Sounds of Oz

Posted on 21/11/201022/11/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Altiyan, Andrew, and Sally Battle It Out on “The X Factor”

We’re finally at the pointy end of The X Factor with Sally Chatfield, Andrew Lawson, and Altiyan Childs all vying for the title.

Sally Chatfield kicked us off by reprising her version of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” I’m not generally a fan of redoing what you’ve already done, but I think this topped her last performance of it. It’s almost as if the lack of judging tonight freed her. She seemed so confident and at ease, and that gave a beautiful quality to her performance.

Andrew Lawson was up next with his duet with James Blunt on “You’re Beautiful.” I was really enthusiastic at the start, thinking the song was a great fit for Andrew, but then the chorus kicked in and I cringed. His falsetto just isn’t there, and it really showed his vocal flaws. Thank goodness for James Blunt’s appearance to cover those bum notes!

Altiyan Childs gave us our first taste of the winner’s single “Somewhere in the World,” and I must say that I liked it. Ordinarily these songs are cookie cutter inspirational tracks, but I wouldn’t mind hearing this on the radio. It’ll be interesting to see what the other contestants bring to the song, but Altiyan’s take gets my seal of approval.

Continue reading “Altiyan, Andrew, and Sally Battle It Out on “The X Factor”” →

Posted on 20/11/201018/11/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Barnesy, Noiseworks, and Thirsty Merc Play Red Hot Summer

The annual Red Hot Summer tour will wind its way through regional Australia in January, and it’s shaping up to be a cracker.

Jimmy Barnes will headline the event with special guests Noiseworks, and Thirsty Merc. The McClymonts will also join the shows in Morwell and Mannum. I don’t blame them for not playing all the dates; can you imagine coping with all that testosterone from the blokey bands?

Acts of this calibre rarely get together on one bill, let alone in regional areas. If you’re in the vicinity you don’t want to miss these shows.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 05: Jimmy Barnes of Cold Chisel performs during a Cold Chisel concert at ANZ Stadium on December 5, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

2 January 2011 – Warrnambool Racecourse, Warrnambool
6 January 2011 – Mulwala Water Ski Club, Mulwala
8 January 2011 – Mary Ann Reserve, Mannum
9 January 2011 – Riverside Soundshell, Mildura
15 January 2011 – Bonnie Doon Hotel, Bonnie Doon
16 January 2011 – Morning Star Estate, Mount Eliza
22 January 2011 – Eureka Stadium, Ballarat
23 January 2011 – Latrobe Sports and Events Grounds, Morwell
29 January 2011 – Cassegrain Wines, Port Macquarie

Posted on 20/11/201018/11/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Dereb the Ambassador Brings Retro Ethiopian Soul to Oz

From Ethiopia to Sydney, soul singer Dereb Desalegn has come a long way. After moving to our shores he took up with the band Lion of Judah, but now he’s striking out on his own with the self-titled project, Dereb the Ambassador.

The first cut from this endeavor is “Etu Gela,” a dance floor filler taken from Dereb’s forthcoming self-titled album. This long-player, scheduled for a March 4 release, covers soul tracks made famous by Ethiopian artists in the 60s and 70s. To stay true to Dereb’s creative vision the album was recorded using equipment made before 1970.

Dereb will launch the single “Etu Gela” backed by a seven-piece band at Sydney’s Gaelic Club on December 15. It sounds like it’s going to be a foot-stomping good night!

Image used with permission from Other Tongues

Posted on 19/11/201018/11/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Hancock Basement Unleash New Single

Canberra four-piece Hancock Basement are back with a vengeance with their catchy new single “One in a Million Does.”

This bouncy pop number is irresistible, the kind of thing you’ll find yourself singing for days later. The song also marks the band’s first foray into the world of music videos. It’s a fun debut, with the band held hostage by an evil record company exec and some food-throwing minions.

If you like what you see, you can catch the band on a blink and you’ll miss them tour around the country.

24 November 2010 – The Maram, Canberra (supporting You Am I)
25 November 2010 – The Empress, Melbourne
26 November 2010 – Transmission @ Ed Castle, Adelaide

Posted on 19/11/201018/11/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Gypsy and the Cat Launch Gilgamesh

Aussie ex-pats Gypsy and the Cat will play local shows in Sydney and Melbourne in January to launch their new album Gilgamesh. Sure it’ll have been out for a few months by then, but who cares?

After being released last Friday the album’s happily sitting pretty at number nine on the iTunes album charts, so I’m expecting a solid ARIA debut. It’s earning rave reviews from the critics and enjoying solid airplay on Triple J who’ve made it their album of the week.

Tickets are now on sale for Gypsy and The Cat’s January 13 show at the Oxford Arts Factory and the January 14 gig at Melbourne’s Hi Fi Bar. It’s a great chance to see the band doing their thing if you missed out on Big Day out tickets, or you just want another serve!

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia

Posted on 18/11/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Cyndi Lauper Brings Blues Album to Oz

I’m just about jumping out of my skin with the news that Cyndi Lauper is heading back to our shores.

Cyndi’s one of those artists I’ve loved forever, but I’ve never managed to see her live. I’ve always dealt with the lacklustre reception of friends and family, but I’ve finally worn my husband down. He may be going under sufferance, but I know he’s going to have an incredible time.

Cyndi’s heading our way to promote her new album Memphis Blues, a collection of covers of songs from Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and other blues greats. It seems she just can’t wait to bring these bluesy classics to Oz.

“Australia is one of my favorite places and I am looking forward to visiting again in early 2011,” she said in a statement. “We always have a great time when we come to Australia.”

Tickets for the shows go on sale on November 25.

Singer Cyndi Lauper performs on ABC's Good Morning America in New York, June 23, 2010. REUTERS/Lily Bowers(UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)

28 & 29 March 2011 – Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane
31 March & 1 April 2011 – State Theatre, Sydney
2 April 2011 – Entertainment Centre, Newcastle
5 April 2011 – Burswood Theatre, Perth
8 April 2011 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne
11 April 2011 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide

Posted on 18/11/201018/11/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Q & A with Two Hours Traffic’s Liam Corcoran

It doesn’t seem like too long ago that Two Hours Traffic was winging their way around the country with Dead Letter Chorus, yet already the Canadian band is planning a return journey. I caught up with the band’s lead singer/guitarist Liam Corcoran to chat about the upcoming tour with The Jezabels, the album Territory, and spending time in Oz.

You’re touring Australia soon to support The Jezabels. Are you looking forward to those shows?
We are very much looking forward to the Australian tour supporting the Jezabels. I absolutely love their sound and they are very sweet people. Not to mention that the shows are selling out everywhere.

The Jezabels played with you recently in Canada too, so are you psyched to be hitting the road with them again?
We got to play six or seven shows with the Jezabels in North America and we were honored to have them play with us. I think our Canadian fans were blown away by the group and I can’t wait to see them perform on their home turf.

Have they promised to show you any of the sights?
I know that Sam from the Jezabels grew up around Byron Bay and he has promised us some surfing lessons. It’s probably going to be pretty ugly on our end, because we will be first-timers, but what the hell? You can’t pass up an offer like that.

You’re really successful in Canada, so what’s it like to step out of the spotlight a bit and become the support act?
Being a support act in a new country is kind of like starting all over again. You are back playing for people who have never heard of you, and if you don’t give them something special they won’t even remember the name of your band by the time the headliner comes on. It can be scary but it keeps things fresh. It’s easy to get complacent when we play a successful tour in Canada so getting out into new areas is vital.

Continue reading “Q & A with Two Hours Traffic’s Liam Corcoran” →

Posted on 16/11/2010 by Lauren Katulka

The Verses Duet with Dan Sultan

The Verses are one of my favorite new acts from 2010, and I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Dan Sultan, so when I heard they’d teamed up for a single I knew it’d be good.

If the song “Running Away” sounds familiar it’s because you’ve heard it on The Verses debut album Seasons. I loved the original, but I think it works even better as a duet. The chemistry between Ella Hooper and Dan Sultan is only natural as they’ve been close mates for years.

“As soon as we met we knew we had a really strong musical chemistry and incredibly similar taste, so we’ve been plotting and planning, waiting for the right moment to do something together and ‘Running Away’ was one of Dan’s favorite songs of mine,” Ella explained. “The song really came to life when Dan started singing along one day when we were demo-ing it, so we turned it into a duet. He often jumps up at our gigs and sings and I was very proud and excited to sing backing vocals and a duet on his record. It’s
a fantastic feeling to sing with one of my best friends who also happens to be one of the country’s best talents!”

This new version of “Running Away” is available as a digital download from iTunes.

Posted on 16/11/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Dubmarine Back in Oz for “Depth of Sound” Tour

Brisbane dub-dancehall act Dubmarine have been making a big impact abroad with appearances at the Amsterdam Roots Festival, Trier Alstadfest in Germany, and the Afro Latio Festival in Belgium. After taking Europe by storm they’re back on home soil to promote their recently released debut album Depth of Sound.

It’s a pretty appropriate title, with the disc showing off the nine-piece band’s bass-driven roots, synth explosions, and lyrical magic from frontman D-Kazman.

After all those international festival appearances, you know that Dubmarine’s live act is going to be red hot. So make sure you catch them at one of the following shows before they’re seduced by more international travel!

28 November 2010 – Nambour Originals, Nambour
3 December 2010 – The Zoo, Brisbane
4 December 2010 – Subsonic Festival, Riverwood Downs
16 December 2010 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne
28 December 2010 – 1 January 2011 – Woodford Folk Festival, Woodfordia
30 December 2010 – Oxford Street Party, Rockhampton

Image used with permission from Heapsaflash

Posted on 15/11/2010 by Lauren Katulka

Mahogany Out of X Factor Race

After sitting through another excruciating X Factor elimination show I’m starting to rejoice that the season is winding down. This time around I didn’t even have the contestants singing for their lives to keep me entertained, just a couple of performances from guest artists that I didn’t really care about. Clearly the nation disagrees with me as Ke$ha charts like crazy, but I felt bored.

I was surprised to see Andrew Lawson named as the first person through to the grand final, but he’s been the Teflon kid all year so I probably shouldn’t have been. Altiyan’s reprieve was expected and well deserved, but sadly it left Sally and Mahogany awaiting the axe.

I had a feeling that Mahogany would get the boot after so many bottom two finishes, and sadly I was right. It’s hard to see anyone go at this point, but I really felt they were the stand-out last night, and on so many nights before. Hopefully we see these girls doing something outside this reality TV machine; they’re far too talented for us to never hear from them again!