After capturing hearts with singles released through triple J’s Unearthed High, Mulumbinba/Newcastle artist Grace Aberhart continues her rise with the release of “Letterbox.” This song reminds me so much of the angry girl rock I listened to in the ‘90s, with its vulnerable lyrics and grungy instrumentation. Music this good never goes out of style.
“‘Letterbox’ is a decision and a realisation that letting go and moving on is what you need and knowing that you’ll be fine,” Grace explained. “It’s about going through the motions of heartbreak and how those feelings will fluctuate from day to day, wrestling with yourself to be stronger than you feel.”
I grew up in Mulumbinba/Newcastle, so the music video shot in Grace’s hometown is also giving me nostalgic vibes. I can’t wait to hear more from Grace when she releases her debut EP later this year.
Image used with permission from Fright Night Music; credit: Nikola Jokanovic
The Aussie pop-punk scene is so strong at the moment. It feels like I’m writing about bands from this scene most weeks, but they’re so good I can’t leave any out. Tandanya/Adelaide act Down and Out is the latest to get me fired up with their latest single “Paper Skin.” With killer vocals from frontman Luke Ganeo and an exciting mix of classic guitars and synths, there’s a lot to like.
“The song is about being in a situationship that falls apart due to a lack of clear communication and intentions. It’s easy for things to become messy quickly in a situation like that unless everybody is on the same page, and this situation became messy pretty quickly,” Down and Out explained. “Unfortunately, if nobody has the insight or guts to call it off early enough it can devolve into an unstable and toxic dynamic, which is exactly what happened.”
Watching the video for “Paper Skin”, which features live performance footage from shows at Mobile Barber Shop Depot and Hijinx Hotel, makes me want to see Down and Out in some sweaty pub somewhere. They’re fresh from shows with SoSo, but no doubt it won’t be too long before they’re back on the road. Keep an eye on their socials for news of gigs as soon as they’re announced!
I know it’s hard to think about camping with winter’s chill in the air, but spring will be here before you know it. And what better way to celebrate the season than pitching a tent in the Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country/Sunshine Coast Hinterland for the second annual KickAss Music & Camping Festival.
Back bigger and better in 2023, the two-day event will feature performances from James Reyne, The Beautiful Girls, Kingswood, Dragon, Ash Grunwald, GANGgajang, and heaps more.
“We are overjoyed to be continuing our journey and hosting our second music and camping festival,” confirmed KickAss manager, Josh Allen. “Last year was just a dip in the ocean compared to what we have planned this time around. We can’t wait to share this lineup with you and believe those who love great music and the great outdoors will absolutely love this festival.”
The KickAss Festival hits Kenilworth Showgrounds on September 8 and 9. It’s also a family-friendly event, so bring the kids and enjoy connecting over superb local music in the great outdoors. One- and two-day festival passes, including VIP and premium tickets, are available now from Oztix.
Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Kane Hibberd
KYE has teamed up with Budjerah for her fabulous new single “Heavy Love.” While so many duets celebrate love, this one’s a little bit darker. While the lyrics explore the struggles of a relationship, the energetic mix of pop, R&B, and Afrobeat keeps it light. And can we take a moment to appreciate how good their voices sound together? Please tell me this isn’t the last time we’ll hear them collaborating!
“It’s been at the top of my list to work with Budjerah and his vocals have made this track really special,” gushed KYE. “We recorded it on my birthday in the Byron Hinterlands and the meeting of our voices really blew our minds. Our running joke is that it’s our version of Jordan Sparks’ ‘No Air’”.
And it seems like the admiration is mutual, with Budjerah commenting “KYE is one of my favourite artists at the moment and I just had to sing with her. The track has so much bounce too and a beat that just makes me want to move. I had an easy time saying yes to this.”
“Heavy Love” comes from KYE’s recently released sophomore EP Ribena. Catch her at the following venues in the coming weeks.
16 June 2023 – Volta, Ballaarat/Ballarat (supporting Telenova)
17 June 2023 – Torquay Hotel, Wadawurrung Country/Torquay (supporting Telenova)
23 June 2023 – OAF Gallery, Eora/Sydney
24 June 2023 – Felons Barrell Hall, Meeanjin/Brisbane (FREE)
It feels like far too long ago that we were introduced to King of Spain’s debut single “Ferrol.” If they left you wanting more too, wrap your ears around Bed and Breakfast, the band’s first EP.
Each track takes us to another European city. We’re veering off the beaten path here. We take visit “Ferrol,” a Spanish city, for the party. “Grabovac”, named after the Croatian city, is a smooth operator, skilled in the art of seduction. “Newburg” is a little psychedelic, so perhaps it’s the part of the European vacation where we experiment with some mushrooms. But what a trip is it. “Saint Pol” brings us back to earth with its deep-seated groove.
The press release mentions Allen Stone, and I can certainly hear similarities in the old-school sensibility and Peter White’s effortlessly soulful vocals. But I can also hear a little classic Hall & Oates coming through. And then there’s that thing you just can’t put your finger on that sets King of Spain apart. At just four tracks, Bed and Breakfast still isn’t enough to satisfy me. But it’s a delicious serve of funk and soul that’s certainly whetting my appetite for more from this Tartanya/Adelaide act.
DENNIS. is best known for her upbeat pop numbers, but she’s taken a bit of a left-turn with “Sober.” This track is a real sucker punch, a vulnerable and confessional exploration of identity and self-doubt.
“’Sober’ is about how I like myself more when I’m sober but my friends like me more when I drink,” she admitted. “I guess it’s a drinking anxiety theme, with a focus on being too much inside your own head to the point that you almost create a reality that isn’t true. What if I was Sober would you love me like I do? We’ve all been there before, had one too many and maybe said too much or did something we shouldn’t have.”
DENNIS. has already clocked up more than 7 million streams; if there’s any justice this awesome single will net her a few more.
Fresh from performances at SXSW, Beks has just released her new single “Dangerous” and it’s an absolute bop. If you love your pop music straight up, you’ll really appreciate this one. It’s incredibly catchy with killer vocals from this rising talent.
“’Dangerous’ highlights my tendencies to run away from relationships that have become too comfortable, too safe,” Beks explained. “I wanted to explore my urges to chase the next best thing, the thrill of the unknown, the mystery, the expansion of my sexuality. My soul craves adventure, I want fireworks, spontaneity, to break the mundane, but can I have all that with just one person?”
Beks has just returned from the United States, where she recorded music with Frank Infante from Blondie and Mark McEntee from Divinyls, so it sounds like we’ll be hearing a lot more exciting music from her soon.
From the moment Franjapan count us in to “Showtime” and those bouncy guitar notes kick in, you know you’re in for a good time. The opening track to Learning Futures, the band’s first studio EP, it sets the scene for this joyous collection of songs.
“Stonewall” is another indie-rock banger, the kind of song that makes you want to jump around and punch your fist in the air. I loved “Lucy” on its release, and its appeal hasn’t faded. It’s a bit more romantic than the songs that came before, a Sam Fender-esque song that would sound perfect turned up loud as you take on the open road. “Awake on my Eyes” is the EP’s most poignant moment, a gentle guitar ballad with beautiful harmonies and tender lyrics. Just what you thought you had Franjapan figured out, this song proves they’re much more than just a party band. Closing number “Choo Choo” is the perfect closer, an anthemic number that I can imagine hearing in stadiums. Give it time.
Franjapan road-tested these songs in the live arena and were thrilled at the enthusiastic response they got from audiences. Sometimes things get lost in translation, with studio versions failing to match the energy of the live arena. I haven’t seen Franjapan live, yet, but I do know these songs are buzzing. And they make me want to see them live, which is a pretty good result in my books. I’ll have to wait a while, but if you’re in Naarm/Melbourne you can see Franjapan launching Learning Futures at The Espy on June 16.
Images used with permission from beehive; main image credit: Jontee Langton
After years of keeping her degenerative nerve disorder hidden, Eliza Hull has laid her feelings about her condition bare in her powerful new single “Running Underwater.”
“For a long time, I hid my disability, especially in the music industry. This was due to under-representation of disabled musicians and I was constantly shown that disability was a deficit or something that should be feared and hidden. It was such a heavy weight holding onto these beliefs, it was exhausting to constantly hide,” she admitted. “This song is about pushing up against society’s view of disability, it’s about letting go of the fear and being authentic and true to myself and showing that it’s OK to be different.”
The single’s power is matched by the video, which features dancer roya the destroyer, a fellow disability advocate and creative force.
“The music video features my very good friend ‘roya the destroya’. She is a brilliant disabled dancer who moves like nobody I know. She actually started busking with an early version of the song and sent me a video of her performing with it. When I watched that video I knew I had to collaborate with her on the official music video,” Eliza added. “She has a beautiful ability to inhibit what I am feeling in my music and then express that through movement. In the music video she is like my alter-ego, almost like the spirit part of what I am feeling in the lyrics. Keiran Watson-Bonnice is the director of the music video. We have worked together in the past on the ABC Kids TV show And Then Something Changed, which I produced and wrote the music for. We shot the clip in one day, in mostly one take in the Goods Shed on a freezing winter’s day. “
Fresh from dates in the United Kingdom, Eliza will play the following local shows in August and September.
26 August 2023 – Melbourne Recital Centre, Naarm/Melbourne
10 September 2023 – Riverside Theatre, Eora/Sydney
22 September 2023 – Undercover Festival, Meeanjin/Brisbane
Image used with permission from beehive; credit: Michelle Grace Hunder
I have no idea where I was when Noah Dillon released his debut album Kill The Dove last year, but I’m making up for lost time streaming it now. That’s all thanks to Noah’s latest single “Drip Dry,” a boisterous and bold pop song that encouraged me to listen to the rest of his material. If it doesn’t hook you in too, I’m a poor judge.
“This song was probably my favourite to record and write,” Noah said. “It encapsulates the sonic and lyrical style that I’ve aimed for with this album, contrasting the light of love and the darkness of loss. Lyrically it’s about learning to lean on loved ones through hard times and finding solace in friends and family when relationships end. I wrote the chorus melody on the toilet one day and couldn’t stop whistling it so I stayed up all night and the song just came through that melody.”
Noah will celebrate the recent release of “Drip Dry” with shows in the East Coast capitals and two massive hometown gigs. Catch him in a city near you.
22 June 2023 – The Lansdowne, Eora/Sydney
23 June 2023 – Northcote Social Club, Naarm/Melbourne
24 June 2023 – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane
30 June 2023 – Mojo’s, Waylyup/Fremantle
1 July 2023 – Mojo’s, Waylyup/Fremantle (SOLD OUT)
It feels like far too long ago that we were 
From the moment 
