Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kaz James and Macy Gray Pair Up

Listen out for Kaz James‘ newie, “Can’t Hold Back.” The track, which features Macy Gray, is one of his album’s standouts.

The killer pairing came about when Kaz and Macy met in a nightclub. She told him she was a fan, and the rest is history. All it took was a bottle of Grand Marnier to convince her to record the song.

Kaz may have also sweetened the deal when he volunteered to return the favour. He worked on many of the tracks on Macy’s upcoming album The Gray Life.

“Can’t Hold Back” is currently available on iTunes and will be in stores on January 26, while the music video will be released next week.

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Amy Pearson Impresses Paris Hilton

Amy Pearson’s hopes of an international music career have received a boost from one Paris Hilton.

The pair hit it off at the recent Bongo Virus New Year’s Eve party in King’s Cross. Paris asked to hear some of Amy’s music, which she luckily had an on iPod. Paris loved what she heard and invited Amy to perform at one of her upcoming parties in the US. They’ve swapped numbers and e-mail addresses so more definite plans could be made!

It sounds like an exciting opportunity for Amy, who’s currently working on album number two.

Image source: Newscom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pendulum Swing Back to Australia

After selling out shows across England, wowing crowds at festivals across Europe, and sending their album Silico to number 2 on the UK charts, Pendulum are heading home.

The local rockers will play on the main state at the Big Day Out festival, but if you missed out on tickets don’t sweat it. The lads will also play some sideshows in Sydney and Melbourne.

You can catch Pendulum at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on January 25 and Melbourne’s Forum on January 28.

Image source: Natalia Balcerska Photography @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Kram Goes Solo

Spiderbait singer and drummer Kram is preparing to release a solo album called Mixtape.

It is an appropriate name from the album, which aims to be as eclectic as an old-fashioned mixtape.

“I wanted it to be like a radio station where all the songs sound like different bands even though it’s all played by one person… The premise of the whole album was to be constantly changing your approach musically,” Kram said in a statement.

Don’t think this spells the end for Spiderbait. The band has not released a studio album since 2004’s Tonight Alright, but they’re still popping up on the live scene. They played a New Years Eve show in Melbourne, and will next be seen at Brisbane’s Here and Now festival in January and the Coconet Classic Surf Festival over Easter.

The first single from the release, “Silk Suits,” is currently streaming at Kram’s MySpace page. You can also get a free download of the song “Outer Space” from the MySpace or Kram’s homepage. Look out for Mixtape in stored in March.

Image source: Kram’s MySpace page

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dig!!! Lazurus Dig!!! Named Album of the Year

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds impressed Aussie music fans last year. Their album Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! was named Album of the Year by Street Press Australia.

Readers of Inpress in Victoria and The Drum Media in New South Wales and Western Australia helped put Nick and the boys in the top spot.

The top 10 also saw local heroes The Drones at number three with Havilah, and The Gin Club at number nine with Junk.

Here is the complete top 10!

  1. Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! – Nick Cave & The Bade Seeds
  2. Dear Science – TV on the Radio
  3. Havilah – The Drones
  4. Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
  5. Oracular Spectacular – MGMT
  6. Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
  7. For Emma, Forever Ago – Bon Iver
  8. Third – Portishead
  9. Junk – The Gin Club
  10. We Don’t Belong Here – Violent Soho

Image source: Bauer-Griffin

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Daniel Johns Produces The Scare’s CD

Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns has stepped out from behind the mic to produce The Scare’s new album. The Sydney outfit, who are now based in Birmingham, returned home to complete the record.

“It’s important for everyone to remember that we came back to home soil in order to find our anarchic-blood-and-guts-sonically eccentric dream team with Daniel Johns and Chris Townend in the producer and engineer chairs respectively,” bass guitarist Wade Keighran wrote on the band’s MySpace page.

“We’ve come home twice in fact and made two albums with Australian producers and engineers in great Australian studios with the help of great Australian musicians … you don’t need to go overseas and spend a fortune to get whatever you want, all you need to do is know what you want and do it right. Anywhere.”

Too true! Australian audiences will get a taste of the band’s new material at their upcoming shows at Sydney’s Supper Club on January 20 and the Big Day Out tour.

Image source: Safetypinheart @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Death Cab for Cutie Tour Australia Again

Death Cab for Cutie must love Australia. After touring here last August, they’ve announced they’ll do it all again in February.

But it’s easy to understand why this American indie outfit has embraced Oz. We sent their latest album Narrow Stairs straight into the ARIA top ten, and we bought even tickets for their last gigs that the shows sold out.

Many artists would move to much bigger venues to accommodate the demand, but Death Cab for Cutie are determined to give their fans the intimate shows they love. Of course that means tickets won’t last, so make sure you buy yours when they go on sale on Friday January 9.

Here are the dates for the latest Death Cab for Cutie tour!

19 February 2008 – Fremantle Arts Centre (18 +, but minors are permitted with an adult)
22 February 2008 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide (All ages)
23 and 24 February 2008 – Forum Theatre, Melbourne (18+)
26 February 2008 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney (All ages)
28 February 2008 – Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane (18+)

Image source: Deep_Schismic @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gabriella Cilmi and Other Aussies SXSW Bound

Gabriella Cilmi will head up the Aussie invasion at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin. The March shows are ones for Gabriella, whose album Lessons to be Learned will be released in the United States around the same time.

Gabriella will join a host of other Aussies heading to the festival. They include Youth Group, Kid Confucious, Blue King Brown, Birds of Tokyo, The Drones, Josh Pyke, Angua and Julia Stone, and The Grates.

More than 20, 000 music industry types from all over the world attend SXSW so this is the place for our artists to be seen.

I wish them all the best of luck!

Image source: Bauer-Griffin

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Melbourne Bands Pay Tribute to Linda Gebar

A who’s who of the local music industry will gather at Melbourne’s Corner Hotel next week to remember Linda Gebar.

Linda was one of the city’s key music industry identities. She managed bands including Frente, The Killjoys, and Blackeyed Susans, worked for APRA and PBS, and was a booker for The Punters Club.

Linda passed away at her Mount Eliza home in October, just ten days after giving birth to her second daughter.

The tribute show will feature Not Drowning Waving, The Killjoys, Blackeyed Susans Trio, Charlie Jenkins, The Fish John West Reject, Kim Salmon, Billy Baxter & Gina Hearnden, Juliet Ward & Greg Appel, The Somerfields, and DJs Mary Mikelakos and Debbie Bettlingham.

Tickets are $20 plus booking fee from the venue.

Image source: Facebook event page

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Snowman Scoop Album of the Year Award

It looks like Perth outfit Snowman will be one band to watch in 2009. The Western Australians’ second album The Horse, The Rat and The Swan was named album of the year by Mess+Noise.

The accolade has special significant for the band, as the group broke up several times during the recording process.

“We were challenged mentally and physically to the point where we had to either make a decision to go ahead… and gamble with how people would react to a difficult record, or start again, or just give up,” singer Andy Citawarman told news.com.au.

“I’m glad we didn’t choose the latter options.”

Mess+Noise has a reputation for having its finger on the pulse of the local music industry, so if you haven’t checked out the other albums on their 2008 top ten I highly recommend you do so!

Here are the Mess+Noise Top 10 Aussie Albums of 2008!

  1. The Horse, The Rat And The Swan – Snowman
  2. Havilah – The Drones
  3. Beaches – Beaches
  4. Primary Colours – Eddy Current Suppression Ring
  5. Landlakes – ii
  6. Paradise – My Disco
  7. Romance & Adventure – Ooga Boogas
  8. Cellulite Soul – Witch Hats
  9. Escaping Mankind – Charge Group
  10. Dead Beat – Ohana

Image source: Snowman gallery