Tag: EP

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Owls Tour “Swamp Love”

With the release of their latest EP Swamp Love imminent, The Owls are preparing to soak up the sunshine of the East Coast on a launch tour.

The disc celebrates The Owls unmistakable blend of dirty blues and Southern rock music. It features the single and fan favourite “Better Off Deaf,” as well as two more tracks destined to become live hits.

The Swamp Love EP tour will kick off in The Owls hometown of Newcastle on November 9, which is not so coincidentally the day the EP hits stores. It will then take in other key locations in New South Wales, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory. Tickets are on sale from the venues now.

9 November 2012 – The Great Northern Hotel, Newcastle
14 November 2012 – The Patch, Wollongong
22 November 2012 – Transit Bar, Canberra
30 November 2012 – Goodgod Small Club, Sydney
19 December 2012 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane

Image used with permission from Reckoning Entertainment

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Trews Tour Extended EP

Multi-award winning Canadian rock band The Trews are frequent visitors to our shores, and they’re planning a return visit next month.

The upcoming tour celebrates the release of …thank you and I’m sorry, The Trews’ latest extended EP. It will feature eight tracks including the lead single, a cover version of Paul Kelly’s “Leaps and Bounds,” and a new recording of their song “Poor Ol’ Broken Hearted Me” featuring Shannon Noll. Shannon and the Canucks are great mates, so it’s only fitting they’ll join forces during this tour for a show in Melbourne.

…thank you and I’m sorry will get a digital release on October 22 on iTunes before it hits stores on November 2. Tickets to the following shows are on sale now. For an extra $10 you can enjoy a pre-sale bundle which includes a copy of the EP, a two-track download card, Australian tour sticker, and badge. Sounds like a good deal to me!

24 October 2012 – The Brass Monkey, Cronulla
25 October 2012 – Upstairs Beresford, Sydney
26 October 2012 – Terrey Hills Tavern, Terrey Hills
27 & 28 October 2012 – Sydney Blues and Roots Festival, Windsor
28 October 2012 – Beaches, Thirroul
1 November 2012 – Ding Dong, Melbourne
2 November 2012 – The Loft, Warrnambool
3 November 2012 – Jive, Adelaide
5 November 2012 – Hallam Hotel, Melbourne (with Shannon Noll)

Image source: Lildreamer22 @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Maxi Gives EP Sneak Peek

After impressing with her debut single “In a Little While,” Melbourne songbird Maxi is preparing to inundate us with some new tunes. On September 28 she’ll release her self-titled debut EP and a brand new single “From the Start.”

You don’t have to wait that long to hear the single though. Maxi’s allowed me to give you all the first listen of the new track, which is every bit as powerful as the last. I love her old style blend of funk and soul, her powerful vocals, and those big brassy chords.

Hopefully this will get you all warmed up for the EP, which was the result of a summer spent locked away with fledgling producer and muso Joel Witenberg. They might have missed the sunshine, but there’s a real warmth to the songs I’ve heard that has me primed for more.

If you like what you hear make sure you grab Maxi and “From the Start” when they drop on September 28. Maxi will also launch the EP for her home town fans at The Workers Club on October 18.

Image used with permission from Maxi

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sans Gras Get Under My Skin

I was pretty sure I wouldn’t write about Sans Gras as I listened to “Sun Come Up,” the opening track from their new EP Shed Your Woes. I admired its ambition and dynamism, but I was struggling to find something to hang on to. I appreciated the song on an intellectual level, but I just couldn’t connect with it. I really wanted to like it because it was so interesting and bold, but I didn’t.

I promise myself that I’d listen to the whole track before turning off the EP. But then a game of Angry Birds got intense, and I found myself listening to the next song “Left and Right.” It was soulful, and so much more cohesive than the first number. It didn’t take as many risks, but it was much more enjoyable to listen to. And so in spite of my initial assessment, I decided to try track three on for size. “Wildflower” sees the quirkiness that sets Sans Gras apart used to great effect. Again it’s more accessible than “Sun Come Up” and less daring, but it’s such good fun. It lost me a little in the middle, but that lacklustre bridge is sandwiched between brilliance.

Sans Gras are the sort of band that stretches out in many different directions. They’re so creative, and even the fans probably won’t like everything they produce. But that’s pretty cool. Greatness doesn’t come from playing it safe. Sans Gras aren’t there yet, but in just three tracks they’ve shown a special spark. Keep your ear to the ground, as Sans Gras will launch Shed Your Woes with an EP tour in the not too distant future.

Image used with permission from Show Off Services

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Tom Milek Tours Debut EP

Tom Milek is hitting the road to celebrate the release of his debut EP Love & Ambition.

If this charming track “Vicious Circles” is any indication, music lovers are in for a real treat with this disc. I love its organic feel, which sounds like the best of Ryan Adams with a bit of Whitley thrown in.

Tom Milek’s Love & Ambition tour kicks off in his hometown of Melbourne tomorrow and snakes around the country before wrapping up in the same city next month.

5 April 2012 – The Toff, Melbourne
12 April 2012 – Beavs Bar, Geelong
20 April 2012 – The Metro, Adelaide
21 April 2012 – The Loft, Warnambool
9 May 2012 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
10 May 2012 – Sol Bar, Maroochydore
24 May 2012 – The Gov, Adelaide
25 May 2012 – Cornish Arms, Melbourne

Image used with permission from Footstomp Music

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dragon Chase the Sun Down the East Coast

Classic ‘80s pub bands seem to be everywhere. Cold Chisel are back on the road, Icehouse are enjoying chart success with their latest greatest hits record, and now Dragon are preparing for a comeback.

Their brand new EP Chase the Sun, which has just hit stores, heralds a new start for the band. Its first single “21 (Heart of Gold)” sees the outfit back to its best, and there’s more where that came from.

They haven’t completely forgotten their past though. Next month Jeff Apter will release Chasing the Dragon, a biography which remembers the band’s late lead singer Marc Hunter.

Dragon will promote both the book and the EP when they play the following east coast shows over the coming months.

20 October 2011 – The Vanguard, Sydney
21 October 2011 – Canberra Casino, Canberra
22 October 2011 – Manly Boatshed, Sydney
10 November 2011 – Tempo Hotel, Brisbane
12 November 2011 – Lone Star Tavern, Gold Coast
19 November 2011 – Beaches, Wollongong
25 November 2011 – Brass Monkey, Cronulla
2 December 2011 – Lizotte’s, Newcastle
3 December 2011 – Lizotte’s, Kincumber
4 December 2011 – Lizotte’s, Dee Why

Image used with permission from SCG Media

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Celadore Tours “The Bright and Blue” EP

Melbourne indie rockers Celadore will kick off their most extensive tour to date in Albury later this month. The three-month celebration will support the release of their The Bright and Blue EP, which hits stores and iTunes today.

The Bright and Blue is Celadore’s follow up to last year’s Distance is a Gun, and their second release through Popboomerang Records. It’s also the first produced by The Living End’s Chris Cheney, who has nothing but good things to say about the band. He commented that “they possess a sense of melody and a depth to their songwriting that’s beyond their years.”

Albury seems like a pretty strange place to start rocking, but it’s fitting for the string of dates which takes in regional centres and capital cities alike. Catch them before they make it big at the following shows.

21 October 2011 – Albion Hotel, Albury
22 October 2011 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney
27 October 2011 – Ed Castle, Adelaide
28 October 2011 – EV’s Youth Centre, Croydon (All Ages)
29 October 2011 – The Sandbar, Mildura
4 November 2011 – Hotel Orient, Brisbane
5 November 2011 – The Hive, Brisbane (All Ages)
11 November 2011 – The Loxton Club, Loxton
12 November 2011 – National Hotel, Geelong
16 November 2011 – Rock Lily, Sydney
17 November 2011 – Phoenix Bar, Canberra
18 November 2011 – Yours & Owls, Wollongong
19 November 2011 – Pacific Hotel, Yamba
26 November 2011 – Revolver, Melbourne
3 December 2011 – Brisbane Hotel, Hobart
10 December 2011 – The Rails, Byron Bay

Image used with permission from Footstomp Records

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Into The Eyes of Those Who Sleep” – The Ovals

Over the last four years Melbourne band The Ovals has built a steady following for their brand of psychedelic rock. That attention is only bound to intensify with the release of the band’s new EP Into The Eyes of Those Who Sleep.

The band is clearly comfortable in this genre; they create the kind of kaleidoscopic atmosphere that takes us back to the mid-60s. They understand about light and shade, they know how to build and song and move us just where they want us.

But I can’t help feeling like I’ve heard it all before, like I’m listening to a band that spent too much time listening to early Pink Floyd records. Perhaps I’m a bit biased as I always found those early Syd Barrett recordings lacking, but I hear the same aimlessness in The Ovals music. It’s almost as if they’re also trying to figure out exactly who they want to be, just like Pink Floyd were all those years ago.

And similarly, I can hear great potential there. In places there’s the magic that comes from four musicians that really know how to play. I can imagine that’s only heightened when the Melbourne act takes to the stage. Into The Eyes of Those Who Sleep is a good stepping stone for a band that could be something special.

The Ovals will launch their new EP at The Cherry Bar before taking it to the other East Coast capitals. You can see them at the following venues.

25 March 2011 – Cherry Bar, Melbourne
1 April 2011 – X&Y Bar, Brisbane
8 April 2011 – Oxford Arts Gallery, Sydney

Image used with permission from Show Off Services

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Autumn Gray Has Love Handles

Melbourne indie act Autumn Gray is preparing to release its new mini-EP Love Handles with a pair of launch shows.

For the uninitiated, Autumn Gray is something like a mini folk army, with seven members contributing lush harmonies and rich musical melodies. Their music features everything from traditional instruments like flutes and pianos to more modern innovations like synthesizers and iPhones!

Autumn Gray’s new EP features “Love Handles,” from their previous album A Diary of a Falling Man, a live version of “Reason,” and “Address Book Blues” and “Moving Target,” two great songs left over from the last recording process. It hits stores on January 21.

Currently Autumn Gray are holed up in an old wool storage warehouse writing and recording their next album, but they’re escaping for a Melbourne launch at The Toff in Town on January 22, and a Sydney one at the Lewisham Livehouse on February 11.

Image used with permission from Positive Feedback

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“New Techniques for Beginners and Champions” – A Family of Strangers

The world of side projects is a bit of a musical mixed bag; for every success there are many more dismal failures. Happily A Family of Strangers, the latest project for The Butterfly Effect front man Glenn Esmond, falls into the former category.

It’s too early to determine whether chart success will follow the band, but it should if their debut EP New Techniques for Beginners and Champions is any indication. This is a really strong collection of six tracks, songs that step away from The Butterfly Effect but not so far as to alienate the band’s strong fan base.

I find these tunes more accessible than those of the iconic Aussie hard rock outfit. There are some big gritty guitar chords and dark lyrics, but the focus on the melody helps the listener connect from the first spin.

Fans of The Butterfly Effect won’t be disappointed with rock anthems like “Don’t Forget (03.03.03)” and “Silly Love Songs,” but I find the tracks that are dramatically different from Glenn Esmond’s previous work a little more intriguing. “Here Without You” shows he is capable of producing a real radio-friendly ballad of love lost. A Family of Strangers exposes their soft underbelly again with “The Velvet Divorce (Follow).” But my favourite track is probably the closer “Farewell, Mr Hooper,” a wild rock sea shanty. It’s such a quirky tune, the kind of thing I imagine a crew of pillaging pirates might create if you handed them electric guitars.

It almost seems unfair to bands starting out to call New Techniques for Beginners and Champions a debut EP, because A Family of Strangers are so experienced and in control of their sound. They’re equally at home in the sunlight and the shadows, and they take us to both places in this recording. It’s a really accomplished first taste of a band I look forward to hearing a lot more from.