Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Selahphonic Release Killer Track “Ghosts of 1999”

Hump Days are never easy, but when you’re battling a cold as I am pushing through a work day is that much harder. If you’re struggling today, take a moment to press play and let the feel-good power-pop vibes of “Ghosts of 1999.”

The track comes from Sunshine Coast indie-rock act Selahphonic, who’ve spend the better part of 2015 touring Australia and the United States. All that experience is paying off, because they’re sounding like they’ve got years of experience under their belt. It’s polished without feeling bland. At this relatively early stage in their career I can already imagine them selling out stadiums.

See Selahphonic before they blow up at the following single launch shows.

15 April 2016 – The Foundry, Brisbane
30 April 2016 – Moonshine, Manly
6 May 2016 – The Helm, Sunshine Coast
11 June 2016 – Sea N’ Sound Festival, Mooloolaba

Image used with permission from Rare Finds

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

LAMA Go Their Own Way With “Wolf”

With seven members, you’re probably expecting a big sound from Melbourne’s LAMA. But you’re probably not expecting something as excitingly original as their new single “Wolf.”

I’ve heard this act described as a psychedelic folk band, but that’s only just scratching the surface. There’s a lot of rock in their sound, and a real theatricality that you don’t often hear in modern music. With a flute, violin, and trumpet all competing for airtime, the result is surprisingly coherent, and just downright surprising.

LAMA shows are fast becoming recognised as some of the most vivacious on the local scene. You can see the band do their thing to celebrate “Wolf’s” release at the following shows.

15 April 2016 – The B.East, Brunswick
13 May 2016 – Bar Open, Fitzroy

Image used with permission from the A & R Department

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Let Us Adore Him” – All the Kings Men

Like so many Australians, I’m not a religious person. I flirted with becoming a Junior Soldier with the Salvation Army when I was a kid, but I think that ambition was driven more from a desire to play the tambourine than any deep-seated faith. Today I only go to church for weddings, christenings, and funerals. I identify as agnostic, not quite prepared to dismiss the idea of a higher power completely but fairly ambivalent about the whole religion thing.

So it felt a little strange this morning to make Let Us Adore Him, the debut album from Perth folk-rock worship act All the Kings Men, my soundtrack. This is a band that sings proudly about their faith. There are none of the vague references we hear in the songs of crossover acts like Creed and Amy Grant. Their numbers don’t pose as conventional love songs. They sing proudly about heaven, sins, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. There’s something really powerful about hearing an act that owns its beliefs and doesn’t try to package them to the mainstream.

I found something to enjoy in most tracks, although there were a few standouts for me. “Hope of the World,” set to the familiar tune of “Amazing Grace” is inspired. The rousing “Depth of Mercy” had me tapping my toes and bobbing my head to the beat. “I Will Walk With Him” is a really special moment. With only a single voice and an acoustic guitar, this stripped back number compels you to hone in on the words.

All of the Kings Men are a really accomplished group of musicians. Their harmonies are gorgeous. I loved the great organic sound of these songs, driven by acoustic guitars, drums, and handclaps. While I couldn’t necessarily relate to the songs of Let Us Adore Him lyrically, the passion and joy behind them struck a chord with me. It doesn’t matter what inspires those emotions; to me they’re the cornerstones of some inspirational music.

Let Us Adore Him is available for free download from CDBaby.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Rare Finds Club Turns 1

It’s been 12 months since the Rare Finds team held their first club night in Sydney and they’re ready to celebrate. Deep Sea Arcade, Lime Cordiale, Owen Rabbit, Hedge Fund, Good Boy, and heaps more will all play to celebrate the one year milestone.

In this day of lockout laws and more venues passing over up-and-coming acts for big-name artists, what the Rare Finds team does is really special. They’ve always believed in giving emerging artists a platform and nurturing a community of people that’s excited to discover what’s dwelling outside the mainstream.

If you think that’s worth supporting, head on down to the first birthday bash at Oxford Art Factory in Darlinghurst on April 16. Tickets are just $18 (plus booking fee) and available from Moshtix.

Image used with permission from Rare Finds

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gypsy & The Cat Release Single Ahead of Anticipated Album Release

It’s been a little while since we heard new material from Melbourne electro-pop act Gypsy & the Cat but it’s been worth the wait. Their new single “I Just Wanna Be Somebody Else” is perfectly poised to drum up hype about their new album Virtual Islands ahead of its July release.

Summer might be behind us, but the saturated synths of this track bring the season back for me. I love its driving anthemic chorus and the oh-so-casual chorus. This is fun stuff.

Gypsy & the Cat only just wrapped up a national tour, but I have no doubt we’ll see them back on the road soon to support the album’s release.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Love is a Dog” – Tinpan Orange

It’s hard to believe that it’s been seven years since I heard my first Tinpan Orange album, their third studio release The Bottom of the Lake. I raved about their unique sound, Emily Lubitz’s gorgeous vocals, and the way the band played with genre on this very blog. Now I’m excited to see how the band’s grown with the imminent release of their fifth studio album Love is a Dog.

The album opens with the single “Rich Man,” which sets the scene perfectly with its delicate, dark vibe. Love is a Dog is an album which isn’t afraid to tackle dark and difficult subject matters. The rich lyrical subject matter ensures no song is lightweight or filler. Such weighty material could bog a listener down if not for the gorgeous instrumentation. Tinpan Orange play around with folk and country music so perfectly, creating songs that are a joy to listen to.

“Cities of Gold” speaks perfectly of chasing a dream, the potential for happiness coupled with an uncertainty about the future. I love the laidback country campfire feel of the title track, which adds nuance to its bitter lyrics. There’s no fight as the relationship draws to an end, just resignation. “Cabarita” might be my favourite number on the album. I love the characters the band’s created. The song’s string section makes the evocative lyrics sound even more beautiful. “Light Across the Water” is another highlight, with its epic feel that never crosses the line into melodrama. The closing number “Leopards” builds so beautifully. At first it seems almost too subtle to end an album, but in the final minute the strings and drums kick in and you’re clapping your hands and stomping your feet in time.

Tinpan Orange are such accomplished musicians. Five albums in, they know what they’re doing. Every song is perfectly measured, with Emily Lubitz’s stunning vocals perfectly paired with the right instrumentation. The slide and acoustic guitars and gentle driving drums support her without ever stealing focus. I’m not sure whether Love is a Dog is the album to get Tinpan Orange the mainstream attention they deserve, but it should be.

Love is a Dog hits stores on April 8.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Francis Wolves – The Francis Wolves

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from The Francis Wolves’ self-titled debut album when it landed in my inbox. The press release calls the eight-piece from Brisbane an “instrumental garage-afro-soul” band. Other descriptors like stoner funk, psych-jazz, garage soul, and desert funk have also been bandied about. Any of these adjectives works, but it also seems to limit exactly what The Francis Wolves do. In truth they’re all of these things and so much more.

As I let the first track and current single “Gothic Surf Club” wash over me I was reminded of old school Santana. There’s a similar freedom to what The Francis Wolves do, a melding of influences that is so joyous and spirited. As I listened further I was reminded of the movie Whiplash, and the music Miles Teller’s Andrew Neiman might have made if Terence Fletcher wasn’t hovering over him. There’s a similar accomplishment in the musicians here. They’re so very good, and it’s only because they’re so good that they can create music that seems improvised without sounding discordant. There’s an instinctual knowledge of each player’s own musicality and that of the musicians surrounding them that brings everything together so beautifully. It’s like the very best of jams.

The Francis Wolves are a bold band, an exciting outfit playing which genres in the way only musicians that know their stuff can. Those willing to take a chance on this kind of music will be richly rewarded.

The Francis Wolves’ self-titled album is released through Valley Heat Records on April 11. You can pre-order it now through the Valley Heat Records Bandcamp page, which is also where you can buy the album once its released. The Francis Wolves will celebrate the album’s release with a show at The Bearded Lady in Brisbane on April 8, where fans can buy the album early, and another at NightQuarter on the Gold Coast on April 16.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pacific EP – Pacific

I love coming across music that sparks something in me, songs that I have an instant connection with. Just one song won’t do. I need to hear more and get a more complete sense of who that artist is. So after listening to “Edge of Nowhere,” I had to fire up the advance stream of Pacific’s self-titled EP. In just five tracks I learned that these guys are certainly the real deal.

The EP commences with the feel-good lead single “Edge of Nowhere.” No matter how many times I hear this song, it sounds so fresh and fun. The second track, “Fade Away,” shows there’s more to this band that upbeat energy. This is a nuanced number, full of longing and love. It’s got lush, epic instrumentation, but there’s also a fragility to the lyrics I really responded to. There’s a similar anthemic feel to the chorus of “Wide Eyes,” although the quirky pace of the verses gives this track its own identity. I love the driving energy of “Clarity.” I can imagine zooming down the freeway blasting this one with the windows rolled down. Driftwood is the most tender song on the EP and the most beautiful. It’s gentle and laidback, an understated closer to an EP that shows so much passion.

All of the songs on Pacific’s EP are so different. They show a band who is truly well rounded, with such a well-developed sound. Pacific are a real find. Apparently there are some live shows in the works, which should only further prove how good this Perth band are.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Buchanan Release “Learn to Love again” Single Ahead of Album Launch

After a tumultuous period, Melbourne act Buchanan are back with a brand new single ahead of the release of their second LP Pressure In an Empty Space.

The single “Learn to Love Again” is an upbeat dance-pop track about bouncing back and moving forward, two things this act knows about all too well. Not only was frontman Josh Simon dealing with the breakdown of a long-term relationship last year, he was also battling an obscure, but fortunately treatable, form of cancer. From these kind of setbacks comes greatness, and Josh with good buddy Simon Duffy produced their most prolific body of work to date.

Buchanan’s album Pressure in an Empty Space will be released around the world on April 29.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ian Moss @ Laycock Street Theatre, Gosford – 24 March 2016

Should I ever appear on RocKwiZ, I’m glad that I have a credible answer to the question “What was the first piece of music you bought with your own money?” While some people might cringe at their younger self, I can proudly remember the moment when I visited my nearest Brashs and bought Matchbook, Ian Moss’s first solo album, on cassette. I knew of Mossy from the Cold Chisel albums Dad played, but my love of solo tracks like “Tucker’s Daughter” and “Telephone Booth” inspired me to lay down my hard-earned pocket money. That was 27 years ago, and my appreciation for Ian Moss’s music hasn’t waned. I’ve seen him play entertainment centres and wineries, but I feel like intimate gigs at small venues are where Mossy really shines. So I knew I was in for a real treat when he brought his 10th Anniversary Six Strings Classics Tour to Gosford’s Laycock Street Theatre on Thursday night.

A short video reminded us of Mossy’s journey to the stage, his time growing up in Alice Springs and honing his craft as a member of Cold Chisel and as a solo musician, the key moments that brought him to us to kick-start our long weekend. So it was fitting that he began the show not with an original but a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Green River,” a bluesy song that no doubt influenced his own music. There was plenty of that to come, drawing from his Cold Chisel and solo years. While the hits went down a treat, I also appreciated that Mossy played lesser known songs too, like “Such a Beautiful Thing” from my beloved Matchbook album. The Chisel songs took on a new complexion stripped back, and that helped bring out the exceptional lyrics of Don Walker and dearly departed Steve Prestwich, who Mossy mentioned a few times during the set. I really loved his swampier take on “Flame Trees” was really special. A battle of the sexes sing-off made “Saturday Night” even more fun. Mossy declared it a draw, but I was sure we ladies out-sung the men in the crowd.

While this was largely a night of nostalgia, Ian Moss reminded us that his best music isn’t behind him. The second half of the night opened with a video of footage captured during recent recording sessions in Nashville. He played us a few songs that will feature on a new album, Nashville Sessions, due out later this year. The songs were beautiful, as good as anything he’s released in the past.
Ian Moss is an artist that continues to create wonderful music without forgetting the songs the people want to hear. His shows are a celebration of his musical legacy, and also a reminder that there’s plenty more to come. His 10th Anniversary Six Strings Classics Tour continues at the following venues. If he’s yet to visit your city, make sure you snap up one of the remaining tickets.

2 April 2016 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
16 April 2016 – Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts, Ballarat
22 April 2016 – Orange Civic Theatre, Orange
23 April 2016 – Dubbo Regional Theatre, Subbo
29 April 2016 – Horsham Town Hall, Horsham
30 April 2016 – Ararat Performing Arts Centre, Ararat
6 May 2016 – Star Court Theatre, Lismore
7 May 2016 – Glasshouse Theatre, Port Macquarie
13 May 2016 – Mildura Arts Centre, Mildura
14 May 2016 – Chaffey Theatre, Renmark
20 May 2016 – Esso BHP Wellington Entertainment Centre, Sale
21 May 2016 – West Gippsland Performing Arts Centre, Warragul
27 May 2016 – Geelong Performing Arts Centre, Geelong
28 May 2016 – Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool
2 June 2016 – Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Mandurah
4 June 2016 – Albany Entertainment Centre, Albany
5 June 2016 – Bunbury Entertainment Centre, Bunbury
10 June 2016 – Middleback Theatre, Whyalla
11 June 2016 – Northern Festival Theatre, Port Pirie
15 June 2016 – Armitage Centre, Toowoomba
16 June 2016 – Ipswich Civic Centre, Ipswich
18 June 2016 – Redcliffe Cultural Centre, Redcliffe
19 June 2016 – Mackay Entertainment Centre, Mackay
21 June 2016 – The Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton
22 June 2016 – Gladstone Entertainment & Convention Centre, Gladstone
24 June 2016 – Moncrieff Entertainment Centre, Bundaberg
25 June 2016 – The Brolga Theatre, Maryborough
26 August 2016 – Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre, Wangaratta
27 August 2016 – Capital Theatre, Bendigo
16 September 2016 – Griffith Regional Theatre, Griffith
17 September 2016 – Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre, Wagga Wagga