Taylor Swift might be gone, but Australia has its own Taylor who knows how to effortlessly blend country and pop. Taylor Moss is the real deal, and just as likely to achieve world domination. Her latest track “Dream Baby” is just the kind of upbeat track you need to wake you up this morning.
“I really wanted to write a fun, upbeat country pop song that has nostalgic energy! I wanted it to make you want to jump, fist pump and sing into your hairbrush at home … Haha. It’s a song about ‘fast love’ and how my heart is a Mustang and it’s ready to drive and fall deeply in love.”
After making a splash online with his breakthrough single “everything sucks” in 2021, Florida sensation vaultboy is making his way to Australia for the very first time. Ahead of his shows in the East Coast capitals, I caught up with vaultboy to chat about making music in the digital age, that King of Sad Songs tag, and what he expects from his time Down Under.
You’ll be touring Australia for the first time in June. What do you expect from the shows here? I expect to have a great time and hopefully not run into spiders. That is what I expect.
A valid answer. That is my real answer.
Will you get any downtime while you’re here? And if so, is there anything you are hoping to do? Yes, I’ll have a few days off before the show starts in Sydney. And I am just hoping to try some great food. And honestly, I don’t know if it’s possible because I have no idea where they’re located, but I’d love to see a kangaroo in person. That would be great. Maybe at a zoo. I hope they’re not just running around. That’d be a little terrifying. But we’ll see.
You’re visiting us after touring Europe, and then you’ll be heading to Asia. Your schedule seems very hectic. So how do you keep things fresh when you’re on the road for so long? I think on the road, the biggest thing is like, not going crazy after being gone so long and traveling so much. So making sure when you have time, take time for yourself, and do things that have nothing to do with your work. I’m hoping to try and find some time to go rock climbing at some rock climbing gyms in different countries. But yeah, just finding things to do that aren’t related to tour that make you feel like you’re just a human being and not just a performance machine.
I was actually introduced to your music when Spotify just randomly threw up “everything sucks” one day. How important has streaming been for growing your fan base? Really important. I recently did a post where I asked some fans where they had found my music and a lot of people found it on TikTok, which is super fair, but a good amount found me on Discover Weekly or on a playlist on Spotify. I once had a fan say they found my music from one of my playlists on Spotify. They just found one of the playlists I made on Spotify randomly. And that’s how they found out about my music. They didn’t even know that I made the playlist. So yeah, definitely streaming is a huge part of growth, I think. But that said, I think everything just kind of goes hand in hand.
Rolling Stone dubbed you the “King of Sad Songs”, but recent releases “closer” and “Where tf have you been?” have been pretty happy. What’s behind the change in tone? So my upcoming album has a bit of a theme that I haven’t really talked about too much. But the foundational theme that I went with for the album was duality. And so about half the songs are like lighter, let’s say a happier perspective. Or if it’s a sad song, it may be a sarcastic perspective, versus a purely sad perspective, you know, it may be kind of like a laugh at the pain type of perspective.
And so the first half of the album is that, and then the second half of the album is much darker. And some of the darkest songs – and I use the word dark not just sad – but some of the darkest songs that I’ve ever released.
I think the biggest reason for that though, is you know, I put out two really sad songs that are on the album last year and then we put out a couple of the happier ones and I think part of the reason I’m excited about these happier songs coming out is because when the album hits they’re getting mostly sad songs. All the unreleased ones are mostly sad so I am not releasing a perfect one-to-one ratio for the singles, but I’m a very multifaceted person. I feel a lot of different emotions, a lot of very positive and negative, and this album I think I did a good job showcasing both.
Your single ‘closer’ sees you reunite with Salem, who you worked with on “don’t shop when you’re hungry” last year. Why do you love collaborating with her? She’s so easy to work with. Like, she’s a great gal and she’s fun to hang out with. She put out an album last year and now she’s looking forward to the music she wants to make now and I think it was just a good time for us to work together, because when we wrote “closer”, it was around the same time as “don’t shop when you’re hungry”. So we were kind of in that creative zone. She’s so talented, like so much more talented than people think she is. She’s an insane songwriter. And yeah, just super fun and easy to work with. I really try to work with people that I like. I’m not like trying to just collaborate with a bunch of random people just to get a feature or trying to get a big song. I really want to work with people that can be my friends and that I know are good people that I feel really good associating with, you know what I mean? And she’s one of them.
You’ve released a couple of EPs over the years, but you mentioned a full album is in the works. What can you tell us? Yes, my debut album is dropping on May 10th. And it is called everything and nothing. And it bangs. It’s going to be so good. And no one is ready for it.
Finally, do you have a message for your Australian fans before you get here? Yeah. We live on the opposite side of this globe that is floating in space. And so I’m excited to finally venture out there and get to hang out with all of you. So bring all your friends to the shows. And let’s have a good time!
Vaultboy plays the following shows along the East Coast in June. Tickets are on sale now, but with venues this intimate, you’d better get them while you can.
I never do this, but I’m going to announce a pause in our regular programming of music news and views. Whenever I go away on holidays, I always manage to create enough posts to go live while I’m gone, but this time it just wasn’t meant to be. So while I’m living it up on a cruise, I’m going to ask you all to bear with me. I’ll be back in business on April 15. Until then, make sure you continue finding all the great Aussie music you can. If you discover something amazing, leave a comment and tell me what it is. I’d love to hear what’s floating your boat when I’m back on dry land.
When I think about my favourite songs from the ‘80s, “At First Sight” by The Stems is always near the top of my list. It’s criminally underrated and still sounds fresh as a daisy while so many other tunes from the decade have dated. Unlike so many bands from the era, they’ve resisted the urge to tour the scene relentlessly, which makes their recent announcement of a 40th anniversary run pretty special.
Original members Dom Mariani, Julian Matthews, and Dave Shaw haven’t toured Australia since 2019. This time around, they’ll be joined by Ashley Naylor, of Even and The Church fame. Together they’ll celebrate four decades since they made their debut in 1984 supporting The Saints and The Triffids.
This isn’t simply a nostalgia tour either. While there’ll certainly be an element of that, the band are preparing to release a brand-new single and a live LP. Stay tuned fans, and make sure you get your tickets to the following gigs:
Bobi Andonov has floored me with his latest single “Between the Lines.” It’s bold and sexy, with some of the best falsetto you’re likely to hear from a modern artist. I can definitely hear a Prince influence shining through those passionate vocals and funky guitar licks, but as a major fan of the Purple One I appreciate the nod to his genius.
“This was one of the initial compositions within the project, marking the inception of the ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ trilogy. While numerous songs delve into two-person relationships, be they love affairs or tumultuous scandals, we aimed to craft a narrative portraying an intensely complex relationship with oneself. Such internal dynamics can prove to be the most disastrous, co-dependent and damaging relationship that any individual must navigate,” Bobi explained. “Drawing inspiration from artists like Jai Paul, Dijon, Blood Orange, as well as the funk sounds of David Bowie and Prince, this groundbreaking experiment laid the groundwork for some of the core elements of the entire project.”
Ready to hear the rest of the project? You don’t have too long to wait. Bobi will release his EP, SAINT, on May 9.
Image used with permission from Warner Music Australia
The Dreggs are bringing all the good vibes to your weekend with their gorgeous new single “Peeps With the Goods.” This one is definitely the goods, with a simple piano melody and gorgeous, easy breezy vocal harmonies from the duo. It feels like an instant classic.
“Matt Corby was a huge influence for this track. We were given the opportunity to write and record with Corby and this song is the result of that collaboration,” explained one half of the duo, Patty McRae. “The song is about the push and pull a lot of independent artists have to confront within the music industry. It’s an anthem to those who have experienced equal parts joy and frustration with their career, but also a reminder that persevering is the only way to push through and find that ‘happy place’, whatever that might mean for them.”
“Peeps With the Goods” comes from The Dreggs long-awaited debut album, Caught in a Reverie. Wrap your ears around it on April 26. The Dreggs will play shows in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Europe to support its release.
“It wouldn’t be a Dreggs show without a singalong and we’ve made sure there are plenty of magical moments throughout the set. One of the goals we have been working on is incorporating a lot of moments where we can involve the crowd,” Paddy assured fans. “On top of that, we are excited to be bringing the energy onstage with the addition of other band members. Don’t worry, it’ll still be Paddy and Zane, the folk duo, that we started out as, but just with some friends with us to turn it from a ‘performance’ to a ‘show’!”
I wouldn’t wait until the album drops to get your tickets. Something tells me they’ll sell out before that, so get in early to avoid disappointment.
Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Leo has impressed me with their debut EP Please Leave Quietly. The five-track EP delivers the perfect combination of infectious melodies and lyrics that speak from the heart.
“It is incredibly introspective and focuses on the feelings associated with loss, abandonment, and isolation” Leo explained. “The title was chosen to serve this introspective motion with the idea of ‘I know you’re going to leave and that’s okay – I would too. But when you do, the only thing I ask is that you do it quietly.’”
Leo is exactly the kind of songwriter that I love. Their lyrics are brutally honest. They’re unafraid to lay bare their own emotions and stories of pivotal moments with other people. These lyrics don’t shy away from the hard stuff, and Leo acknowledges that when you’re young and just trying to figure stuff out, so much of it is hard stuff. There’s pain and pathos in these lyrics, but the melancholy moments are typically balanced out with Leo’s wry sense of humour. A defense mechanism, maybe. But it gives these songs such a distinctly Australian flavour. They’re so relatable that they’re instantly endearing.
These songs are also total earworms. I’ve been lucky enough to listen for a few days, and I catch myself humming the tunes at random moments. They’re so catchy, in the best possible way. It feels unfair to single out these songs because they’re all incredibly strong, so I’m just going to let you listen and decide which one’s your favourite.
Please Leave Quietly is out now. Leo and their live band will launch the EP for hometown fans at The Old Bar on April 19.
Between You & Me are ushering in a new chapter with the release of their first independent body of work, SH!T YEAH. Made of six absolute pop-punk bangers, this release shows these guys are more than capable of forging their own path in the music scene.
They make a strong statement opening with “Kill My Vibe”, a collaboration with their former touring partners Knuckle Puck. Between You & Me go toe to toe with the U.S. heavyweights, proving they’re just as big a force to be reckoned with. It’s such a fun, feel-good song which gets backed up with the single “In The Middle”. “Nevermind” celebrates the simple things in life. It’s an anti-rock star anthem if you will about being content with your material lot even as you strive for musical success. “Every Morning” (no, not the Sugar Ray song) sees Between You & Me at their sexiest. If the lyrics didn’t already get me excited enough, the electric guitar solo takes this track over the edge. “YEAH!” takes a little dig at Insta culture while reminding us what really matters. “Sad Songs” rounds out this EP which is the definition of all killer, no filler. With big chords and a singalong chorus, it leaves the listener on such a high.
With most tracks clocking in at around the three-minute mark or less, SH!T YEAH is short and oh so sweet. As if there was any doubt, it establishes this band as one of the best modern pop-punk outfits, not just in Australia but on the world stage. They’ve got the goods. Listen, enjoy it, and make sure you snag a ticket to one of their upcoming shows.
A grand finalist in last year’s Toyota Star Maker competition, Robbie Mortimer is making good on his promise. His latest single “Blow the Speakers” is a high-energy country anthem that sounds like Robbie has been doing this for years. Robbie had nothing for praise for his partner in crime Jared Adlam, who co-wrote the song and produced it at his Machine Lab studios.
“Jared truly brought the best out of me as an artist and songwriter,” Robbie enthused. “Nothing was too hard. There were no silly ideas, just opportunities to make a high-energy country anthem and we did just that. I’m proud of what we created together.”
Robbie has a stack of gigs coming up as a feature artist for the Professional Bull Rider’s Association Monster Energy Tour. He’ll also play a few cool country festivals in the coming months. Here are all the places you can see him play.
Eora/Sydney singer-songwriter Bryan Estepa has got no time for musical trends. His latest single “Is There Anybody There?” feels like a total throwback to the late 70s, but that music’s classic for a reason. This song, which features guest vocals from Melita, doesn’t try to be anything that it’s not. If you’re still sneaking vinyl from your father’s or grandfather’s record collection, I know you’ll love this one.
Bryan hasn’t released music since “Back to the Middle” in 2021, noting that “The well kinda went dry after that. I’d normally be a little worried but I threw myself into learning a tonne of new concepts on guitar and got obsessed over my instrument like I did in my teens. I kinda forgot about my songwriting for a while. But ‘Is There Anybody There?’ came out of nowhere during that period and it formed pretty quickly. One of those truly inspired moments that as a songwriter that you dare not question.”
“It’s a song about loneliness and how we as individuals are just a miniscule number in the sea of humanity,” Bryan explained. “In those moments of realisation, we might wonder if anyone is there or listening to us.”
If you’re in Eora/Sydney, you can catch Bryan supporting Ashley Naylor Spaceship at MoshPit Bar tonight! Limited tickets are still available through trybooking.
Image used with permission from Chris Familton Publicity
