Naarm/Melbourne-based punk outfit Bukowski have just dropped their latest single “Superweak,” and you should definitely take a listen. It explores the effects of anxiety, overthinking, and people-pleasing. If you’ve ever struggled with that kind of behaviour, I know this track’s going to resonate with you.
“I found myself constantly trying to please people in my life and being apologetic about who I was, even if I didn’t think I did anything wrong,” frontman James Karagiozis reflected. “That constant battle would hurt me, but I would never outwardly show it or discuss it. Superweak? Maybe. But at least I’m trying to ventilate those thoughts from my anxious/overthinking brain.”
It’s exciting to hear more new music from Bukowski, since their previous single “one hundred seconds” was their first since 2021. It seems the drought has well and truly been broken, with the band promising more new releases and announcements throughout 2024.
“Melt” is a slinky, sultry little number from Meeanjin/Brisbane-based female-led act Menajerie. Its neo-soul sound and exquisite harmonies really cast a spell.
“’Melt’ is about that kind of love that turns your insides to liquid gold,” enthused vocalist Gracie Mack. “I wrote the song in the early stages of a romance that felt really healing and special. Melt kinda feels to me like a mushy love song parading as a neo-soul groover. It’s enchanting, joyous and a bit sexy”.
Eora/Sydney-based singer-songwriter Will Baker has just released his impressive new track “Eddie.” It’s got such an accessible pop-rock sound with some really quality lyrics exploring the way our relationships with people can evolve over time.
“’Eddie’ is about watching people you grow up with turn into people that they said they would never be,” Will explained. “I wrote this song one night with my drummer Giac. We were in love with it straight away. Was a super easy process and a song that the whole band looks forward to playing every gig. I remember wanting to write a song about one of my mates who was going down a bad path.”
The music video, which Will directed with Harry Corcoran, was inspired by classic music of the 1970s.
“The music video was nuts. The theme was very rock n roll which we all bought into very well. First time I’ve ever worn makeup as well,” Will laughed. “Loved every second of the shoot day.”
If the quality of this song is any indication, we’ve got some exciting music from Will to look forward to in 2024.
After impressing me with upbeat numbers, GRAACE is stripping things back with her latest single “Her.” It’s a vulnerable ballad about the challenging feelings that can surface when your ex moves on.
“After a breakup, it’s common to feel the need to check in on your ex as they move on, eventually realising you’ve been replaced,” she said. “Comparing yourself to their new partner, you might view them through rose-tinted glasses, leading to a mix of jealousy, self-doubt, and infatuation. Unsure if you’re jealous, aspire to be like her, or desire to be with her, this universal experience often results in becoming more invested in her than your ex”.
“Her” comes from GRAACE’s new EP afterimage, which drops on August 16. She explained the EP’s concept, noting “Just as an afterimage is the lingering impression of an object seen after closing your eyes, afterimage captures the essence of carrying past relationships into new experiences, incorporating the lessons, heartbreak, and love from those encounters”. Fresh from supporting The Dreggs, she’ll play a string of headlining shows in the capitals to promote its release.
I don’t care what you’ve been listening to today; I can confidently say that “Toxic Moonlight,” the latest track from Eora/Sydney-based klezmer punk collective Chutney will be the most surprising thing today. It might even be the most brilliant. The song combines Britney Spears’ pop anthem “Toxic” with Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata,” and it’s actually fantastic. It doesn’t end there though. The band brings together these seemingly disparate elements with their trademark Eastern European and Middle Eastern flair. And then we’ve got vocals from Ilan Kidron of The Potbelleez on top of that. It’s off the wall, but somehow it works!
“It was 2021 and we had a gig lined up with Ilan,” shared Chutney violinist Ben Adler. “We were in a reprieve between COVID lockdowns so we’d developed a certain nihilism that, in retrospect, was highly conducive to unfettered creativity. I was talking with Ilan about songs he’d like to sing with us, and he observed that the string riff in Toxic sounds “really klezmer” – we only discovered years later that it’s actually a Bollywood sample! Anyway, Ilan’s suggestion was all I needed to klezmer-ify Britney’s song. Something about its darkness and (toxic) romance then led me to Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, especially after I realised that importing Beethoven’s descending bassline might open up a whole new set of possibilities for the otherwise pretty harmonically static ‘Toxic’ verses. I sketched up a chart and we tweaked it in rehearsal, at a gig and in the studio into its present form”.
“I was always really impressed with Mark Ronson’s version, and although Toxic had been covered plenty of times, I knew Chutney would translate it really daringly and originally,” Ilan added. “They have an unashamed ability to bend the rules; but somehow it works. This version plays between a dark oceanic void and a western bar fight. There is emotional drama and a dance between tension and release that I love here.” Take a listen to this. I know it’s going to blow your mind. Chutney will continue bending the rules when they release their next album Ajar on August 6.
2024 might be the year of The Dreggs. Seven years since releasing their debut single, they dropped their incredible first album Caught in a Reverie. It’s one of my favourites this year. They’ve also just played their first show at the Enmore Theatre, a bucket list venue for the duo from Yarun/Bribie Island. I was so thrilled to be there to share this milestone with the band.
While Friday was The Dreggs’ night, it was really a celebration of local talent. I was unfamiliar with This New Light from Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country/Sunshine Coast, but he made such a big impression on me. It’s challenging for an emerging artist to fill a theatre with only an acoustic guitar for the majority of the set, but he had me hanging on his every word. His chilled-out folk music was the perfect primer for the evening. He was so sweet too, genuinely humble as he told us how much he’d appreciate us checking out his tunes on Spotify or giving him a follow on Instagram. How could we say no?
I’ve been raving about GRAACE’s music since 2018 (about as long as The Dreggs!), so I was thrilled to finally catch her on stage. Her pop tunes weren’t a natural fit for a night like this, but she owned the stage. I loved watching her dance around as she delivered some of my favourite songs like “Jealous Type” and “Love is Getting Wasted.” Rather than a full band, GRAACE shared the stage with an incredible guitarist. Again, it wasn’t the most natural choice for an alt-pop artist, but I loved seeing her shred. They both got their rock star moment when GRRACE slipped in an unexpected cover of Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody” that had everyone singing along.
You could feel the energy shift when Then Dreggs’ stepped out. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen such an enthusiastic reception for a local act. Sure, I’ve seen people excited when big names like John Farnham and Jimmy Barnes step out, but those guys are so big that their audience becomes a little diluted by people who’ve simply enjoyed the songs on the radio. When you see an act like The Dreggs, everyone there is incredibly passionate. It’s a beautiful thing to be part of. New songs? Already across them. Old favourites? Everyone was following the band then too so we’re all prepared to sing along to every word.
I knew The Dreggs would sound good, but I don’t think I was quite prepared for exactly how good. The music I loved on their recordings went to the next level on the stage. Paddy Macrae’s banjo was incredible, and the full band brought a new depth to some of those early tracks. These guys are tight. There’s a natural chemistry between Paddy and Zane Harris forged from years of friendship. Their harmonies are second to none. But the whole band gelled together so fabulously. It was a joy to watch the music they created.
They may have a few more rungs on the board than their first support act The New Light, but The Dreggs have a similar humility. They remarked several times that playing the Enmore was something they’ve strived for throughout their career. You could see they didn’t take that moment for granted. They thanked the crowd for their support earnestly and even gifted a fan singing every lyric a merch pack. That pack could have gone to so many people, because every song was a singalong. So many numbers had fans up on their feet, dancing enthusiastically, whether they were on the floor or up in the dress circle. That’s right, even among the seats where people normally want to chill, the show was often a party.
Those party vibes were balanced with sombre moments when Paddy spoke about the duo’s commitment to discussing mental health issues. They’ve explored these issues throughout their time as a band, but perhaps never as eloquently as on the album Caught in a Reverie, a record anchored in grief and what it takes to work through it. It was so powerful seeing these guys using this platform to speak about a topic few men willingly discuss. Hats off to them. Those dark moments were balanced so beautifully with lighter tracks like “She Picks Flowers,” “Keepsake,” and the triumphant final number “Hold Me Closer,” which had us all singing along with its “da da” refrain.
The Dreggs will soon take their show to Aotearoa/New Zealand before closing out the year with a few local dates. Catch them anywhere you can. I promise you’ll have a ball.
After wowing me with singles like “All Hard Feelings” and “If I Want In,”Imogen Clark raised my expectations for her latest album The Art of Getting Through. Those singles were so well-written, with insightful lyrics and impeccable melodies. Happily, the release of the album shows they were no fluke.
This album sounds so polished, but we’d expect nothing else of a collection of songs recorded in the legendary Abbey Road studios in London, Peter Frampton’s Studio Phenix in Nashville, and EastWest Studios in Los Angeles, where the Beach Boys recorded Pet Sounds and Michael Jackson recorded Thriller. But it doesn’t matter how acclaimed the studios are if you don’t have the goods. Imogen does. Her songs unfold like diary entries, revealing her distrust of men in “Natural Predator,” her battles with an eating disorder in “Silhouette,” and her struggles and strength in “The Last of Me.” They’re big topics. Imogen is an artist with plenty to say, and listening to her catchy melodies and rich voice, you want to hear it.
“These songs are about the messiness of life, the layers of injury and hurt that build resilience and how you never really get a clean slate or a fresh start,” Imogen explained. “There is no starting over, there is only getting through.”
Most of the tracks on The Art of Getting Through sit in the pop-rock space. It’s a place where Imogen excels. These songs feel classic on the first listen. Not just the singles, but every track feels radio-ready. She could have sat in that space for the whole album and I don’t think anyone would complain, but she shows us we shouldn’t pigeonhole her music with the devastating closer, “If Your Heart Never Breaks.” It feels like a standard, beautiful,and cinematic, with hints of jazz. Can Imogen do it all? Quite possibly.
With the release of The Art of Getting Through, Imogen shows she’s blossoming into one of our best artists. Now she’s living in Nashville opportunities to see her live in our part of the world are becoming rarer, so make sure you don’t miss her when she visits in November after some UK shows.
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.
