Sounds of Oz

Posted on 15/03/202614/03/2026 by Lauren Katulka

Casey Barnes Soundtracks NRL With “Made For This”

I’ll admit, I’m still struggling to get back to earth after my amazing holiday. What’s really helped is footy season. It doesn’t hurt that my Eels smashed it this week! While settling in for the game, my ears pricked up hearing Casey Barnes’ new track, “Made For This.” What a belter of a song, perfect for the hard-hitting game I love!

“This song is about backing yourself when everything’s on the line,” Casey said. “It’s about coming back from adversity, not being afraid of the challenge, and using it as fuel.”

If you’re not already across it, there are plenty of opportunities to hear this song as Nine will use it on all their Thursday, Friday, and Sunday matches across the entire 30-week NRL season. You’ll also hear plenty more from Casey this year, as he’s got a new album scheduled for the middle of the year and some big festival appearances in the coming months. Catch him anywhere you can!

21 March 2026 – CMC Rocks Qld 2026 @ Willowbank Raceway, Tulmur/Ipswich
28 March 2026 – Echuca Country Music Festival @ Echuca Racecourse, Yorta Yorta Country/Echuca
18 April 2026 – Man from Snowy River Bush Festival, Jaitmathang, Dhudhuroa, Ngarigo, and Wolgal Country/Corryong
2 May 2026 – Stomping Groundz @ the Groundz, Dharawal Country/Dapto
15 August 2026 – Regfest Mildura @ Nowingi Place, Latje Latje Country/Mildura
12 September 2026 – Triple B Rodeo @ Caboolture, Kabultur Country/Caboolture
28 November 2026 – Launceston Country Music Festival @ Royal Park, Letteremairrener Country/Launceston

Image used with permission from Bec Gracie Publicity

Posted on 14/03/202614/03/2026 by Lauren Katulka

The Superjesus Celebrate 25 Years of Jet Age With Aussie Tour

Sometimes you just need a little reminder of how good an album is. When sorting through my emails, my first thought when I saw news of Jet Age’s 25th anniversary was “Fuck off.” Twenty-five years; are you kidding me? My next thought was, “Let’s give it a listen.” Age hasn’t wearied this Superjesus album friends. There are the hits like “Over You” and “Gravity” of course, but really every track is a gem.

“We felt so much pressure going in to make Jet Age because of the success of Sumo and the departure of our founding member, guitarist Chris Tennent,” frontwoman Sarah McLeod recalled. “We needed to prove to ourselves that we could stand on our own two feet without him. As he was my writing partner I was terrified the magic pathway to creativity would be broken, but it was not broken at all, it was actually strengthened by fresh collaborations with new guitarist Tim Henwood.”

Trust me, fire up your favourite streaming platform and revisit this one to pump yourself up for Superjesus’ anniversary tour happening in the middle of the year.

“Playing for this tour feels like plugging straight into history,” said Superjesus drummer Ben Todd. “These songs still hit hard, and bringing Jet Age back to life night after night is going to be an absolute blast. We have the chance to honour a record that shaped so much of what the band is, while feeling how alive these songs still are after 25 years. See you on the road!”

The Art and The After will join the Superjesus for these special Jet Age anniversary gigs. Tickets are on sale now for all shows.

5 June 2026 – The Triffid, Meeanjin/Brisbane
6 June 2026 – Coolangatta Hotel, Dangan Bullen/Gold Coast
12 June 2026 – The Prince Bandroom, Euro-Yroke/St Kilda
13 June 2026 – Theatre Royal, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Castlemaine
18 June 2026 – The River, Wooditjup/Margaret River
19 June 2026 – Freo Social, Walyalup/Fremantle
20 June 2026 – The Gov, Tarntanya/Adelaide
26 June 2026 – The Entrance Leagues Club, Darkinjung Country/Bateau Bay
27 June 2026 – The Factory Theatre, Bulanaming/Marrickville

Photo credit: Andrew Treadwell

Posted on 13/03/202613/03/2026 by Lauren Katulka

From The Jam Announce Aussie Return

The Jam’s original bassist Bruce Foxton is keeping the cult British band’s music alive through his outfit From The Jam. And the band’s making its way Down Under for some big shows this July.

From The Jam features founding member and frontman Russell Hastings, who has played with Bruce since 2006. Mike Randon rounds out the trio who promise to deliver all The Jam’s biggest hits including “Town Called Malice” and “Going Underground.”

Find out why From The Jam routinely perform to sell-out crowds around the world when they hit Australia this winter. Tickets are on sale now.

1 July 2026 – The Astor, Boorloo/Perth
2 July 2026 – The Gov, Tarntanya/Adelaide
4 July 2026 – The Triffid, Meeanjin/Brisbane
5 July 2026 – Factory Theatre, Eora/Sydney
7 July 2026 – Corner Hotel, Naarm/Melbourne

Image used with permission from beehive

Posted on 12/03/202612/03/2026 by Lauren Katulka

Laura Frank Kicks Off Busy 2026 With “God Knows I Know” Release

A rising talent with a voice that belies her years, Laura Frank has knocked it out of the park with her latest single “God Knows I Know.” This uplifting country-pop anthem is the perfect showcase for her honest, compelling vocals. The song’s all about pushing forward, which is exactly what she’ll be doing this year. Laura created “God Knows I Know” with her partner and long-time collaborator Nick Morrissey.

“’God Knows I Know’ came together in a really honest season for us. We’d been touring heavily through regional Australia, living in close quarters, juggling music, family and everything in between,” she said. “The song started as a conversation — the kind you have late at night when you’re tired but thinking clearly. We wrote it simply, just the two of us, chasing the feeling rather than trying to be clever. When we took it into the studio, the goal was to protect that rawness. We built the production around the vocal rather than the other way around. If something felt like it was distracting from the lyric, it went. There wasn’t a big dramatic moment in the making of it — it was steady, intentional and collaborative. Everyone who played on it understood that restraint was important. The process felt grounded. No overthinking, no chasing trends — just serving the song and letting the emotion lead.”

“God Knows I Know” is the first of many Laura Frank singles we’ll hear this year leading up to the release of her new album in October. She’s currently in the middle of a 60-date tour across the country with Tom Curtain. Here are all the remaining dates:

13 March 2026 – Dandenong Ranges Pony Club, Bunurong Country/Mornington
14 March 2026 – Meeniyan Pony Club, Brataualung Country/Stony Creek
15 March 2026 – Sale Polocrosse Club, Wayput/Sale
20 March 2026 – Mansfield Showground, Beolite/Mansfield
21 March 2026 – Ballan Racecourse & Recreation Reserve, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri Country/Ballan
22 March 2026 – Pony Club @ Barwon Heads Village Park, Koornoo/Barwon Heads
27 March 2026 – Colac Showgrounds, Kolakngat Country/Colac
28 March 2026 – Coleraine Showgrounds, Konongwootong Country/Coleraine
29 March 2026 – South East Field Days, Meintangk Country/Lucindale
3 April 2026 – Murray Bridge Riding Club, Pomberuk/Murray Bridge
4 April 2026 – Burra Burra Show, Ngadjuri Country/Burra
5 April 2026 – Melrose Showgrounds, Nukunu Country/Melrose
10 April 2026 – Kadina Showground, Narungga Country/Kadina
11 April 2026 – Waikerie, Weikari/Waikerie
12 April 2026 – Wasleys Oval, Kaurna Country/Wasleys

Image used with permission from beehive

Posted on 11/03/202611/03/2026 by Lauren Katulka

LamBros. Wow Me With Soulful Single “You Won’t Call”

Nothing quite tickles my brain quite like good soul music. Give me emotive vocals and a deep groove and I’m yours. So I’m totally swooning over “You Won’t Call,” the latest track from Eora/Sydney sibling duo LamBros. If you’re into artists like Teddy Swims, Nathan Rateliff, and our own Teskey Brothers, I know you’ll vibe with this one.

“’You Won’t Call’ stemmed from our own experiences being led on and let down by someone important in your life,” explained Connor Lambrou, the duo’s lead vocalist, guitarist, and lyricist. “It comes from that sinking feeling that something is not right with your relationship, be it romantic or friendship. It comes from the internal conflict of loving someone while knowing deep down that they don’t feel the same way. Despite years of dedication, love, and patience, ‘You Won’t Call.’ Despite giving everything to keep this together, ‘You Won’t Call.’ Despite everything we’ve been through, ‘You Won’t Call.’ This is the essence of the song.”

Listening to this track, you know there’s no studio trickery going on behind the scenes. Connor and his brother Harry (drums, percussion, backing vocals) wrote, played all the instruments, produced, mixed, and mastered the track at their home studio. This music is so authentic and organic, so it’s bound to sound just as good live. Experience LamBros. for yourself at one of their upcoming free shows.

“Expect pure, unadulterated live music, and entertainment,” Connor said. “Our shows are an expression of ourselves in the purest way. We give everything on stage, and travel through genres and styles, telling stories and expressing ourselves through our own, and other artists’ music.”

13 March 2026 – Towradgi Beach Hotel, Dharawal Country/Towradgi (FREE – ALL AGES)
14 March 2026 – Dulcie’s Cottage, Djiringanj and Thaua Country/Merimbula (FREE – ALL AGES)
21 March 2026 – Pleasure Club, Eora/Sydney (FREE – 18+)

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on 10/03/202610/03/2026 by Lauren Katulka

Clancy Pye Celebrates Regional Roots With “My Hometown”

After spending a couple of wonderful weeks in the United States, I think I needed to hear “My Hometown,” the latest single by country starlet Clancy Pye. While my hometown isn’t as small as Clancy’s hometown of Wiradjuri, Gundungurra, and Dharug Country/Oberon, the sentiment about appreciating the simple things and people around you resonates.

“My Hometown is a song that was largely inspired by where I grew up – it’s a town of less than 3,000 people,” Clancy explained. “There are no traffic lights or chain stores. There’s one main road into town, and one main road out. Without a big population, I think it’s so easy for people from bigger towns and cities to overlook rural towns for all that we might be missing. But what we don’t have is made up in spades by the people inside those tight-knit communities who are the lifeblood of every country town.”

“My Hometown” comes from Clancy’s forthcoming debut album Feels Like Home, which she’ll release later this year. Before that, she’ll play a string of shows around the Central West.

Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity

Posted on 09/03/202609/03/2026 by Lauren Katulka

Jen Mize & The Rough N’ Tumble Wow Me With “Double Talk”

Queensland-based Jen Mize shares the lessons he learned from her “loose unit” father in her latest single with her band The Rough N’ Tumble, “Double Talk.” While it’s relatively new, this song’s Americana sound makes it feel like a classic from the first listen.

“My dad, Dan, was a bit of a known entity in Las Vegas in the early eighties,” Jen recalled. “Dad was the kind of guy who would walk up to the toughest fella in the bar, and with no provocation ask him if wanted to step outside just to see who was tougher. He admittedly got his ass handed to him more than once, but that was just who he was. A cowboy (with a way with the ladies) who might have had a few screws loose. How he ended up with my saint of a mom no one has ever understood, but by the time I came along he was turning out to be a pretty great dad. Dad wanted to prepare me for the potholes of the world. So, he warned me off guys like him.

“They say ‘write what you know’, and ‘you don’t have to have a good memory if you never tell a lie’… I really feel like when I’m doing that, lyrics and melodies pour out of me at a furious speed that I can barely keep up with. After writing the verse and chorus of this one, I felt it was time to open it up to the fellas in the band for a possible cowrite so, into the Dropbox folder it went in hopes that someone would bite.”

Someone did bite, her bandmate Jeremy Edwards, who brings the male perspective to life in the second verse.

“Maybe it was the Stones of it all,” Jeremy said. “Maybe it was the killer chorus melody. Maybe I wanted a chance, now as the father of a teenage lad, to lay a few things out clear and straight for my son.”

“Double Talk” comes from Jen Mize & The Rough N’ Tumble’s sophomore album, which they’ll release later this year.

Image used with permission from Bec Gracie Publicity

Posted on 09/03/202609/03/2026 by Lauren Katulka

Honey Blue Releases Stunning New Single, “Ready”

Shake off those Monday blues and make space for a little me time listening to “Ready,” the gorgeous new single from Naarm/Melbourne-based artist Honey Blue. Combining elements of R&B, jazz, and neo-soul, this is the kind of track that wraps around you and helps every cell in your body feel calmer. It’s easy to get swept away by the sound of the lush production and Honey Blue’s sublime vocals, but make sure you listen to those relatable lyrics too.

“’Ready’ came from a place where staying the same felt heavier than changing,” Honey Blue said. “It’s about choosing growth over comfort, shedding old versions of yourself, letting go of what holds you back, and trusting what comes next.”

Amen to all of that! This is Honey Blue’s first release since she dropped “That Far” in mid-2023, and it sends a clear message to fans that she’s back and ready to start the next chapter. I’ll be listening.

Image used with permission from Ally Kneale

Posted on 09/03/202609/03/2026 by Lauren Katulka

Enjoy the Summer Sounds of Randy Thrill$’ New Single “CHANGING ON ME”

Meeanjin/Brisbane-based Randy Thrill$ has set himself the ambitious goal of releasing a song every month this year. While I was overseas, he dropped his February song, “CHANGING ON ME,” and I’m vibing with it so much that I had to bring it to you now. Its cool fusion of R&B and Afroswing sounds is taking me right back to the Caribbean waters I’ve just left! If you’re determined to enjoy those summer vibes a little longer, I know you’ll love this tune.

“In the song you can tell my love life is kind of all over the place, but I don’t really care. One of these days I’ll find the right girl,” Randy insisted. “I wrote this song with the intention of being a bit vulnerable, but I still just wanted people to dance.”

Follow Randy on Instagram to learn all about every new song he releases this year first.

Image used with permission from Randy Thrill$

Posted on 07/03/202622/02/2026 by Lauren Katulka

Sara Storer, Shane Howard, and Shane Nicholson Team Up For May Tour

If you respect incredible songwriting as much as I do, you’ll appreciate the opportunity to see three of Australia’s finest songwriters – Sara Storer, Shane Howard, and Shane Nicholson – for some very special shows later this year. Dubbed the For the Sake of the Song tour, these intimate events will celebrate the craft, power, and legacy of Australian songwriting.

The songs from these three artists will be front and centre, but they’ll also be joined by an all-star band who will help bring their music to life. Expect unforgettable nights of storytelling, musicianship, and authentic songs that speak to the heart of the Australian experience in some of the best and most intimate venues in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, and Victoria. Tickets are on sale now for these shows:

12 May 2026 – The Street Theatre, Ngambri/Canberra
13 May 2026 – The Concourse Lounge, Cammeraygal Country/Chatswood
14 May 2026 – Memo Music Hall, Euro Yuroke/St Kilda
15 May 2026 – Theatre Royal, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Castlemaine
16 May 2026 – Queenscliff Town Hall, Wadawurrung and Eastern Maar Country/Queenscliff
17 May 2026 – Archies Creek Hall, Bunurong Country/Archies Creek

Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity