Author: Lauren Katulka

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

IRFXXN Gets Me Grooving With “Time”

It’s been far too long since I’ve heard a great old-school R&Pop jam. So I’m pretty excited to get my ears around “Time,” the latest single from Eora/Sydney act IRFXXN. Turn this one up and settle into the groove. I guarantee it’ll make your day better.

“It’s something almost every relationship can relate to, those times where you wish you could do more and everything seems to weigh you down,” IRFXXN said. “Sometimes you just need to let it out, but as easy as that sounds is just how difficult it is. When you’re completely devoted to someone and all you want to do is make it work, being the only one that feels like they’re putting in the effort is probably one of the worst things you can feel in life. Even though you know the relationship will work because of all the effort you’re giving to it, you know that it’s only happening because of how hard you are working and how little effort the girl is giving.”

IRFXXN is starting to establish a fan base here, but I hear he’s got even more listeners in North America and Europe. With songs like this, it’s only a matter of time before he blows up.

Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Aiz

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Gretta Ziller Releases Fabulous Single “Bones” From New Lockdown Album

If the first songs released are any indication, Gretta Ziller’s new album will be fantastic. She’s dropped her powerful new single “Bones,” but that’s not all. Stream it online and you can also hear the exquisite ballad “Dear Damascus” and another sassy new song, “Ain’t Even Your Lover.” Gretta penned “Bones” during a songwriting exercise for Song Club, a group she joined in 2020 to get through the pandemic lockdowns.

“Bones’ is about my love of music. Playing instruments, songwriting and singing isn’t something I have chosen to do. It was never one of many options for my life. It is the only thing I have ever planned, dreamed & wished to do in my life. From a kid with a violin, that loved to create. To a teenager who played any instrument she could and sung all the time in all the choirs and musicals and everywhere else. To releasing my first EP to now, where I’m touring and performing my own music all over Australia…. Music is in my bones.”

Gretta wrote and recorded all the songs that make up her third studio album All These Walls during the many lockdowns in Naarm/Melbourne. They explore the emotional walls that are put up while we’re confined by physical walls, but she promises it won’t get you down.

“All These Walls is my joy album. I spent the past few years healing and growing, I feel like I am finally back to the place I was when I first started playing music just for the love of it. Many of the tracks on the album are about my loves, for music, for singing, for my family, for my partner. Of course they are disguised in the expected minor rock infused sounds.”

Gretta releases All These Walls on August 25. She’s got a bunch of dates before and after it drops, so make sure you see her wherever you can!

4 August 2023 – The Old Presbyterian Church, Oryang-Ora Country/Springwood
5 August 2023 – Humph Hall, Dharug Country/Allambie Heights
12 August 2023 – Star Hotel, Dhudhuroa/Yackandandah
13 August 2023 – Hydrant Food Hall, Wadawurrung Country/Ballarat
19 August 2023 – Smiths Alternative, Ngambri Country/Canberra
20 August 2023 – The Curious Rabbit, Wiradjuri Country/Wagga Wagga
25 August 2023 – The Noojee Hotel, Wurundjeri Country/Noojee
26 August 2023 – George Lane, Euro Yuroke/St Kilda
27 August 2023 – Bayview Country Arts Club, Bunurong Country/Bittern
19-23 September 2023 – Americana Fest, Nashville
29 September 2023 – Deni Ute Muster, Wamba Wamba and Perrepa Perrepa Country/Deneliquin
16 November 2023 – Qirks, Awabakal Country/Kurri Kurri
17 November 2023 – Wingham House, Birrbay Country/Wingham
19 November 2023 – Can You Keep A Secret, Meeanjin/ Brisbane
1 December 2023 – The Palais, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Hepburn Springs

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Hattie Oates Releases Poptastic Single, “Buy Me a Dream”

Maybe it’s the opening of the Barbie movie this week, or the hot pink boots I just received in the mail, but I’m in a bit of an upbeat poppy mood. If you are too, you’re going to love Hattie Oates’ latest single “Buy Me a Dream.” It’s not all sweetness and light though. While it’s got an effervescent energy, its lyrics have some real edge.

“I wanted to write a song about the times you feel like you are giving so much to something or someone, without receiving anything in return,” Hattie explained. “Whether it’s generosity that goes unnoticed or just feeling like you are always the one trying to reach out or check in or make plans.”

More like this please!

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Radical Son Drops Powerful New Single, “Elder”

Don’t you just love those songs that stop you in your tracks? That make you forget about everything except for the music you’re listening to? Those songs are so rare, but “Elder,” the new single from Radical Son, aka David Leha, is one of them. It delivers a powerful and deeply personal statement of David’s devotion to country and his Kamilaroi and Tongan heritage. Honestly, I’ve got goosebumps.

“Elder is a song I began three or four years ago when I was working on country in Moree and Armadale, New South Wales,” he recalled. “I was working on a program with emerging artists called Yanayai, which means ‘returning’. I was helping these artists to create a piece in a genre of their choice and the conditions were that they had to have three generations of their family help them, and they also needed to incorporate some language into that as well. The bones of the song were there then. The language section from Jida Gulpilil (son of David), that came later. It’s quite simple. It’s just saying, ‘Let’s move, let’s dance and celebrate’.”

“Elder” is the first taste of Radical Son’s highly anticipated sophomore album, Biliyambil (The Learning), which features guest performances from David Bridie, Emma Donovan, and Jida Gulpilil. Listen out for that one when it drops in September.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Cameron Bloom

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

SANNIA Stuns With “travelling”

SANNIA has one of those voices that just cuts through. Her vocal abilities are only matched by her fantastic songwriting skills. She showcases both those talents in her new single “travelling,” a synth-pop song with true depth.

“I wrote travelling before the pandemic when I was essentially disassociating instead of confronting difficult emotions. It’s about feeling like a passenger in a relationship, you’re just tagging along for the ride, without genuine connection or companionship,” SANNIA explained. “The highlight of the whole song is the guitar solo – recorded by my partner Jason. We set the chord progression to loop, gave him a beer or two and let him fly and what came out had all of our jaws on the ground. I absolutely love playing this one live just for that moment.”

SANNIA is currently writing and recording music in South Carolina, but hopefully it won’t be too long before she’s back home playing for us all.

Image used with permission from GYRO PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

A Swift Farewell and Cassie Jade Join Forces For “FWMH”

Eora/Sydney emo act A Swift Farewell have teamed up with Cassie Jade from Terra for their latest single “FWMH.” Just a tip, if you’re in the office you may want to grab the headphones before you hit play on this one. You’ll figure out what that acronym stands for soon enough! I love the way the male and female voices really bring this song, which deals with reclaiming your power after ending a toxic relationship, to life.

“’We really wanted a second voice, a feature to emphasise the feeling of this song being about a relationship. Cassie’s voice ended up being perfect for it,” said A Swift Farewell guitarist Sarah Bonnet. “Ryo [Sprott, A Swift Farewell frontman] was so nervous on asking Cassie, but as soon as he asked, she immediately said yes without listening to it. When we heard the first mix we knew we created something amazing, and had to show the world.”

I’m a sucker for a male-female duet, but usually they celebrate coupledom instead of independence. I love hearing the way A Swift Farewell and Cassie Jade have flipped things for “FWMH.” This is a fantastic joint release that helps cement A Swift Farewell and Cassie Jade as some of the most exciting acts on the scene.

Image credit: Yoga Punk Photography

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dami Im @ Avoca Beach Picture Theatre, Darkinjung Country/Avoca Beach – 15 July 2023

It’s been three years since I saw Dami Im live. Back then she was just beginning to release some of the confessional music that turned me from a casual fan to a committed member of the “Dami Army.” I feel like her music has gone from strength to strength since that time, so I was thrilled to nab one of the best seats in the house for Saturday’s show at Avoca Beach Picture Theatre.

While The Art House is hardly a large venue, it doesn’t have the intimacy of the little community movie theatre that has become one of Darkinjung Country/Central Coast’s most beloved music venues seemingly overnight. The beautiful art deco cinema room (just the one, this is no multiplex) holds less than 300 people. While there’s a bar in the foyer, once people sit down they stay in their seats, listening to the music attentively and clapping respectfully. We’re even told that if we insist on taking photographs, to hold our cameras low to ensure we don’t annoy other patrons, and to be sporadic as a live event like this is much better experienced with our eyes rather than through the lens of a device. Normally I won’t take any photos, because my usual front row seats cast such a spell. But tickets sell so fast these days that I found myself a few rows back and able to catch a few.

A venue like this is perfect for an EP launch because people are there to appreciate music. They welcome new material and give everyone a chance to properly discover it in real-time. It’s a rare, special thing. Dami clearly relished the opportunity to introduce us to the songs from In Between, an EP written as she processed her emotions on falling pregnant and giving birth. They’re weighty songs, confessional songs which give real truths about this often-confusing time in a woman’s life. Honestly, I think they might be some of the best songs Dami’s ever written. Hearing her speak about that time that inspired this material has given me an even deeper appreciation of this recording.

While the night was a celebration of new material, Dami had time for old favourites. She belted out all her singles, relishing the opportunity to dance around and interact with her band. She even took us back to where it all began with a piano medley of songs that helped her clinch the X Factor crown. And of course she couldn’t leave us without delivering “Sounds of Silence,” the song that launched her into the global consciousness at Eurovision.

I loved Dami’s live show the first time around, but in this special intimate venue, excited to share new music that clearly means so much to her, she might have been even better.

Image source: own photos

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Josie Celebrates Aussie Roots With Debut Single “Down Here”

After sharing stages with country royalty like Troy Cassar-Daley, The McClymonts, and Travis Collins, rising star Josie has just dropped her debut single “Down Here.” The confident number celebrates Josie’s upbringing right here in Australia while rejecting the Americanisation of the global country music scene.

“In creating my debut single, ‘Down Here,’ I took to streaming services to have a geez at what the top country artists are singing about. I noticed a trend amongst them. They all seemed to have an insatiable thirst for singing about American places and themes,” Josie said. “I wanted to show the world that I’m more than just a mimic. I’m a genuine storyteller who can achieve that coveted mainstream sound without having to pretend I’ve got a deep-rooted connection to every nook and cranny of the good ol’ U.S. of A.”

In keeping with the song’s theme, Josie filmed the music video for Down Here near her North Queensland home.

“The barn, the cruiser, the bar scene – all filmed at the North Queensland Elite Rodeo grounds. Which – fun fact – was where I had my first date with my now partner of five years, so it really was an incredible experience to record the video in a place that felt so special.”

Keep an eye on her socials, because you’ll be seeing a lot more of Josie.

Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Hilltop Hoods Drop Latest Banger “Laced Up” Ahead of Aussie and NZ Shows

When Hilltop Hoods release a single, it’s always a good time. “Laced Up,” the latest cut from their forthcoming ninth studio album, is no exception.

“The idea for ‘Laced Up’ was inspired by an actual dinner I had with my wife when I was young and broke. We were at a pretty nice restaurant for Valentines Day, and I spent the whole time sweating about whether I’d actually be able to pay the bill or not,” Suffa admitted. “I was working at a factory at the time and was struggling to make ends meet. The funny thing is that I would have had crisp, fresh kicks on, and I would have been confident that I had enough money for drinks. It’s just how your priorities are when you’re that age I guess, at least that’s how mine were.”

They might have been in the biz for nearly 30 years, but Hilltop Hoods are showing no signs of slowing down. Fresh from shows in Europe and the United Kingdom, Hilltop Hoods will play some Aussie festivals later this month before jetting across the ditch. You won’t have a chance to miss them, as they’ll be back on home soil for the Yours & Owls Festival. Catch them anywhere you can.

21 July 2023 – Spinoff Festival, Tartanya/Adelaide
23 Jul 2023 – Splendour In The Grass, Cavanbah/Byron Bay
1 September 2023 – The Studio, Auckland
2 September 2023 – Hunter Lounge, Wellington
3 September 2023 – Ngaio Marsh Theatre, Christchurch
7 September 2023 – Snow Machine, Queenstown
14 October 2023 – Yours & Owls Festival, Dharawal Country/Wollongong

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia; credit: Ashlee Jones

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

STUMPS Release Career Best Single, “Life’s Moving Past You”

A few years ago I felt STUMPS were finding their feet and their own unique sound. I knew they had something, but it still felt a little derivative. What a difference a few years makes. Their latest single “Life’s Moving Past You” is a triumph, with an epic feel and a lyrical hook that promises to stay with you.

“This song somewhat started as a longer-form ballad in its infancy,” explained STUMPS’ bassist, Merrick Powell. “But when we brought it to the studio we wanted to give it more drive and some dance-y flavour. By changing the beat in the chorus, the song felt like it came to life in that moment. Now it feels, to us, like it brings together almost all of our sonic elements in a way we really love, which was a big goal of ours.”

STUMPS will kick off a national tour tonight to celebrate the release of “Life’s Moving Past You.” If the single’s lyrics don’t inspire you to get off the couch and see these guys live, I’m not sure what will!

15 July 2023 – The Station, Ngarigo/Jindabyne
27 July 2023 – Bucketty’s, Dharug/Brookvale
28 July 2023 – New Cambo, Awabakal/Newcastle
3 August 2023 – Finnian’s Irish Tavern, Birpai/Port Macquarie
4 August 2023 – Black Bear Lodge, Meanjin/Brisbane
5 August 2023 – Vinnie’s Dive, Yugambeh/Gold Coast
11 August 2023 – La La La’s, Dharawal/Wollongong
18 August 2023 – The Retreat, Naarm/Melbourne
19 August 2023 – Barwon Club, Wathaurong/Geelong
25 August 2023 – Crown & Anchor, Kaurna/Adelaide
26 August 2023 – Four5Nine Bar, Boorloo/Perth
1 September 2023 – The Shaking Hand, Ngambri/Canberra
2 September 2023 – Marrickville Bowling Club, Eora/Sydney

Image used with permission fron cult logic; credit: Josh Carr-Hummerston