I’m a sucker for beautiful harmonies. And that’s exactly what Meeanjin/Brisbane band Layer Cake are serving up with their tasty new indie-pop single “Help.”
“‘Help’ speaks for itself,” the band said in a press statement. “It’s a cry of relief, a musical sigh of acknowledging that it’s okay not to be okay. Sometimes, when you’re feeling trapped, the easiest way to cope is to pour your heart out in a song.”
I love all the twists and turns this one takes. It reminds me of those classic songs of the 70s that switch things up before they take you to their ultimately satisfying conclusion.
Press play and enjoy this one. It’s a little trippy, but what a ride!
If you’ve ever struggled to switch off and move on like I have, you’re going to connect with Baeden Faint’s new single “Overthinking.” I love those honest rapid-fire lyrics and how they sit against the rhythm of the banjo and electric guitar.
“It reflects on how it seemed all my relationships were going at the time, and I was adamant that this time was going to be different,” Baeden explained. “In the early days the song had more of a tone of desperation, but a little while down the track, Brad [Ashton, guitarist] sat out the front of my grandparent’s house and strummed a few chords, which led to a rethinking in a slightly more positive light.”
Baeden will support Fanny Lumsden as she makes her way to the Big Red Bash with a show at Cobar Bowling & Golf Club on July 6.
Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity
UK-born, Eora/Sydney based producer/multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter/all-round talent harper has put a spring in my step with his latest single “37.” This is one of those alt-pop-rock that just feels so good. That super-catchy melody is wrapped around some insightful lyrics about the indecision that can leave you paralysed when you need to keep moving forward.
“37’ is me realising that putting myself first isn’t such a bad idea,” harper revealed. “It’s as close and vulnerable as it is big-picture and pondering. I ask a lot of questions in the lyrics, which is a mirror of my headspace both at the time and in my life in general. I love to embrace the hypothetical and the ‘what-if?’, because that’s just the way I think things through and figure out what I truly want.”
With four singles already under his belt, harper says releasing “37” marks a new chapter in his musical journey.
“I feel that I’m finally coming into my own as an artist, and am realising what the purest and most-distilled form of my art is. Everything I’m putting out from now on is going to be transparent and unapologetically me, because I believe the only way to truly connect with anyone listening to my music is for them to feel they know me. How can I allow them to do that without knowing myself in the first place?”
If this track is a sign of what’s to come from harper, I can’t wait to hear what’s next.
After a successful run of shows with Texas’ own Charlie Crockett and appearances at Riverboats Music Festival and Bluesfest, Naarm/Melbourne six-piece Sweet Talk headed back to the studio. The result is their delicious new single “Real Good Cookin’”. It might be brand new to us, but it’s actually the first song created for this project.
“I remember writing the riff when Dave and I lived together in Fitzroy many moons ago,” explained guitarist Soren Walker. “I was listening to a lot of Skynard at the time the idea of a band was only beginning to germinate, but when Dave and I started fleshing this track out, we knew we were onto something hot.”
“We were actually calling it ‘Southern Fried Chicken’ for the first little while, and it was the first riff we started working on as a song before Sweet Talk was a fully formed idea,” added fellow guitarist Dave Turner.
Sweet Talk are building a reputation as one of the best acts on the live circuit. Whitlams’ frontman Tim Freedman said they were an “absolute stand out” at Tamworth and Bluesfest, noting their set was “pure musical lift off with charisma and earthy grunt.” So make sure you see them at one of their upcoming shows, including dates with Tim’s Black Stump Duo, if you possibly can.
I discover some amazing artists through this blog. I hear about their shows and think they’d be great live, but I often don’t actually make it to the gigs. Then there are the rare artists like Donovan Woods, who capture my heart so quickly that I know I need to be there. That’s how I found myself at new inner-city venue Darling Nikki’s on Friday night, just a couple of months after hearing his music for the first time. As I looked around at the blokes dressed in flannel and trucker hats, emulating Donovan’s signature look, I knew most people had followed his career for a lot longer. But I always say, it doesn’t matter when you find an artist; just that you do.
Darling Nikki’s was a last-minute venue option after The Great Club’s (hopefully temporary) shutdown. It’s wonderful that Darling Nikki’s stepped up, but I couldn’t help but think of what might have been. While I hadn’t yet been to the Great Club, a friend praised its relaxed vibe, with plenty of seating to chill. That was the kind of atmosphere that an artist like Donovan really needed. Darling Nikki’s small standing-room venue would be ideal for an up-and-coming rock act, but it didn’t feel right for gentle folk music.
You could have been forgiven for thinking Hayley Warner was the main event, rather than the support act. She got a rapturous response when she took to the stage, although she was quick to tell us that many of those cheering loudest were her family members and friends. Personally I was pretty excited to see how this artist, who I remember fondly from Australian Idol in 2009, had blossomed. She was an angsty teenager then, delivering some of the best rock music the competition’s ever seen. The years have mellowed her music, and helped her become one of the best songwriters I’ve heard in some time. I loved her originals, some of which you might have heard. A little Katy Perry hit called “Never Really Over” by any chance? Hayley’s been living in Los Angeles for the last 12, writing tracks for other artists like Ms. Perry, and being “miserable,” as she joked, perhaps not entirely tongue-in-cheek. Clearly she relished the opportunity to be here at home, playing for loved ones, making jokes that might not have been as well received Stateside, covering songs that the Americans simply don’t know. She encouraged us to sing along to John Farnham’s “Burn For You” and Tina Arena’s “Sorrento Moon,” soaking up that Aussie enthusiasm. When she announced her final song I had to check my watch. Surely she wasn’t done yet! We were having so much fun.
The fun ramped up when Donovan Woods took the stage. That might seem a strange word to use for an artist who makes fairly mellow folk music, but this was one of the most fun gigs I’ve attended in some time. I knew the music would be amazing. Donovan’s recordings are pretty stripped back, so I knew just hearing him sing his songs with an acoustic guitar was my idea of a good time. What I didn’t prepare myself for was just how funny it is.
After wrapping up the first song “It’ll Work Itself Out,” he told us that would be the show. Just some gentle guitar music, some whispery singing, maybe he’d grab the other guitar but that was as dynamic as things would get. So if we wanted to get out now, he’d understand. Of course, no one headed for the door. I hung onto his every word as he played his music. But I enjoyed his hilarious repartee between tracks every bit as much. If this music thing didn’t work out, he could have easily had a career on the stand-up circuit. At one point he asked us whether he was talking too much, but my favourite gigs are always those ones where the artist shares themselves, not just the music. I found myself gaining an even deeper appreciation of songs like “Man Made Lake” and “Leave When Go” after hearing the stories behind them.
I grasped my husband’s hands just a little bit tighter as Donovan played favourite songs like “Seeing Other People,” “Last Time I Saw You”, and recent single “Back for the Funeral.” I know I’m fairly new to Donovan’s music, but I thought it was an incredible set that really celebrated his discography, including the soon-to-be-released album Things Were Never Good If They’re Not Good Now, (not Get Loose as it might have been! If you know, you know). Given that Donovan was touring solo, I expected we’d miss his gorgeous duets, so I was thrilled when he called for a volunteer to sing “I Ain’t Ever Loved No One” with him. I was even more chuffed to discover that volunteer, Talia (so sorry if I’ve spelled your name wrong!) was incredible. The best one yet, according to Donovan. What a special moment in an evening that was already so special.
Normally once an artist has several albums under their belt, you’ve missed the opportunity to see them play an intimate show. But Donovan hasn’t quite broken through here, so I got to be in a crowd of no more than 80 dedicated fans who soaked up every moment. Up close and personal with one of the best songwriters on the planet. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Friday night.
She captivated the nation on last year’s series of Australian Idol, but those of us from Mulubinba/Newcastle knew that local talent Piper Butcher wasn’t going to fade from view once the cameras stopped rolling. The impressive singer-songwriter has just released a brand new single “Turn the Key,” and it’s really something special.
“The tale pulls from the suspenseful feelings of wanting to know a person more than a friend and finding a way to break the ice and be together,” she explained.
Piper will play the following shows in her home state in the coming months:
Tom Harrison takes us on a road trip through North America with his gorgeous debut EP, Old Growth. Tom burst onto the scene in 2018 with his band Hugo Stranger and the Rattlers, but he’s showing us a quieter, more introverted side with this release.
Old Growth sees Tom trading in his usual gritty blues for a sweeter, folkier sound. He penned the songs in 2017, when he travelled across Canada and America’s West Coast with his wife in a Chevy van. Each song brings a moment of that epic journey to life for listeners.
“I got the title Old Growth from the forests we were visiting in Oregon and on Vancouver Island,” Tom explained. “It felt like a summary for where I mentally was at. I was accepting a new chapter of my lifeand learning so much about myself and growing as an adult.”
If you’re a long-term reader you’re already familiar with the singles, “Start Again” and “How Long.” The other tracks help us fill in the missing pieces of their adventures. The opening song “Miles Away” may be my favourite. Its jaunty little melody and cruisy vibe perfectly set the scene for a trip with endless possibilities. It’s not all about chilling out though. “Skraeling” sees Tom at his most political, firing up at the “little men” like Donald Trump and Scott Morrison he saw failing their people from their positions of power. “Buffalo” is a haunting song inspired by the old missing people posters he saw at a New York bus terminal. Closing song “Ontario” has a cool Western feel that I’m really digging. Its bluesy sound is closest to the Hugo Stranger material that put Tom on my radar. Tom said “I think it nicely closes this chapter and gives a wink towards the next direction of my music.”
I’m not sure where his next musical moves will take him, but I’m excited to keep listening. Old Growth is out now. You can catch Tom playing at one of the following shows:
Eora/Sydney duo Younger than Me have given me goosebumps with their latest single “With Every Heartbeat.” To call it beautiful doesn’t even begin to cover it. Their stunning harmonies, creativity, and talent shine through in technicolour. Take a moment to stop what you’re doing, block the rest of the world out, and just listen. I promise you that you won’t want to miss a detail.
“With Every Heartbeat” comes with a gorgeous music video shot on 16mm film in southern lutruwita/Tasmania by the super-talented video artist and cinematographer Ursula Woods.
“Ursula is based in one of those corners of the world that is almost too magical to exist,” the duo said. “We woke up each morning to the sound of water lapping under the converted boat shed that we slept in, and spent the day frolicking outside and making shapes together in the landscape. It embodied everything we tried to create through sound in the track, and it could not have been more perfect.”
Younger Than Me are working towards releasing a debut album. With every single release so strong, you can beat it’ll be something special.
Vanessa Lawless celebrates the wild feminine spirit with her latest single “La Loba.” The title translates to the she-wolf and takes inspiration from the book “Women Who Run With the Wolves.”
“‘La Loba’ declares the unleashing of the wild feminine spirit that’s been suppressed and misunderstood throughout time, encouraging total raw expression and the reawakening of our hidden selves,” Vanessa explained.
I love the way this one sounds. It’s got such a primal core which brings something new to the pop genre. I also appreciate that the lyrics deliver feminine power that comes from deep within. We’re so used to women declaring they’re powerful because they don’t need a man or because they’ve risen to the top. This one doesn’t measure a woman’s worth against her relationships or achievements. She’s powerful simply because she is.
Vanessa Lawless shows she’s a real force with this release. I can’t wait to hear what comes next.
“Fools Can’t Tell No Lies” is the debut single from The Salmon Brothers, and one we’re very lucky to hear. Consisting of acclaimed keyboardist, percussionist, and drummer Nick Meredith and Deep Sea Arcade bassist and guitarist Nick Weaver, the duo were excited to release this music. They’d written and recorded every song for their debut album, played DJ sets together, compiled the press assets, and were ready to go. Then in early 2021, Nick Weaver lost his battle with bowel cancer. Now thanks to the determination of Nick Meredith and some of Nick Weaver’s closest friends and family members, we finally get our first taste of The Salmon Brothers’ fantastic music.
Before his passing, Nick Weaver said “We started writing this sort of smooth rock/disco music as a bit of a joke but it accidentally became a weird pop thing that we’re very passionate about and eager to release.”
I must admit, I had similar feelings about this song. I wasn’t sure at first about the falsetto and sound, which seems to me like some unholy mix of disco and yacht rock. But by the time that chorus kicked in, I was well on board.
“Fools Can’t Tell No Lies” comes from The Salmon Brothers’ album More to Love, which drops on August 16.
Image used with permission from Blue Music Services
