South Coast singer-songwriter ioakim has put a big smile on my face with his shimmery new indie-pop single “alex.” It’s got some pretty heartbreaking lyrics about unrequited love, but its sweet synthy sound helps keep things light.
“Alex and I grew up in a so-called beach town. Same school, same career path. The only difference was that she was into girls and I was into her,” ioakim recounts. “I don’t want to go into too much depth about this first single. If you listen carefully I think you will catch on pretty quickly what it is about. The chorus’ gets a little existential, asking the question “what happens when you realise that everything you love is going to die?” It calls out the inevitable – cherish what you’ve got I’d say.”
If you’ve ever caught feelings for someone that didn’t share them, you’re going to love this one.
Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia
Hollow Coves are making me nostalgic for a time gone by with their latest single “Photographs.” This charming folk song takes us back to a simpler time before mobile phones, when we’d only capture special moments and we’d have those physical images to proudly display. The song was inspired by Matt Carins’ mum and her collection of carefully curated family photo albums.
“This was the first song we wrote during our writing sessions with Matt Corby and Alex Henrikkson. We ended up having a conversation in the studio about how photographs use to be something special that people would keep in a photo album. However, now that we can take photos with our phones, it seems like photos will most likely just get lost amongst the sea of photos,” the band explained. “Matt (Carins) brought up that his mum has kept a photo album for him and his siblings since they were born. We all thought that was pretty special and kind of a lost art in this day and age. So we decided to write a song about her and the lost art of the photograph.”
“Photographs” is the first track lifted from Hollow Coves’ sophomore album Nothing to Lose. International fans can expect to hear more new music and their old favourites from the duo plays shows in Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America in the coming months.
26 March 2024 – Gebäude 9, Cologne
28 March 2024 – Muziekgieterij, Maastricht
29 March 2024 – TivoliVredenburg – Ronda, Utrecht
30 March 2024 – Zeche Carl, Essen
31 March 2024 – Uebel & Gefährlich, Hamburg
2 April 2024 – Columbia Theater, Berlin
3 April 2024 – MeatFactory, Prague
4 April 2024 – Simm City, Vienna
5 April 2024 – Technikum, Munich
7 April 2024 – Magazzini Generali, Milan
8 April 2024 – Komplex 457, Zurich
9 April 2024 – Les Docks, Lausanne
11 April 2024 – Halle02, Heidelberg
12 April 2024 – Opderschmelz, Dudelange
13 April 2024 – Le Trabendo, Paris
14 April 2024 – AB Ballroom, Brussels
16 April 2024 – O2 Forum Kentish Town, London
17 April 2024 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
18 April 2024 – Academy 2, Manchester
5 June 2024 – Union Stage, Washington DC
6 June 2024 – The Foundry, Philadelphia
8 June 2024 – Warsaw, New York City
10 June 2024 – Paradise Rock Club, Boston
11 June 2024 – MTELUS, Montreal
12 June 2024 – Danforth Music Hall, Toronto
14 June 2024 – Lincoln Hall, Chicago
15 June 2024 – Fine Line, Minneapolis
17 June 2024 – Gothic Theatre, Denver
19 June 2024 – The Grand at the Complex, Salt Lake City
22 June 2024 – El Rey Theatre, Los Angeles
23 June 2024 – Venture Music Hall, Ventura
24 June 2024 – Bimbo’s 365 Club, San Francisco
26 June 2024 – Aladdin Theater, Portland
27 June 2024 – The Crocodile, Seattle
29 June 2024 – Vogue Theatre, Vancouver
30 June 2024 – Capital Ballroom, Victoria
51st Avenue are ushering in the new year with the release of their fabulous new single “Chapters.” A song all about connection and the enduring bonds that bind us as we move through life, it’s a timely release that perfectly combines pop, punk, rock, and electronic sounds.
“The theme and meaning of the lyrics is really about friendship over time, and how time and distance doesn’t necessarily equate to a loss of friendship,” the band explained. “There are some friendships that are able to withstand time, distance and other factors, and in some circumstances, one party may think the friendship is over when in fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
51st Avenue created the film clip for “Chapters” with Oliver Clark of Dunelabs, noting “This was the third video we’d shot within a month and we’d started to run out of ideas. The venue really lent itself quite heavily in terms of inspiration and we just vibed with it for the whole day. Oli really knocked it out of the park when it came to the editing and it turned out to be a really fun video!”
“Chapters” is such an exciting release, and hopefully a sign of big things to come for 51st Avenue in 2024.
From high school pals jamming in lounge rooms after class to up-and-comers on the scene, Naarm/Melbourne alt-rock trio Okay Dane are coming into their own. Their latest single “Interstellar Nihilist,” which explores disconnection in an age where everyone is just a text away, might be their best yet.
“The song uses the imagery of an astronaut abandoned in space as a metaphor to represent loneliness and existential dread in the digital age, where we are more accessible with our communication but far less connected in any in person sense,” explained Okay Dane’s guitarist and vocalist Jake Kougioumtzis. “I started working on the demo and it had a very science fiction quality to it with some of the sounds I was finding, so that inspired the lyrics.”
“Instellar Nihilist” was released today, but the band are giving you a little time to learn the lyrics before the official launch. Catch them at Bad Decisions on January 19 with support from Oh Daisy!, Stepdad Advice and After School Care.
Mulga Bore Hard Rock Band were thrust into the spotlight when they were handpicked by their heroes KISS to support them on Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast in 2022. The schoolkids from the tiny Northern Territory community of Akaye (Mulga Bore) made the long trek to Queensland to support their idols on the biggest stage of their lives. Since then they’ve been capitalising on their success, opening Australia’s largest First Nations festival Yirramboi last May and releasing quality tracks like “Big Train” and “Let Me Rock N Roll.”
If you like what you hear, make sure you check out Mulga Bore Hard Rock at one of their upcoming shows:
19 January 2023 – Cherry Bar, Naarm/Melbourne
26 January 2023 – Share the Spirit Festival @ Myer Music Bowl, Naarm/Melbourne (FREE)
27 January 2023 – Brunswick Ballroom, Bulleke-bek/Brunswick (supporting No Fixed Address)
18 February 2023 – St Kilda Festival, Euro Yuroke/St Kilda (FREE)
2 March 2023 – Mona Foma Festival @ Cataract Gorge Reserve, Kanamuluka/Launceston (FREE)
Eora/Sydney-based hip hop artist SAIF is starting 2024 with a bang with the release of his genre-bending new single “Cash Flow.” His hip hop sounds are front and centre, but there’s a little jazz and drill influence that helps set it apart. I also appreciate the lyrics which acknowledge his South Asian roots, Islamic faith, and Australian culture.
SAIF says “The song is about having multiple cash flows when you’re in the creative scene.”
Clocking in at just over two and a half minutes, this single packs a real punch. It sets the scene for a big year from this exciting local artist.
I am really digging “Fake Plant on Fire,” the latest single from Eora/Sydney artist lovemedo. It’s so creative and catchy, a true original. And how often can you say that these days?
“’Fake Plant on Fire’ is one of those songs that in the beginning finds you in one place and, by the end leaves you in another. I wanted to make a video that took people on that same journey,” lovemedo said. “I like to step into my music videos the same way an actor would into a movie role. This video is heavily influenced by ‘art house’ mentalities and performance art. Visual art is truly an extension of my music and a big part of my creativity so I’m proud to say that ‘Fake Plant on Fire’ is the first video to be completely written, directed & edited by lovemedo”.
I am so excited by this song. It’s one of those tracks that takes you on a real ride, the sort of one that makes you want to jump back on when it finishes to experience it all over again. That music video is just the cherry on top of a very delicious dessert. More please!
Most artists want to keep the songs they created as teenagers hidden, because they cringe over the corny lyrics and emotions sitting so close to the surface. But most artists aren’t bella amor. She’s just released “my first demo (weekend lover)”, a beautiful song recorded while she was in high school.
“This song is one of the first demos I ever wrote in high school. It’s a really special one to me because it was one of the first songs I fully finished and was in love with. It’s about not wanting to be a part-time lover and not wanting to be someone who comes around at a call. I’m a big lover and this song is about wanting to share full love. The video is made up of fun memories from my time in school. This song feels real nostalgic and it felt right to have videos of little me having fun and being carefree.”
I love the way this track reveals what bella can do when she strips away a lot of the production. It really showcases her vocals and songwriting talent. I’ve liked her work in the past, but I really love this.
Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia
As we prepare to say goodbye to 2023, I’m taking one last look back on the year that was. And for the first time in a long while, I’m doing it with some satisfaction. It’s the first year I’ve seen enough shows to create a top 10 since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Of course that makes choosing my favourites a bit more difficult, but that’s a great problem to have. And of course there was, as always, plenty of incredible Australian albums soundtracking my year. Here’s what filled my heart in 2023. Have I missed any of your favourites? Let me know your 2023 highlights in the comments:
The year might be winding down, but I’m sneaking in one last album review. I couldn’t let 2023 close without encouraging you to listen to Roller Coaster, the fabulous new album from Naarm/Melbourne blues icons Checkerboard Lounge.
The moment I heard the opening notes of the title track, I was hooked. It’s such a rollicking good time, and it made me hungry for more. My appetite was well and truly satisfied as Checkerboard Lounge delivered all the twists and turns you might expect from an album named after an amusement park staple. The band refuses to stay in the same place too long, treating listeners to soulful ballads, psychedelic rock, instrumentals, and a splash of jazz. Their originals already sound like classics. When you make such fantastic new music, a cover has to be pretty outstanding to make an album. But their take on Nina Simone’s “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” is inspired. Dedicated to the plight of Australia’s First Nations people, it’s a poignant reminder of how far we still have to come as a nation.
Roller Coaster is the first Checkerboard Lounge featuring the band’s latest addition, bassist Zoe Frater. She’s used to great effect. I’m not sure when I last heard a bass solo: this album has four. All the musicians are stellar; the more I listened to this album the more I appreciated their contributions. On the first listen it’s easy to get sucked in by Carl Pannuzzo’s outstanding vocals, because they’re just so good, but everyone plays their part here.
As with so many acts that make music outside the mainstream genres, Checkerboard Lounge are revered in the blues scene but largely unknown outside of it. That’s a great shame, because they’re brilliant. With the release of Roller Coaster, it’s the perfect time to get on board.
Roller Coaster is out now. Checkered Lounge are already starting to full up their concert calendar for next year. See them anywhere you can.
The year might be winding down, but I’m sneaking in one last album review. I couldn’t let 2023 close without encouraging you to listen to Roller Coaster, the fabulous new album from Naarm/Melbourne blues icons Checkerboard Lounge.