Posted on by Lauren Katulka

CREO Makes a Big Impression With “Subtitles for X, Y, Z”

Sydney indie-rock band CREO has released an epic new single “Subtitles for X, Y, Z” in the lead-up to the release of the EP of the same name.

This is a cinematic piece of rock music, with an anthemic chorus and dramatic musicality. It plays with light and shade so beautifully, easing off the pedal now and again just to sweep you back up in the musical wave.

“We all go through the process where age and experience starts to skew the innocence and purity of our natural habits and emotions. I remember vividly the first time I fell in love or even lust, and it was a simple feeling, it just came over me, I didn’t think about the alternatives and possible scenarios, I just accepted the feeling for what it was. Nowadays, I battle with myself, to avoid certain feelings and thoughts because of past experiences,” explained the band’s singer Jorjee Haman. “‘Subtitles for X, Y, Z’ is all about getting out of your own head, fucking off agendas and accepting that those innocent quirks you try to hide need to be loved by yourself, first and foremost.”

“Subtitles for X, Y, Z” comes from the EP of the same name, which is scheduled for a September 8 release. Expect to hear a tour announcement to celebrate the EP’s launch really soon.

Image used with permission from Rare Finds

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sarah King Impresses With “Back Home”

British-born Adelaide-based pop-jazz chanteuse Sarah King has won me over with her beautiful new single “Back Home.”

It’s the kind of song that stops you in your tracks because it’s so different from what other people are releasing. Her voice is just beautiful, angelic and ethereal.

“The single ‘Back Home’ is pretty special to me as I wrote it at a time where I was settling myself and my family into South Australia, our new home state,” Sarah explained in a press release. “I started exploring themes of home and what home means to different people, whether it’s a place, a person or something completely unique. It’s a song about what and where home can be, a story of longing, reminiscing, reflection, acceptance and gratitude.”

Sarah hopes “Back Home” can also help raise awareness for the thousands of women homeless in South Australia and the rest of the country. She performed the track at Umbrella Winter City Sounds last month to further the cause.

There’s more where that came from on Sarah’s self-titled EP. She’ll officially launch that at the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Thebarton on August 27.

Image used with permission from Against the Grain Publicity/Photo credit: Hannah Tunstill

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Paul Kelly Earns His First Number One Album

Paul Kelly is a true national treasure, so it’s amazing to realise this week he’s scored his very first number one album. Life is Fine, his 23rd studio album, has zoomed to the top of the charts on debut, unseating the Ed Sheeran’s heavyweight ÷.

Jen Cloher is another Aussie making her presence known with her new self-titled album. The follow-up to 2013’s In Blood Memory has debuted at number 5.

Sadly we don’t have any Aussie songs in the top 10 singles … or the top 20 … or the top 30. Come on Australia! Our artists are releasing some wonderful songs!

Anyway, here are this week’s top 10s.

Top 10 Albums
1. Life is Fine – Paul Kelly
2. ÷ – Ed Sheeran
3. Rainbow – Ke$ha
4. Moana – Soundtrack
5. Jen Cloher – Jen Cloher
6. DAMN. – Kendrick Lamar
7. Melodrama – Lorde
8. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Awesome Mix Vol. 2 – Soundtrack
9. Evolve – Imagine Dragons
10. X – Ed Sheeran

Top 10 Singles
1. “What About Us” – P!nk
2. “Glorious” – Macklemore feat. Skylar Grey
3. “Despacito” – Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber
4. “Thunder” – Imagine Dragons
5. “Feels” – Calvin Harris feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry, & Big Sean
6. “Praying” – Ke$ha
7. “Strip That Down” – Liam Payne feat. Quavo
8. “Unforgettable” – French Montana feat. Swae Lee
9. “Wild Thoughts” – DJ Khaled feat. Rihanna & Bryson Tiller
10. “Body Like a Back Road” – Sam Hunt

Image used with permission from ARIA

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ali Barter Teams With Gift Box To Help Homeless Women Access Sanitary Products

Periods are a pain, in more ways than one. I bitch and moan for the duration of mine, I have severe cramps, and so many hormones race through my body that I wonder how my husband stays with me. But my periods would be so much worse if I couldn’t afford the sanitary products that help me go out and put my best foot forward every month. Ali Barter agrees, so she’s teamed up with an exciting new start-up Gift Box.

Gift Box is the brainchild of Aussie actress and entrepreneur Saskia Hamplele, who you may remember as Georgia Brooks on Neighbours. Her company is the world’s first one-for-one organic tampon brand. Whenever customers buy tampons through Gift Box, the organisation donates the same amount to the estimated 46,000 homeless women in Australia that struggle to access sanitary care through its partnerships with Share the Dignity, The Period Projects, and Essentials for Women.

So where does Ali Barter come in? She’s teamed up with Saskia to create a collaborative tea towel, featuring a design from illustrator and tattoo artist Lily Gloria, which you can find at her upcoming One Foot In shows. Money raised by the tea towel’s sales will benefit Gift Box.

“We all get our damn periods so I love that if I buy a box of tampons from Gift Box Organic, it means someone more in need than me gets one too. It’s important that all women have access to sanitary care, and tampons are, for many, non-negotiable,” Ali said.

“The mission of Gift Box has really been driven by a sisterhood of ‘women supporting women’, so to join forces with Ali Barter’s powerful voice has been very exciting,” added Saskia. “Ali’s generous contribution will not only provide many more homeless women with tampons, it also adds to the conversation of women’s lack of access to sanitary products and will help reach a wider audience for this commonly overlooked issue.”

You can see Ali and get the tea towel at the following shows. And if you’re not getting along to the gigs, you can still help out through the Gift Box website.

25 August 2017 – Workers Club, Geelong
1 September 2017 – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
2 September 2017 – Republic Bar, Hobart
8 September 2017 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
9 September 2017 – Fat Controller, Adelaide
15 September 2017 – Player’s Bar, Mandurah
16 September 2017 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth
22 September 2017 – The Northern, Byron Bay
23 September 2017 – The Courier-Mail Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent, Brisbane
28 September 2017 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
29 September 2017 – The Small Ballroom, Newcastle
30 September 2017 – Stuart Park, Wollongong
1 October 2017 – Transit Bar, Canberra

Image used with permission from Inertia Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Glenn Shorrock @ Ettalong Diggers, Ettalong Beach – 11 August 2017

When Lizotte’s closed its doors at Kincumber, I was worried I might need to travel to Sydney or Newcastle to see great live music. However, a handful of other venues have stepped up and filled the void. I don’t feel quite as pampered heading out to Ettalong Diggers. The meals are fairly standard pub fare (although improving with a new chef!) and the wine list isn’t quite as refined. The auditorium doesn’t have the Cubby House’s ambience either. However, Ettalong Diggers is doing enough to attract performers like Glenn Shorrock, which gives it a big tick in my book.

One thing I do admire about Ettalong Diggers is the commitment it shows to the artists it books regularly. The local musos who slog it out in the main bistro area, competing for attention with meals, boisterous conversation, and footy on the big screen. Rather than looking elsewhere for a support act, organisers chose local favourite Shane Edwards. He’s far from a household name but the oldies who frequent the club love him, whether he’s playing a relatively modern song like Keith Urban’s “Somebody Like You” or tackling an operating classic like “Nessun Dorma.” He seems to do it all effortlessly, even while flirting with clearly besotted senior citizens!

With the crowd well and truly warmed up, it was Glenn Shorrock’s turn to hit the stage. The man is a true living legend who’s brought us some of Australia’s most beloved songs during his time in The Twilights, Axiom, and of course Little River Band. His set touched on hits from all those years in the business. If you were waiting for a “loo break” song you weren’t going to find it. There were no lulls here; just a whole lot of singalong fun.

So many years in the business seem to have taken a toll on Glenn. He sat down for much of the set, resting his legs for those numbers that called for a dance break. The years might have wearied his body, but his voice is still on point. Supported by an excellent band, you couldn’t hope for the show to sound better. The enthusiastic Ettalong crowd were in raptures, singing along to every song and clapping and cheering as it finished, only to eagerly await the next one. When Glenn was saying his goodbyes we were having none of it, and so he obliged with an unexpected finale, The Beatles’ “Carry That Weight.”

I looked around the auditorium as we filed out and saw so many smiling faces. What Glenn does isn’t particularly flashy, but he does it so well.

Image source: Stephen Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Josh Pyke Adds Regional Shows to Farewell Shows

Josh Pyke shocked fans recently when he announced he was putting his solo career on hold to work on other projects. He’s been giving us all a chance to say goodbye though. Not content with his current run of 10 Years of Memories & Dust shows, Josh has just announced a string of regional dates for later in the year.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen Josh over the years and it’s always a treat. If you’ve never seen him live or you just want to make more memories, make sure you get along to one of these gigs.

17 August 2017 – The Gov, Adelaide
18 August 2017 – Prince of Wales, Bunbury
19 August 2017 – The Capitol, Perth
25 August 2017 – Launceston Country Club, Launceston
26 August 2017 – Wrest Point Casino, Hobart
3 November 2017 – Byron Bay Brewery, Byron Bay
4 November 2017 – Long Point Vineyard, Port Macquarie
11 November 2017 – Baroque Bar, Katoomba
12 November 2017 – The Playhouse @ Canberra Theatre, Canberra
23 November 2017 – Ramsgate Hotel, Henley Beach
24 November 2017 – Norwood Hotel, Norwood
30 November 2017 – Mt Pleasant Tavern, Mackay
1 December 2017 – Dalrymple Hotel, Townsville
2 December 2017 – Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns
8 December 2017 – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave
9 December 2017 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
10 December 2017 – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Broken River Launches New Single “Me Versus You” Tonight at The Tote

There’s a touch of the Bruce Springsteen’s about “Me Versus You,” Melbourne act Broken River’s latest single. And that’s not a bad thing at all.

Singer-songwriter Ben Stoltz’s voice has a similar huskiness to it, and the driving percussion and piano that back him all remind me of classic Springsteen. However, if you’re going to be compared to anyone, I think the Boss isn’t a bad option.

“‘Me Versus You’ was a late addition in terms of studio recordings but nevertheless stood out,” Ben explained in the press release. “The song is a dark anthem with layers of woven guitars and pounding drums. It’s the sound of crushing heartbreak and melancholy.”

Broken River launches “Me Versus You” at The Tote in Melbourne tonight, August 17.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Wanderers’ New South Wales Tour Starts Tonight

Adelaide trio Wanderers blew me away with the single “Loco” in January. The EP Something of a Distraction came a month later, but I must have been distracted because I’m only just listening to it now. Just in time too, as it turns out, because after wowing crowds in Europe and the United Kingdom, the band is back on Aussie soil ready to kick off a New South Wales tour tonight.

If you’re not already acquainted with Wanderers, do yourself a favour. Their music is so much fun, soulful with hints of funk, gospel, and straight up rock and roll. This live clip of “Loco” gives you an inkling of what I mean, but you can see for yourself at the following venues.

17 August 2017 – Moonshine, Manly
18 August 2017 – Caves Beachside Hotel, Caves Beach
19 August 2017 – Gregory Hills Hotel, Gregory Hills
20 August 2017 – Headland Cafe, Valla Beach
23 August 2017 – Element Bar, Coffs Harbour
24 August 2017 – Moonshine, Manly
25 August 2017 – Black Duck Brewery, Port Macquarie
26 August 2017 – The Rails, Byron Bay
27 August 2017 – The Junkyard Hotel, Maitland
30 August 2017 – Oak Hotel, Double Bay
31 August 2017 – Moonshine, Manly
1 September 2017 – Aztec, Forster

Image used with permission from Little Acorn Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Patrick James Amps Up Sound With “Lay It Down”

Patrick James has experimented with a much bigger sound on his new single “Lay It Down,” and I love it.

I’m used to more stripped-back songs from Patrick, but I think this new direction is working for him! The synths and heavy percussion give the track a retro ‘80s feel. But at the heart of the song, there’s still the same great lyrics and melodies we can always count on from this exciting Sydney singer-songwriter.

“Throughout the entire writing and recording of the song I didn’t pick up the acoustic guitar once, which was strange at first but ultimately gave a new feel and vibe to the music. It’s bigger and bolder,” Patrick said in a press release.

Patrick will play two special shows next month to celebrate the release of “Lay it Down.” Catch him at Leadbelly in Sydney on September 15 or the Wesley Anne in Melbourne on September 23.

Image used with permission from Minor Major

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Josh Johnstone Touring Album in Europe and Oz

Fremantle’s own Josh Johnstone has put a big smile on my face with his new single “Just What It Is,” the latest release from his debut album Call in Whispers.

It’s got a great spontaneous energy about it, perhaps because he allegedly wrote it in just five minutes! Who said good things take time?

“It seems that I had just returned home from the local pub after more than my fair share of ales, picked up a guitar and just like that, she was alive!” he explained. “Funny thing was that the following morning I had completely forgotten about it. It wasn’t until a couple of days later I was going though the recordings in my phone and I found it, then it all came back to me. It also explained why I had been wandering around for two days with this random melody in my head. They say the songs you write in five minutes are the best ones, I think this tune is fair proof of that.”

Josh has spent the last couple of months touring Europe, but he’ll be back to launch the album with local shows next month. Whether you’re here or abroad, you can catch him at the following venues.

15 August 2017 – Magick Gathering Festival, Švenčionys
16 August 2017 – Bix Baras, Vilnius
17 August 2017 – Rock River, Vilnius
18 August 2017 – Love Palanga, Palanga
19 August 2017 – Fontaine Palace, Liepaja
20 August 2017 – Kuldīgas Rātsnams un Rātslaukums, Kuldīga
22 August 2017 – Egle, Riga
25 August 2017 – Mad Murphys, Tallinn
29 August 2017 – Chicago 1933 Bar, Tallinn
30 August 2017 – Wall St Bar, Helsinki
2 September 2017 – Beat Café, San Salvo
23 September 2017 – Kalgoorlie Cup @ Exchange Hotel, Kalgoorlie
13 October 2017 – The Fly Trap, Fremantle
20 October 2017 – Venue TBC, Benalla
22 October 2017 – Bar 303, Melbourne
16 November 2017 – The Prince of Wales Hotel, Bunbury