Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Discover the Dark Brilliance of Melbs bb’s “Witches”

Melbs bb has just dropped their latest indie-pop single “Witches,” and I can’t stop listening. This track reminds us just how great a bedroom recording can be. Even though it was created far from a big studio, it sounds brilliant. I also love its unique take on mental illness.

“I had the idea that if a child witnessed someone experience depression and only had Disney movies and fairytales as a frame of reference, they would probably think the logical conclusion was that the person has obviously been hexed or cursed by some evil witches,” Melbs bb revealed. “At its core, ‘Witches’ is about seeing a loved one struggle with their mental health and asserting that you see their struggle and would do anything to help them (including battling some evil witches as needed).”

After listening to this song, I went down a Melbs bb rabbit hole, devouring everything they’ve ever recorded. If you’re yet to discover this Melbourne-based artist, what are you waiting for?

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

ELEEA’s “Red Wine” Offers a Taste of Spain

Like so many Aussies, I’m craving travel at the moment. With gloomy winter weather setting in, I find myself longing to leave all this behind for somewhere warm and wonderful. It’s off the table while the borders remain shut, but we can take the journey in our minds with “Red Wine,” the latest single from ELEEA.

Lifted from ELEEA’s forthcoming album The Travel Collection, the Latin-inspired beats and fingerpicked guitar should transport you to Spain. While it conjures up the Mediterranean, it was actually inspired by a classic cinematic romance.

“Red Wine was initially inspired by one of my guilty pleasures, The Notebook. That movie really sold the narrative that sees young, complicated love win,” said ELEEA. “But in my experience, when reality kicked in, so did imposter syndrome and the realisation that we simply hadn’t grown into the right people at the right time. Even the romantic fantasies about all of the places we could go together weren’t enough to make it work.”

ELEEA loved her own travels in Spain, even if she didn’t have someone special by her side.

“When I backpacked through Spain, it felt like a dream. Seeing the sunset at San Sebastian beach, passionate flamenco performances in Madrid or Gaudi’s incredible creations, it brought up all those old fantasies. But in the end, I lived them out solo, which was much more satisfying.”

If you’re mentally planning your next getaway too, “Red Wine” is the ideal soundtrack.

Image used with permission from Kitty Kitty Bang Bang

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

DL and Nathaniel Spread Good Vibes With “LOVE”

Melbourne rapper DL has teamed up with Nathaniel for his latest feel-good single “LOVE.” This song is pure sunshine, with pure confessional lyrics and a hooky chorus.

“’LOVE’ is a song I wrote about a woman and the feels I got even before meeting her,” DL admitted. “There was just that something about her; and yeah, we ended up walking down the aisle together, and we’ve created two beautiful daughters since. They’ve straight up given ‘LOVE’ more than one definition. This song is celebrating all of it. I’m legitimately thrilled and so proud to share it.”

If you need something to lift you up from your midweek slump, this is it.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Down For Tomorrow Cure the Winter Blues With “Sentimental”

The chilly winter weather has well and truly set in. If you’re looking for a way to warm up, may I suggest jumping around to Down For Tomorrow’s latest single “Sentimental.” This is another quality cut from the Sydney indie-punk act, with powerful vocals from Cody Stebbings supported by fuzzy guitars and relentless drums.

“I had just finished rehearsal with everyone. On the way home I began to question my own song writing methods and the value behind the lyrical subjects. I felt I was dramatising and overstating everything I wrote about in some strange attempt to overcompensate for a lack of musical and emotional diversity. I said to myself what would later become the hook: ‘when am I ever not sentimental?’ I wrote the song that night, and we workshopped it with Stevie; sensibly crafting the dynamic push and pull, going over the melody until it was true to the theme. The song emphasises the satire in trying not to be so sentimental about the things that should matter,” Cody explained.

Down For Tomorrow will take the song on the road next month. Catch them at The Workers Club in Melbourne on July 9 or Waywards in Sydney on July 24.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Discover Montana Sharp’s “Power”

Montana Sharp first hit my radar last year with her beautiful single “Greenhouse.” She impressed me then, but her latest single “Power” might be even better. Like Kate Miller-Heidke, Montana channels her classical training into a sound that’s contemporary, theatrical, and ultimately so powerful. If you’ve ever set yourself free from a relationship to reclaim your strength, for better or worse, this song is bound to speak to you.

“I think I grew up sold on the idea that my life would be magically ‘fixed’ once a man came to rescue me … I’d get into a relationship and expect the guy to ‘save’ me from my problems, and I’d be so disappointed and bitter when they inevitably couldn’t – so I’d cut them off abruptly in order to regain a sense of control,” she explained. “I know people will listen to this song and think it’s empowering, and perhaps it was when I wrote it – but I think the head that wears the crown was very heavy, and there’s a lot more subtext within the story.”

You can find this song on all the major streaming platforms, but I think it’s best discovered on YouTube. The film clip is dazzling, with Montana taking on the role of the Queen of Hearts. Just like Alice in Wonderland, it’s whimsical with a dark undercurrent bubbling just underneath the surface.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit Charlie Ashfield

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

GENIIE BOY Releases Cute and Quirky Love Song, “Bruises”

Gold Coast duo GENIIE BOY are making your weekend brighter with their cool new single “Bruises.” As catchy as it is relatable, this track from singer-songwriter Alisha Todd and producer and multi-instrumentalist Scott French is a love song for all the late bloomers out there.

“Bruises is a love song for people who have been a little slow in finding the human they could never get sick of, and also a song for people who don’t fit into the ‘norm’ of societal structure,” they explained. “It’s a bit cute, a bit rock-y, a bit silly. It’s pretty much Alisha’s self-reflection on meeting Scott, their relationship and the reality of their surrounding social groups.”

If you dig it, you’ll be happy to know the band has an EP on the way.

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Clay J Gladstone Rock Out With “Balance”

For a big, ballsy rock number, you can’t do much better than “Balance,” the first cut from Sydney band Clay J Gladstone’s upcoming debut EP. It’s got everything you want from a rock track: crunchy guitar chords, relentless drums, and gritty vocals. There’s an awful lot to like.

“I wrote this song for our guitarist, Johnny. It’s about struggling to find balance in life, and how the grass is always greener until you get there,” Clay explained. “It deals with anxiety, depression, and drug addiction.”

Clay J Gladstone’s debut EP Dead Friends will drop soon. Until then, crank this up to 11!

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Grace” – Grace Farriss

You might not know the music of Grace Farriss yet, but her musical pedigree is sure to raise expectations. The daughter of INXS legend Andrew Farriss has stepped into the spotlight with the release of her debut album, Grace.

The album opens with the lead single “All the People,” a poppy delight with a little vintage flair. As the next floor filler “Dancing How I Feel” started up, I started to feel like I had a handle on who Grace Farriss is. With her pleasant voice and pop leanings, I started to imagine she could be the next Kylie Minogue.

The retro vibes kept coming with “Studio 54” and “Star,” but these tracks were turning points for me. I started to realise Grace is much more than simply a pop princess who’s listened to a few old records. “Studio 54” adds a little funk and psychedelia to her sound. “Star” is an unashamed homage to David Bowie which showcases Grace’s rock edge. There’s so much more depth here than I’d anticipated.

“I Love You” shows Grace’s softer side. With simple strings and piano accompanying her, this stripped-back ballad really showcases Grace’s voice and vulnerability. “Opieland” and “Women of the World” are natural follow-ups, dreamy numbers with folky sensibilities that make Grace seem far less mainstream than I first thought.

“Water Under A Bridge” may be my favourite song on the album. After so many delicate numbers, this rocking track seems even ballsier. I’d love to hear Grace playing in this bold, bluesy space more.

By the trippy closer “Interstellar Love,” I knew there was much more than Grace Farriss than I first thought. She’s capable of producing some very catchy pop music, but her understanding and passion for all genres makes her music much more interesting than the tunes from most radio darlings. Grace sees her experimenting with so many different sounds and proving she can confidently play with them all. I’m not sure whether she’s still finding her niche or she refuses to be pigeonholed. Either way, the music she’s making shows she’s a real talent in her own right.

Grace is out now.

Images used with permission from Grace Farriss

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Holy Rollercoasters Teams Up With Asha Jefferies for Double A-Side Single

The 2019/2020 Woodford Folk Festival was a big event for the Holy Rollercoasters for many reasons. They played six shows in seven days, they camped near Emma Wiggle, and they spent the week collaborating with Asha Jefferies.

One of the tracks they performed together was Asha’s own song “Absence & Copyright,” which was transformed from a quiet, delicate number to a powerful soul song. They planned to record the song together, but then the pandemic happened and things took a little longer to come together. In the meantime, they decided they should also lay down one of Asha’s unreleased songs, “Don’t Do Cocaine.” The Holy Rollercoasters’ frontman Jimi Beavis took lead vocal duties and the artists gave the track a fresh and funky makeover.

“It seemed right,” Jimi said. “I had been thinking about going to see her single launch and then with recording for our album about to start, I began to plan with Andrew. Later that day I bumped into Asha at the shops and I was going to call her but … we just ended up discussing it right there in the health food aisle in Coles and here we are.”

As it turns out, Jimi actually inspired the song “Don’t Do Cocaine,” as he gave Asha that sage advice before she played her first BigSound appearance. Their history goes right back, with Asha and Jimi attending the same English class at Music Industry College and the Holy Rollercoasters’ guitarist Chris Bancroft playing in Asha’s band.

Asha and the Holy Rollercoasters won’t play any launch shows for the double A-side single as the Holy Rollercoasters are focused on their new album and Asha’s got a full touring schedule. However, if you want to see them perform together, you might want to get along to the Holy Rollercoasters’ next few shows, just in case. Their next show is supporting Cigány Weaver at Brisbane’s West Room on May 28.

Image used with permission from 4000 Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Anna Smyrk Rocks Out With “Human Condition”

I’m used to Anna Smyrk creating sweet folky ditties, but she’s embracing her inner rock chick with her new single “Human Condition.” There’s an appealing edge to this track which came out of the Melbourne lockdowns. The perfect pandemic anthem, it explores the way we connect, or don’t connect, in the modern age.

“The song is like a mash-up of experiences that me or my friends have been in. Seeing an old friend for the first time in a while and being shocked by how much they’re struggling, someone picking at their skin until it bleeds, someone presenting a beautiful life online while they’re actually being crushed by loneliness – these are all examples taken from real life,” she admitted.

“Human Condition” gives us our first taste of Anna’s forthcoming third EP. Hear a little more music from that release and her back catalogue at the following single launch shows:

29 May 2021 – Red Hill Hotel, Chewton (FREE 2 pm)
4 June 2021 – The Retreat Hotel, Melbourne (7:30 pm)
11 June 2021 – Handle Bar, Bendigo (FREE 8pm)
13 June 2021 – Tanswell’s Commercial Hotel, Beechworth

Image used with permission from This Much Talent; credit: Giulia McGauran