Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dan Vogl Charms Me With “If I Die”

While I pride myself on fairly eclectic music taste, folk singers with acoustic guitar skills usually have an easy time winning me over. It didn’t take very long before I was swooning over Dan Vogl’s debut single “If I Die.” I enjoy the single version, but I think there’s something a little more special about this stripped back performance for the Speaker Sessions. The vocals come out just a little more, and that helps you hear those insightful lyrics. The delicate guitars are also stunning.

“’If I Die’ is about an internal struggle around the ideology and concepts of religion and how people are raised to believe in stories or traditions dependent on their surroundings,” Dan explained. “It cries out for a greater knowledge of the world and to see outside the box that certain beliefs can trap you in.”

Unfortunately I’m so behind in my emails that I didn’t hear this song before he launched it. Don’t worry though, because he’s playing the same venue, The Gasometer Hotel Upstairs in Collingwood, on August 16.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Alanis Morissette is Coming Back to Australia!

Alanis Morissette hasn’t toured this country for 18 years. Back then I was 19. Money was tight, and while I saw concerts, I certainly didn’t get to see everyone that touched my heart musically. Back then I assumed I’d have other opportunities. I didn’t expect to be kept waiting quite so long.

But Alanis settled down, morphing from the angsty voice of a generation to some kind of Mother Earth figure with kids and a husband. I honestly thought I’d missed my opportunity to catch her live show.

I am as thrilled as anyone could be with the news today that she’s coming back to our shores. And won’t it be worth the wait. For starters, she’s playing acoustic shows. Be still my beating heart. She’s also playing intimate venues. Playing in just two cities, I believe she’s still got the pulling power to fill an arena. I’m glad she won’t though. January cannot come fast enough.

Alanis Morissette will bring her An Evening With Alanis Morissette shows to Melbourne’s Palais Theatre on January 23 and the ICC Sydney Theatre on January 24. Tickets go on sale on August 7.

Image via Justin Higuchi @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Precautions Release Poppy New Single “Mine”

Sydney band The Precautions have put a smile on my face today with the feel good new single “Mine.”

The song has a strong pop spirit, with a hint of Eastern exoticism which helps set it apart. The track has The Precautions’ frontwoman Mary Paras’ stamp all over it. She wrote the track in Sydney and Los Angeles and had a hand in recording and producing it. She’s also singing lead and backing vocals, giving this song a lush, feminine feel.

“Mine” comes from The Precautions’ recently released debut album Free World.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Lincoln le Fevre & The Insiders Kick Off “Come Undone” Album Tour This Week

For pure unbridled passion, it’s hard to beat the tunes from Hobart’s Lincoln le Fevre & The Insiders. With driving drum beats and gritty melodies, every track on the band’s new LP Come Undone is a winner, including lead single “Undone.” You just see if you’re not punching your fist in the air in time to the beat of this one.

With Come Undone in stores now, there’s no better time for Lincoln and his pals to travel around Australia. This is the kind of music that sounds even richer in a pub with a cold beer in your hand. Soak it all up in the following venues.

4 August 2017 – Crowbar, Brisbane
18 August 2017 – The Gasometer, Melbourne
25 August 2017 – Republic Bar, Hobart
26 August 2017 – Royal Oak, Launceston
8 September 2017 – Transit Bar, Canberra
9 September 2017 – Lass O’Gowrie, Newcastle

Image used with permission from Deathproof PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ruel Shows Rare Talent Beyond His Years With “Don’t Tell Me”

I’m never quite sure whether to love or hate young performers. On one hand, I can’t help but be impressed with their talent realised at such a tender age. On the other, as I see what they’re doing I can’t help but think of what I was doing in my life at their age and how they’re clearly better than me. So I have mixed emotions about Ruel, because he’s kicking some serious goals at 14. Yes, 14.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, he wrote his new single “Don’t Tell Me” at just 12. It’s not one of those songs that needs qualification. I’m not going to tell you it’s good for a 12-year-old, or that Ruel’s performance on it is good for a 14-year-old. It’s just good. I’m so impressed at this young man’s voice and passion. Ordinarily when kids sing about deep emotions there’s a disconnect. They don’t have the experiences to truly evoke what they’re singing about. I’m not sure what Ruel has lived through, but he’s convinced me.

Ruel is supporting Angus and Julia Stone in September. Make sure you arrive in time for his set if you’re going, because you’re going to want to say you saw this kid before he hit the big time.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Amy Shark Hits Another Home Run With “Drive You Mad”

Amy Shark continues to prove she can’t put a foot wrong with the release of her new single “Drive You Mad.” This is yet another stellar cut from Amy’s debut EP Night Thinker.

The searingly honest lyrics, penned by Amy, really cut through. Dann Hume’s production helps realise Amy’s vision, taking this song to the next sonic level.

Amy has just completed her first North American tour and played Splendour in the Grass. Next stop, her own tour. If you can find some tickets, which are getting rare as hen’s teeth, you can catch her in major cities on the following dates before she supports Sia later this year.

17, 18. 19, 20 & 21 August 2017 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne
24 August 2017 – Miami Marketta, Gold Coast
25, 26 & 28 August 2017 – Woolly Mammoth, Brisbane
31 August, 1 & 3 September 2017 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
8 September 2017 – The Gov, Adelaide
9 September 2017 – The Capitol, Perth

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Angus Dawson Strips Back for “Atticus Finch” Video

Perth electronic artist Angus Dawson has released a fantastic new video for his cool new single “Atticus Finch.”

When many of us think of electronic music, we think of studio wizardry, songs created by computers rather than real instruments. But Angus challenges our perceptions here, performing live in an abandoned quarry in Darlington. The dramatically rugged backdrop reinforces that this performance is as real as it gets. It’s a beautiful track with a dreamy sax line.

“Atticus Finch” comes from Angus’ Ellesmere Street EP. He’s currently in the middle of a tour to promote the EP. You can still catch him at the Worker’s Club in Melbourne on July 31 and Jack Rabbit Slim’s in Perth on August 5.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pseudo Echo & 1927 @ The Entrance Leagues Club, Bateau Bay – 21 July 2017

As a child of the ’80s, Pseudo Echo and 1927 are two local bands I’ve always enjoyed. I saw Pseudo Echo supporting Culture Club in the ‘90s, but it’s been an awfully long time between drinks. Timing always seemed to be against me when it came to catching 1927, but the stars aligned when both ’80s powerhouses graced the Entrance Leagues Club last Friday night.

The first thing that struck me when Pseudo Echo took the stage was how much the line-up has changed. Lead singer Brian Canham is still out front, but his band mates are much younger these days. I couldn’t help but think of Anthony Field, and the way he is still waving the Wiggles flag yet looking a little out of place in his merry band of skivvy wearers. There’s a similar strangeness about the way this band is put together these days. Yet despite that, Brian still clearly believes in what he does. He delivers Pseudo Echo’s back catalogue with passion that is so infectious. I found myself remembering songs I hadn’t listened to in years like “A Beat for You” and “Listening,” singing along with lyrics that were buried somewhere deep in my brain. Covers of “Nutbush City Limits” and “Send Me An Angel” delivered more of the nostalgia the crowd was desperate for. I don’t think there was a person standing still when the band broke into “Funky Town.”

Pseudo Echo got my feet moving, but 1927 moved my heart. It doesn’t seem so long ago that I was swooning over Eric Weideman as I watched Rage in the morning. Watching their set took me right back. It seems Eric is the last man standing in 1927 too, but the line-up he’s assembled feels a bit more cohesive. They’re so tight, a real band rather than just players supporting a singer. Their set felt less like revelling in nostalgia and more like just catching up with a band still in the height of their fame. Perhaps the difference is the songs, which don’t sound nearly as dated as Pseudo’s synth-heavy numbers. Lyrically, 1927 has always had a bit more depth too. I felt myself getting choked up singing along with the crowd on tracks like “Compulsory Hero” and “If I Could.” I’d forgotten how much I loved “Tell Me a Story” and “You’ll Never Know.”

I entered the Entrance League Club thrilled to see both bands, but it was 1927 that really impressed me. Pseudo Echo were fun, but I don’t think I’ll rush to see them again. 1927 though … the next tour can’t come quickly enough.

Pseudo Echo and 1927 are still touring around the country together. You can catch them at their remaining shows.

5 August 2017 – The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley
11 August 2017 – Harvey Road Tavern, Clinton
12 August 2017 – Dalrymple Hotel, Garrett
18 August 2017 – Anita’s Theatre, Thirroul
19 August 2017 – Wenty Leagues, Wentworthville
25 August 2017 – Wrest Point Casino, Hobart
26 August 2017 – Country Club, Launceston

Image source: Stephen Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sloan Peterson Releases “Rats”

Sydney’s Sloan Peterson has put a spring in my step this Saturday with her defiant new single “Rats,” the second lifted from her self-titled EP. The track somehow has a gritty garage rock feel and a retro charm. I’m not even sure how that all works together, but Sloan pulls it off.

“‘Rats’ was written about low-lifes who wanna make something out of themselves, ratbags and teenagers who are on their own in a big city,” she explained in her press release. “I had a pretty rough couple of years between 13-16 living up in Brisbane, being involved with bad company, never attending school among other horrible situations, and this song speaks to how I was feeling after coming out of such a whirlwind, trying to start all over again in Sydney by myself at only 16.”

The Sloan Peterson EP is available from September 8 via Mirror Records. You can catch her live at Wollongong’s The Last Frost Festival on August 19 and Sounds of the Suburbs in Cronulla on September 3.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“61-615” – O’Shea

I’ve been listening to O’Shea’s new album 61-615 for the past two weeks now. I start taking notes to write a review, but invariably I find myself losing myself in the music rather than analysing it. Perhaps that’s as it should be.

This album has all the polish you’d expect from a duo now based in Nashville. It’s also got a greater cross-over appeal than many of the recordings we hear from Australian country acts. It’s not that this duo is ashamed of its country roots, but the recording isn’t alienating to people like me who don’t consider themselves country music fans.

The album opens with “Start Over,” the lead single that reached the top spot on the Australian country music charts. Listening to it now, in the context of the album, I’m struck by its power, which hasn’t diminished with subsequent listens. The song sets the tone for an album that isn’t afraid to tackle some big emotions.

“Just Got Real” is one of those emotional songs that really strikes a chord with me. Its astute lyrics about the start of a relationship and the flood of emotions that come with it take the listener back to times in their own lives they stood on the precipice of something great, yet frightening. “I Will Not Give Up,” a song of real grit, determination, and beauty, also packs a real emotional punch.

O’Shea seems most comfortable with the big, emotive ballads, but songs like “Karaoke and Carona” show this duo knows how to have some fun. This playful song, which sounds like it deserves to be played in a Southern dive bar, is a real standout. A cover of Little River Band’s “Playing to Win” with guest vocals from Aussie The Wolfe Brothers and Travis Collins, is also bags of fun.

While the guest performances are welcome, I love the interplay of O’Shea’s voices most. That connection that comes with being a real couple translates into something special whenever they’re singing together, whether it’s on a playful upbeat number or a song with a bit more emotional meat.

It’s a shame we’ve lost O’Shea to the United States, but it seems the twosome hasn’t forgotten its roots. O’Shea is back in Australia to support the album’s release with the following shows. 61-615 is in stores now.

28 July 2017 – Leadbelly, Newtown
29 July 2017 – Centro CBD, Wollongong
30 July 2017 – Live n Cookin’ at Lizottes, Newcastle
3 August 2017 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
4-11 August 2017 – Tunes in the Tropics, Fiji
12 August 2017 – Mt Isa Rodeo, Mt Isa