Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Chronixx Bringing Reggae Tunes to Oz

Saturday is the perfect day for listening to some world-class reggae. You’re feeling on top of the world because the weekend is here, yet you’re not suffering for it as you might be tomorrow! This morning I fell down the Chronixx rabbit hole, intending to simply listen to a couple of tracks to decide whether his tour was worth telling you about but listening to a couple of albums instead! He’s that good.

The Jamaican rapper has impressed the right people, from Jimmy Fallon, who is credited with discovering him on a Jamaican holiday, to musical elite like Lauryn Hill, Nas, and The Stone Roses. And in February, Chronixx will bring his band Zincfence Redemption to Australia for shows in the East Coast capitals.

“I’m so excited to be back performing live in Australia for my fans, where I’ll be performing new tracks from the Chronology record as well as the classics,” Chronixx said. “See you soon!”

See him at the following local venues next year.

21 February 2018 – Metro Theatre, Sydney
22 February 2018 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
23 February 2018 – The Zoo, Brisbane

Image used with permission from SGC Media

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Henry Wagons Does Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen was quite simply one of the greatest songwriters to ever grace us with his gifts. Henry Wagons is one of our most talented musical exports. So I knew before I listened to it that I would love Henry’s latest single, a cover of Leonard’s “Tower of Song.”

If I wasn’t already familiar with the song I might have thought Henry wrote it. It fits him so beautifully, like a comfortable pair of shoes.

“Leonard Cohen is a true philosopher king of lyric. Like so many, I was hit when he left,” Henry explained. I wanted to honour the anniversary of his passing by singing my take on ‘Tower of Song’, as a thank you to the great man for building the structure under which all of us songwriters huddle.”

Singles don’t get much cooler than this.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“I Saw Red” – Struggle With Glory/ Harry James Angus

Just a few weeks ago I was singing Harry James Angus’ praises, celebrating his innovative single “I Saw Red,” released through his Struggle With Glory project. Now after hearing the EP with the same name, I’m even more impressed.

To bring you up to speed, I Saw Red is an EP of gospel-jazz tracks inspired by Greek mythology. The music doesn’t just live on the recordings; it’s from the Struggle With Glory show Harry James Angus has showcased at theatres and will soon take to music and arts festivals around the country. This is no ordinary musical project. It’s not delivered as one, and it doesn’t sound like one either.

I Saw Red transports you to a different time, a time when jazz, soul, and blues came together for people in mourning and exultation. “Kill The Priest” has a morbid title, but it feels like a song of praise and positivity. It’s a beacon of light which juxtaposes beautifully with the darker title track. “Struggle With Glory” sounds like an old slave song, sorrowful and full of soul. “He Took The Fire” rounds out the EP, lifting us up just as we began. It’s a slow burner, but when the gospel choir and brass band kicks in you’ll be clapping along.

I Saw Red stands alone as a stellar collection of songs. But it also makes me intrigued about Harry James Angus and his Struggle With Glory show. Something tells me I’d appreciate these incredible songs even more in that context.

The I Saw Red EP is available now. Struggle With Glory will play the following events.

1 March 2018 – Perth Festival, Perth
14 & 15 March 2018 – Adelaide, Adelaide

Image used with permission from Riot House Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Timi Temple Eulogises Pet Fish With “Sands of Time” Single

Kilter guitarist Timi Temple has stepped out on his own with the release of his psychedelic new single “Sands of Time.”

This track is the perfect marriage of classic 60s sounds reinterpreted for the 21st century. It’s catchy yet still left of centre. It also comes from a hilarious story from Timi’s childhood.

“When I was a kid we had a fish tank in the house, behind the dining table, on a glass shelf. Underneath the tank was a heater, now, I don’t know whose bright idea it was to put the heater under the tank, but one cold night I thought I’d do the right thing by turning on the heater. A child’s first attempt at taking initiative. Unfortunately no one from my family realised I had done this, so I was put to bed and the rest of my family retired for the night without turning off the heater. I woke up to my family arguing about who left the heater on – the fish were pretty much boiled and floating across the top – and when I was asked, I feigned ignorance. It ate at me for a while, the guilt not washing off my consciousness. But soon it was ‘lost in the sands of time’ and forgotten. It hit me like a freight train when, at 15, I decided to buy my own ‘first pet’ and picked up a fish tank. I put my thoughts down on paper and I guess the song is my confession.”

Thankfully no fish were harmed in the making of the video!

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Live @ Roche Estate, Pokolbin – 18 November 2017

I’m not sure what it is about Hunter Valley winery gigs, but so often they go hand-in-hand with rain. Somewhere along the way my excitement about the show turns in to trepidation and relentless weather checks.

Roche Estate was already a muddy swamp by the time I arrived on Saturday. It didn’t take long for the ground, and us, to get a whole lot wetter. It poured virtually nonstop for the first two acts. My raincoat quickly became as soaked as the rest of me. My feet were squelching in my shoes. I’ve had rain at concerts before, but never so much that I was still soaked to my skin by the time I got home.

It’s a cliché to suggest rain didn’t dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm, because it was certainly unpleasant. But the music was so outstanding that it actually seemed worth the downpour. I last saw Thirsty Merc playing acoustically. Before that, Rai Thistlethwayte was playing solo. I hadn’t seen the Merc is all their plugged-in splendour for ten long years. So I was thrilled to see these guys playing a set for the real fans. They’ve had so many hits over the years, certainly enough to fill their six-song set. While songs like “Someday, Someday” and “In the Summertime” featured, they were interspersed with killer album tracks like “Claude Monet” and “I Wish Somebody Would Build a Bridge (So I Could Get Over Myself).” Their set was full of energy and appreciation. While the crowd was relatively small by that point, they lapped up what Thirsty Merc gave us.

I worried I might spend The Calling’s set simply waiting for “Wherever You Will Go,” but the California act were a real surprise package for me. It turns out thanks to Spotify’s suggestions, I knew more songs than I thought. However, even the ones I weren’t familiar with didn’t feel like fillers. Alex Band is one dynamic front man. I barely took my eyes off him. His presence made their set so enjoyable.

Lifehouse continued the nostalgia with a tight set peppered with more of those Spotify favourites. I couldn’t fault any of the musicians, but after being so impressed by The Calling, this set felt a little lacking to me. Maybe some jetlag or a busy tour schedule has caught up with them, because it felt a little “by the numbers.” Bass guitarist Bryce Soderberg’s cover of “You’re The Voice” was great fun though, and the band’s biggest hits “You and Me” and “Hanging By a Moment” also had everyone singing along.

You want the headliners to take things up a notch and boy did Live deliver, bursting onto the stage with “All Over You.” The set drew mainly from early albums, especially the breakthrough Throwing Copper, and like so many fans I lapped it up. “I Alone” was an absolute standout; I wish I could have bottled the electricity when we all let loose. “White, Discussion” might have been penned decades ago, but it resonated strongly as I thought of the current political climate. “Selling the Drama” went off just as much as it should. Even debut album Mental Jewelry got a look-in with “Pain Lies on the Riverside.” “Lakini’s Juice” from Secret Samadhi was positively electric.

Live is a band that rocks hard, but they’re every bit as powerful in the quieter moments. An acoustic cover of Johnny Cash’s “Walk the Line” was breathtaking. “Turn My Head,” the tender ballad from Secret Samadhi and one of my favourite Live tracks, was so moving. I saw more than a few misty eyes when the band played Audioslave track “I Am The Highway” in dedication to Chris Cornell.

The seven-year break hasn’t made Live rusty. They sound so tight and Ed Kowalczyk is every bit as magnetic as he ever was. He is such a charismatic performer, a kind of Messiah figure who is utterly mesmerising to watch. I’ve always admired him, but after experiencing the show he puts on I’d put him within the top five front men I’ve ever seen. He was that good.

Despite Ed’s importance, Live is a brothership and that seems stronger than ever after the band’s taken an extended break from one another. There’s a renewed sense of energy about Live these days. I saw them a couple of times in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, but I can’t remember feeling so blown away by their performance. Ed let slip that they’re planning another Aussie tour for March. It can’t come soon enough. Because quite simply, this was for me the best gig of the year.

Image source: Stephen Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

’80s Mania @ Enmore Theatre, Sydney – 11 November 2017

I’ve been meaning to write this review all week but time seemed to slip away from me. Now with another concert looming, I figured it was time I carved out a moment to get my thoughts down because free time just wasn’t going to present itself. I consider myself a bit of an ‘80s pop tragic. It was the music of my youth, the songs I’d hear on early morning clip shows or the radio, at least until Dad came along and changed the channel. So even though I’d seen many of the acts before, I couldn’t resist a trip to Sydney for 80s Mania.

Cutting Crew kicked off proceedings with a tight set of pop-rock favourites. Lead singer Nick van Eade was on guitar this time, unlike last tour, and I think it restricted his performance a little. Last time I remember him falling to his knees overcome with emotion, as over-the-top as it was entertaining. I couldn’t fault the set, but it didn’t have that extra something. Although of course, “(I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight” got a massive reaction.

Paul Young was trotted out next. Honestly, I’m not sure why he continues to earn a place at these kinds of events. While he’s written some of the best songs of the decade, they can’t make up for his vocal failings. Neither can his charisma, although he’s got that in spades too. We’re used to hearing these songs with such a pure voice and incredible vocal range, but he just doesn’t cut it. Thankfully his set was mercifully short. However, that did make his second song choice curious. I don’t claim to be his biggest fan, but I didn’t know it. Much bigger hits like “Love of the Common People” and “Senza Una Donna” were cut to make way for it. Why?

Wang Chung was the first act I hadn’t seen before, and the first time I felt like I hadn’t seen it all before. Strengthened by Cutting Crew’s Gareth Moulton, Nick Feldman took us through the band’s monster hits, “Let’s Go,” “Dance Hall Days,” “Everybody Have Fun Tonight.” As a Breakfast Club fan, I was a little disappointed “Fire in the Twilight” didn’t get a run, but I couldn’t be too critical. The set was one of the most fun of the night.

After a short intermission we were back with the always outstanding Go West. I still can’t understand why they insist on playing “Black and Gold” and “Sex on Fire,” but when delivering their original material there’s nothing to fault. The sound, the energy, the charm, and of course those songs. If you don’t get excited seeing these guys play “King of Wishful Thinking,” something is wrong.

I couldn’t help but be wowed by Taylor Dayne as she burst onto the stage, the final act on our nostalgic evening. At 55, she’s got the energy and body of a woman less than half her age. She didn’t seem to break sweat dancing around to her iconic cover of Barry White’s “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love.” And that voice was still as powerful as either. This lady can belt along with the best of them. High-energy hit after high-energy hit came and I lapped it all up. I found myself getting a little teary when she slowed things down for a cover of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a dedication to Prince and the other musicians we’ve lost before their time. It was a beautiful sentiment, but I found myself wishing Taylor showed a little more restraint and control. The same sadly went for “Love Will Lead You Back,” one of my favorite songs of the era. Taylor has an incredibly strong voice, but I found myself wishing for more tenderness. I’m not sure whether she doesn’t have the control any more or whether she’s just trying to keep up with the divas of the modern world.

It’s impossible to have a bad time at one of these shows. They’re a carefully curated slice of music nostalgia, with musicians we remember fondly delivering their biggest hits and a few surprises. However, I couldn’t help feeling like I’d seen it all before. With the exception of Wang Chung and Taylor Dayne, all the other acts were on last year’s ‘80s Mania bill. I couldn’t help comparing it to I Love the ‘90s, who put on such a fun night earlier this year and will return in 2018 with a totally different lineup that promises to be every bit as fun. The ‘80s were so rich in musical talent and so many of the acts are still playing shows today across the world. Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, The Time, Billy Ocean, Belinda Carlisle, and Roland Gift all immediately spring to mind. Don’t tell me some of them wouldn’t jump at the chance to visit Australia for the next ‘80s Mania. I can only hope organisers realise that while we love nostalgia, we get a bit bored of the same old thing.

Image source: Stephen Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Press Club Releases Killer New Single “My Body’s Changing”

Strap yourself in for “My Body’s Changing,” the energetic new single from Melbourne’s indie darlings Press Club.

This track packs such a punch, with its frenetic sound and emotional, raw vocals. You’ve got no choice but to just hang on and enjoy the ride.

Press Club’s latest single release caps off a bumper 2017 for the band, who has racked up more than 40 shows since playing their first only in February. They included support slots for the likes of WAAX, Slowly Slowly, Tired Lion, and Japandroids as well as slots at Bigsound and Kings St Crawl festivals. You can catch Press Club at a slew of upcoming events including Fairgrounds, Festival of the Sun, Falls at Marion Bay, and NYE on the Hill.

Image used with permission from Little Giant

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

German Twins Amistat Making Beautiful Music in Australia

Something so special happens when talented siblings make music together. They seem to understand one another, coming together with rich musicality and on point harmonies. That synchronicity can only be amped up when we’re talking about twins. So I’m thrilled German twin brothers Jan and Josef Prasil, known as Amistat, decided to leave their homeland and settle in Australia.

The pair were born and raised in Germany, but decided to leave the country for Australia, the land of their father’s birth, in 2012 after hearing so many stories about the place.

“When we arrived we were struggling to find work so we picked up some musical instruments and started busking to survive!” Josef said. “Jan really took to the guitar while I sung along. We realised pretty quickly that we had a unique sound and people wanted to listen to us back home and that is how Amistat was formed.”

Amistat’s new single “The Coward” is one of the best folk tracks I’ve heard in some time, an understated yet powerful song about living your most authentic life.
“The Coward is about knowing who you are deep inside but not being able to let it out,” Josef explained. “People are very fast with making assumptions and judging you based on what you look like but little do they know about what’s inside of the person.”

Amistat have just sold out a string of shows in Europe and they’re ready to impress music fans here along the East Coast. See them before they get massive at the following shows.

2 December 2017 – Chapel off Chapel, Melbourne
6 December 2017 – Lass O’Gowrie, Newcastle
7 December 2017 – Front Gallery, Canberra
9 December 2017 – Record Crate, Sydney
14 December 2017 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
15 December 2017 – Milk Factory, Brisbane
27 December 2017 – 1 January 2018 – Woodford Folk Festival, Woodford

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Shelley Segal Releases Moving New Single “Somebody Like You”

I associate Shelley Segal with quirky, upbeat folky ditties. But she’s showcasing a much darker, more layered sound on her latest single “Somebody Like You.” It’s a real departure for this Melbourne songstress, but I like it!

“Somebody Like You” charts Shelley’s struggles as an 18-year-old forming a relationship with a man outside her Jewish faith. Shelley fought for the relationship and ultimately moved out of home after the tension with her family got so great. While she’s not religious now, she says “I know that many people still experience this tension between their families, traditions and the person they love for various reasons, religion, race, gender, orientation. The truth is, you cannot help or control who you love.”

Shelley is currently based in Los Angeles, but she’ll be back on home soil to play some single launch shows in her home state over the summer.

29 December 2017 – Yard Bird, Bendigo (FREE)
4 January 2018 – Cally Hotel, Warrnambool (FREE)
12 January 2018 – Paynesville Wine Bar, Paynesville

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ruva Wants to Make You “S.W.E.A.T.”

Fridays are fun days, with the weekend so close you can smell it and the workday just a little more laidback than those in the rest of your working week. Add that extra spring to your step with “S.W.E.A.T,” the new party anthem by Melbourne singer-songwriter Ruva.

This is such a fun uptempo track with an African flavour that undoubtedly comes from Ruva’s Zimbabwean heritage. It also shows a different side to Ruva, who has been making a splash as part of the national casts of leading musicals like The Lion King, We Will Rock You, and currently, Beautiful.

“S.W.E.A.T is a call out to all people around the world!” Ruva said. “I see this song as an anthem for people from all walks of life coming together and celebrating what it means to be human. Differences aside; especially the way the world is going these days we need bit more unity in our lives.”

With real talent and plenty of swagger, we’re sure to see a lot more from Ruva.