Posted on by Lauren Katulka

What I Have Learned From Dad

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang. However the thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own and not influenced by others.

Dad helping me wrangle a snake at the Australian Reptile ParkWith Father’s Day fast approaching, I figured it was a great to reflect on the things my Dad has taught me over the years. After a few decades on this planet there are have been plenty of tidbits passed down to me, so I figured it’d be easiest to share with you my top fifteen (a top ten was just too hard!).

1. Never trust a person that says trust me. That goes double for good looking men.

2. Richard Clapton is The Godfather, Renee Geyer is the Queen of Soul, and Van Morrison is definitely The Man.

3. Every girl should know how to change a tyre, make spaghetti bolognaise, and drive a manual car.

4. A sense of humour can get you through anything. Never take yourself or the world around you too seriously.

5. The best fishing is done before the sun rises in the morning, and it’s made much more enjoyable with a can of lemonade and a packet of chips.

6. Never pay someone else to do the jobs you can do yourself. (I listened Dad, I just get lazy sometimes!)

7. Songwriting is one of the most important arts in the world. Never listen to a song without paying attention to what the artist is saying.

8. Rugby league is the greatest game in the world.

9. Stand up for your opinions and the things that really matter, but know when it’s smarter to let things go.

10. Green stuff really does make a dish taste better.

11. Old is a state of mind. Keep eating out, seeing live bands, meeting up with friends, and discovering the world, no matter what your years.

12. Cheap booze just isn’t worth it. Buy a good bottle of wine or quality beer and savour it.

13. Education is vital. School might seem like it’s dragging on for an eternity, but those qualifications will ensure life is better down the track.

14. Technology might keep moving on, but there’s nothing quite like a vinyl record.

15. No matter what you do and where you are, family will always be there.

Still need to get a Father’s Day gift? Surprise dad with Magshop’s online magazine subscriptions before 4th October and you could win a Volkswagen Golf!

Image source: own photo

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gotye Tops Aussie Singles Charts

It’s been sometime since the Aussies had any joy at the top of the ARIA singles charts. Since Guy Sebastian held the title in January, in fact. But Gotye has finally broken Adele’s incredible seven-week reign to clinch the top spot with his track “Somebody That I Used to Know.” The song, which features Kimbra on guest vocals, jumped up from number three to number one this week.

He’s keeping company with Jessica Mauboy, who continues her chart-charming ways with her latest single “Inescapable.” And she’s done it with a track that doesn’t feature anyone else’s vocals! Very impressive on the modern chart landscape! “Inescapable” is sitting pretty at number four, a big jump from last week’s number 10 spot.

Boy & Bear are the lone Aussies waving the flag on the top 10 album’s charts. While they couldn’t budge Adele, who’s held the number one position for a whopping 14 weeks, their newly-released debut Moonfire has made its presence felt at number two.

Click the link to see all of this week’s ARIA chart action.

Continue reading “Gotye Tops Aussie Singles Charts” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Grand Atlantic’s Phil Usher

Queensland band Grand Atlantic wowed us with their last album How We Survive, and they’re hoping to do it all again with their newie Constellations. I recently caught up with the band’s frontman Phil Usher to chat about the album, it’s unusual recording studio, and conquering the world.

You’re releasing your new album Constellations next month. What can you tell me about the album?
The album is a collection of 11 new songs that were written over the past year.  We actually had about 20 written that we were working on and slowly whittled them down to about 14 which then made it to the recording stage. We have a couple of others that need finishing at some stage which we’ll use for bonus tracks or B-sides. We traveled to Seacliff in New Zealand for the recording sessions.  The recording process was like nothing we have experienced before.  It was amazing to be able to be away from all distractions and concentrate on making music for a couple of weeks.

I believe you recorded it in an abandoned psychiatric hospital. How did that bizarre location come about?
We were talking to a few producers and we really liked the feedback Dale Cotton came back with after hearing the demos. He’s really into the idea of recording in unusual locations and suggested the old asylum. It had been converted into a backpackers and we decided to hire out the whole site to make the record. It gave us the opportunity to stay on site and concentrate on the recording in a way we haven’t been able to do before.  The Asylum is located in a little seaside town called Seacliff just outside of Dunedin with rolling hills, sea breezes and not much else.

I believe you saw and heard some really crazy things during the recording process. Can you tell me a little about that?
There were a lot of things that happened while we there that made an impression. We heard some strange voices on a few takes through our headphones when we had the doors to the old stable building open during a session. On another day we saw a heavy-duty microphone stand move as if it had been knocked by someone. Three of us saw it and no one was within a few metres of the stand. It moved at least a foot from side to side and was definitely locked into position. Mat says he heard his drums being played in the middle of the night and we also had a fire restart itself as well. It was quite a spooky environment, especially as we had done a bit of reading about the site before we arrived. Unfortunately many people passed away on the site during a huge fire, so it has quite a sad history. It felt good to be able to go there and do something positive in a place that has such a heavy past.

Did that experience make your reevaluate your position on ghosts or otherworldly phenomena?
I guess it’s different for all of us. We were pretty well focused on making the album, so it was an interesting aspect of our time there, although there wasn’t really time for chasing ghosts. I think we are all definitely open to the concept of weird stuff happening and there were certainly some unexplained things that we saw. I guess in the end, everyone has their own take on the reasons behind them.

Continue reading “Q & A with Grand Atlantic’s Phil Usher” →

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Boy & Bear Tour “Moonfire”

It’s been a long time coming but Boy & Bear’s debut album Moonfire is finally in the shops. Yay! To celebrate the band are preparing to set out for a tour that will take them just about everywhere this November and December.

The band will happily play regional centers as well as the capitals, so there’s little excuse for missing them. However, I wouldn’t wait too long to buy your tickets. Their last tour sold out, and with the album getting everyone excited I’m predicting this one will do the same. Best get yours when they go on sale tomorrow to avoid tears!

2 November 2011 – Panthers, Newcastle
3 November 2011 – Uni Hall, Wollongong
5 November 2011 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney
9 November 2011 – Kings Beach Tavern, Sunshine Coast
10 November 2011 – Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast
11 November 2011 – The Tivoli, Brisbane
16 November 2011 – Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide
18 November 2011 – Settler’s Tavern, Margaret River
19 November 2011 – The Astor, Perth
23 November 2011 – The Bended Elbow, Geelong
25 November 2011 – The Palace, Melbourne
26 November 2011 – Foreshore Festival, Canberra
2 December 2011 –  Wrest Point Casino, Hobart
3 December 2011 – Launceston Saloon, Launceston

Image used with permission from Select Touring

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Introducing the Lush Pop Stylings of Buckley Ward

I can’t help admiring musicians who do things without the backing of a major label, or in fact any label at all. When they make amazing music, it’s so much the better! Buckley Ward are the latest act to turn my head with their self-funded, self-recorded, and self-produced album So Pretend.

The title track has such a lush sound. Its melodies are really strong, but the sound doesn’t have that tired commercial feel of so much pop music. What a breath of fresh air. The album is their second, which makes me wonder why I haven’t heard of them before. Better late than never, right?

If you like what you hear you can catch Buckley Ward touring the East Coast next month.

9 September 2011 – Lightspace, Brisbane
10 September 2011 – FBi Social, Sydney
24 September 2011 – Yah Yahs, Melbourne

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jasmine Rae Faked It, & She’s Not the Only One!

And here I was thinking that country girls were made of sugar and spice, and all things nice. Jasmine Rae’s proving they can be just as bitchy as their big city counterparts with her naughty new single “I Faked It.” And according to some recent research, she’s not alone!

Jasmine’s single sees her fighting back after a nasty break-up with some frank home truths. It seems it’s a tale that could have been told by many country girls, as research commissioned to coincide with the single’s release says rural ladies are 10% more likely to fake it than city slickers! Two-thirds of country lasses say they’ve faked it in the past, and one in three say they do on a regular basis. What does that say about all the country men?

The single’s probably not going to win fans amongst the blokes, but I predict it could become a bit of a girl power anthem!

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Paul Kelly Takes A to Z Abroad

After wowing Australian audiences with his A to Z shows, Paul Kelly’s preparing to do it all over again in the United Kingdom, United States and Canada.

Paul will play tunes from A to Z to support the international releases of The A to Z Recordings and his book How to Make Gravy. One hundred of his most beloved works will be performed acoustically in alphabetical order across four nights in the UK. It seems Americans will need to do a bit of travelling if they want the complete A to Z experience as he’s only stopping in each city for two nights. Fans can buy individual tickets or multi-night bundles.

Paul Kelly is one of Australia’s best kept secrets, and most acclaimed singer-songwriters. I really hope plenty of international readers get out to these shows to discover for themselves just how brilliant he is.

30 August – 2 September 2011 – Bush Hall, London
7 – 10 September 2011 – Sugar Club, Dublin
12 & 13 September 2011 – Schuba’s, Chicago
14 & 15 September 2011 – Hotel Cafe, Los Angeles
18 & 19 September 2011 – Electric Owl, Vancouver
23 & Sat 24 September 2011 – Dakota Tavern, Toronto
26 & Tues 27 September 2011 – Rockwood Music Hall, New York

Image source: Andrew Braithwaite @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Major Label Releases New Singles Batch

Major Label, General Pants Co.’s singles record label, is chugging along with three new releases this month.

This time around the innovative program introduces us to Sydney garage rockers The Faults and their tune “Quarter,” Melbourne punks Ross de Chene Hurricanes and their not so sweet single “Sugar, Honey,” and my pick, the retro electro beats of Melbourne’s City Calm Down with “Sense of Self.” These songs, and the releases from previous months, are all currently streaming at the General Pants Co. website. It takes a bit of practice to navigate the site without the annoying band bio bubbles appearing, but it’s worth the perseverance.

If you want to see your band’s tune alongside them, just take your demo into any General Pants Co. store and cross your fingers. The initiative has helped bands secure national tours, festival slots, and some major supports, so who knows where it could take you!

Image used with permission from Peer Group Media

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

John Butler & Mama Kin Record “Losing You” for The Kimberley Region

John Butler and his missus Mama Kin have teamed up for this gorgeous duet, “Losing You.” Sales of the digital release of the single will help the Broome Community No Gas campaign continue to fight the clearing of land at James Price Point in Western Australia’s Kimberley region.

The track was recorded in John’s Fremantle studio, while the clip sees the loved up couple sitting on the banks of the Hudson River. I always love an acoustic tune, and this one is up there with the best.

I always knew the preservation of the Kimberley region was a cause John Butler felt strongly about, but it wasn’t until I saw him live last year that it really hit home to me. Listening to him speak about this part of the world that he’s so passionate about, that is one of Australia’s last remaining paradises, is infectious. The power of his words hasn’t left me, so I’ll definitely be adding the track to my iTunes. You can too by clicking this link.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“GoodTimes” – Eagle and the Worm

GoodTimes is one of those albums that immediately raises your expectations. The title of this Eagle and the Worm album promises positivity, and for the most part it delivers.

I must admit though, I wasn’t really sure when the opener “Summer Song” played out. Its name sounds upbeat and optimistic, but the tune while accomplished was also a bit more atmospheric and inaccessible than I’d imagined it. I could appreciate it as a standalone song, but it seemed like a really strange choice.

Thankfully things heated up with the second track, “Futureman.” Its summery feel, lazy slide guitar, and warm brass tones were exactly what I imagined when I saw the album’s title. “All I Know” continued that party vibe. It felt exactly like the sort of tune you might bust out after a few tequilas.

For me the disc took a turn for the worse with “Not Coming Home.” It really felt a bit too psychedelic for the rest of the recording. Perhaps it was intended to represent the point of the party where certain guests are dropping acid, but just as it’s hard to relate to someone else’s trip it was all a bit inaccessible for me.

“1 to the 4” brought the album back for me. It’s that perfect end of the party slow dance song, where after some liquid courage you finally find yourself in the arms of that person you’ve been eyeing all night.

GoodTimes is one of the most evocative albums I’ve heard in some time. Its tunes take me to places and evoke feelings, and that’s really a cool thing. But it’s sad that it kind of drifts off at the end. Perhaps that’s just representative of the way most parties turn out, but it seems a band should be able to sustain themselves on an album without resorting to fillers, particularly when it’s just ten tracks long.

Despite that though, I love this album’s organic, spontaneous feel. It was recorded in bedrooms and loungerooms, and that really shows. It’s a bit rough in places, but that makes it feel very honest.

I can imagine GoodTimes becoming my summer soundtrack. I don’t even like that season, but there’s an energy about this music that has me craving it.