Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Thelma Plum Celebrates One-Year Anniversary of Smash Debut With Vinyl Release & Tour

The special edition vinyl release of Thelma Plum’s debut album Better in Blak is a timely reminder just how good it is. The current single “Homecoming Queen” is just one example of the powerful songs that helped this album connect to other women, BIPOC, and other music fans who’ve ever struggled with identity and acceptance.

The vinyl release features the colors of the First Nations/Indigenous flag in a nod to Thelma’s Gamilaraay heritage. You can order your copy online here.

Providing the global pandemic allows, Thelma hopes to play shows around Australia in November with Kira Puru. Catch both of these sensational local female singer-songwriters on Thelma’s Homecoming Queen tour.

11 November 2020 – The River, Margaret River
12 November 2020 – Astor Theatre, Perth
15 November 2020 – The Gov, Hindmarsh
20 November 2020 – Armitage Center, Toowoomba
21 November 2020 – Big Pineapple Festival 2020, Woombye
26 November 2020 – Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul
27 November 2020 – Metro Theatre, Sydney (SOLD OUT)
28 November 2020 – Metro Theatre, Sydney
29 November 2020 – Forum, Melbourne (SOLD OUT)
4 December 2020 – Torquay Hotel, Torquay (SOLD OUT)
5 December 2020 – Torquay Hotel, Torquay
10 December 2020 – Newcastle Exhibition & Convention Centre, Newcastle
11 December 2020 – UC Refectory, Canberra
12 December 2020 – The Uni Bar Hobart, Sandy Bay
18 December 2020 – Kingscliff Beach Hotel, Kingscliff
19 December 2020 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane

Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Demons” – Nathan Cavaleri

It’s been nearly 26 years since local guitar whizz Nathan Cavaleri released an album. Back then he was just 12 years old, a cute kid known for his cancer battle, appearances on Hey Hey It’s Saturday, and of course that talent beyond his years. His whirlwind childhood took a toll and Nathan stepped back from the spotlight to regroup and reassess. Thankfully, after some soul searching, he’s ready to share music with us again. The result is Demons, an album that represents Nathan’s journey and the adult performer he is today.

With the album’s first single, the title track “Demons,” and his latest release, “Before You Check Out,” Nathan shows he’s unafraid of tackling the tough issues. Both songs are introspective explorations of mental illness. Sensitively handled, there’s an optimism about both numbers that balances their dark themes.

The same could be said for the whole album really. While those songs have a suitably sombre tone, they’re balanced with more upbeat tracks like the funky, psychedelic inspired “Castles in the Sky” and flirty “Crush.” A swampy cover of Cold Chisel’s classic, “Rising Sun,” is so much fun. “Drifter” is another standout. Nathan’s voice is solid throughout this album, but this instrumental number lets us focus on his sublime guitar playing. This is where he really shines. The album closes with “Chucky,” a largely instrumental classic blues number that feels so fitting. While it has some vocals, reminding us that Nathan is much more than a guitar prodigy, it’s his skills with his axe that leave the lasting impression.

With Demons, Nathan Cavaleri shows himself to be a master musician, skilled at his craft and unafraid to take risks and innovate. The album roots itself in blues traditions, but Nathan isn’t afraid to take these classic sounds in new directions. A generation of Australians fell in love with Nathan Cavaleri, the child star. Now with the release of Demons, they get the chance to fall in love with Nathan Cavaleri, the man.

Nathan can’t wait to play these songs live, so he’s working with the following venues to play shows in line with each state and territory’s COVID-19 regulations. Hopefully all these shows will go ahead with safe social distancing and other COVID-19 safety procedures in place.

2 October 2020 – The Rhythm Hut, Gosford (All ages; minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
3 October 2020 – Stag & Hunter, Newcastle (18+)
9 October 2020 – Brass Monkey, Cronulla (18+)
16 October 2020 – The Pepper Tree, Aldinga (18+)
17 October 2020 – The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Adelaide (18+)
30 October 2020 – Camelot Lounge, Sydney (All ages; minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
31 October 2020 – Smiths Alternative, Canberra (All ages; minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
1 November 2020 – Heritage Hotel, Bulli (18+)
12 November 2020 – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave (18+)
13 November 2020 – The Catfish, Fitzroy (18+)
14 November 2020 – Live at the Bundy, Bundalaguah (All ages; minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
27 November 2020 – The Baroque Room, Katoomba (18+)
3 & 4 April 2021 – Bluesfest, Byron Bay (All ages)

Images used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rock Out With Rude Rum

Brisbane rock act Rude Rum delivers serious swagger with its latest single “Got That Feelin’.” It’s such a confident release, I was shocked to hear these guys only formed last year. Those charismatic vocals and funky riff sound so self-assured, I was sure this was the work of some seasoned pros.

“Got That Feelin'” the follow-up to “Curious Affection,” and the two songs have plenty in common.

“’Got That Feelin’’ is the funky sister to its sibling ‘Curious Affection’,” explained Rude Rum’s lead singer and guitarist Jaeden Ogston. “Both songs developed around a similar period in time, however, ‘Got that Feelin’’ features a much more funk-inspired riff and underlying tonality; especially some of the guitar tones where a thinner harmonic quality and sharper attack of the playing style pays homage to old school funk recordings where they often plugged straight into the console rather than an amp. People kept saying to us at our shows ‘That should be your next single!’ or ‘When are you going to record that one?’ so it was definitely a clear choice to release this tune next and plus combined with our own style, it ended up as a super tasty track which really adds dynamic to our catalogue.”

Rude Rum is the sort of act that loves playing anywhere, anytime. Needless to say, COVID-19 has hit them hard and they’re absolutely frothing to share their music with people in person. Follow the band’s Facebook page to learn when they’re back at local venues.

Image used with permission from The Right Profile

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Glades Releases New Pop Smash, “Blonde”

Sydney’s own Glades is spreading the positive vibes with their latest pick-me-up pop banger “Blonde.” If you’re struggling right now and need to shake up your life (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?), this is the track for you.

“Blonde is about helping a friend through a breakup. Sometimes you have to allow yourself to feel the full extent of your emotions to get through something. The song’s about being carefree and allowing yourself to do crazy shit to get over somebody” explained multi-instrumentalist and producer Joey Wenceslao.

“Blonde” is the second track lifted from Glades’ sophomore album Planetarium, due out later this year. The band’s debut To Love You was one of my favourite releases of 2018, so I expect big things from this one.

Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Fall in Love With O’Shea’s “Bridezilla (It Only Gets Better)”

This May, my husband and I celebrated 14 years of mostly wedded bliss. I won’t say that I was a bridezilla, but I certainly sweated some small stuff. So I can totally relate to O’Shea’s fun new country ditty, “Bridezilla (It Only Gets Better).”

The Aussie-born, Nashville-based husband and wife team, Mark and Jay O’Shea co-wrote the track with Clare Bowen (from the TV show Nashville) and her husband Brandon R. Young. That’s a whole lot of experience in the marriage game!

“I wish I could have sent this song to my younger, bridezilla self,” Jay admitted. “It’s too easy to get stressed about little details that don’t matter. The really good stuff happens once you’re married!”

“Jay? A Bridezilla? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” added Mark.

“Bridezilla (It Only Gets Better)” comes from O’Shea’s upcoming album.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Mardi Wilson Drops Empowering Folk Track, “Part Time Lover”

Brisbane singer-songwriter Mardi Wilson speaks for anyone who’s ever been screwed over by a sexual partner, both figuratively and literally, with her new single “Part Time Lover.” I love the way its warm, folky sound counterbalances beautifully with those edgy lyrics.

“I would hope if anyone listening to this song feels like they are being/have been taken for a bit of a ride as a ‘part-time lover’ – they realize that they are not alone. I hope that this song speaks to those people and makes them feel empowered and important,” Mardi said. “You can’t help it if someone treat’s you like shit, but you can decide that you deserve better.”

Mardi penned the track back in 2018, after being hospitalised for some health issues. During this difficult time she reached out to someone she was seeing for nearly a year, hoping for support. “The reaction that I got wasn’t what I expected and that really caused a lot of hurt for me, she admitted. “When I eventually got home I went straight for my guitar and started letting it all out.”

COVID-19 has slowed down Mardi’s schedule, but she’s still gigging when and where she can. Follow her Facebook page for details of the next shows as they’re announced.

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sinclaire Showcases New Sound With “I Needed You”

Sinclaire won my heart last year with its debut EP Now I’m Ready to Start. Now the Sydney band is back showing a dreamier pop sound on a new single “I Needed You.” The lush synths and haunting vocals on this one remind me of acts like Cub Sport and The 1975. The lyrics are also incredibly clever, as the band’s lead vocalist and songwriter Michael Cross explained.

“On first listen, ‘I Needed You’ feels like a song written about a toxic, dysfunctional relationship between two people. Reciting abusive encounters and unstable dependency on one another, it’s a detailed depiction of everything that would be unhealthy in a relationship. However, it’s actually a story about one person’s addiction to alcohol. For example, the lyric ‘the last time I held you I forgot every word that I said,’ is really referring to the memory loss brought on by excessive drinking.”

Understanding the track’s inspiration makes it hit a little deeper for me. This is a different sound than the one that first got me interested in Sinclaire, but I really appreciate the evolution.

Image used with permission from Habit Music Co.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Will Clift’s Soulful New Single is Your Ideal Sunday Soundtrack

Melbourne RnB act and former pro rugby union player Will Clift has just dropped his sophomore single “Fall In Love,” and it’s just the kind of cool, cruisy track Sunday morning ordered. This one goes down easy with its groovy bassline and Will’s effortlessly smooth vocals.

“The song is about the struggle between the excitement and reluctance to fall in love,” Will explained. “When I was writing this track, I wanted to create something that would be a lot of fun to play live and would make people move. This is shown in the video with my bad dance moves, haha! The concept of the music video is that the model is actually a figment of my imagination and ‘the perfect girl’ that I’d ideally fall in love with is unobtainable. It was a lot of fun to make, and I’m not sick of the song after hearing it about 100 times which is a good sign.”

That video, filmed at a private mansion in Noosa, also has me dreaming about summer getaways. It’s the perfect antidote to those winter blues.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

JUNIE Gets Me Grooving With “Sometime”

Sydney RnB act JUNIE has just dropped his second single “Sometime” and it’s an absolute bop. It’s smooth and super catchy, with some rapid-fire rhymes that make the cool groove of the verses even sweeter. Make no mistake, this is the goods.

“While on the surface ‘Sometime’ is a fun and light-hearted jam, the track delves into deeper themes, which explores my battles with patience and confidence,” JUNIE admitted. “Facing your hurdles front on is always overwhelming, but a great way to get past them.”

JUNIE has played the King St. Crawl and shows with other exciting up-and-comers including Down for Tomorrow, A.GIRL, and Wolfjay. Hopefully it won’t be too long before we see him doing his thing live. Until then, crank this one and enjoy a party at home!

Image used with permission from Carlos Lara

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

David Shaak Drops Sublime Single, “Lost, Alone & Lonesome”

Melbourne-born, Brisbane-based singer-songwriter David Schaak is serving up classic Americana flavours with his latest single “Lost, Alone & Lonesome.” Its dirty guitars and lush Hammond organ are the perfect match for his rough and ready vocals. If you’ve got a taste for Southern rock, you’ll eat this song up.

“There are a lot of songs in the world about heartbreak, but I wanted to write one from the perspective of inevitability,” David said. “Sometimes a relationship can be over and the actual act of breaking up is merely a formality. Yes, there’s going to be a fight and then sadness and then loneliness; both parties have experienced it all before and just want it over and done with.

The line in the chorus ‘When you’re finished, can I keep the broken part?’ actually came from something my dad always said about getting old cars repaired. Always get the broken part back because you can probably get it repaired; to use again later – I don’t think there’s a heart on earth that hasn’t gone through a few repairs.”

“Lost, Alone & Lonesome” comes from David Schaak’s new album Meet My Ghosts, which will be released on October 2.

Image used with permission from Annie Johnsson Publicity