Category: Film Clips

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

Skyuka Shows Her Darker Side With “Houseplants”

Boorloo/Perth talent Skyuka first caught my attention with her upbeat indie-pop ditty “Michael Cera.” It was playful and sweet, and not at all like her latest single “Houseplants.” We love peeling back the layers of an artist, so we’re pretty psyched to her switching things up with this brooding, angsty track.

“‘Houseplants’ is definitely the first angry song I’ve released, and it feels great,” she enthused. “It’s about having complete, utter disappointment in someone and a lack of communication making you question everything to the point that you drive yourself crazy, creating your own narratives that may not even exist. ‘Houseplants’ originally started with just a bass line that I wrote and from there came the melody quite easily. I was having a terrible night mentally, so the salty lyrics just poured out of me. I then programmed some synth and recorded my vocals from home. My brother (Token Friend) put down live bass and guitar; and did a lot of layering in parts to really build the tension. We both then went to Debaser Studios with Jasper Emmitt Miller who put down live drums. We were very grateful to then have Andy Lawson steer the track in the right direction with his production and mixing skills.”

There’s more new music from Skyuka on the way with her EP slated for release later this year.

Photo credit: Sarah Haleem

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Down and Out Team Up With Kellin Quinn For “Four Leaf Clover” Single

If you’re struggling to transition back to the grind after the long weekend, turn up “Four Leaf Clover”, the latest track by Tandanya/Adelaide-based pop-punk act Down and Out. Trust me, this energetic track, featuring Kellin Quinn from Sleeping with Sirens, will do more for you than any cup of coffee.

“The song is about getting into a relationship with someone that you know you shouldn’t; the sort of person that makes you think, ‘yeah, they’re gonna ruin my life’. Then guess what?! SURPRISE – they ruin your life!” the band said. “ I mean, you can kind of blame them, but you’ve also gotta blame yourself for walking into oncoming traffic despite all the very obvious red flags all over the road and the barricades that were attempting to stop you from making terrible decisions. So, yeah, the song is about a person that I knew was going to ruin my life, but I went ahead and let them, and now I’ve gotta take accountability for the choices that I made to get myself into that situation.”

Fresh from playing shows with Drastic Park, Down and Out have a few headlining gigs coming up. Catch them doing their thing at the following shows:

20 October 2023 – Pub Rock Diner, Palawa Country/Devonport
21 October 2023 – Altar, Nipaluna/Hobart
18 November 2023 – The Vanguard, Eora/Sydney

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Paulina Releases Heartbreaking Single, “Give It All”

Meeanjin/Brisbane artist Paulina proves she’s one of the best neo-soul talents in the country with the release of her stunning new single “Give It All.” Notice I didn’t just say she’s one of the best neo-soul voices we have. That’s a given of course. You know within the first few notes that her rich voice is exceptional. But it’s the way that Paulina backs up that voice with songs of real depth that impresses me. This song is an exploration of the grief that never quite leaves you when you lose someone significant. You don’t just hear that loss when you listen to this song. You feel it.

“The music video explores stages of grief – specifically an older girl grieving her childhood best friend who unfortunately passed away. This future and older version of me is seen walking through my own memories of my younger self and my childhood best friend, playing in the front yard, whilst I’m reminiscing on those days and reflecting on how things have since changed,” Paulina explained. “Certain clips within the video depict how those memories haunt me at times, which is further accentuated when the little kids run into the house, and I frantically look for them inside but they are nowhere to be found. When you’re grieving a huge loss, it can sometimes be hard to decipher past memories from your reality, and that’s what this music video is all about.”

Let this release serve as a reminder to check out Paulina’s gorgeous EP Just Know, It’ll Be Okay. It’s out now.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Angie McMahon Wows Me With “Fireball Whiskey”

Angie McMahon’s upcoming album Light, Dark, Light Again promises some very revealing, personal songs. It’s not here yet, but I predict her latest single “Fireball Whiskey” will be one of the highlights. It’s so intimate, with confessional lyrics about managing anxiety that really shine against its minimalist musical backdrop. After it fades out, don’t be surprised if you have to take a moment to take it all in before rejoining the world.

“‘Fireball Whiskey’ touches on using alcohol to navigate my anxiety, and also just realising over time that caring for your mental health is so important and will affect the way you can love and be with people,” she admitted. “I think I’m afraid of change and didn’t know that about myself, but the process of writing this one helped bring it to light.”

Angie took charge of the video, editing footage captured by friends on lands belonging to the Wurundjeri and Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nation and the Chumash tribe in California.

“I’ve never edited a video before, but I used this Handycam footage taken by my friends to try and tell a visual story of dancing and swaying myself out of the darkness,” she said. “Travelling to this mountain range outside of Ojai felt like visiting a place where all my silly little worries and bruises could be transformed into something open and time could be suspended and I could empty everything out again, and that’s the reward for leaving behind what I loved but wasn’t right for me.”

Angie wraps up a string of sold-out shows here and overseas with a gig in Naarm/Melbourne tonight. You might not be able to score tickets now, but I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t announce more local shows to coincide with the album’s release on October 27. Watch this space.

Image used with permission from Super Duper; credit: Taylor Ranston

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

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

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

Andy Penkow Releases New Local Anthem, “Aussie Rain”

“Aussie Rain,” the latest single from 2023 Golden Guitar nominee Andy Penkow, is one of those truly great Australian songs. It’s heartfelt and honest, with lyrics that speak of local small towns and the characters in it.

“As a full-time musician, I get the amazing opportunity to travel across Australia and visit some pretty neat places”, Andy explained. “I first visited a small town in outback New South Wales called Coonabarabran a few years back and I felt an instant connection. There was something so special and unique about it. The people, the land, the history, the nighttime stars, it really moved me. ‘Aussie Rain’ is a love letter to the town, to thank them for being part of my journey as an artist, singer and songwriter”.

When Andy says he’s a full-time musician, he’s not kidding. He’d booked more than 100 shows this year and there’s more to come. Next year he plans to head overseas to play gigs abroad and release his fourth studio album. You can see Andy at one of these upcoming shows:

6 October 2023 – Romano’s Hotel, Wiradjuri Country/Wagga Wagga (with Alan Fletcher)
7 October 2023 – Dundallimal Homestead, Wiradjuri Country/Dubbo (with Alan Fletcher)
14 October 2023 – The Barn at Hibbards, Guruk/Port Macquarie (with TC Cassidy)
19 October 2023 – Metro Bakery, Berrin/Mount Gambier (with Anne Fraser)
20 October 2023 – Raidis Estate Coonawarra, Bindjali Country/Penola (with Anne Fraser)
21 October 2023 – Shotgun Willie’s, Tartanya/Adelaide
26 October 2023 – GPO Bendigo, Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung Country/Bendigo (with Alan Fletcher and Riley Catherall)
28 October 2023 – Brycee’s Tavern Café & Bar, Wurundjeri Country/Mooroolbark (with Alan Fletcher and Riley Catherall)
4 November 2023 – Sutton Forest Inn, Tharawal Country/Sutton Forest
8 December 2023 – The Ophir Hotel, Wiradjuri Country/Orange
9 December 2023 – Sutton Forest Inn, Tharawal Country/Sutton Forest
23 January 2024 – Capitol Theatre, Kamilaroi Country/Tamworth (with TC Cassidy and Donella)

Image used with permission from Red Rebel Music