Between You & Me Drop New Single “Nevermind” Ahead of U.S. and Local Shows

Aussie pop-punk outfit Between You & Me are going from strength to strength, and it’s time for the world to know it. They’ve just dropped their fantastic new single “Nevermind” and announced U.S. dates with Real Friends and Knuckle Puck. After taking America by storm for the second time (they toured the country with State Champs in the back end of 2022), they’ll be back on local soil for their own shows.

“We knew that the next song we released after Armageddon was going to be tough because we put all that we had into the album and are very proud of what we were able to create together,” explained frontman Jake Wilson. “Since our band is now independent, there felt like a lot of added pressure to prove a lot of people wrong and remind everyone that we’re still here and we aren’t dropping off anytime soon.

“As we’re growing in our career and as individuals we’ve enjoyed playing with different genres and finding our niche. ‘Nevermind’ is the next chapter for BYAM that perfectly captures the spirit of our band and our live show.”

“Nevermind” is the first single lifted from Between You & Me’s EP, which will drop in September. They’ll announce dates for their world tour, including headlining shows around Australia, really soon, so keep an eye on their socials.

14 April 2023 – Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
15 April 2023 – The Waiting Room, Omaha (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
16 April 2023 – Beer City Music Hall, Oklahoma City (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
18 April 2023 – Mohawk, Austin (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
19 April 2023 – Vibes, San Antonio (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
20 April 2023 – Sunshine Theater, Albuquerque (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
22 April 2023 – Nile Theater, Mesa (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
23 April 2023 – House Of Blues, San Diego (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
25 April 2023 – The Observatory, Santa Ana (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
26 April 2023 – Tioga Sequoia Brewery, Fresno (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
27 April 2023 – The Ritz, San Jose (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
28 April 2023 – The Crocodile, Seattle (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
30 April 2023 – Hawthorne Theatre, Portland (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
2 May 2023 – Soundwell, Salt Lake City (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
4 May 2023 – The Black Sheep, Colorado Springs (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
5 May 2023 – Aggie Theatre, Fort Collins (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
6 May 2023 – The Truman, Kansas City (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
7 May 2023 – The Riff, Springfield (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
9 May 2023 – The Castle Theatre, Bloomington (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
10 May 2023 – Elevation @ The Intersection, Grand Rapids (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
11 May 2023 – Bogart’s, Cincinnati (supporting Real Friends and Knuckle Puck)
18 May 2023 – The Gov, Tarntanya/Adelaide (with Slowly Slowly)
25 May 2023 – Tivoli, Meeanjin/Brisbane (with Slowly Slowly)
26 May 2023 – Forum, Naarm/Melbourne (with Slowly Slowly)
27 May 2023 – Roundhouse, Eora/Sydney (with Slowly Slowly)
10 June 2023 – EasyLover Fest @ Northcote Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne (with Slowly Slowly)

Image used with permission from Capital Artist Group; credit: Lars Juveland

Holly Wild Releases Relatable New Single, “Inside My Head”

If you’ve ever wrestled with negative self-talk, you’re really going to relate to Holly Wild’s latest track “Inside My Head.” It’s a gritty pop song with powerful lyrics and vocals from this Eora/Sydney singer-songwriter.

“This is a song about the negative dialogue that goes around in my head, the endless loop telling me that I’m the jack of all trades, but master of none. Chipping away at my self-confidence every day, telling me I’m not good enough,” Holly admitted

Holly’s music has already earned praise from publications in the United States and United Kingdom. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of the world discovers this local talent.

Image used with permission from KAOS

marigolden Releases Gorgeous New Single “Mars”

Naarm/Melbourne-based singer-songwriter marigolden has gotten underneath my skin with her latest single “Mars.” It’s one of those songs that sneaks up on you, a slow burner that reveals itself to be the perfect mix of folk and indie-rock. If you’re into artists like Sharon van Etten and Middle Kids, I know you’re going to love this.

“Have you ever felt a bit fed up with humanity? Like everything around you is a bit too hard and you wish you could just scrap it all and start from scratch? That’s sort of what ‘Mars’ is about,” she explained. “The ebb and flow of this feeling is mirrored in the song’s structure. Guitar drives the song from a soft, vulnerable start to a climactic full band ending that truly encapsulates the essence of feeling overwhelmed.”

If your working week is getting to you, this song is the perfect antidote.

Image used with permission from Kick Push PR

The Rookies Drop Stellar Single “On the Shoulders of Giants”

I don’t write about enough instrumental jazz. Not because I don’t like instrumental jazz, but there’s just not enough good stuff that comes my way. The Rookies buck that trend with their very cool new single “On the Shoulders of Giants.” Consider that your cue to organise an afternoon tea break and take a few minutes to submerse yourself into this one.

“On The Shoulders Of Giants’ is an ode to the wisdom of those who’ve come before us and a reminder that although things may appear bleak in the future, one only needs to look to the past to see just how far we have come thanks to the hard work of our elders,” the band explained. “Ideally, we should be inspired by their work and look at the view from the giants shoulders with a renewed sense of optimism that real change is possible even if we may not see it in our lifetimes – just like the parable of the man who plants trees of whose shade he will never sit, but he does so for the love of future generations that will enjoy the tree.”

“On the Shoulders of Giants” comes from The Rookies’ upcoming fourth album Feed the Fire, which drops on March 22. You can catch them every Wednesday night at Rooks Return in Ngár-go/Fitzroy from 8:30 pm.

MANE Wows Me With “Breathing Again”

LGBTQIA+ indie pop artist MANE has floored me with her beautiful new single “Breathing Again.” Giving us our first taste of her sophomore EP, this stunning track makes me pretty excited about what comes next. It’s anthemic and dramatic while being rooted in honest emotions.

“I distinctly remember writing this song with Charlie (McClean, cofounder of She Writes) at Kobalt studios in LA and feeling overwhelmed by a waterfall of happy/sad emotions … Charlie really gently helped coax them out of me in a way where I didn’t need to be specific or elaborate into any detail which was really nice,” she said. “The song to me is about a moment of clarity or relief in the midst of healing from something – the sometimes fleeting feeling that it is in fact going to be OK, for me those moments provide a lot of hope. It’s refreshing, relieving and sometimes exciting to feel, especially if it’s felt heavy and dark for so long. I think finding a space where you can genuinely smile, breathe and just exist after a grief is a testament to your own resilience, because even though you may still be going through it your finding room around it to seek hope and happiness and I think that’s brave as hell!”

A true creative, MANE also produced and edited the music video for her latest single.

“The footage of the dancer was filmed by Omri Ohana and although the choreography was not intended for my song it was really special editing it myself and seeing how well it came together,” MANE added. “The dilapidated settings of the dancing scenes had a real sense of finding beauty in the ugliness and heaviness that some of us face daily which is kinda what Breathing Again is about … so it just felt really right

The release of “Breathing Again” is the start of an exciting new chapter for MANE. Not only is her new EP on the way, she’s heading to the United States for festivals and a string of headlining shows. America, you are in for such a treat.

8-11 March 2023 – New Colossus Festival, New York City
12 March 2023 – Beerburg Brewery Festival, Austin
13-18 March 2023 – SXSW, Austin
19 March 2023 – New New Festival, Dallas
22 March 2023 – The East Room, Nashville
24 March 2023 – The Monarch, Louisville
25 March 2023 – TBA, Cincinnati
1 April 2023 – Plan 9 Records, Richmond (Acoustic Pop-Up Show)
4 April 2023 – The Camel, Richmond
12 April 2023 – TBA, Los Angeles

Image used with permission from Pretty Good Thanks; credit: Friends on Film

High Tropics Rock Out With “Girlfriends”

Kabi Kabi/Sunshine Coast indie-rock act High Tropics has put a smile on my face this morning with their cool new single “Girlfriends.” With gritty guitars, easy vocals, and an infectious melody, I know you’re going to dig it too.

“‘Girlfriends’ is a down-and-out love song that doubles as a love letter to the green queen Mary Jane,” explained the band’s creator, Josh Stewart. “Written during the healing process of a six-year relationship ending, it’s a song about picking yourself up and moving on.”

This track sounds effortless, but Josh has recently been candid about the struggles he faces with Crohn’s disease.

“I first got into music for all the wrong reasons, eventually completed a bachelor of audio engineering and got really ill in my final year of the degree,” he shared. “I ended up getting diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2013, which altered the course of my life. Ironically though, it was the thing that made me fall in love with and develop my songwriting, as it became my way of escaping reality. It’s my therapy.”

“As I’ve seen a bit of the stigma around disabilities lessen in society over the last few years, it’s helped me reflect and embrace my own struggles and experiences, and see it as part of my story, not something to be ashamed of. I want to be a force for good, and hiding my condition from the world doesn’t help anyone. Our industry has made some great headway with diversity over the last few years, but disabled artists are still extremely underrepresented, and my silence certainly hasn’t helped. I’d like to see more support for people living with disabilities, specifically within the music industry. It’s time to lose the stigma, let’s show the world everybody can rock.”

You can see Josh and his friends rock out when High Tropics hits cities around Queensland to promote this single in the coming months. Catch them at the following venues near you:

31 March 2023 – Solbar, Gubbi Gubbi/Maroochydore
21 April 2023 – Ole Bar, Kabi Kabi/Noosa
12 May 2023 – Tomcat, Meeanjin/Brisbane

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Eliott Releases Stunning New Single, “Tell Me”

It’s been far too long since we heard new music from Eliott, one of my favourite singer-songwriters in the country. Her latest single “Tell Me” is worth the wait, a vulnerable indie-pop track that somehow manages to feel intimate, yet epic.

“I wrote ‘Tell Me’ when I was 22 years old and really feeling the weight of the world,” Eliott said. “My direction wasn’t clear I was a little lost and unsure of the path I wanted to take.”

Working with her cowriter Andy Hopkins in Forbes Street Studios in Eora/Sydney helped Eliott process her emotions and bring the song together.

“Something for me which has helped heal and understand the motions that I’m going through is songwriting,” she added. “Songwriting for me is the purest form of therapy, I’ll often subconsciously write something which I’ve been internally keeping in for a very long time and it gives me the space to let it out into the world and out of my own head – and with this song, that was the case.”

The gorgeous video was captured in just one take.

“To pull it together in that amount of time was nerve-wracking, but I felt alive,” Eliott said. “There’s no room for error there, no leeway. You can’t have a bad performance. I really had to step into that role. But I think this song tells me to trust myself, so I did and it worked.”

Hopefully this is the first of several songs we hear from Eliott this year.

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia; credit: Jess Brohier

Laura Frank Does Country Her Way With “Days Gone By”

With her cropped platinum do and bold blazer, you’ve probably guessed that Laura Frank isn’t your ordinary country singer. Imbuing her sound with more rock edge than the average, she recently earned the People’s Choice Award for Most Promising Future Star at the 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival. If you’re not already across her music, her latest single “Days Gone By” is the ideal introduction.

Laura says this song is “a thank you to the lessons learnt, the mistakes made, the journey had. Or more accurately – a ‘Thank you, but I don’t need you anymore’.”

“Over the years I put up walls and built castles around myself to protect myself from the disappointment, the failures & the mistakes,” she added. “In more recent times I’ve started to knock those down and forge a new path. Without those experiences or lessons, I wouldn’t be the person I am.”

Laura produced the video with her partner Nick Morrissey.

“From the concept, to design, hair and makeup, set, videography to editing, Nick and I have been doing it with just ourselves.”

In the video, shot in the Queensland hinterland, Lisa takes the wheel of a 1950 Chevy. She makes it look easy, but looks can be deceiving!

“It’s the first time I’ve driven a left-hand drive car… it was strange, but didn’t take me long to get the hang of it!”

Speaking of driving, Lisa will put some kays on her vehicle in the coming months as she plays shows around her home state:

11 March 2023 – Cooly Goes Country @ The Coolangatta Hotel, Yugambeh Country/Gold Coast
29 April 2023 – Twin Towns Clubs & Resorts, Bundjalung Country/Tweed Heads (supporting Chocolate Starfish)
27 May 2023 Vixens of Fall @ Caloundra RSL, Kabi Kabi Country/Sunshine Coast

Image used with permission from Wildheart Publicity

Matt Joe Gow Releases Album Title Track “Between Tonight & Tomorrow” & Tour Dates

Few singer-songwriters produce such consistently good material as Matt Joe Gow. Like a fine wine, he also somehow seems to get better and better. Whether it’s wisdom or maturity, his trajectory as an artist is unmatched. Take a listen to his incredible new single “Between Tonight & Tomorrow” and you’ll hear exactly what I mean. I love the way its introspective lyrics play with that haunting guitar refrain. This is about as close to perfection as you’ll hear today.

The release of “Between Tonight & Tomorrow” is the start of a pretty exciting chapter for Matt’s fans. It’s the title track from Matt’s new album, which drops on March 10. He’ll also play a string of shows to celebrate its release.

16 March 2023 – George Lane, Naarm/Melbourne
17 & 18 March 2023 – Majors Creek Festival, Walbinga Country/Majors Creek
18 March 2023 – The Tea Club, Wandiwandian Country/Nowra
26 March 2023 – Memo Music Hall, Naarm/Melbourne
31 March 2023 – Palais-Hepburn, Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Hepburn Springs
1 April 2023 – Saints & Sailors, Wadawurrung Country/Portarlington
2 April 2023 – Hydrant Food Hall, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung Country/Ballarat
7 April 2023 – Baroque Room, Kedumba/Katoomba
8 April 2023 – Stag & Hunter, Mulubinba/Newcastle
9 April 2023 – Hiway Enmore, Eora/Sydney
15 April 2023 – Sandy Point Centre, Brataualung Country/Sandy Point
21 April 2023 – Star Hotel, Dhudhuroa/Yackandandah
22 April 2023 – Mt Beauty Festival, Dhudhuroa and Yaitmathang Country/Mt Beauty
25 April 2023 – Arrowtown Festival, Otago

Image used with permission from Matt Joe Gow

Have a Good Day Start Strong With Debut Single “Somebody, Nobody”

Starting with a bright, ‘80s shimmer, “Somebody, Nobody,” the new single from Have a Good Day, instantly makes you feel good. It doesn’t let up either, with a lush layered chorus and playful beat. If your day needs a lift, this new indie-pop act from Boorloo/Perth have you covered.

This song might be the first release from Have a Good Day, but these guys have been building a reputation in WA after their previous acts shared stages with the likes of Siobhan Cotchin, Dulcie, The Presets, San Cisco, and heaps more. After hearing this song, it seems like they’ve now found something special with this brand new musical project.

Image used with permission from Kick Push PR