Tag: Clay Brown & the Trouble Round Town

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Exclusive: Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town Premiere New Single “Satisfy Your Mind”

Boorloo/Perth-based indie-rock act Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town are back with new music this week, and they’re sharing it first right here on Sounds of Oz. I’m so thrilled to bring you their third single, “Satisfy Your Mind” today ahead of its official release on Friday, January 30. If you loved their previous tracks “All My Friends” and “No Place,” I know you’ll dig this bold blues-rock track.

It’s so easy to get swept up in that killer guitar riff and Clay Brown’s incredible vocals, but make sure you pay attention to the lyrics. “Satisfy Your Mind” explores the modern obsession with social media and encourages listeners to focus on their own real-life paths instead of getting caught up in a loop of doomscrolling and digital competition. It reminds us that the best way to find your even keel is to quit comparing yourself to carefully curated digital profiles and run your own race.

If you love “Satisfy Your Mind,” you’ll be happy to know there’s more new music on the way. Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town are preparing to get into the studio and record their debut EP, which we’ll hear later this year. Expect to hear a few more tunes from that release when Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town officially launch “Satisfy Your Mind” at The Bird on January 31. Tickets are on sale now from Oztix.

Image used with permission from Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Clay Brown Rocks Out With “No Place”

Boorloo/Perth-based singer-songwriter Clay Brown builds on his sound with the release of his second single fronting Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town, “No Place.” It’s much grittier than their laidback debut “All My Friends (Atrophy),” but if you enjoyed that song I don’t think they’ll lose you with this evolution. As with the first single, Clay Brown hooked me with his superb songwriting, which this time explore grief and the way it can paralyse you.

“I wrote this song when I was going through a difficult time after losing someone very important in my life, and at the same time trying to start a new situationship with someone, but I was finding I just didn’t have myself all together yet for it mentally,” frontman Clay explained.

Can we also take a moment to appreciate Clay’s vocals? When so many artists attempt to disguise their Aussie accent, Clay’s is proudly on show. I also love the way he effortlessly moves from the conversational-style verses to high notes in the chorus.

Clay has been a key part of the Boorloo/Perth music industry for the last decade, playing with diverse acts like shoegaze outfit The Limbs, grunge band Filth Wizard, jazz fusion group King Proteus, and heavy stoner rockers MAGE. But his work fronting Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town is a little more personal. In 2023, Clay’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. He began writing poetry, then lyrics to process his emotions through her illness and death. This difficult period became the catalyst for his first solo songs, which he plays as an acoustic artist and with Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town.

Clay has recently returned from London, where he played a string of shows and recorded some music at Soho Sound Studios. Hopefully that means there are many more new tunes on the way. Until then, crank up “No Place.”

Photo credit: Dan Mac Photography

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Clay Brown & the Trouble Round Town Release Impressive Debut Single, “All My Friends (Atrophy)”

In the modern age, when so much music is overcomplicated and overproduced, I appreciate the simple things more than ever. Honest lyrics that speak to me. Organic instruments. A great melody. Pure vocals that follow it, without runs or autotune. I’ve found all that and more in “All My Friends (Atrophy),” the debut alternative-folk single from Western Australian outfit Clay Brown & the Trouble Round Town.

This song immediately captured my attention with its classic acoustic guitar intro and opening lyric “All my friends are moving in a straight line while I’m spinning in time.” What a great line! “All My Friends (Atrophy)” goes on to celebrate the pals that help you through the hard times. It acknowledges the challenge of feeling out of step with your peers while paying homage to the people willing to support you until all feels right with the world.

From the single acoustic guitar at the beginning, the sound gradually builds. The introduction of more instruments echoes the song’s theme that if the right people are in your orbit, you’ll never truly be alone.

While “All My Friends (Atrophy)” is the first single from Clay Brown & The Trouble Round Town, he’s no stranger to the music scene. Over the last decade, Clay has built a reputation as one of the most versatile guitarists in Boorloo/Perth. Locals might know him from shoegaze outfit The Limbs, grunge act Filth Wizard, or jazz fusion act King Proteus. The Trouble Round Town are equally seasoned. Drummer Jess June played with Clay in Filth Wizard. Bassist Zoe Gol was a member of Single Cell Sharks, while lead guitarist Michael Menna is best known for his time in Art of Dysfunction.

The release of “All My Friends (Atrophy)” is just the start of an exciting musical chapter for Clay Brown & the Trouble Round Town. They’ll drop their debut EP later this year.

Image used with permission from Clay Brown & the Trouble Round Town