Author: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers Team Up With The Grogans for “Salt”

I must admit, when I heard that Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers had teamed up with The Grogans for their latest single, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I love the angsty energy of Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, but The Grogans’ music hasn’t been my cup of chai. However, the combination of these two acts is really something special. “Salt” is one of the standouts on Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers’ stellar debut album I Love You, which just dropped on October 6.

“During the three years we wrote this the lyrics changed so much, but I think what really pulled it all together was when we decided to have The Grogans join us on the track,” vocalist Anna Ryan shared. “It definitely shifted the energy from something so sad to something so beautiful and special.”

“Being a part of ‘Salt’ was pretty special,” The Grogans added. “It was something super different for us and it is an incredible song to have worked on. This was such a beautiful way for us to learn a lot about the Teen Jesus crew as well as ourselves. We felt that our role in this track was to add a sense of support for each other, musically and outside of the studio. The whole process was healing in a way. This track isn’t about our personal experience yet we find relevance in our own lives, we just hope we added something special. We are grateful to be let in and trusted with such a lovely song.”

Let this be your reminder that Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers are currently on the road playing heaps of shows to support their recently released album, including headlining gigs, festivals, and some stellar supporting slots. See them anywhere you can.

10 October 2023 – The Cube, Waywurru Country/Wondonga (supporting DMA’s)
11 October 2023 – Kambri at ANU, Ngunnawal/Canberra (supporting DMA’s)
13 October 2023 – Anita’s Theatre, Wodi Wodi Country/Thirroul (supporting DMA’s)
14 October 2023 – Yours & Owls Festival, Woolyungah/Wollongong
20 October 2023 – Bar on the Hill, Awabakal/Newcastle (supporting DMA’s)
21 October 2023 – Hoey Moey, Gumbaynggirr/Coffs Harbour (supporting DMA’s)
22 October 2023 – Kingscliffe Beach Hotel, Bundjalung/Kingscliff (supporting DMA’s)
27 October 2023 – The Triffid, Meanjin/Brisbane (Lic/AA)
28 October 2023 – Tanks Arts Centre, Gimuy/Cairns (supporting DMA’s)
29 October 2023 – Tanks Arts Centre, Gimuy/Cairns (supporting DMA’s)
2 November 2023 – UniBar, Tarndanya/Adelaide (Lic/AA)
3 November 2023 – 170 Russell, Naarm/Melbourne
10 November 2023 – The River, Wadandi Boodja/Margaret River
11 November 2023 – Port Beach Brewery, Walyalup/Fremantle
17 November 2023 – Metro Theatre, Eora/Sydney (Lic/AA)
4 December 2023 – AAMI Stadium, Naarm/Melbourne (supporting Foo Fighters)

Image used with permission from Super Duper; credit: Neve Van Boxsel

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Loretta Keep Stellar Singles Coming Ahead of EP Launch and Tour

Eora/Sydney pop-rock act Loretta have been releasing music at such a furious pace that I don’t blame you if you’re struggling to keep up. To make sure you don’t miss a thing, they’ve digitally bundled their latest track “Wish I Could Show You” with “All My Friends (Are Your Friends)”, which dropped in mid-September. The two tracks show different sides of this exciting ensemble.

“‘Wish I Could Show You’ is about the essence of growth, self-discovery, and profound changes and experiences that come with time and getting older. It offers a deeply personal perspective from us that acts as a love letter to the past, acknowledging the evolution of relationships, friendships and personal aspirations,” Loretta explained of the upbeat, nostalgic cut.

“‘All My Friends’ navigates the complexities that come with trying to maintain a friendship after a breakup, delving into the challenges that come with sharing a social circle with an ex,” Loretta said of this bittersweet ballad. “It is a portrayal of the stage immediately after a relationship ends, encapsulating the bittersweet reality of seeing your ex move on, whilst trying to focus on moving on yourself.”

We can look forward to more new music from Loretta when their new EP Never Thought of Growing Up drops on November 3. To celebrate the release, they’ll play the following East Coast shows:

4 November 2023 – Yah Yah’s, Naarm/Melbourne
9 November 2023 – Stranded Bar, Meeanjin/Brisbane
17 November 2023 – Towradji Beach Hotel, Warrang/Wollongong
23 November 2023 – Oxford Art Factory, Eora/Sydney
25 November 2023 – King Street, Mulubinba/Newcastle

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Lizzie Jack and the Beanstalks Drop “Dumb Decisions”

Woolyungah/Wollongong band Lizzie Jack and the Beanstalks have just dropped the video for their latest single “Dumb Decisions,” and it’s a love song with a different. Sweet without the saccharine, it celebrates the risky decision to get romantically involved with a friend.

This is the first song featuring the band’s new drummer Paul Pozzachio, who’s slotted in nicely alongside vocalist Lizzie Jack, lead guitarist Alex Fordyce, and bassist Jayke Beckette. I love the jangly 90s feel and relatable storyteller lyrics.

Lizzie Jack and the Beanstalks will open up the RAD Stage at the Yours & Owls Festival on October 15, so if you’re getting along make sure you catch their set!

Image used with permission from Lizzie Jack and the Beanstalks

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Hattie Oates Floors Me With “You Could Love Me Back”

If you’ve ever had it bad for someone who was yet to see your worth, I know you’re going to fall for Hattie Oates’ latest single “You Could Love Me Back.” This is a perfect piece of indie pop music, with a catchy melody and lyrics that speak right to your soul.

“I wrote this song early last year in Sydney, with one of my favorite co-writers/producers, Liam Quinn. It was our second session together, and we wanted to try something a bit more down-tempo and heartfelt. I had typed the first verse in my notes that morning, so once we’d settled on some chords, it all clicked into place fairly quickly; we were done in a few hours. I remember listening back to it on the drive home and thinking … ‘OMG, this needs to be in a movie scene!’ I felt like it held a sort of cinematic emotion; I may have cried a little haha!”

Hattie has been having a ball seeing the sights of London of late (follow her on Insta for all the pics!), but hopefully she’ll be back playing shows for us all really soon.

Image used with permission from Decent Music PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Highline Impress With “Exit A”

Highline found a special place in my heart with their EP Overrun last year. It’s taken some time for this Eora/Sydney band to regroup, but they’ve come back strong with “Exit A,” their first release for 2023. It’s a gorgeous indie-rock ballad which shows they’re a real force to be reckoned with.

“Exit A is a song about losing a friend. It’s reflecting on the loss and realising that the writing was on the wall so to speak ‘I should have seen this coming from miles away’. It’s frustrating losing people that once meant so much to you and this song expresses that frustration,” explained frontman Sam Rigney. “The song captures the sadness that comes with witnessing this happen and the reflective emotions that come with recognising things aren’t how they used to be, and wondering whether you could have stopped it from happening. This song was one of those tunes where the general premise was always there but no progress was really made for about a year then it all sort of wrote itself within a couple of hours. The title came about because the chords were E and A, so we just called the song EA, which is how we arrived at Exit A.”

There’s more new music from Highline on its way, with the band promising to release their next EP in 2024. They’ve also just been announced on the bill for the Good Gumnuts Festival in Pakana Country/Heybridge on January 5 and 6.

Image used with permission from Peach & Sons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Michael Waugh Releases Powerful Single, “We Are Here”

We don’t often hear queer voices like Michael Waugh’s. His brand of country-folk is a world away from the pop and dance tracks that usually come from the LGBTQIA+ community, and it makes a refreshing change. His new single “We Are Here” is a powerful anthem that celebrates gay pioneers while acknowledging the hardships so many faced, including Michael himself. Take a moment to properly listen to this song. Trust me, you’ll want to take these lyrics in.

“I want to celebrate those gay men through history – many of whom risked their lives – so that I can stand here today, wearing my rainbow elastic-panelled Blundstone boots, and speak my truth,” he explained.

“What made it safe for me to come out was having other queer artists and storytellers who were unafraid to speak their truth. You can’t be what you can’t see, right? So, I had this really ambitious idea when writing ‘We Are Here’. I wanted to talk about the history of gay men, and to include myself as a point on that timeline. I also wanted to let the next generation know that we are here, we are waiting to be their community, and that they are loved.”

Michael is currently touring from town to town, busting stereotypes everywhere he plays. Here are his upcoming gigs:

7 & 8 October 2023– Nanga Music Festival, Noongar Country/Dwellingup
13 October 2023 – Stratford Courthouse, Brayakaulung Country/Stratford
15 October 2023 – Wesley of Warragul, Darug Country/Warragul

Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Ben Lee @ Avoca Beach Theatre, Darkinjung Country/Avoca Beach – 5 October 2023

Once upon a time, the people of the Central Coast had to go to Newcastle or Sydney to see major musical acts. Sure, that’s only an hour or so up or down the freeway, but it made midweek gigs with friends challenging. Now it seems we’re spoiled for choice, with venues like Drifter’s Wharf, The Art House Wyong, and Laycock Street Theatre all doing their bit. For mine, Avoca Beach Theatre is leading the charge. In her welcome speech Beth Hunter, who runs the theatre with her husband Norman, told us of the way the theatre’s objective of telling Australian stories has expanded over the years. More than just a movie theatre, it now hosts comedians and live music. Once they aimed to host three live performances a month. Now they aim for three every week. After recent renovations, it’s better than ever. It’s still intimate, holding less than 300 music lovers. It’s retained its heritage charm, but the new chairs are a bit plusher. We’ve even got cup holders.

It’s the sort of place you want to see gigs at. So after years of thinking I wanted to see Ben Lee but never actually buying the tickets, I followed through. It doesn’t hurt that I think Ben’s recent albums are some of his best. The songs from I’M FUN! and Love is the New Rebellion are among my favourites, so maybe it’s not a bad thing that I waited until this stage of his career to see a show. The last couple of years have also brought us DJ DadBod, Ben’s alter-ego and the perfect support act. He delivered a set of fun and quirky mash-ups, singing and dancing along with such joy. It was beautiful to watch.

After a quick break he was back in Ben mode, delivering an eclectic and surprising set with plenty of twists and turns. There were the hits of course, including songs like “Gamble Everything For Love” and “Something Borrowed, Something Blue” that I haven’t thought about for years. A couple who danced to “Love Me Like the World is Ending” at their wedding were celebrating their wedding anniversary at the show. The lyrics resonated so much more knowing what it meant to them. They didn’t take Ben up on his offer of recreating the dance on stage, but I can imagine their happy smiles hearing him sing this song that meant so much to them. I loved the chance to hear newer material that I love like “Crooked Tree” and “Arsehole.” He even gave us a sneaky listen to some beautiful material from an album that will drop next year. After some audience requests, he showed he’s not too proud to go back to the vault, treating a long-time fan to a rendition of “Poison 1080” from the Noise Addict days. That same self-effacing charm saw him launching into songs other artists wrote about him. They weren’t all flattering (Google efforts from The Chaser and The Ataris to hear what I mean), but they were so much fun.

Ben crammed a lot of music into the evening, but he also put so much of himself into the performance. Avoca Beach Theatre is one of those places that brings the audience and performer together in a shared space. There isn’t the traditional divide that exists in larger venues, and Ben seemed to relish that. He noticed when the people clapping along petered out, and heard comments the crowd made. He told us stories of his life and where the songs came from. This is exactly the sort of show I love. If I just want to hear the music, I’ll stay home and listen to a CD. This more personal experience was so much better.

As Ben delivered the one-two punch of “We’re All In This Together” and “Catch My Disease” I started to think there’d be no encore. Where do you go from there? We could certainly leave happy, but surely it’d feel weird for him to just leave without playing the adult game of peek-a-boo we all know and love! I needn’t have worried. It was time for another mash-up and apologies that he’d forgotten his merch. But not to worry, he had Iced VoVos instead! Watching Ben dance down the aisles with his silver platter of classic Aussie bikkies, then don a tinselled rainbow cape for a final boogie, was the most wholesome and perfect way to end this fabulously off-the-wall night of entertainment. Ben still has a few shows left on his Ben Lee vs the Collapse of the Music Industry tour. If you can get some tickets, make sure you don’t procrastinate as I’ve done for years. Get yourself to one of the following gigs:

6 October 2023 – The Baroque Room, Gundungurra and Darug Country/Katoomba
7 October 2023 – Tallagandra Hill Winery, Candariro/Gundaroo
13 October 2023 – Northcote Social Club, Wurundjeri Country/Northcote
14 October 2023 – Kindred Bandroom, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Bunurong Country/Footscray
16 November 2023 – ALTAR, Nipaluna/Hobart
19 November 2023 – Du Cane, Kanamaluka Country/Launceston

Image source: own photos

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dinley Jones Delivers Fun Throwback Single, “Get Down, Right Now”

Eora/Sydney artist Dinley Jones is giving me late ‘90s, early 00’s vibes with his fun new pop single “Get Down, Right Now.” If you blasted acts like Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, and 5ive back in the day, you’re going to love this one.

Dinley started his career in musical theatre at the tender age of 13, which explains the fire dance moves in the clip. It’s been a long time since we’ve had an artist like this on the scene. Only time will tell whether the scene has moved on from music like this, but I’d love to think there’s still a place for something so purely nostalgic.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Paul Kelly Releases Voice-Inspired Single, “If Not Now”

Normally the press release that accompanies the launch of a single contains information about the song and the artist. There’ll usually be quotes from the musician about the track’s inspiration, the recording process, and its video. There might even be some tour dates or information about the album to come. There are probably images attached so press outlets like mine can include them in our articles and catch your eye.

The press release of Paul Kelly’s new single “If Not Now” doesn’t have any of that. Instead, it just contains the lyrics of this song. As you listen to this one, it makes perfect sense. Honestly, the words to this song are all that matter. They speak for themselves, a call to all Australians to make change today. Or at least when we head to the ballot boxes on October 14.

These Voice-inspired songs are coming thick and fast at the moment, and I love it. The best art has something to say. When it can inspire us, immobilise us, perhaps even change our hearts and minds, it’s done its job.

In case you were wondering, Paul does have some upcoming shows. Check him out when he plays near you:

6 October 2023 – Now & Forever @ Shepparton Showgrounds, Kanny-goopna/Shepparton
14 October 2023 – The Warm Up, Mparntwe/Alice Springs
29 October 2023 – Harvest Rock II Festival @ Murlawirrapurka and Ityamai-Itpina/Rymill and King Rodney Parks, Tartanya/Adelaide

Image: Stuart Sevastos @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Benn Gunn Shows Yes Support With “Let Their Voice Be Heard”

John Farnham’s “You’re the Voice” might be the official anthem for the Yes campaign, but Benn Gunn’s latest single is a worthy unofficial option. “Let Their Voice Be Heard” is a plea for all Australians to come together as one and vote yes in the upcoming Voice referendum.

“It’s long overdue that we are proud of our indigenous Australians,” Benn enthused. “They’re the longest surviving culture on earth which makes them the greatest survivors in human history.”

I love how inclusive this song is. It’s a celebration of the notion of moving forward as a society, doing better because everyone is heard. The press release for this single explains that the feedback the Voice to Parliament could provide has the potential to save Australians hundreds of millions of dollars. The Federal Government currently invests around $4.5 billion dollars a year on Indigenous initiatives including health care and other essential services. However, the distrust some Indigenous Australians have of governments stemming from harmful policies of the past mean that even programs with excellent intentions can struggle to gain widespread acceptance in the communities they’re trying to help. With Indigenous elders offering their feedback on new policies and programs, we’re likely to see greater acceptance and outcomes. Surely that benefits us all. As Benn Gunn sings, “It’s time to come together and make a brand new start.”

Image used with permission from Checked Label Services