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SNIPPETZ – THURSDAY AUGUST 8, 2024

Thursday August 8, 2024

CAM BUTLER ‘Spirits Flying Home’ and ‘New Visions’ (Singles)

Melbourne-based guitarist, composer Cam Butler has released two new singles, ‘Spirits Flying Home’ and ‘New Visions’, exclusively on his Bandcamp page.“These two songs are taken from my forthcoming solo guitar album, ‘Spirits Flying Home’. I’ve taken a newer direction with my solo guitar approach, using more fuzz and reverb to create a deeper and more textured guitar sound.

Watch the official video of ‘Spirits Flying Home’ filmed by Haley Rose HERE.

Cam will also be supporting Charlie Owen for the NSW leg of his August East Coast tour on Friday August 16th at Django Bar in Marrickville, and Saturday August 17th at Smiths in Canberra.
Tickets below:
Django Bar (Sydney) Tickets
Smiths (Canberra) Tickets

SHANE REILLY ‘Parallel Lives’ (Single out August 29)

Following three critically acclaimed albums with his band LOST RAGAS , Shane Reilly releases the first single ‘ PARALLEL LIVES ‘ from his upcoming solo album ‘ UNDER THE SKY ‘ on August 29th.

PARALLEL LIVES appears from a cloud of Shane’s signature psychedelic pedal steel and launches into a chorus heavily laden with melody , passion and honesty the likes of which admirers of John Lennon and Richard Hawley could appreciate. As the title suggests , it’s a song about the paths of life , or of lives and Shane’s penchant for cinematic imagery is on display here as it is in all his work.

Recorded and produced at his own RESAFORNIA RECORDS studio where Shane performed the piano , acoustic guitar , pedal steel and the vocals , then on to Union St Studio where the drums and bass were tracked and mixed by Roger Bergodaz ( Tex Perkins , The Cruel Sea , many others ) and then skilfully mastered by Adam Dempsey ( Dirty Three’s latest ) it sets the pace for the upcoming full album ‘ UNDER THE SKY ‘ and marks the beginning of a new chapter and the fulfilment of a personal promise.

Having played on stage and on records with Beck , Tex Perkins , Paul Kelly , Emma Donovan and many many more , Shane has taken these experiences , all the lives lived within them and looked at them through the lens of music.

PARALLEL LIVES will be available on all streaming services for all to hear and enjoy on August 29th 2024. Available EXCLUSIVELY on Bandcamp now
Pre – Order the upcoming album ‘ UNDER THE SKY ‘ HERE

THE BLACK SORROWS ANNOUNCE ‘One Door Slams’ (Single)

One of Australia’s most enduring and successful touring bands, The Black Sorrows, today release the first single from their forthcoming studio album. One Door Slams is the brand-new song lifted from The Way We Do Business which will be released on 18th October.

The Way We Do Business will be frontman Joe Camilleri’s 55th career album. It’s his seemingly tireless drive to record quality music, which has rewarded him legendary status and well-deserved longevity in the music industry. This year will be 4o years of The Black Sorrows and Joe will celebrate more than 50 years in the business.

Says Joe Camilleri of the new single “One Door Slams started off as some ramblings about a Mercury and a Coupe De Ville. Ended up as a tragic love story about a girl who gave away her love too cheaply but just couldn’t handle the curb…’one more night alone she’s gonna lose her mind. Finally, she realises the world is full of opportunities and all you gotta do is step inside.'”

Since 1984, The Black Sorrows have toured Australia more times than anyone can remember, played sold out shows across Europe, won ARIA & APRA awards, have multiple gold & platinum releases, and sold more than one million albums worldwide. Joe Camilleri has shown fans and critics alike that he is a prolific songwriter and performer with an undeniable energy and love of it all.

‘One Door Slams’ available HERE
www.abcmusic.com.au

CONNECT WITH THE BLACK SORROWS: FACEBOOK YOUTUBE WEBSITE

MENAJERIE ‘First Sunday’ (Single)

Bringing the charm with their signature neo-soul sound, female-led powerhouse Menajerie is back with another sultry, funky song. ‘First Sunday’, out now, is packed with passion and pain. Known for their three glowed up frontwomen, whose voices twine together like neo-soul sirens, Menajerie groove and sway with wavy melodies and rhythms creating an intoxicating and alluring atmosphere.

Following the release of their debut album ‘Selective Deafness’ in 2023, Menajerie have been on a roll, garnering praise for their ethereal sound, even landing a nomination at the 2024 Queensland Music Awards in the Soul/ Funk/ R&B category.

It was just last month that they followed up that debut EP with the fiery single ‘Melt’, and they are now already backing it up with the tantalizing ‘First Sunday’.

‘First Sunday’ is a heart-fluttering number that ebbs and flows with a funky groove and a bittersweet bite. The neo-soul instrumentals are free flowing and feel ever-evolving while the emotive vocals and harmonies are angelic. This song is about moving through grief and mourning the loss of family. The lyrics speak on the complex feelings that weigh heavy on the heart, even years later. Gracie Mack speaks about the track:

“First Sunday is a song of release and catharsis from the complex world of grief. The song begins with pensive vocals over lush piano chords and slick guitar rhythms. The bridge then provides release with sparkling Rhodes and cosmic, belting vocals reaching a moving crescendo. The song ends by turning inwardly reflective. Contemplating the effect of grief on the soul.”

Ultimately, ‘First Sunday’ is an emotionally impactful and catchy, danceable number, keeping in line with the unfiltered but fun nature of Menajerie’s discography. Drift with Menajerie and their newest track ‘First Sunday’, out now. Catch them performing live at the single launch tonight (Friday, August 2) at Brisbane’s It’s Still A Secret, details below.

STEVE BALBI ‘Marrow’ (Single)

A new track from the artist, composer, and producer Steve Balbi – Marrow – is out now on all streaming platforms through Triplespeak & Metropolitan Groove Merchants (MGM Distribution). Marrow available HERE

Coalescing melody, sophistication, and soul, Balbi bespeaks Bowie and Lennon in myth and verse, meanwhile exploring the diversity, refinement, and the dirty rotten groove of Radiohead. Marrow is the final track to drop ahead of Breakdown, the creative chameleon’s fourth solo, studio album – due for release on Friday 23rd August. Beautiful but distorted, daunting but heavenly, Balbi bends every genre with his new body of work. An impossibly romantic journey, Marrow is enlightening and evocative yet melancholic and intoxicating, the melodic and rhythmic interplay of strings and synth elucidating a sonic sensibility of empathy.

Featuring Tully Ryan on drums, Marrow was recorded and produced by Balbi, who plays every other sound on the track, which was mixed by Tony Wall and mastered by William Bowden.

Says Steve of the new song “Have you ever messed up so bad there’s no doubt about it and you can see defeat, hands in the air, hit me, punish me, in fact I’ll eat myself. You know that feeling. Is it a happy song – it kind of is. There’s freedom in accepting your own f*ck ups.”

Steve Balbi returns to the Sydney Opera House for one night only to commorate the launch of Breakdown on Saturday 24th August. Don’t miss the chance to witness the chameleon transcend his unique, celestial, sensibility live, featuring an all-star band and very special guest, Abby Dobson, founding member of Leonardo’s Bride and le magnifique Baby et Lulu.

SATURDAY 24TH AUGUST 2024
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
Doors at 7.00pm
Tickets available here

FOR TOUR DATES (MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON) VISIT: WWW.STEVEBALBI.COM
CONNECT WITH STEVE BALBI: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE

GAVIN MAC ‘Make You Feel’ (Single/Video)

Combining glistening modern alt-country with sentimental hues, the upbeat new single Make You Feel out now with an accompanying music video from Sydney country sensation Gavin Mac is an utterly effervescent glimpse into Mac’s impending debut full-length of the same name, with the album Make You Feel officially set for release on Thursday September 5.

A buoyant outing anchored by infectious melodics, lustrous instrumentation, and lashings of country charm, Gavin Mac’s new track Make You Feel saw the talented artist team up with Ben Butler on lead guitar, Melinda Jackson on backing vocals, and Josh Schuberth on drums, along with mastering courtesy of William Bowden. Simultaneously nostalgic and joyful, Make You Feel ultimately also reflects Mac’s driving musical mission statement threading throughout his debut studio release, as he reveals, “Make You Feel was, first and foremost, my mantra when I was thinking about song selection and production. I felt that success, for me, was eliciting an emotion, taking the listener to a time or place, and opening them up to some kind of reflection. In today’s fast paced life, we’re always ‘more’ and ‘what’s next’. I’m as guilty of this as anyone.”

Make You Feel also arrives today with a charming accompanying music video that seamlessly expands the underlying lyrical content.

Serving as the title track for Gavin Mac’s forthcoming new album Make You Feel, Mac’s latest single opens proceedings into the 10 tracks lying in wait across his maiden full-length, flowing between sharp and driving empowerment (Live Your Life), swooning contemporary twangs (Getaway and How Much Better), airy countrified love songs (Angel In A Black T-Shirt), and poignant, heart-rending odes (Bushfire and Forever Changing You). Spanning influences ranging from John Mayer through to Chris Stapleton, Eric Clapton and Midland, Make Them Feel also boasts Mac’s time-travelling single Sideswiped, with the crisp tune first penned and demoed by Mac as a teenager before catching the attention of Sony Music Australia earlier in his career. “Although this collection of songs was written over a long time span,” shares Mac, “I tried to unite them by singing them, cleanly. By that I mean, not leaning into any style, just singing them straight. I also chose to work with a renowned country music producer to unite the songs through honest, earthy production techniques and instrumentation. My goal was to present a polished set of modern contemporary songs, that each incorporate a nostalgic cue, be it the narrative, instrumentation, or driven. In absence of these recordings being easily boxed into a popular genre or genre subset, my hope was to ‘make you feel’ something.”

Discovered at the age of 16 by Sony Music’s Denis Handlin and John Watson, Gavin Mac quickly gained the title of being Sony Music Australia’s youngest-ever Australian recording artist at the time. Evolving his music industry skills and knowledge in the years to follow, Mac worked alongside both international and iconic Australian artists, including previous work with Nickelback, Queens of the Stone Age, Linda & Vika Bull, and Alex Lloyd. And from managing A&R duties for Roadrunner Records to stepping back from the industry to raise his family, Mac still kept his creative fires alive, co-founding the award-winning brand experience agency Urban, conceiving and delivering marketing campaigns for Electronic Arts, Airbnb, and Netflix.

Make You Feel is out now
Gavin Mac’s full-length album Make You Feel is due out Thursday September 5.

Stream: MAKE YOU FEEL
Soundcloud: MAKE YOU FEEL
Watch: MAKE YOU FEEL

SMOKED SALMON ‘How Did They Ever Manage’ (Single)

‘Smoked Salmon’ was begging to be used! Kim Salmon had been ignoring it for decades but finally gave in after being called on for a benefit for the Firefighters at the start of 2020. Smoked Salmon came to be the players stationed over in the west, in France, up in NSW and handy in his hometown Melbourne whenever he needed a band. And who doesn’t need a band? He could play shows most anywhere! He could even take an ensemble into a studio under the banner of Smoked Salmon – which he eventually did.

Smoked Salmon is a concept, a collection of recordings, a collective, a philosophy of least resistance flowing from a reputation for resolutely going against the stream! Wait a minute! Least resistance? Against the stream? Here’s the clincher. You can do both! Kim still has the desire to go upstream but has found a great source of new repertoire fishing in the streams from whence such classics as “Frantic Romantic”, “Last Night”, “Dropout”, “Come On Spring” and “Swampland” sprang!

With Smoked Salmon, Kim has a new album of material that sits seamlessly alongside ‘the old stuff you love’ (from The Scientists, Beasts Of Bourbon, Surrealists and Antenna), all lovingly assembled and performed by an international cast. Dimi Dero; Delphine Ciampi; Sylvain Philipon; Todd Pickett; Jozeph Grech; Claire Birchall; Douglas Galbraith; Myles Mumford; Finn Keane; Sam Worrad; Jeffery Baker and Jeff Hooker all come together to create an episode in the musical adventure of Kim Salmon’s life. An episode that you miss at your own peril!

This episode begins with the Cheersquad release 7” single of “How Did They Ever Manage” b/w “Slider St.”. The single is out August 23 digitally and on limited edition pink salmon 7″ vinyl (100 only) and black 7″ vinyl. It will be launched at PERSA, Fitzroy on 30 August with guests Money For Rope and Hearts and Rockets.

“How Did They Ever Manage” features Kim Salmon, Jeff Hooker, Claire Birchall, Douglas Galbraith.
SMOKED SALMON “‘How Did They Ever Manage” b/w “Slider St.” is out August 23 on Cheersquad Records & Tapes.
Limited edition pink salmon 7″ vinyl (100 only) and black 7″ vinyl pressings are available for pre-order now from https://kimsalmon.bandcamp.com/album/how-did-they-ever-manage

The single can be pre-saved at https://bfan.link/how-did-they-ever-manage

SMOKED SALMON launch “How Did They Ever Manage”
Friday August 30 at PERSA in Fitzroy with guests Money For Rope and Hearts and Rockets
Tickets available here
www.cheersquad.com.au

INDIGO BLAZE ‘Wanna Play?’ (Single)

Boorloo/Perth-based metal band Indigo Blaze have returned with their latest release ‘Wanna Play?’ – produced and mixed by Matt Templeman (Make Them Suffer, Voyager, Sly Withers).
‘Wanna Play?’ erupts with an unstoppable energy surge as drums command an unwavering grip, piercing through layers of arpeggiated guitar melodies. The beat pulsates with relentless precision, cutting a powerful fusion of aggressive rhythms and melodic dexterity.

The band talk about the inspiration behind recording ‘Wanna Play?’: “‘Wanna Play?’ shows a more melodic side to our songwriting as we park the classic nu-metal riff style sound and create a more grooving rock song. Drawing inspiration after seeing Turnstile live and hearing how they use punk/hardcore-based music to create songs that are catchy and can make you want to dance, not just bang your head. Lyrically, the song is about dealing with writer’s block and scraping for inspiration not just in music but in the monotony of working life.”

In the live arena, the band have sold out multiple hometown headline shows and supported the likes of Gyroscope, Ocean Grove, The Southern River Band, Late 90s and SHANGRILA. Previous release ‘CRITICAL HIT’ saw support from international radio stations Oui FM (FRA), AntyRadio (POL), RTS Couleur (CHE), RTE 2XM (IRL) and IndieXL (NLD). They’ve also seen love from Spotify, Apple Music, Pilerats, MILKY, HEAVY Mag, Hardbeat (UK) and Illustrate Magazine (UK). Along with this, tracks have had radio support from triple j, Double J, triple j Unearthed, FBi Radio, RTR FM, 4ZZZ, Radio Adelaide and Aussie Music Weekly.

‘Wanna Play?’ is available worldwide now Click to stream ‘Wanna Play?’

HANNAH STOW ‘But I Lie’ (Single out August 7. Debut EP ‘Sidelined’ Out September 12)

From the heart and soul, Hannah Stow brings another sweet sapphic synth single to the table on Wednesday, August 7 with ‘But I Lie’ ahead of her debut EP ‘Sidelined’, out on September 12. Stream ‘But I Lie’

Hannah Stow has already received praise in the walk up to her debut EP, with her previous releases ‘In The Dark’ in June and ‘Dawson Road’ in July. With her distinct, unashamed Australian accent, and emotion-packed lyrics, her songs have gathered a flock of devoted listeners.

Building on the charm of her recent singles, Hannah Stow mixes slick guitar with modern, pulsing synth to make a truly charmed melody. This electric indie-pop evening daze travels through a melodic mist with an almost jazzy haze around it, making it a perfect song for soft, slow moments. This track drowns in emotion and the lyrics reflect that, managing to melt the isolation, hope, and devastation of being in a relationship with a closeted person and persisting through the doubt and challenges to the moment it unravels. Playing on youth, connection, and secrets, this song and its lyrics pack a nostalgia-powered punch. Hannah Stow says about the track:

“This song touches on the tribulations of being hidden in a same sex relationship… I wrote this song years ago… I decided it was too good not to release. I got Calvin Bennett to add some sexy guitar riffs and this quickly became a smooth listening track with a really raw meaning about love and identity.”

Hannah Stow pins down the trials and tribulations of hiding away in her newest single ‘But I Lie’, releasing August 7, before her debut EP ‘Sidelined’ drops on September 12.

ROCK LEGENDS REBORN: 27 CLUB PREMIERES AT 2024 SYDNEY FRINGE

The biggest music show of the Adelaide Fringe this year is finally coming to Sydney for the first time (30 Aug-29 Sep) for the Sydney Fringe! Rock the night away with a high-octane music extravaganza 27 Club LIVE at the Sydney Spiegeltent – that’ll leave you praying to the rock gods for more.

Witness electrifying music and lore from legendary artists Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, and Jimi Hendrix, performed by many of Australia’s top rock icons including Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus), Kevin Mitchell (Jebediah), Carla Lippis (Mondo Psycho), Dusty Lee Stephensen (Wanderers), Justin Burford (End of Fashion, Rock of Ages), Virginia Lillye (The Voice) and Bek Jensen. Join them for the first time in Sydney as they salute the fated members of the 27 Club with music’s greatest set list ever!

One of the highest-selling shows at the second largest annual arts festivals in the world, Adelaide Fringe, 27 Club’s live rockumentary style captured the hearts of audiences and critics alike, winning the Best Music Award and earning rave reviews:

Singer and guitarist Sarah McLeod said, “Every song in this show is a banger. We have so much fun performing this show, the cast knows how to put on a high-octane performance and the crowd is right there with us, singing, crying, laughing, dancing… the show delivers on all fronts.”

27 Club’s Creative Producer Zac Tyler said, “27 Club is a heartfelt tribute to the icons who have left an indelible mark on music history. We’re not just putting on a gig, we’re creating a full show experience that celebrates the raw power and timeless influence of these music legends.”

So Sydney, come as you are to a night of rock ‘n’ roll magic starring the voices of a generation who left us too soon but whose legacy lives on today.

Get your tickets today at sydneyfringe.com/events/27-club.
Dates: 30 August – 29 September 2024
Venue: Sydney Spiegeltent, The Entertainment Quarter, 122 Lang Rd, Moore Park NSW 2021
Tickets: From $59 General Admission, $49 Concession

Getting there is easy, click HERE for directions! Parking on-site – available HERE.

Follow 27 Club: Instagram | Facebook
Follow Sydney Fringe: Instagram | Facebook
Follow Sydney Spiegeltent: Instagram | Facebook

JIMI THE KWEEN (feat Zoë Badwi) ‘Starlight’ (Single)

Fresh from taking over the USA during Pride Month with performances alongside Paris Hilton and Kesha, Jimi The Kween returns with a dazzling new single, ‘Starlight’. This latest track is a cover of the seminal 2001 hit single by The Supermen Lovers of the same name and features the acclaimed Australian singer Zoë Badwi, renowned for her hits ‘Release Me’ and platinum-certified ‘Freefallin’’. This remake follows the release of Jimi’s anthemic banger ‘Don’t Touch The Hair’ and promises a stellar musical experience that will ignite dance floors worldwide.

The fusion of Jimi The Kween’s dynamic energy and Zoë Badwi’s powerhouse vocals, alongside the addition of an indulgent dance production, captures the essence of nightlife glamour and the euphoric energy of the club scene.

Jimi says, “this track has been in the making for a couple of years – I always wanted to rework this song, it’s one of my favs and I’ve had the demo sitting around for ages. Having Zoë join me on the track is really what made it perfect, two Kweens are better than one! This track is fully stacked and I am sure Australia and beyond will live for it as much as I do! Did somebody say Australia’s newest pop star!?” Zoë adds to the excitement, sharing “I’ve known Jimi for years and it was so much fun to get into the studio to make this track together. I can’t wait for everyone to hear, see and dance to what we’ve done!”

Co-directed by Jimi The Kween and Ryan Sauer (Peking Duk, Illy) the promo video for ‘Starlight’ is an ode to the height of Y2K music video excellence inspired by Jimi’s own experience of moving to Melbourne. Expect fierce pleated skirts, dazzling star queen couture, plus Melbourne’s very own Drag community. Jimi The Kween and Zoë Badwi come together for a celebratory club-pop anthem.

BUY/STREAM: JIMI THE KWEEN – STARLIGHT FEAT. ZOË BADWI
WATCH: JIMI THE KWEEN – STARLIGHT FEAT. ZOË BADWI

Jimi The Kween stands as a shining force in the world of drag, DJing, and club culture. With an exuberant stage presence, Jimi The Kween has been lighting up festival main stages the world over this past month, including recent performances with Diplo at WeHo Pride in LA, Kesha at Planet Pride in Brooklyn and a headline slot at Paris Hilton’s private album release party in New York City – all in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans.

UPCOMING SHOWS
27th July – Berlin Pride Rally
27th July – Euphoria, Berlin Pride After Party
1st August – Starlight single launch, Shoreditch House UK
2nd August – POOF DOOF Amsterdam , Paradiso
3rd August – Chili Con Carnivale, Amsterdam
10th August – POOF DOOF X TRASH, London UK
24th August – POOF DOOF, Melbourne
30th August – Drag Brunch Ayrburn, Winter Pride NZ
31st August – Winter Pride Finale NZ
3rd – 8th September – Snow Machine, Queenstown NZ
12th September – Bar Bambi, Melbourne VIC
14th September – Drag Brunch Club, Sydney Spiegeltent NSW
14th September – Saddle-Up, POOF DOOF, Sydney NSW
21st September – POOF DOOF X He She They, Singapore
27th September – He She They ft. Syreeta, Home NSW
28th September – He She They ft. Syreeta, Home VIC

For more info on Jimi The Kween follow: INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | SOUNDCLOUD

LIVE NATION’S ‘ONES TO WATCH’ RETURNS TO BIGSOUND

Live Nation Australia’s ONES TO WATCH series is making its return to Brisbane in a big way in 2024, setting up at its new home of The Outpost for BIGSOUND this September. Featuring a talented trio of artists from Australia and Aotearoa in GEORGIA LINES, J. TAJOR and ISHAN, this special showcase of live music is set to further prove that some of today’s best creatives are producing their art straight out of the Antipodes.

Garnering critical acclaim as a songwriter and storyteller in 2024 with the release of debut album The Rose of Jericho, Aotearoa’s Georgia Lines is one of the scene’s most prominent new voices. Swiftly becoming a household name in Aotearoa in 2022, Georgia has enjoyed a prolific rise as a performer not only in NZ, but abroad in North America – wowing crowds across two tours in 2023 and 2024, including a well-received showcase run at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Georgia’s insatiable blend of R&B-infused pop has won her Best Pop Artist at the 2024 Aotearoa Music Awards, as well as a #1 record on the New Zealand Album Charts. With approximately 8 million streams across all platforms, Georgia Lines has been going from strength to strength.

As one of Australia’s fastest growing R&B artists, J. Tajor has become a certified phenomenon in 2024, amassing over 300 million streams across all platforms with his unique sound and presence online. Becoming a viral sensation on TikTok with the release of his breakout single ‘Like I Do’, J. Tajor accrued 10 billion views for the track on the social media platform, capturing the attention of superstars including BLACKPINK, GOT7 and TWICE. Since the track’s original release, ‘Like I Do’ has enjoyed expanded success due to recent re-releases by artists such as Jay Park and William Singe, further cementing J. Tajor’s presence as an artist to watch.

Acoustic pop-folk artist ISHAN is a performer who has been developing his craft from a young age and in recent years, has become a dynamic name that has been capturing the attention of a rapidly growing audience. The 21 year old Melbourne-based performer has honed his skills and built a strong following early off the back of acclaimed busking performances and by sharing performances online. The release of Ishan’s debut EP, The Cycle of Codependence, in 2023 demonstrated his potential and staying power, while his 2024 single ‘My Mouth (la la la)’ has catapulted Ishan to viral success — earning a whopping 15 million views on Instagram and TikTok, and 5 million global streams to date.

The Live Nation Ones To Watch showcase, backed by Vodafone, is a series that has been celebrating the next crop of artists set to become household names – both at home in Australia and abroad. Since 2021, they have supported 28 Australian artists via showcases around the country, as well as their digital platform; elevating the profiles of musicians including Blake Rose, Carla Webhe, Forest Claudette, Teenage Joans, Sophisticated Dingo, Saint Lane, Hoodzy and more.

LIVE NATION’S ‘ONES TO WATCH’ BACKED BY VODAFONE

BIGSOUND 2024 SHOWCASE
Wednesday 4 September The Outpost Brisbane 5pm -7pm
GEORGIA LINES
J. TAJOR
ISHAN

LIVE NATION AUSTRALIA: Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

GREG ARNOLD ‘In The Sky’ (Album)

Greg Arnold (from Things Of Stone & Wood) releases 5th solo album In the Sky. Greg Arnold is best known for being the front man and songwriter from beloved Aussie folk-rock band Things Of Stone & Wood. The band’s top ten hit “Happy Birthday Helen” became a staple on Australian radio. In fact, it continues to get a spin and has even carved out its own space in the “new-school” world of streaming – quietly amassing over 5 million streams on Spotify.

At his core Greg Arnold is a songwriter and a musician. Whilst during his chart-topping hey-day he won an ARIA and was awarded an APRA songwriter of the year, he has never stopped making and being involved in music. He is a producer, a published author, an academic (earning a PhD in songwriting) and he is now releasing his fifth studio album In The Sky, recorded in Geneva, Switzerland with his European band The Suburban Daydreamers

Arnold has spent the last 8 years based in Switzerland, but that has not stopped him touring, releasing music and continuing to build his name as one of this country’s most valued songwriters, with the The Music claiming he is “arguably as important as Paul Kelly in telling Australian Stories”.

In The Sky will add to an impressive body of work for this Australian treasure, however, it takes a slightly different tack to his previous offers. In some ways it is a musical alternative history. Arnold’s early career was dominated by a rejection of all things 80s. Things of Stone and Wood was an organic, acoustic band, based on a stridently 60s/70s retro aesthetic. However, after a recent backstage band room chat, he realised it was time for a reassessment.

As he recalls: Floydy just kind of blurted out one day, I prefer the 80s to the 90s and I was, like … “Whaaaaattttt???? How could you say such a thing?” But, then I thought about the big hearted guitar sounds of The Oils, Tom Petty and U2 around then, and the atmospheric, romanticism of The Cure, The Cult and The Church and I remembered … that’s right … when I loved something in the 80s, I really loved it, in spite of the context. I was in my 20s, a new record was everything, and I just took all that boundless ‘epic’ to heart.

So, with some delay pedals and a trusty borrowed telecaster, he went into Geneva’s Unagi Sound studio with legendary French studio drummer, Stef Roul (Dave Stewart, East 17) and long-time Scottish/Swiss (Swottish?) producer-collaborator Toby May to make the record he might have made in 1989, had violins and mandolins not taken over his entire musical character.

But, ultimately, it’s all about the songs, and his signature melodies and harmonies are everywhere, and while the aesthetic might uncover a surprising sonic ‘what if?’, the spirit of ‘now’ looms large. Whether it’s the celebratory “Tick Tock (Running Down the Clock)” or the personally reflective “Troubled Skies”, the album documents this moment in a life and consequently, the broader societal moment is ever present. A general consideration of entitlement and privilege pepper the album, particularly on the title track, the piano ballad “Blown Away” and feature track “Songs of Sorrow”, of which he observes:

A Middle-class, middle-aged white guy singing at the top of his lungs about how middle-class middle-aged white guys should, maybe, shut up and listen for a bit, what can I say? The irony is not lost on me.

It is this ‘coming from a true place’ lyrical perspective that gives In the Sky its depth and reveals an artistic aspiration that clearly lies well beyond a horizon of sonic nostalgia. https://www.gregarnold.net/in-the-sky

MATT WARD ‘A Place To Stay’ (Single/Video)

South Australian troubadour, Matt Ward, shares his heartfelt single, ‘A Place to Stay’. The country stomper appears ahead of Matt’s third album, The Long Way Home, slated for release on September 6th and available to pre-order now.

“A Place To Stay is a call out to loved ones, family, friends, and especially faithful dogs, for shared moments and cherished memories, particularly during hard times,” divulges the singer-songwriter. While Matt’s lyrics ruminate on the call of the open road, the track was also heavily inspired by his faithful Border Collie / Kelpie, Shooter.

“While writing, I reflected on his loyalty and thought of someone special to me going through difficult times. The song embodies hope, envisioning future adventures together. It’s an invitation not only to join me on the road and in travels, but also in love.”

The joyful noise of fiddle and steel was pieced together by Matt’s long-time collaborator and producer, Matt Fell (Troy Cassar-Daley, Fanny Lumsden), and saw the singer-songwriter and his dog embark on a journey akin to the song’s sentiment. “I recorded the single with Matt Fell in his Tasmanian studio whilst working on the album. I brought my dog Shooter with me, marking our farthest and longest journey together.”

It was inevitable Shooter would appear in the single’s music video. The Jacob Tamas produced clip sees the pair wind their way through the stunning landscapes of South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula. “Kicking off from my new farm home, Shooter and I travel in the pursuit of adventure, settling down to a warm fire on a cool winters night.”

WATCH VIDEO HERE

With two ARIA #1 albums under his belt, it’s clear Matt Ward is “the genuine article” – Courier Mail. The troubadour truly lives his lyrics and is currently in the midst of a national tour. Having tackled South Australia earlier this year, Matt traced his way to Victoria for a string of shows before heading to New South Wales and has further dates yet to come in South Australia and Tasmania.

Matt Ward’s new single ‘A Place to Stay’ celebrates the bonds of love and friendship, over a truly authentic country soundscape. The preview of his forthcoming album reflects his heartfelt songwriting and invites listeners to join him on a hopeful journey. Accompanied by Shooter, Matt’s travels through Australia’s picturesque landscapes echo the spirit of his songs, promising more memorable moments and adventures ahead.

TOUR DATES:
Friday 6th September – Stein’s Taphouse – Nuriootpa, SA
Saturday 7th September – Three Brothers Arms – Macclesfield, SA
Sunday 8th September – Shotgun Willies – Adelaide, SA
Sunday 20th October – Wheatsheaf Hotel – Adelaide, SA
Friday 1st November – Altar Bar – Hobart, TAS
Sunday 3rd November – Wilder Tasmania – Gowrie Park, TAS
*Tickets on sale now and available via https://www.mattwardmusic.com/

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ALLDAY ‘The Necklace’ (Album/Tour)

An expansive and textured freefall into a sonic world built between Allday and longtime collaborator, producer Simon Lam, The Necklace is less of a return to form; more a comprehensive and dynamic reminder of Allday’s talent as a charismatic storyteller, and love for the craft.

A new creative chapter first hinted at by the melodic and immersive first single ‘Access’, The Necklace is built on a foundation of rejuvenation, both musically and personally for Allday. An album that reveals our humanity via bold depictions of our flaws, and constant strides to redeem and better ourselves – whether in relationships or just on our own – The Necklace is an album that isn’t afraid to show us a portrait of Allday tussling with moments of personal clarity and contradiction – Personal growth and honesty sit at the core of its 15 tracks.

The Necklace features striking guest collaborators that bolster the fun, playful elements of the music. ‘One Track Minded’ recruits rising hip hop artist YNG Martyr; and in artists like Kye and Vetta Borne, the album is given not only an injection of feminine energy from two of Australia’s strongest young voices on respective songs ‘One For Me’ and ‘Just A Moment’, but Allday was given the opportunity to bounce cadences and melodic structures off artists who were on the same wavelength.

Built on a beat by Styalz Fuego, ‘Too Late’ highlights the album’s great sense of rhythm, beat production perfectly bolstering Allday’s cadences. Performed live for triple j’s Like A Version, ‘Miss You Still’ recruits longtime friend and fellow artist, Tim Nelson of ARIA-winning pop outfit, Cub Sport. The delicate nature of Nelson’s voice and Allday’s bars, wrapped around the interpolation of the Ben Lee classic, ‘Cigarettes Will Kill You’, layers the song with a sense of warm nostalgia.

The arrival of The Necklace comes after a period of personal rediscovery for Allday, who realised he needed to take a break from music following on from the rigorous album cycle that was 2021’s Drinking With My Smoking Friends. Decamping to Italy for a months’ long stint working on an olive farm was the remedy Allday needed to find himself falling back in love with hip hop as a fan, and to work past creative fatigue and mind obstacles that stopped new ideas from flowing through.

The Necklace Tour, presented by triple j, kicks off on Friday August 23rd at The Gov in Adelaide and travels through Perth, Melbourne, Sydney with Allday’s final destination Brisbane, playing the Princess Theatre on Saturday September 3rd. Tickets are on sale here.

THE NECKLACE TOUR
Friday, 23 August 2024 – The Gov, Adelaide, SA TIX
Saturday, 24 August 2024 – Magnet House, Perth, WA TIX
Friday, 30 August 2024 – 170 Russell, Melbourne, VIC TIX
Saturday, 31 August 2024 – Liberty Hall, Sydney, NSW TIX
Saturday, 7 September 2024 – Princess Theatre, Brisbane, QLD TIX

THE NECKLACE OUT NOW LISTEN AND STREAM HERE

SYCCO ‘Monkey Madness’ (Single)

Sycco — aka Sasha McLeod, the 22-year-old First Nations singer, songwriter, and producer who is “one of Australia’s most promising pop acts” (Vogue) — has followed up on the announcement of her debut LP Zorb (out 23rd August) with another track off the album called ‘Monkey Madness’, out now via Future Classic. As Zorb combines dizzying hyper-pop with acid-fried garage rock, ‘Monkey Madness’ becomes the record’s poster child. A high-octane track complete by relentless drum breaks and syrupy auto-tune vocals, ‘Monkey Madness’ lives in a world between King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s fever dreams and PinkPantheress’ danceability.

Speaking of the track, Sycco says: “I wrote ‘Monkey Madness’ after having a few drinks with my friends Yari (my housemate) and Paddy (my drummer), and we decided to go to my studio that I had set up in my garage. We made it just for fun and were sampling our voices to sound like synths, which are still in there. When Jeremy [Chrome Sparks] and I were working on the album, I showed him ‘Monkey Madness’ and he instantly said we had to work on it. It didn’t change too much from the original demo. I’m so keen to play this live, I want people to open the pit!”

For the past three years, Sycco has lived in a crumbling sharehouse in Brisbane with a resident crew of housemates who have become each other’s chosen family. Zorb was born out of that scrappy sharehouse, and the experiences she had there: first love, first heartbreak, and forming the friendships that sustained her through it all. They referred to that inner sanctum as “the Zorb” – an in-joke that captured the way they felt like they were in their own private Zorb ball.

Sycco penned some tracks together with her housemates, as they together poured the feeling of big group hugs and living room dance parties to song. Others are her private ruminations on romantic entanglements, growing up, and coming to see the world in wholly new ways. Sycco wrote and co-produced every track on the album, completing it with collaborators including Chrome Sparks, Flume, Mallrat, Banoffee, and Styalz Fuego. Made electrifying by Sycco’s unique synth-driven, psychedelic pop music, Zorb is a journey through the wonderful chaos of your early 20s; a love letter friendship and the chosen communities that hold us when it feels like the world is going sideways.

‘Monkey Madness’ by Sycco is out now via Future Classic

Stream/buy it HERE
Watch music video HERE
Pre-save Zorb HERE

LAINEY WILSON (feat Miranda Lambert) ‘Good Horses’ (Single)

GRAMMY® award-winning multi-PLATINUM artist Lainey Wilson shares that her soul-stirring single, ‘Good Horses (feat. Miranda Lambert),’ off her forthcoming and highly anticipated record, Whirlwind, via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. Pre-order/pre-save/pre-add Whirlwind HERE.

‘Good Horses (feat. Miranda Lambert)’ is Wilson’s first collaboration on her own project and the fourth song to be released from Whirlwind, after Wilson’s lead single ‘Hang Tight Honey’, which is currently in the Top 15 at Country radio and climbing. Co-written by Wilson, Lambert, and Luke Dick and produced by GRAMMY ® award-winning producer Jay Joyce, the multi-talent, who has been teasing the eagerly awaited new track during her live shows this year, delivers the latest preview of Whirlwind.

Combining Wilson’s distinctive songwriting style and signature country flair, ‘Good Horses (feat. Miranda Lambert)’ takes listeners on a soulful experience. It evokes a sense of longing and familiarity while exploring the theme of how love will always find its way back home—no matter where you are in the world.

Already this year, Wilson has won a GRAMMY® for Best Country Album, a People’s Choice Award for Female Country Artist of The Year, a CMT Music Award for Female Video of The Year, three ACM awards, including the coveted Entertainer of The Year, and became an official member of the Grand Ole Opry. With no signs of slowing down, fans can catch Wilson on her “Country’s Cool Again” North American 2024 headlining tour throughout the year. For a full list of tour dates and more information, please visit laineywilson.com.

‘GOOD HORSES (FEAT. MIRANDA LAMBERT)’ STREAM HERE
WHIRLWIND OUT 23 AUGUST PRE-SAVE HERE

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WATERMELON BOY ‘The Wow Signal’ (Album)

Melbourne’s Watermelon Boy has a unique approach to making music, blending the sounds of the global south with his Australian electronic pedigree. First launching in 2016, his visceral electronica combines complex rhythms, tuned percussion, fuzzy synths and gliding atmospheric tones, in a way that tugs at the heartstrings. Launching in 2016 with a proof of concept 3 track EP, Watermelon Boy experimented with a combination of Latin American style beats and Australian Future Bass. Speaking of the lead track from the debut EP, triple j’s Nat Tencic claimed “Whatever this juicy, mystical space land is, I want to go there!”.

Continuing to evolve, the next phase of Watermelon Boy’s music would involve extensive collaboration with his 2021 debut album (101 Tropical Hits from Cosmic Space) featuring 10 artists from tropics and all over the world. Speaking of the album, Rolling Stone wrote; “101 Tropical Hits from Cosmic Space manages to live up to its ostentatious title” and Beat declared “Awash with tropical, outer space, summertime textures, the album is a delightful sonic journey, taking you from chilled sunbathing pop tunes to a sweaty carnival rave.”

Now, Watermelon Boy releases his follow-up album ‘The Wow Signal’. Musicians from Ghana, Fiji, Chile, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, India and Jamaica provide exhilarating performances and rich textures on this collection of feel good jams. More tonally cohesive yet no less vast than the debut. An impressive run of singles has led up to the new album and already created much hype. The feel good club track ‘Memories’ is currently pumping dancefloors and beach clubs with its blend of Tropical House and Amapiano. The Karate themed Dancehall collaboration ‘Break That Board’ has impressed with its twerky rhythm and powerful features. The gentle but ecstatic ‘Cagi Mudre Vou’ transports with its sweet Fijian vocals and uptempo snappy beat. However, it’s the unreleased tracks that really show the scope of Watermelon Boy’s style. From groovy tropical chill to PA thumping moments, ‘The Wow Signal’ will help cement Watermelon Boy as one of Australia’s most exciting producers.

BUY/STREAM HERE

For further info on Watermelon Boy, visit: INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | UNEARTHED | FACEBOOK

YAGKI ‘Just A Ghost’ (Single)

Lebanese/Australian alt-pop artist YAGKI has unveiled her melancholic single, ‘Just A Ghost’ – produced by Nico Scali (Loretta, jnr.) and mixed by James Guido (LAU, Lucy Sugerman).

‘Just A Ghost’ unfolds with indie-rock-coloured guitars, glistening pop synths and heartfelt vocals that gracefully transition into an ethereal pre-chorus, elevating the lyrics’ emotional resonance. The warm, nostalgic instrumentation swells into a climactic finale, ascending with unwavering spirit and intensity.

YAGKI talks about the inspiration behind ‘Just A Ghost’: “‘Just A Ghost’ reflects my journey of running away from home at 16 to escape a difficult upbringing in housing commission and foster care. It also delves into the guilt of leaving my family behind in severe hardship and highlights the generational trauma that traps families in these environments.”

Click to view / stream ‘Just A Ghost’

Pairing the release is the emotionally driven music video directed/filmed by Max Pasalic (BESTIES). Starring YAGKI, her younger sister Ella Yagki and short VHS cuts of the artist herself as a kid, the video weaves through moments of reminiscence and introspection. Drawing set inspiration from the television series The Vampire Diaries, the various scenes artfully capture the profound essence of isolation that accompany feelings of being haunted by your own past.

In the live scene, YAGKI has previously shared the stage with acts such as Lotte Gallagher, RARIA, Joan & The Giants, Jewel Owusu, jnr., Butter Bath, Archie, Sophian and Mac The Knife.

ANDY JANS-BROWN and CAMERON SPIKE-PORTER ‘Something Real’ (Single)

A preview of the upcoming album ‘Falling’: An enthralling Indie Rock Journey Through the fragility and wonder of the Human Experience Andy Jans-Brown and Cameron Spike-Porter are excited to announce the release of their fourth single, “Something Real,” from their highly anticipated album Falling, set to drop on August 9, 2024.

Falling is described as “an indie rock anthem that explores the myriad ways we experience falling, from the intoxicating plunge into love to the crumbling of empires; from whimsical folly to the allure of deceit, and the innocence of naivety to the comedic pitfalls of our missteps.”

“Something Real” continues this exploration with an introspective, soulful indie rock ballad that sonically aligns with the emotional landscapes of bands like Coldplay, Radiohead, and The Verve.

Keyline Magazine hails Falling as “an indie rock masterpiece,” while Tuned Loud Magazine praises it as “a masterstroke that explores the multifaceted nature of falling, wrapped in a sound that’s both refreshingly and strikingly resonant. Andy Jans-Brown and Cameron Spike-Porter delve into these intricate subjects with a finesse that speaks to their maturity as artists. Their exploration penetrates the core of human emotions, offering listeners a profound reflection on the various ways we fall.”

The ensemble features Andy Jans-Brown’s evocative vocals and acoustic guitar, complemented by Cameron Spike-Porter’s layered electric guitars and bass, and David Ely’s robust drumming. The production was brought to life at the creative space of Prawn and Spanner Studios in Goonengerry, NSW, Australia, where Christian Pyle mixed the tracks with a brilliant touch. The picturesque and tranquil backdrop provided the perfect setting for their creativity to flourish. The album was mastered by Adam Dempsey at Jack the Bear’s in Brunswick, Melbourne, Victoria.

Andy Jans-Brown, Cameron Spike-Porter, and their talented team invite listeners worldwide to immerse themselves in the exhilarating freefall of “Something Real” and eagerly anticipate the full journey that Falling promises to offer. “Something Real” will be available on all major streaming platforms starting August 2. Stream ‘Something Real’ HERE

For more information, please visit www.andyjansbrown.com

ZAC CROSS BAND ‘Matter Of Time’ (Single)

Zac Cross Band boasts “a sound that’s catching attention and making serious waves in the music scene” -Unfiltered & Undiscovered. Today the North Queensland 4-piece return with their punchy new single, ‘Matter of Time’. LISTEN HERE

Inspired by a real-life whirlwind romance, ‘Matter of Time’ meditates on the magic of fate. “The concept came about when me and my fiancé, Ashleigh, were travelling through New Zealand in 2019,” recalls Zac. “It was one of those take-it-in moments where you have to pinch yourself at how lucky you are to be sharing such an experience with this person.”

Dotted with the band’s hallmark sounds – stadium like drum grooves, crispy guitars and Zac’s gritty vocal – the headbanging track radiates good vibes. “The main message to take away from this song is to trust in fate, as hard as that may be. There are a thousand things that will get in your way, and a thousand hurdles that you will have to navigate, but at the end of the day, if it’s meant to be, it will be.”

When crafting the energetic single, the boys relied upon award-winning producer, Jared Adlam (Travis Collins, Adam Brand, Matt Cornell). True to the song’s message, the band quickly found that recording the track was meant to be.

“It was one of those songs that just came together so damn easy. Everything just fit, lined up and was honestly just so fun to make. I think halfway through the process we all looked at each other and were like ‘damn, this is it’.”

Effortlessly blending country, rock and pop, the 4-piece have crafted a sound that is familiar, yet unique. “It’s easily some of the best work we’ve done and one of the truest sounding tracks that represent our style of music.”

Currently in the midst of a QLD tour, the boys have adapted well to life on the road. They’ve supported giants like Dragon and The Wolfe Brothers, with performances alongside Jon Stevens and Lee Kernaghan slated for later in the year.

Not to mention, they’ve been tearing up the festival circuit; appearing at Country Fest Queensland, Country On Keppel and Big Beer Festival, to name a few. With plenty more to come – including Gympie Music Muster, Baralaba Bash, Goombungee Country and Wild As Country Party – the boys are at the top of their game.

“We are super excited to be playing a whole bunch of new festivals as well as venues in the back half of the year. It’s always good to play new places and we’re very much looking forward to sharing our music with a new audience. You can definitely bank on an energetic and action-packed show.”

Zac Cross Band have consistently delivered a slew of hits, from headbanging rock tracks to heartfelt, introspective ballads. The band have dialled in a sound that has captivated audiences around the country. With their star ever on the rise, it’s only a ‘matter of time’, before everybody’s talking about Zac Cross Band.

SHOW DATES:
Wednesday 21st August – Gympie Music Muster – Gympie, QLD
Friday 30th August – Baralaba Bash – Baralaba, QLD
Friday 13th September – Maraboon Tavern – Emerald, QLD
Saturday 14th September – Morven Cup Race Day – Morven, QLD
Saturday 21st September – Bracken Ridge Tavern – Bracken Ridge, QLD
Friday 27th September – Calliope Rodeo – Calliope, QLD
Saturday 28th September – Bull, Bronc & Barrells – Imbil, QLD
Saturday 5th October – Longreach Flyers Ball – Longreach, QLD
Friday 11th October – Thomson River Festival – Longreach, QLD
Saturday 18th October – Goombungee Country – Goombungee, QLD
Saturday 18th October – Wild As Country Party – Sunshine Coast, QLD
Friday 1st November – Maraboon Tavern – Emerald, QLD
Saturday 30th November – Wild As Country Party – Brisbane, QLD

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9LIVES (with Kanii and Anycia ) ‘I Did It’ (Single)

Hailing from New Zealand, 9lives is a Melbourne-born, South African artist who serves as the frontrunner of the up-and-coming Sigilkore subgenre – a new generation of artists blending and blurring sounds by creating their own sonic movement and transcending the traditional rules of genre. As the key leader who has helped pioneer the scene since its inception in 2020, 9lives draws inspiration from select characteristics of Trap, Cloud Rap, Hyperpop, and Electronic music to create a sound that transcends boundaries and pushes the limits of Rap-adjacent music. Since first emerging in 2022, 9lives has rapidly reached over 5.3 Million monthly listeners on Spotify to go along with his 800 Million accumulative streams.

Fresh off recent collaborations with the likes of Trippie Redd, Lil Nas X, Lancey Foux, LAZER DIM 700, and Odetari, 20-year-old New Zealand multi-hyphenate artist/producer 9lives joins forces with Kanii and Anycia for their new single ‘I DID IT‘ – out now along with a new music video dropping at 2 pm AEST today. A melodic, hyperpop-infused track anchored by a danceable trap beat, ‘I DID IT’ (w/ Kanii & Anycia) is a lighthearted ode to celebrating the finer things in life. “This song is a mood boost,” 9lives shares of the track. “Kanii and I were in Noise Nest Studios in LA, and Kanii went live on Twitch — so we were actually live with fans when we made the record, which was a special moment. I first met Anycia earlier this year in Atlanta, and I knew her nonchalant, laid-back delivery would be perfect for the song.” ‘I DID IT’ (w/ Kanii & Anycia) arrives amidst a hot streak for 9lives, who recently collaborated with skaiwater and Lil Nas X on the remix of the former’s track ‘light!‘ (5M Streams) as well as Lancey Foux on last month’s ‘ABU DHABI‘ — quickly earning a reputation for himself as one of the most in-demand producers of his generation.

LISTEN / WATCH

Fusing elements of trap, cloud rap, hyperpop, and electronic music into his own supernatural sound, 9lives has accumulated over 800 Million Streams through monstrous collabs like ‘I LOVE YOU HOE‘ with Odetari (350M+ Streams) and ‘Go (Xtayalive 2)‘ (200M+ Streams). With dark aesthetics that harken back to his gaming and anime influences, 9lives cultivates a sonic world in which bass-boosted 808s and distorted synths are mashed together into an explosive sound that’s already caught the attention of Rico Nasty, JELEEL!, Kanii, and Trippie Redd – producing ‘Popular‘ off the latter’s latest LP. Out now, ‘I DID IT’ (w/ Kanii & Anycia) showcases the futuristic sound that 9lives is pioneering, serving as an avant-garde soundtrack for Gen Z.

BUY/STREAM ‘I Did It’ HERE

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RILEY’S L.A. GUNS ‘The Ballad of Jayne’ (Acoustic Single)

Legendary rock band Riley’s L.A. Guns is thrilled to announce the release of an acoustic rendition of their iconic track ‘The Ballad of Jayne’, available now via Golden Robot Records. This reimagined version offers fans a fresh, stripped-down take on one of the band’s most beloved songs, showcasing their musical versatility and emotional depth.

In celebration of this release, Riley’s L.A. Guns is also launching an exclusive 7-inch vinyl edition of the acoustic single. Available on August 16th, this special vinyl release can only be purchased as part of a bundle, making it a must-have collector’s item for dedicated fans and vinyl enthusiasts alike. Available to purchase HERE.

Stream ‘The Ballad of Jayne (Acoustic)’ HERE

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS ‘Aghori Mhori Mei’ (Album)

Two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning iconic rock band The Smashing Pumpkins release their new album Aghori Mhori Mei. The album comes amidst the band’s highly-successful international tour, which is currently in the middle of its North American run of shows with additional performances to follow in Latin America this Fall. Listen to Aghori Mhori Mei HERE. PREORDER physical album HERE.

The Smashing Pumpkins’ thirteenth collection to date, Aghori Mhori Mei is a bruising and shadowy return to form from original Smashing Pumpkins members Jimmy Chamberlin, James Iha, and Billy Corgan. The new album harkens back to the band’s early 90’s canon; where guitars, bass, drums, and spiking vocals ruled, and continues the prolific hot streak frontman Billy Corgan kicked off a decade ago. Just last year, the band released the third and final Act of their sprawling and adventurous rock opera ATUM, a sequel to 1995’s Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness and 2000’s Machina/The Machines Of God. While some artists might take a breather after an acclaimed and ambitious triple album, Corgan went straight back into the studio to write, produce, and record this new 10-track body of work. As vital and vibrant a songwriter as ever, Corgan had quickly promised a 2024 follow-up on the horizon, which serves as the latest twist in Corgan’s careful commitment to how his art is presented. The band completed the recording of Aghori Mhori Mei amidst an expansive touring schedule across the last few years.

“In the writing of this new album I became intrigued with the well-worn axiom, ‘you can’t go home again’,” Corgan remarks. “Which I have found personally to be true in form but thought well, what if we tried anyway? Not so much in looking backwards with sentimentality but rather as a means to move forward; to see if in the balance of success and failure that our ways of making music circa 1990-1996 would still inspire something revelatory.”

The band kicked off an expansive run of North American stadium performances with Green Day, as part of The Saviors Tour, while also performing solo arena bookings nationwide through September. Plus, they will close out Osheaga Festival as one of the headlining acts in Montreal, QC on August 3. Later this fall, the band’s upcoming multi-city Latin American Fall tour will see the band play to their fans across South and Latin America for the first time in nearly a decade.

Now, the band will bring Aghori Mhori Mei to the stage across the entirety of 2024.

KEITH URBAN ‘Heart Like A Hometown’ (Single)

Keith Urban’s HIGH, his 11th studio album, will be released on September 20th and is available pre-order now, along with a new song “Heart Like A Hometown”. LISTEN HERE WATCH HERE

“When I was a kid, our family moved around a lot, by the 5th grade I’d been in four schools and lived in nine different houses. So, a ‘hometown’ felt more about my family, and a place inside of me, somewhere I could find my center. It’s a theme that’s always spoken to me. Songs like Don Williams’ “If Hollywood Don’t Need You” and Glen Campbell’s “Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in LA)” and a song I recorded on my FUSE album, “Come Back To Me.” Those songs and this one all share a similar feeling, a kind of grounded safety, familiarity and a place where I can always find ME.” says Urban.

Urban has thus far released four songs from HIGH including its current single “Messed Up As Me,” as well as “Straight Line,” “GO HOME W U” with Lainey Wilson, “Wildside” and now “Heart Like A Hometown.” Early reviews have been glowing, with global listening sessions earning universal praise.

Of HIGH, Urban says, “When I’m writing a song, or when I’m in the studio recording it, or even when its coming to life on the stage, it’s the same feeling of being ‘in the flow.’ It’s timeless, it’s weightless – and I feel euphoric – I feel HIGH.”

The ambiguity of the word peaked Urban’s curiosity and so the name of the album. “What makes you ‘high’ can mean whatever you want it to mean,” says Urban. “It might be physical, spiritual, herbal, meditative, chemical or musical, but it’s definitely a place of utopia.”

Urban will be launching “KEITH URBAN’S HIGH in Vegas”, ten exclusive shows at Fountainebleau in Las Vegas, on Friday, October 4th. Additional shows will take place on October 5, 9, 11 and 12, as well as February 14, 15, 19, 21 and 22 in 2025.

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BOSTON MANOR ‘Horses In A Dream’ (Single)

BOSTON MANOR release new single Horses In A Dream from upcoming new album Sundiver out September 6 on SharpTone Records. Following recent new album cuts including the impassioned Container, the hulking Sliding Doors and the rousing HEAT ME UP, Horses In A Dream has a dizzying liquid groove that coats a song about human connection.

Guitarist Mike Cunniff comments on the new single: “Horses in a dream explores raw human intimacy. It touches on desperation, and deep emotional connections forged when two people are together and completely free.”

Lead singer Henry Cox continues about the album: “Sundiver is the culmination of two years work and four years of planning. Going into the pandemic we knew our next record would be a double album released in two parts, the first a short shadowy-noiry electronic record set over one night and the second a sprawling rock record that documents the following day. Both albums are products of their environments, we made Datura in the dead of winter in a windowless studio complex that mostly just produced techno, we’d enter before the sun rose and leave long after it set, basically never seeing sunlight. We made Sundiver in Welwyn Garden City over two summers, we barbecued every day & would walk across the road to a meadow and just take naps in the sunshine when we weren’t recording.

We’ve essentially been working on this album and building up to it since the pandemic. We were obsessed with trying to make a record that felt like blistering sunshine, or that wavy/hazy horizon you get when the pavement is super hot, but we didn’t want it to sound “happy” or “major key”. Sundiver is by far Boston Manor’s best and most ambitious record to date, and we couldn’t be happier with it, I really hope our fans love it as much as we do.”

Share HORSES IN A DREAM

PRE-ORDER SUNDIVER HERE

BOSTON MANOR SUPPORTING TROPHY EYES
TOUR DATES:

FRIDAY 23 AUGUST – THE FORTITUDE MUSIC HALL, BRISBANE
SATURDAY 24 AUGUST – ROUNDHOUSE, SYDNEY
FRIDAY 30 AUGUST – HINDLEY STREET MUSIC HALL, ADELAIDE
SATURDAY 31 AUGUST – THE FORUM, MELBOURNE

HEADLINE SHOW DATES: SUPPORTED BY SUNBLEACHED
SUNDAY 25 AUGUST – KING ST, NEWCASTLE
TUESDAY 27 AUGUST – THE BASEMENT, CANBERRA
THURSDAY 29 AUGUST – THE BARWON CLUB, GEELONG
Tickets on sale now at https://www.livenation.com.au/

THE OFFSPRING ‘Light It Up’ (Single)

Going full speed into summer, The Offspring have released another killer track off of their highly anticipated new album SUPERCHARGED, out October 11 via Concord Records, aptly named Light It Up.

LISTEN TO LIGHT IT UP HERE

On the new track Dexter Holland commented: “This song is a full speed ahead juggernaut! This character in the song is fed up, he’s had enough, and he’s gonna light it up. He’s ready for a fight. And I definitely sense a lot of that around me. Growing up, some of my favorite songs were by punk bands that were just like, “I’m sick of your shit.” And that was ok! It wasn’t like a negative thing to have those feelings and express that. And I think that’s kind of the vibe of where “Light It Up” is: You’re fed up, you’ve had it and you want to do something about it. That’s one of things I’ve always loved about punk rock. It’s always been about letting out your aggressions, and I think that’s still true. I still love writing songs like that.” – Dexter Holland

The song follows their first release off of the album Make It All Right which is currently Top 10 on the Billboard Alternative and Mainstream Rock Charts and climbing. Last week the band released the animated music video for the track, directed by Margaret Bialis, and featured an animated punk rocker dreaming of his “partner in crime.” During the video their love sprouts wings and takes them on adventures and across the skies. The song comes right out of the gates hot in legendary Offspring fashion-but lyrically talks about how it feels to have your “partner in crime” by your side. The person who makes you feel like you can do anything and give you confidence things will work out: “And you make it all right, And it’s gonna be fine, We’re like partners in crime, And you make it all right.”

Adding to their many accolades, the band’s classic hit You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid off of their 2008 Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace album has been added to Spotify’s Billions Club this week after the song reached one billion streams on the platform. Prior to this You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid, had already been certified Platinum in the United States, United Kingdom and Gold in Spain, Poland, Italy, Germany, and Denmark. Upon release song hit #1 on the Alternative Airplay Chart (formerly the Hot Modern Rock Tracks Chart) and remained at the top spot for 11 weeks- making it the longest #1 of any of the band’s singles. The Billions Club, which first launched in 2020, lists all of the songs that have reached one Billion streams on Spotify. The Offspring’s infamous song has now joined the list which features songs from peers and icons including AC/DC, Fleetwood Mac, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Whitney Houston, The Killers and more.

The Offspring have had a lot of time with their music industry peers and last week released two official performance videos with a legendary guest star- Queen’s own Brian May who joined at Starmus Festival not only for a performance of their own song Gone Away but a cover of Queen’s Stone Cold Crazy.

Watch Gone Away HERE & Stone Cold Crazy HERE

For the special performance The Offspring started a beautiful orchestral version, joined by The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Stuart Morley, of their 1997 hit Gone Away with Dexter Holland singing solo. Audience members were thrilled when halfway through the song the rest of The Offspring AND Queen’s Brian May joined the stage. In classic May fashion, he added some stellar guitar licks to the song, which only further added to the incredible rendition.

Thrilled with the performance, Dexter remarked, “Brian so nice of you to join us! So nice of you to hop in on this one! Thank you, Thank you, What a treat!” Directly following, Dexter intro’d the next track saying: “As long as we are all here, wanna play a queen song maybe?” before they all launched into a killer rendition of Stone Cold Crazy with May on guitar.

All of this after the band and Ed Sheeran broke the internet after they performed to a massive crowd at Napa’s BottleRock Festival. Sheeran- who is a longtime fan of The Offspring – surprised the crowd and performed Million Miles Away from the band’s Conspiracy of One album (released in 2000). See performance HERE and Sheeran’s post on the iconic performance HERE.

Continuing on the road, the band are performing overseas at numerous festivals as well as Louder Than Life Festival on September 26 and more in North America.

PRE-ORDER SUPERCHARGED HERE

LISTEN MAKE IT ALL RIGHT HERE

THE DEAD DAISIES ‘I’m Gonna Ride’ (Single)

The Dead Daisies are back with their brand of solid straight-ahead rock that is leaving fans eager with anticipation for the new album and tour dates!! The band recently lit up the US on the first leg of the ‘Light ‘Em Up’ Tour to rave reviews from both fans and media alike.

“I’m Gonna Ride” is the second single from the band’s upcoming album and hits the airwaves today. Recorded by Marti Fredericksen in Nashville, this exhilarating track is sure to get you pumped on your next road trip.

“I’m Gonna Ride is a song about leaving your worries, and everyday stresses behind, getting on your Harley and cranking it up. It’s an anthem of the open roads and our next single from the “Light ‘Em Up” album. See you on our UK Tour in September!! Love you guys” – John Corabi

Accompanying this rockin’ track is a video to inspire a feeling of freedom. https://bit.ly/3LGekef

“Light ‘Em Up” – the album, is available to pre-order now ahead of the UK and European Tours in early September and November. https://thedeaddaisies.com/light-em-up-album/
www.thedeaddaisies.com

SIMON SVOBODA ‘Kaamos’ (Single out now. EP out August 14)

Simon Svoboda has shared his exquisite and dramatically powerful new EP, Kaamos, comprising five ethereal, cutting-edge classical tracks inspired by the different elements of winter in his home base of Finland.

Ever versatile in his endeavours, the Australian-Finnish artist has combined both parts of his musical identity. Svoboda is an active part of the Finnish classical scene and a curious mind who explores creating minimalistic music for his cello and voice. His record, named after the Finnish term to describe the darkest period of the year when the sun seldom rises, embodies this duality. It is this very notion that inspired the EP’s eponymous lead single:

“‘Kaamos’, the title track from the EP, was inspired by and named after the time of year in Finland when the sun barely rises,” Svoboda explains. “There is something truly beautiful and eerie about this period of darkness, and I aimed to reflect this in the music. ‘Kaamos’ is essentially a sequence of arpeggiated chords on the cello, with my falsetto vocals hovering above.” — Simon Svoboda

A key supporter of the EP’s creation is the Finnish Art Foundation. This year was pivotal for Svoboda, who received a 2024 scholarship from the institution’s Koneen Säätiö, allowing him to collaborate with musicians — as he mentions above — at their highest and most innovative level yet.

The new EP is set to be significant for Simon Svoboda, cementing his position as an intriguing, talented, and complex artist in his prime. When not playing music, he enjoys drinking coffee, chilling with his dog Henry, or daydreaming about surfing back home in Australia. But when he is indulging in music, he focuses on honing his artistry to the next level, as the forthcoming months are set to be immense for the Finnish-Australian artist.

“’Kaamos’ is a collection of five minimalistic songs inspired by different elements of the Finnish winter,” he adds about the EP as a whole. “It describes the darkest period of the year in Finland, a time that is both beautiful and eerie. The remaining tracks draw inspiration from other aspects of winter in Finland: ‘Halla’ (frost), ‘Savu’ (smoke), ‘Usva’ (mist), and ‘Valo’ (light). I was fortunate to collaborate with some incredible artists and close friends on this EP. Ukrainian violinist Varvara Vasylieva features on ‘Savu’, Finnish organist William Häggblom on ‘Halla’, and my sister Helen Svoboda’s beautiful vocals can be heard in ‘Valo’. My influences include Arvo Pärt, Thom Yorke, Yann Tiersen, Tigran Hamasyan, and my sister Helen Svoboda.” — Simon Svoboda

Kaamos EP (14th August) Instagram Spotify

MR MAPH ‘I Like Me Like U’ (Single Remix)

Mr Maph, London Born, Marbella Spain, Resident, who has been heard on Warner, Nervous records, Pacha, Spinnin, and many more, releases a Remix of his track ‘I Like Me Like U’

Everybody has their taste, and taking a track in another direction can help the track to touch more people. This remix is more Soul funk based incorporating overtones of talkbox and a driving funk bass line. Funk fans may prefer this version and some may prefer the original version. Main thing is the message. Love yourself then you can love others!!

*Mr Maph has opened for the Jacksons, Sister Sledge and done so much more, find out at @mrmaph – instagram Spotify Apple Music

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD ‘Field of Vision’ (Single) ‘Flight b741’ (Album out August 9)

This Friday, the ever restless King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard will release their 26th album, Flight b741, via their own p(doom) records. The group shares the final preview of the album with the biker-rock-indebted, ‘Field of Vision’.

Talking about the track, King Gizzard’s Stu Mackenzie said: “I remember Joey sending me a voice memo of him playing that main riff on acoustic guitar. From his couch to mine. The arrangement was a bit more complicated originally, I think. Perhaps it was closer to the “I lied to god” bridge that came together in the end. Anyway, I don’t think I really understood it or felt the groove, but once we were recording in the studio with the others, it grooved hard. The verse and chorus changes came together quickly and in real time, and we had a tune on our hands. Joey’s baby, this song. And Joey likes to do it right.

Joey called me a couple of weeks after the sessions, saying we gotta cut the track “‘cos it’s shit”. What a bummer. And a surprise. Myself and Amby (who loved it) spent the next two days in the studio laying down our vocal parts and overdubs, trying to save it. We dubbed in the guitar-solo-type-section with parts chopped up from outtakes and added a blown out guitar solo. It was a $100 harmony acoustic guitar played through some outboard gear that it was definitely not designed to be used with ha ha. Studios are fun. I hoped he liked it. We printed the tape and sent it to him with a note saying, “pleeease man, this has gotta be on the record”. Joey obliged (but not until after he redid all of his parts). Groove restored.

The band have previously shared ‘Hog Calling Contest’ and ‘Le Risque’ along with ‘Oink Oink Flight b741: The Making of…,’ a mini-documentary about the making of the album directed by Guy Tyzack, which captures the band’s creative process on 16mm film.

As the band’s first release on their own newly minted p(doom) records imprint, Flight b741 showcases a remarkable change-of-pace, swapping the big picture ambition for the intimacy of six good friends enjoying each other’s company and collaborating on perhaps the warmest, most bonhomie-laden set the group have yet committed to wax.

With a recent run of expansive and conceptual albums behind them, which have spanned from a thrash-metal epic dealing with the current climate crisis to a Moroder-esque pre-digital synth album of proto-Kraftwerk bangers, Flight b741 sees King Gizzard ditch all the high-falutin’ scheming in favor of irresistible country-fried rock’n’roll and the kind of effortless songwriting that comes as second language when you’ve been playing music together 24/7 for almost a decade-and-a-half. The concept this time is ‘no concept’.

All hopped-up on early Steve Miller Band and the infinite wonderfulness of The Band, King Gizzard laid down the riffs, the grooves, the choogle. Once it was time for the vocals, however, they took a brand new tack – passing the mic, leading to what has become the most collaborative record in the group’s expansive discography.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Field of Vision
Single out now, Flight b741 out Friday 9 August via p(doom) records
Listen to ‘Field of Vision’
Pre-Save Flight b741

KARAN AUJLA announces national Australian and New Zealand tour

After a triumphant year and a historic Juno Award win, Punjabi sensation Karan Aujla is set to return to Australia and New Zealand this October – his first visit since his 2022 debut. Known for his chart-topping hits and magnetic stage presence, Aujla will bring his ‘It Was All A Dream’ world tour to Australian and New Zealand fans, delivering an unforgettable experience.

Karan Aujla has rapidly ascended to global stardom, with his latest album ‘Making Memories’ surpassing one billion streams and securing a spot on the Global Digital Artist List at #38. His collaboration with DIVINE on ‘Street Dreams’ dominated charts worldwide, showcasing versatility and widespread appeal. Following his standout performance at the Juno Awards and winning the Fan Choice Award, Aujla is ready to captivate audiences across Australia and New Zealand.

Australian and New Zealand fans will be treated to Aujla’s signature blend of Punjabi folk and contemporary sounds across Melbourne, Sydney, and Auckland. This tour marks a significant milestone in Aujla’s career, highlighting his journey from a small village in Punjab to the global stage.

Aujla’s fans can expect a dynamic and electrifying performance, filled with hits from his extensive catalogue, including tracks from his debut album ‘BacTHAfuKUP (B.T.F.U.)’ and his latest release ‘Making Memories’.

Karan Aujla, a powerhouse of Punjabi music, has captured hearts worldwide with his heartfelt lyrics and captivating performances. Relocating to Canada in 2014, he began writing chart-topping hits for leading artists, culminating in his own successful solo career. His debut album ‘BacTHAfuKUP (B.T.F.U.)’ solidified his status as a global ambassador of Punjabi music, with over 100 million streams.

With 3 billion views on YouTube, Aujla’s music resonates with fans across the globe. His latest album ‘Making Memories’ and collaborations with artists like DIVINE and YG have further cemented his place.

KARAN AUJLA AUSTRALIAN TOUR
TICKETS
Friday, October 25th Qudos Bank Arena Sydney
Sunday, October 27th Rod Laver Arena Mebourne
Friday, November 1st Spark Arena Auckland

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