wasn’t sure how the Wiggles would sound on the Dropkick Murphys’, “Shipping Up to Boston” is a perfect fit for Captain Feathersword.

Don’t get me wrong, there are many moments when I thought to myself “This is absolutely bonkers.” And it really is. But it also makes perfect sense. ReWiggled is just the kind of beautiful bonkers we need in our lives right now. I can imagine plenty of young families having this album on regular rotation but just as many kid-free folks like me cranking out too. Why should parents have all the fun? Could the Wiggles have another number one on their hands? I don’t doubt it.

Images used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

You’ll Be “Better Off” For Hearing Josh Setterfield’s Latest Single

Listening to Josh Setterfield’s new single “Better Off,” it’s hard to believe that before 2016 he was fronting a pop-punk band. These days he’s a bona fide country artist, although he does bring a little more edge to his tunes than the average country star. This track is pure feel-good fun, with a hooky chorus that should have you singing along before those final guitar chords.

“We all know something we could be better off without, whether it’s a toxic relationship, friendship, bad habit or even in 2022 … Covid! I hope this song sparks something in people to help make the change or decision they need to improve their own lives … to be better off,” Josh said.

Josh is joining Casey Barnes on plenty of shows over the next few months. If you love modern country, you won’t want to miss these shows.

11 March 2022 – Yamba Bowling Club, Yamba
23 April 2022 – Longyard Hotel, Tamworth
29 April 2022 – Harvey Road Tavern, Gladstone
30 April 2022 – Great Western Hotel, Rockhampton
6 May 2022 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
14 May 2022 – Dalrymple Hotel, Townsville
20 May 2022 – Racehorse Hotel, Ipswich
21 May 2022 – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
19 August 2022 – NQ’s Rockin’ Country, Mackay

Image used with permission from DWM Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

A Swift Farewell and Clay J Gladstone Team Up For “Stressed Out”

Sydney punk acts A Swift Farewell and Clay J Gladstone have joined forces for the collaboration of your dreams. Their new single “Stressed Out” perfectly showcases everything that makes these two local acts so special. If you’re feeling frustrated or struggling in any way today, you’re going to want to turn the volume all the way up on this one.

“The song is about not expressing emotions and often hiding and burying feelings until it gets too much.” A Swift Farewell explained. “We wanted to show our darker side with this track, as we felt our two previous singles were a fair bit more pop-influenced and mid-tempo. Funnily enough, its working title was actually ‘angry boi’.”

Creating the film clip at Marrickville’s Sydney Props Studio was a labour of love, according to A Swift Farewell frontwoman Emma Mather.

“We built the set ourselves,” she said. “It was a hustle! First, we had to build huge panels of fake grass. It represents the chaotic ‘inside’ of that same person who’s pretending they’re fine but hiding all their bad feelings. Then, at the end of the video, we tried representing ‘getting buried’ by having people throw gardening soil at us while we played. We thought this was a good idea, but it was so painful as the soil was getting into our eyes and mouths and clothes.”

A Swift Farewell will support the release of “Stressed Out” with a show at the Burdekin Hotel on March 27 supporting Heroes for Hire. If you heard the buzz when they supported FANGZ, Headstrong, or Cambridge, you’ll want to check this gig out.

Image used with permission from Good Intent; photo credit: Robbie Walcott

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ella Fence Rocks Out With Double A-Side Single

Ella Fence shows she’s not afraid to take risks with her latest double A-side single, “The Child/I Was Made for Loving You.” We’ve heard her in pop mode with “Pink Mojitos,” seen her softer side with “Known Better,” and now she’s in rock goddess mode. Playing in this genre has been a great way for Ella to cut loose and find her authentic voice.

“Previous recordings I wanted perfect (and I make no apology for that objective), but now I want real. We’re enduring challenging times and people deserve the truth,” she explained. “I was born real not perfect and I wanted that attitude to be recognised in my music.”

“The Child” is an epic rock ballad, dark and haunting with killer vocals. Her slowed-down take on “I Was Made for Loving You” may draw the ire of the KISS Army, but I’m really digging its moody vibe. This new version takes the song from a seductive rock classic to something much more sinister.

Ella Fence will bring her music to punters on the Sunshine Coast when she supports Sofia Isella at the Solbar on March 18.

Image used with permission from Ella Fence Music; photo credit: Shierley Lam

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Meg Mac Goes Deep With “Is It Worth Being Sad”

Meg Mac has just released a powerful, thought-provoking new single “Is It Worth Being Sad” that I know you’re going to love. Her music always gets me with its intimate, introspective lyrics and strong vocals. This track is no exception. Whatever you’re struggling to move past in your life, hopefully you can use this song as therapy as Meg did.

“I had just run away to the country,” she recalled of the time she wrote her new single. “I was running away from my troubles. I was living in peace and quiet finally and really thought I’d figured it all out, and it was all smooth sailing ahead. It was the start of sorting out my life. This song was like my first step—I didn’t know it then, though.”

I’m a big believer that the right song finds you when it’s supposed to. With so many of us feeling like 2022 will mark a new chapter, I’m sure this song will resonate with many of you.

Image used with permission from Meg Mac

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Polish Club Rock Out With “Unstable”

Ahead of their Aussie tour, Polish Club are back to rock you with their latest single “Unstable.” Doing mid-tempo rock well is a bit of an art, but Polish Club nail it here. It’s even got a classic guitar solo! John-Henry Pajak and David Novak are on such a roll, and they’re not ready to stop any time soon.

“We found ourselves not wanting to stop the momentum after our last record,” David admitted. “We couldn’t tour, and we had so many good songs left unfinished. So there was zero hesitation when it came to deciding to regroup with Wade in the studio and just punch out some rock songs.”

With COVID restrictions lifted, there are more tickets available for all Polish Club’s East Coast shows but they won’t last long. Don’t muck around if you want to get yourself to one of the following shows:

1 April 2022 – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
2 April 2022 – The Tivoli, Brisbane
7 April 2022 – The Cambridge, Newcastle
8 April 2022 – UOW Unibar, Wollongong
9 April 2022 – Roundhouse, Sydney
14 April 2022 – The Gov, Adelaide
16 April 2022 – Badlands, Perth (SOLD OUT)
22 April 2022 – Torquay Hotel, Torquay
23 April 2022 – The Croxton, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia