Author: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

MARLON X RULLA Smash It With Powerful Single “Trauma Patient”

With an irresistible blend of soul and hip hop, First Nations duo MARLON X RULLA make a strong statement with their new single “Trauma Patient.”

“‘Trauma Patient’ is a thought provoking expression of one of the many anxieties of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person in Australia. It places responsibility on listeners to challenge the behaviors and values of the term “Allie” and define what that title means in its truest form,” explained Marlon Motlop, who provides the soulful vocals you hear on this track. “’Trauma Patient’ in its essence, is a challenge of today’s societal WorldView of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and the narrative that our successes are formed or created, and actioned from a deficit model-based origin.”

“‘Trauma Patient’ provokes the very irony of our trauma being exploited by those who created it, for profit,” added the other half of this dynamic duo, Rulla Kelly-Mansell. “Challenging the structure of allies, industries, and people in positions of power and their priorities of analytics. Asking them the question, are we talented? Or are we ourselves shining a microscope on our experiences of trauma? What level of comprehension do those people see that in?”

This is such a timely release as we edge closer to the vote on the Voice. Listen to the lyrics, think about your own allyship, and remember this track as you go to the polls on October 14.

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Jack Fenby

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

GRXCE Challenges Social Norms With “Everything I Wanted”

If you’ve ever felt like pursuing your goals put you out of step with society, GRXCE’s latest single “Everything I Wanted” is bound to resonate with you. It’s an angsty indie pop-rock track which reminds me of grungy female-fronted ‘90s acts like The Julianna Hatfield Three and Veruca Salt, in the best possible way.

“‘Everything I Wanted’ depicts the catastrophisation of the future and the different paths life can take both you and the people around you,” explained GRXCE’s frontwoman, Jamila. “When I wrote this track I was very much grappling with how I pictured my life evolving overtime and my limitations I felt were imposed on me as a woman when choosing my career as a priority over the usual expectations to be a partner, or a mother, or a wife.”

“Everything I Wanted” has a big sound, with layered guitars and bold percussion, but it took some time to get it from the home studio of band member Alex Berger to the track it is today.

“We tracked all the instrumental and vocal parts in Alex’s home studio in his bedroom in Camperdown over the course of a few weeks. In between sessions we had zoom calls with Jackson [Barclay, producer] to hear feedback and discuss the track before jumping back in,” Jamila added. “Finally we travelled up to Gosford and spent a day in Jackson’s home studio to put the finishing touches on the song.”

GRXCE are currently playing shows around the country. Catch them at the following venues:

29 September 2023 – Black Bear Lodge, Meeanjin/Brisbane QLD (supporting Dusty)
6 October 2023 – OAF Gallery, Eora/Sydney NSW (HEADLINE SHOW)

Image used with permission from Habit Music; credit: Sevin Pakbaz

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Archer Drops “Bittersweet” Single

I’m really vibing on “Bittersweet,” the latest single from up-and-coming Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast artist Archer. This indie pop is a total earworm with relatable lyrics about one-sided relationship.

“The track itself is about going out of your way to change how you are for the benefit of someone else and the realisation that the whole feeling is bittersweet when it doesn’t work out,” Archer explained. “The story is told in the terms of a relationship that goes sour after miscommunicated expectations which makes it all a bit sassy and fun – I mean not for anyone who takes it to heart though.”

The release of “Bittersweet has been a long time coming. Archer began working on it with Naarm/Melbourne rapper and producer Drest last year, but it wasn’t until they added producer Riverine to the mix that it found its feet.

“Drest and I had worked on the beat in late 2022 but with different lyrics and then kind of worked on other things and the track was left on the shelf. Then in early 2023 we decided to revisit it because the demo was really cool and had heaps of potential,” Archer added. “The chorus started with the line ‘Boy your rings just make your fingers green’ which was a really cool concept to start to workshop the rest of the lyrics around. Once we’d finished the basic idea of the beat and all the lyrics, we brought on Riverine to beef it up and add a little razzle dazzle to the drops. And so that’s how the track became the way it is.”

This is Archer’s first release since 2021, but she says she knows it’s the right time to put more music into the world. Hopefully that means she won’t leave us waiting so long for the follow-up!

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Meliora Film

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Lenka Back to Her Best With “Silhouette”

Remember Lenka? Even if you don’t remember the name, I know you’ll remember her smash 2008 single “The Show.” It’s been a long time since she made an impact on the charts, but if there’s any justice she should do it again with her latest single “Silhouette.” This nostalgic 80s throwback is so much fun, just like the best pop songs should be!

“This song is my delicious 1980s pop jam about being worn down by life to the point where you feel like you’re disappearing and becoming numb. Almost a nihilistic feeling, but in a joyful way!” Lenka enthused. “It’s fun to get creative with your more negative emotions and wear them like a costume, turn them into armour.”

The video continues the 80s vibes, with Lenka taking inspiration from pop icons like Annie Lennox, Whitney Houston, and Madonna.
“This was such a fun video to shoot. The goal was to evoke the feel of 80s glamour, the nostalgia, but without the cheese,” explained Lenka’s director, Adam Jordan. “Lenka absolutely smashed it with the clothing options, my favourite shots became the black sparkly top with the backlight, the perfect mix of the glamour and nostalgia vibe we were going for.”

And if that wasn’t enough, Lenka is playing shows just about everywhere. She’s just played a string of shows in China. The US comes next before Lenka arrives home for some local gigs in November. Get on it!

1 October 2023 – City Winery, New York
8 October 2023 – Resident, Los Angeles
17 November 2023 – The Gaso, Naarm/Melbourne
24 November 2023 – Valley Loft, Meeanjin/ Brisbane
25 November 2023 – Great Club, Sydney

Image used with permission from This Much Talent; credit: Tanja Bruckner

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Sienna Skies on the Comeback Trail With “Let it Burn”

I usually prefer my music on the mellower side of things. But every now and again something comes along that is so good that I don’t care that it rocks harder than I’m used to. “Let It Burn,” the latest track from Sienna Skies, is one of those songs.

“Let it burn, stemmed from the events that happened on the east coast of Australia during the summer of 2019/2020.” explained vocalist Thomas Pirozzi. “The appalling handling of the situation by our government, it’s like they didn’t care at all. Ignoring all the warnings of catastrophic conditions, the defunding of the State’s Rural Fire Services and National Parks. Whilst the disaster was unfolding our Prime Minister, our apparent ‘leader’, left the country for a tropical holiday, and it came to light that during this time, our state leader was flushing party money through her lover’s interests. Three billion animals killed, 400+ people killed and 2,000+ homes lost.It felt like they didn’t care at all, they just sat back and watched our country burn.”

“Let it Burn” is the band’s first release since their 2019 A Darker Shade of Truth, so it’s been a long time coming for fans. If you love the band, you’ll be happy to know they won’t leave you waiting so long for the next one. This is the first of many singles to be released in coming months. They’re also set to announce a string of shows really soon, so get excited.

Image used with permission from Capital Artist Group

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Best Friend” – Clayton Francis

As a big fan of American indie-pop duo LANY, I was instantly drawn to Aussie artist Clayton Francis’ new EP Best Friend. Their music is so similar, with electronic percussion, uplifting synths, sweet vocals, and romantic lyrics that make the world seem better. However, the more I listened, the more I started to appreciate Clayton’s music in its own right.

Unlike LANY’s singer-songwriter Paul Klein, Clayton is happily married to his high school sweetheart. When he sings songs like the title track “Best Friend” and “As Long as You Love Me,” you know they come from a place of true, deep love. When he sings that he’d lay down his life for his partner in “You’ll be the Death of Me,” you believe him. This music isn’t fan service. He’s not trying to make the audience swoon, although they just might. He’s simply showing us his heart, and that’s a beautiful thing. Of course, being married to your high school sweetheart has its downside. You won’t find this music taking any dark turns. “Find My Way”, a song about the pursuit of a career which can take him away from his relationship, is as close to a story of struggle as this EP gets. But that doesn’t matter too much to me. There are plenty of places to hear songs about heartbreak and betrayal. There’s certainly a place for music that simply makes you feel as good as this collection of songs does.

The music from Clayton’s EP might sound like lost tracks from a LANY recording, but as a fan of that music I don’t care too much. It’s good when they make it, and it’s every bit as good as good here. What may give him a slight edge though is his maturity. And of course, we always have a soft spot for our own. If you love the indie pop music LANY are making, make sure you listen to Clayton Francis. He might just be your new favourite artist.

Images used with permission from Kick Push PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Down in Hollywood” – Dana Gehrman

I must admit, I approached Dana Gehrman’s new album Down in Hollywood with a little trepidation. I wasn’t very familiar with this Meeanjin/Brisbane-based blues-rock artist, and I’m ashamed to admit I’m not across the music from Little Feat, whose songs she covers on this release. I thought I’d feel like a fish out of water listening, but I have a policy of playing everything that lands in my inbox. I’m so glad I did. While I expected to feel out of my element, Down in Hollywood is one of the most accessible and enjoyable albums I’ve heard in some time.

This album has a beautiful nostalgia about it, even if you don’t know the source material. And Dana’s voice is so warm and welcoming, the marriage is heavenly. She wraps her vocals around these songs with gusto. All too often there’s a disconnect when people sing covers, because they didn’t write the material, but you can hear how much these songs matter to Dana.

“I grew up with Little Feat, emanating from vintage Tannoy speakers in cabinets larger than life. These songs are so engrained in me; when we play them, they feel as much a part of me as my own songs,” Dana added. “I don’t believe you could ever make their songs better; these are just my humble interpretations of songs I truly love.”

After listening to Down in Hollywood, I’m inspired to listen to Little Feat’s originals, but not just yet. For now, I’m happy to sit with Dana’s fabulous interpretations and celebrate them as standalone works before I make inevitable comparisons. Dana will launch Down in Hollywood with these shows along the East Coast next month:

1 October 2023 – Caloundra Music Festival, Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country/Caloundra
5 October 2023 – The Beach Hotel, Cavanbah/Byron Bay
6 October 2023 – The Citadel, Kalibai Country/Murwillumbah
7 October 2023 – Tom Atkin Hall, Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast
13 October 2023 – St Bernard Hotel, Yugambeh Country/Mt Tamborine
14 October 2023 – Felons Barrel Hall, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Image used with permission from Jo Corbett Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gregory Alan Isakov Announces Aussie Tour

I intended to write about Gregory Alan Isakov’s upcoming Australian tour a little earlier, but his music took me down a streaming rabbit hole. I hadn’t heard of this South African-born, American-based folk artist until I saw his press release, so I had to check out his latest album Appaloosa Bones. And it was so beautiful that I had to fire up Spotify’s “This is Gregory Alan Isakov” playlist to get across some of his earlier material. And before I knew it, hours had passed, my heart was full with his music but I was no closer to writing this article. So here we are.

If like me you weren’t already across his music, fire up Appaloosa Bones, pronto. It’s the sort of dreamy folk music that is so good for the soul. Just don’t be surprised if it inspires you to listen to more and seriously contemplate nabbing some tickets for that tour. Here are all the dates you need!

27 January 2023 – The Tivoli, Meeanjin/Brisbane
28 January 2023 – The Forum, Naarm/Melbourne
29 January 2023 – The Gov, Tartanya/Adelaide
31 January 2023 – Freo Social Club, Walyup/Fremantle
1 February 2023 – Factory Theatre, Eora/Sydney
2 February 2023 – Metro Theatre, Eora/Sydney

Image used with permission from Habit Music; credit: Glenn Ross

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Shangrila Drop Fantastic Rock Single, “Afterlife”

Boorloo/Perth alt-rock act Shangrila have release their hard-hitting new single, “Afterlife”. It’s an epic track with stellar vocals from Devyn Jupp, thumping bass and drums, bold guitars, and powerful, personal lyrics.

“Afterlife is a track about struggling with your direction in life, feeling as though you are existing but not truly living,” Devyn explained. “The song explores apprehension towards change, and the ultimate realization that often we are standing the way of our own growth, and need to go through uncomfortable moments and hard work to realise the best version of ourselves and enjoy the rewards that life has to offer.”

Fresh from playing the Winter DRPØUT Festival in Tartanya/Adelaide and shows with American post-hardcore act Thrice, Shangrila will kick off a new tour with Young Lions tonight. Make sure you arrive early enough for their sets!

22 September 2023 – The Brightside, Meeanjin/Brisbane
23 September 2023 – Mary’s Underground, Eora/Sydney
28 September 2023 – Stay Gold, Naarm/Melbourne
29 September 2023 – Jive Bar, Tartanya/Adelaide

Image used with permission from Bigmouth PR; credit: Jess Wharehinga

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Seamus McCorry Releases Fresh New Single, “Spinning Around”

Naarm/Melbourne based singer-songwriter Seamus McCorry releases his latest single “Spinning Around” today, a song that sees this artist really stepping into his own powers. While I loved the throwback Britpop vibe of previous single “Ain’t Enough For Me,” this song feels much more original.

“’Spinning Around’ was the first song I wrote that felt reminiscent of my taste in music,” Seamus admitted. “It had flavours of Paul Kelly, Tom Petty and The War On Drugs, but expressed something deeply personal. It deals in vague imagery and wordplay, but amongst that, it captures a deep sense of Nihilism and infatuation in equal parts. ”

“Spinning Around” is the third and final single released from Seamus’ debut EP Sketches of an Incomplete Man, which drops on October 27.

Photo credit: Tess Sakkas