Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Smith Street Band Tour New Album

I just love the honesty of The Smith Street Band. Every time I hear one of their songs I’m struck by its raw power. “I Don’t Wanna Die Anymore” is another one of those tracks that just floors me with its gutsiness. It’s just one of the many songs on the band’s newly released album Throw Me in the River.

There’s no smoke and mirrors here, so you know they’ve got to have a killer live show. And they’re aiming to bring it to as many people as possible in the New Year. Not people on the oft-neglected Central Coast mind you, but most Aussies will have a chance to see The Smith Street Band play classic cuts like this and so much more at the following gigs.

24 January 2015 – Railway Hotel, Darwin
28 January 2015 – Musicman, Bendigo
29 January 2015 – Barwon Club, Geelong
30 January 2015 – Karova Lounge, Ballarat
31 January 2015 – The Hi Fi, Melbourne
1 February 2015 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne (Under 18s)
4 February 2015 – Sol Bar, Maroochydore
5 February 2015 – Spotted Cow, Toowoomba
6 February 2015 – The Hi Fi, Brisbane
7 February 2015 – Crowbar, Brisbane (UNDER 18s)
8 February 2015 – The Northern, Byron Bay
11 February 2015 – Coffs Hotel, Coffs Harbour
12 February 2015 – Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
13 February 2015 – Metro Theatre, Sydney
14 February 2015 – Factory Theatre, Sydney (ALL AGES)
15 February 2015 – Magpies, Canberra (ALL AGES)
17 February 2015 – Mariners, Batemans Bay
18 February 2015 – The Bridge Hotel, Castlemaine
20 February 2015 – Party in the Paddock, Burns Creek
21 February 2015 – Railway Hotel, Fremantle
26 February 2015 – Prince of Wales, Bunbury
27 February 2015 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth
28 February 2015 – The Gov, Adelaide
1 March 2015 – The Gov, Adelaide (ALL AGES)

Image used with permission from Remedy PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Fall in Love with Meredith

Brisbane songstress Meredith effortlessly fuses lo-fi indie pop with folk with the release of her new single “Jumpin Beds.” It’s a gorgeous poetic song which is made even beautiful thanks to Meredith’s stunning warm, honey voice. I swear I could listen to her sing all day.

Meredith filmed the clip with director Danny McShane in urban and industrial spaces around her hometown.

“The inspiration from the clip came from the story in the lyrics, depicting a transitioning stage in my life where I was constantly packing up a bag and heading to different homes. I didn’t have my own house and nowhere really felt like home – it seemed like I was living in a constant state of change,” she explained.

“For filming, we hired an amazing old warehouse space in Brisbane CBD and filled it with a bunch of mine (and my friend’s) belongings to make it look like a place I’d been crashing in. It was a lot of fun to film, record and write and it’s cool to have a little memory of my life at the time – in film form.”

What do you think of Meredith and her cool new clip?

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Guy Sebastian Strips Back “Linger”

I always think it’s a bit weird when I get press releases about songs without links to videos or at least the audio. What’s the point in telling me there’s a song unless I can experience it? I don’t really want to tell you about it if it’s terrible. So I tend to do my own research, which is what led me to this cool acoustic version of Guy Sebastian’s new single “Linger.”

Now I haven’t caught the song on radio, although I’m told it’s there, but I have a hunch this sounds dramatically different to the version Guy recorded with Lupe Fiasco. Anything with Lupe Fiasco probably doesn’t sound this mellow and cool. But I like it, so that’s what I’m going to post.

Guy will promote “Linger” and the album it comes from, Madness, when he tours all around the country next year. Tickets are on sale now.

12 February 2015 – WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
14 February 2015 – Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
18 February 2015 – Qantas Credit Union Arena, Sydney
21 February 2015 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
25 February 2015 – Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
28 February 2015 – Perth Arena, Perth

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jeremy Neale Tells us “The News”

Brisbane teen wunderkind Jeremy Neale has got my toes tapping with his immensely danceable new single “The News.” This is pure retro inspired pop brilliance, with the lovely Australian Idol graduate Roxane LeBrasse providing backing vocals. That sugary synth covered melody covers a painful core of heartbreak and loss in the best possible way.

Jeremy’s been jetsetting around the UK and Singapore this year, but he promises he’ll be back on home soil for a tour in February. Watch this space!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Lisa Mitchell Announces Acoustic Shows

After warming up with recent sold out shows in the United Kingdom, Lisa Mitchell is back on home soil and ready to tour the country in acoustic mode to support her dreamy single “Wah Ha.”

Lisa will be joined on stage by guitarist and serial collaborator Tim Harvey. These shows represent a special and rare opportunity to see Lisa doing her thing stripped back in some of the country’s best and most intimate venues.

Make sure you arrive early to see the support act East, a young artist who’s already starting to generate some serious buzz.

Tickets are on sale now for the following shows.

25 March 2015 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
27 March 2015 – Howler, Melbourne
2 April 2015 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Local Football” – Sleepy Dreamers

Melbourne indie-folk act Sleepy Dreamers have done it again with their sophomore EP Local Football. It’s an unassuming name, but one which really captures the down to earth nature of this recording. It’s very raw, but endearingly so, with a back-to-basics approach to songwriting that really resonates with me. So few artists tell us stories through their songs any more.

It starts so strong with “Hunk,” a plaintive number that’s so real and raw that it still gives me chills, even though I’ve heard it several times now. Sleepy Dreamers refuses to let us dwell in the dark for too long though. The EP’s other single, “Bike Song” comes next, a uplifting, almost calypso-like ditty which makes me think of steamy summer days. All too often upbeat numbers are all about danceability, but this one has a strong emotional core that ensures it’s no throwaway track.

It’s a bit risky to put the two singles up front, but it’s a testimony to just how good the band are that the second half doesn’t drag. “Red Triangle” is another raw, emotive piece with some stunning harmonies. “Gold” continues the trend, but I think the official closing track “Sleep in Stone” might be my favorite. It’s got a delicateness about it, a real beauty that speaks so eloquently about a lost relationship.

I say official closing track, because there’s a bonus song at the end, “Feathers.” Its easy alt-country vibe doesn’t quite match the rest of the EP, so the bonus track tag makes sense. It’s a decent song, but it doesn’t leave the strong impression that “Sleep in Stone” does. I’d have been tempted to leave it off as the EP prior to this was such a cohesive, emotional unit. Sometimes less is more.

It might not be the perfect EP, but Local Football comes close enough. It’s available now on Bandcamp, iTunes and Spotify.

Image used with permission from Maths and Magic

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Luca Brasi Match My Mood with “Benthos”

You know those days where everything seems to annoy you? I’m having one of them. From the NRL only releasing men’s and kid’s Nines jerseys (because clearly women don’t watch) to Optus sending my new phone to my old address (despite confirming the right one when we spoke on Tuesday), my blood’s boiling. I don’t think having my hair ripped out of my face at the salon in 40 minutes is going to change my demeanour either.

Sometimes you just have to go with it, which is why “Benthos,” the new single from Tasmanian punk rockers Luca Brasi is hitting all the right notes for me today. It’s bold and angry and it makes me want to punch my fist in the air defiantly.

If you’re feeling it too, you might want to catch Luca Brasi when they tour all around the country next March.

11 March 2015 – Small Ballroom, Newcastle (FREE)
12 March 2015 – Crowbar, Brisbane
13 March 2015 – Newtown Social, Sydney
14 March 2015 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
15 March 2015 – Wrangler Studios, Melbourne (ALL AGES)
19 March 2015 – The Brisbane Hotel, Hobart
20 March 2015 – CATS @ Rocket Bar, Adelaide
21 March 2015 – Amplifier, Perth
22 March 2015 – HQ, Perth (ALL AGES)

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pulse Mavens Release Awesome New Single “No Hard Feelings”

Fresh from winning a hefty grant through the AMP Tomorrow Fund, Sydney’s Pulse Mavens have released a brand new single “No Hard Feelings.” This killer cut was written about the struggle musicians face trying to achieve their dreams in such a tough, competitive industry.

“I had the absolute pleasure of working on No Hard Feelings with Jenna McDougall from Tonight Alive and Dave Petrovic from Electric Sun. We spent a lot of time on the song, perfecting it as I felt it was a step in the right direction for our band,” explained Pulse Mavens’ lead singer Kait Hudson.

The song comes from Pulse Mavens new EP, which will be released in the New Year. Until then, hometown fans can catch Pulse Mavens performing tomorrow night at UTS Underground.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

4 Best Music Videos Made in Melbourne

The musicians generally take the focus in a music video, but when the beautiful city of Melbourne features it can be just as important as the artists themselves. Here are some of my favourite music videos starring Victoria’s capital.

4. “Happy Birthday Helen” – Things of Stone and Wood

“Happy Birthday Helen” is as much a love song to the city of Melbourne as it is to Helen. The band makes their way all over the city as they name drop about the Yarra River and the Taj. It was one of my favourite songs of the ‘90s, and I think it stacks up particularly well, don’t you? The only thing that beats it might just be that awesome parody The D-Generation did on The Late Show!

3. “Chances Are” – Invertigo

Invertigo were my great Melbourne love. They released just one album, yet I lost count of the number of times I saw them rocking out in pubs and festivals around the country. They even inspired one of my Melbourne holidays!

On that particular occasion friends took me to the spot where lead singer Christian Argenti walked while sopping wet in the “Chances Are” video. My memory’s a little hazy, but something tells me it wasn’t far from the Quality Hotel Batman’s Hill on Collins. At any rate, he walked, he looked gorgeous, and I was there. This clip might not show off the best of Melbourne, but it takes me back to a great time in that city.

2. “I Wanna Be Loved” – Elvis Costello

Aussies aren’t the only ones who film their clips in Melbourne. Long before Beyonce was in Brunswick, Elvis Costello sat in a phone booth in Flinders Street Station. It sounds pretty boring on paper, but it’s fascinating watching the singer be joined by different people in the booth.

Apparently filmmaker Evan English made Elvis stay up all night before the shoot and didn’t disclose who’d join him in the booth or what they’d do. Elvis actually said “What you see isn’t actually acting; it’s genuine emotion for what it’s worth.” The clip’s surreal but also one of the best made in Melbourne.

1. “It’s a Long Way to the Top” – AC/DC

AC/DC’s classic rock clip may be the most famous music video set against the backdrop of Melbourne. Bon Scott, Angus Young, and the gang travelled down Swanston Street on a flat-bed truck, which is only fitting considering the street’s buzzing live music scene. It’s where you’ll find venues like The Hi-Fi Bar and the Toff in Town and hotels like the Rydges on Swanston.

The clip’s so iconic you might not realise it was one of two music videos recorded for the song. The second, filmed on the same day as this one, featured the group miming the song on a stage in Melbourne’s City Square. It might have the members of the Rats of Tobruk pipe band as well, but it doesn’t sound anywhere near as cool. If you want to hunt it down you’ll find it on the Backtracks box set.

This post was written as part of the #HipmunkCityLove project. What’s your favourite Melbourne music video?

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Christine Anu Spreads Festive Cheer with “Island Christmas”

I don’t mean to alarm you, but Christmas is just two weeks away. If you’re stressed because there aren’t enough shopping days left and you’re dreading family get-togethers, then check out Christine Anu’s new film clip. “Island Christmas” should get you in the mood for the season as we celebrate it here in Australia. The clip definitely speaks to me a lot more than some depiction of a winter wonderland!

“Island Christmas” is the title track from Christine’s brand new Christmas album, which is in stores now.