Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Grace Cummings’ Latest Single is a Slice of “Heaven”

Grace Cummings has got one of those voices that stops you in your tracks. It’s like she’s smoked a thousand cigarettes and lived a life well beyond her tender years. She already sounds like one of the greats, but her new single “Heaven” comes from only her second album, Storm Queen.

“I wrote ‘Heaven’ in just about the same time it takes to sing,” she admitted. “I heard that you’d always know who the hero was in an old cowboy movie because they’d be wearing a ten-gallon Stetson. Heaven might be a person… or a place… or my father or a tiny little caterpillar or the sound of a kookaburra laughing. The kookaburra is a hero. I am not.”

Storm Queen drops on January 14. If this track is any indication, you’re going to want to hear it.

Image used with permission from Brain Drain PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Thunder Fox Woo Listeners With “Love You 2”

Sydney band Thunder Fox turns up the charm with their latest single, “Love You 2.” This is an old-school R’n’B ballad that takes me right back to the ‘90s. If you were cranking Boyz II Men, Jodeci, and All-4-One back in the day, you’re going to love this.

“Drawing from the same existential angst of the previous tracks, there came a time in the months following the writing of Sanctuary that I noticed I’d let my material pursuits get in the way of the most important thing imaginable: delicious, unadulterated, full throttle, hyper-vulnerable romance, baby,” admitted Sam Dawes. ‘Love You 2’ is an apology, in a way. Apologising for allowing myself to become so distracted by desire, work and anxiety that I almost forgot to tell someone how much I fucking love their sweet ass. Heed my advice, friends, tell whoever it is you love them. Every. Chance. You. Get.”

Amen!

If you love Thunder Fox, there’s more to come. Listen out for a new single later this week and the album Sanctuary on November 18.

Image used with permission from Beehiive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Angus Legg Drops Sweet Pop Bop, “3rd Grade Art”

If you love accessible folky pop bops from acts like Ed Sheeran and Shawn Mendes, I think “3rd Grade Art” by Melbourne’s Angus Legg will be right up your alley. It’s incredibly sweet with nostalgic lyrics that take listeners back to the simple days of childhood.

“The metaphorical undertone felt playful, light and energetic, however, I was having a tough time with my partner at the time and decided I would use this idea to frame our difficulties in a new, positive light,” Angus explained.

If you weren’t already in love with Angus, the music video might just push you over the edge. It’s cheeky, goofy, and impossibly endearing.
Remember the name, because I predict we’re going to hear a lot more about Angus Legg in the years to come.

Image used with permission from GYROstream

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Crank Up The Volume on Deadshowws’ “Baltimore”

Central Coast punk act Deadshowws are back with a rocking new track “Baltimore.” With crunchy guitar chords and a chorus that’ll encourage you to sing along, it’s the perfect shot-in-the-arm for a lazy weekend.

Explaining the story behind the song, Deadshowws remembers that “There was a group of people at a show of ours and they were acting heaps cool and loud and better than everyone and they just pissed us off. And then we started playing the show and they were front row dancing like they were our best mates, which ties in with the lyrics in the chorus, ‘Slowish Soho dancing, everyone just seems so fucking fake’. And the rest of the song is about the ever-changing world we live in, and the constant technology that surrounds us.”

Deadshowws were carving out a reputation as one of the East Coast’s most exciting live acts after sharing stages with These New South Whales, Totally Unicorn, Pandamic and Bootleg Rascal. Now that New South Wales is out of lockdown, hopefully it’s not too long before we see them gigging again.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Sloppy Seconds” – Bootleg Rascal

If there was any doubt that summer is on its way, Bootleg Rascal have just dropped their ultra-cool new album, Sloppy Seconds. If you’ve followed this blog for any period of time, you’re already familiar with their good vibes. The many recent singles always left me wanting a bit more, so this album is a real treat.

I must admit, I was taken aback when I spied the tracklist and saw the opening track was called “Albo.” Was this an ode to the opposition leader in the vein of The Whitlams’ Gough? Not quite. Instead “Albo” is an opening message recorded by Anthony Albanese himself, reminding us to support Aussie music. Brilliant!

As the album’s title suggests, the tracks here aren’t exactly new. The tagline calls it a “reimagined album.” I think of it as more like a greatest hits on steroids. The best songs from Bootleg Rascal’s earlier releases Asleep in the Machine, Psychotica, and Collaborations of Very Isolated Delinquents “19 receive new makeovers. I’ve enjoyed listening to these new recordings, then going back to the original source material and marvelling at the way they’ve improved the songs. Spoiler alert, they have every single time. These old favourites join recent singles including “Therapy” and “All About You.”

Despite drawing tracks from so many different sources, Sloppy Seconds is a really cohesive album because Bootleg Rascal have such a clear and distinct sound. The preview stream I received labelled it as reggaeton, but I’m not sure you can sum these guys up so neatly with a genre label. It’s music that transports me to summer days, sitting around the pool with a drink in hand and my mates by my side. It’s super catchy, the kind of music that you just want to keep listening to. If you’re not already familiar with Bootleg Rascal, Sloppy Seconds is the perfect introduction. If you already know what’s up, you already know you’re in for a good time.

Sloppy Seconds drops today. To celebrate its release, Bootleg Rascal are hitting the road for a massive tour all around the mainland. Frankly, this is the most ambitious tour schedule I’ve seen in more than a year! If you want to be a part of it, get your tickets now because they probably won’t last long:

19 November 2021 – Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane
26 November 2021 – Indi Bar, Perth
27 November 2021 – Settlers Tavern, Margaret River
28 November 2021 – The Aardvark, Fremantle
4 December 2021 – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
10 December 2021 – Jive Bar, Adelaide
11 & 12 December 2021 – Kill the Dinosaurs, Port Elliot
15 January 2022 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
22 January 2022 – Howler, Melbourne
23 January 2022 – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave
28 January 2022 – Old Bundy Tavern, Bundaberg
29 January 2022 – The Leichhardt Hotel, Rockhampton
5 February 2022 – Solbar, Maroochydore
17 February 2022 La La La’s, Wollongong
18 February 2022 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
19 February 2022 – UC Hub, Canberra

Images used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Cookin’ On 3 Burners’ New Single “The World is Cold” Worth the Wait

The always reliable Cookin’ On 3 Burners are back with their first new music of the year, a sensational new single “The World is Cold.” With special appearances from Mantra and Jane Tyrrell, this track is such a cool blend of hip hop, soul, and funk sounds.

“Through bushfires and a global pandemic, this new 45 has been a long time coming,” the band admitted. “We are in love with the lyrical heat that this collab with Mantra and Jane Tyrrell has brought to our sound. Excited to bring this smoking new Burners 7-inch vinyl to the people.”

As if that wasn’t enough, we also get a cool new instrumental B-side, the band’s take on Mos Def’s “Ms. Fat Booty.” It’s almost like the band understands we’ve waited a long time for new music and they’re rewarding our patience. They’ve also got a few shows announced for the coming months. See these guys doing what they do best at the following venues:

27 November 2021 – Macedon Railway Hotel, Macedon
5 March 2022 – Royal Oak Hotel, Launceston
6 Mar 2022 – Longley International Hotel, Hobart
18 Mar 2022 – Corner Hotel, Richmond

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Michelle Grace Hunder

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get to Know The Ritzy Kids

Listening to a debut single usually goes one of two ways. I either feel like the act needs more time to mature or I fall for their energy. Thankfully The Ritzy Kids fall into the latter camp. Their first track “Breakthrough” is a high-energy slice of pop-punk just brimming with the enthusiasm of an act that simply loves making music.

It wasn’t long ago that this song dropped into my inbox, but The Ritzy Kids’ have already released a couple more tracks: “Sally” and the new single “Scars and Regrets.” Turn your volume right up really do this track justice.

The Ritzy Kids formed in Sydney earlier this year. Singer-songwriter Sean Frazer spent the summer writing songs for the project. With a solid three months’ worth of material, he approached producer Mitch Willard who lent drums to the project and mixed the mastered their story. This is just the start of The Ritzy Kids’ story, but it feels like there’s a lot more to tell.

Image used with permission from Sean Frazer

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Get Nostalgic With The Wolfe Brothers’ “Kids on Cassette”

As a woman of a certain age, I can’t help but love the title track from The Wolfe Brothers’ latest album, “Kids on Cassette.” As its name suggests, this is a real nostalgia-fest for those of us who grew up with our cassettes and walkmans.

The Tassie act had gone back to their roots with the video too. The clip features a pair of real-life brothers stepping into the shoes of Nick and Tom Wolfe. It was filmed on location at The Wolfe Brother’s Berry Farm in Southern Tasmania.

“Kids On Cassette is all about that amazing feeling of being a kid, when everything seemed bigger and it felt like the summer holidays lasted forever,” Nick Wolfe explained. “Tom and I are so grateful to have grown-up where we did as country kids, and in this video, we tried to capture a day in our childhood. Exploring, learning, getting into strife, and of course, playing music with our mates.

“To watch the brothers play us was amazing. I think their personalities really reflected ours. I could see a lot of similarities between us: a couple of country kids who make their own home movies and recordings and write songs and jam. Really, we could not have found a more matched pair! To watch the kids all jamming in the old fruit pickers hut where we used to 20-years ago was actually uncanny. It was like stepping into a time machine. Seeing the kids jamming out at a band practice really brings a smile to my face. I remember being in that very room, rocking out with our mates, all just totally high of the joy of music, long before any thoughts of business or careers ever entered our heads.”

If you like what you hear, you can pick up a signed copy of the album plus a free sticker for just $20 from The Wolfe Brothers online store, while stocks last. The Wolfe Brothers are also in the middle of an Aussie tour. You can still catch them play at all the following venues:

27 November 2021 – Country Rocks Canberra @ Rose Cottage, Tuggeranong
2 December 2021 – Edge Hill Tavern, Cairns
3 December 2021 – Dalrymple Hotel, Townsville
4 December 2021 – Queens Beach Hotel, Bowen
5 December 2021 – Mt. Pleasant Hotel, Mackay
10 December 2021 – Hamilton Hotel, Brisbane
11 December 2021 – Racehorse Hotel, Ipswich
21 January 2022 – The Longyard Hotel, Tamworth

Image: Michael parkergraphix @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Wanderers Bring the Good Vibes With “Nothing in This World”

If you’re having problems shaking off that new working week funk, press play. “Nothing in This World,” the soulful new single from Wanderers, is the perfect song to put a smile back on your dial. Fittingly, lead singer Dusty Lee penned the track as he tried to shake off his own funk and creative dry spell.

“I felt that I was at a crossroads at the time, approaching 30 and realising that my old algorithms for distraction and excitement weren’t really working the same way they used to,” he admitted. “I wanted more, but not sure what, when or how. All I knew was that my old tricks weren’t serving me anymore. So I dove deep into this feeling, which actually brought me some sort of clarity.”

The pandemic has seen Wanderers stuck in their native South Australia for some time, but all that will change this month with the duo announcing some shows in Queensland. Catch them at all the venues listed below if you can! Stay tuned if you live in the rest of the country. Wanderers aim to play gigs all around Australia in 2022.

6 November 2021 – Big Easy Radio, Aldinga
26 November 2021 – Sol Bar, Maroochydore
27 November 2021 – Felons Barrel Hall, Brisbane (FREE)

Image used with permission from Big Oak Records; credit: Samuel Graves

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pirritu Drops Beautiful New Single Ahead of Album Release

Pirritu, a proud Wangaaypuwan Mayi of the Ngiyampaa clan, has offered us a sneak peek of his debut album Pirritu – Part 1, and it’s pretty fabulous. If you love your music folky, I’m sure you’ll dig the album’s first track “Comin Up Slow.” It’s melodic and soothing, just the kind of music you need to ease you into your working week.

Pirritu was adopted by a non-Aboriginal couple as a newborn baby. They ensured their son stayed in touch with his Aboriginality. When he entered his teen years, he began taking big steps to connect to his people, culture, and language. I’m sure his unique story will make for a compelling listen when Pirritu – Part 1 is released digitally and on limited-edition vinyl on November 19. You can put in your preorders via Pirritu’s Bandcamp page.