Category: Film Clips

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Caravãna Sun Release New Video for “Stella” Single

Caravãna Sun have just dropped the video for their most recent single “Stella,” reminding all of us just how good this song is. This is one of those tracks that’s really grown on me since its release. I always enjoyed it, but over time I’ve come to really appreciate its upbeat vibe and deeply personal lyrics. It’s easy to miss the message when you’re grooving along, but once you tap into it listening to this song becomes so much more rewarding.

Caravãna Sun frontman Ant Beard said he was inspired to write the song after a close friend suffered a miscarriage. The song looked to celebrate the joy, excitement and positive energy this unborn life had brought to the world before their passing.

“‘Stella’ was written as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there’s always a shift that goes on inside of people. A changing of perspective or a lens on the life we’d never seen through before,” he explained. “I wanted to remind my friend that even though they’d never get the chance to hold their baby, there’d been a monumental shift in them. A light I’d never seen before; energy behind every word, that spoke with such deep empath and true authentic excitement for what this new life meant to them.”

Ant decided to keep the track a secret right up to the day the band stepped into the studio. Changing the approach brought a new spontaneous energy to the song which I think really works.

“Normally, we’d work on our parts in pre-production and be very prepared, but there was something different about this song. Some quiet voice, that wanted to put everyone on the spot and see how they’d relate and what they’d play after hearing it for the first time,” he said. “It created an energy in the studio that was beyond special and turned the song into something truly greater than the sum of its parts.”

Catch Caravãna Sun at one of their upcoming shows:

10 April 2021 – Great Lakes Paddocks, Wootton
30 April 2021 – Divers Tavern, Broome
1 May 2021 – Divers Tavern, Broome

Image used with permission from Guerilla Music Promotions

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Birdz and Ngaiire Make Beautiful Music Together on “Fly”

Melbourne hip-hop act Birdz has teamed up with Sydney soul chanteuse Ngaiire for a gorgeous new single “Fly.” This is really uplifting stuff, with two of the country’s most exciting BIPOC voices, both with different styles, coming together to create something beautiful.

“As Indigenous people, we carry with us the oldest living cultures in the world,” Birdz said. “That’s something sacred that no one can ever take from us – it’s that energy that holds our heads up high no matter what the world throws at us.”

The song saw Birdz teaming up with his longtime producer and friend trials, but they knew they needed a great soul voice to really elevate the song.

“We had the hook idea in the stash for ages and I eventually came back to it to record the verses months later. Once we had a decent demo, trials and I knew we needed a soulful singer to really bring it home. I’ve always been a huge fan of Ngaiire’s and think that she’s hands down one of the best singer-songwriters in the country.”

“Fly” was one of the first tracks Birdz wrote for his new album project, which is scheduled for release later this year. If it’s all this good, it’s going to be pretty special.

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Timothy Wolf Channels Old-School Soul Sounds With “In Your Arms Again”

Timothy Wolf is a brand new soul artist, but you wouldn’t know it listening to his new single “In Your Arms Again.” There’s a real old-school sensibility to this one, and I can’t get enough. From those restrained horns to Timothy’s incredible falsetto, it’s the best kind of throwback.

He recorded the track in Byron Bay at Bernard Fanning and Nick DiDia’s famed La Cueva Studios, enjoying a moment of respite before lockdowns in his hometown of Melbourne kicked in.

“It was such a special time away. We didn’t know we were within the eye of the Covid 19 hurricane or that we’d head straight back into a gruelling stage 4 Melbourne lockdown. Timing came together for us perfectly as we were gifted the opportunity to hide away in the Byron Bay Hinterland, connect as the musical family we’d always seen the potential for and bring these songs to life,” he explained.
As you might expect, Timothy grew up around music from Otis Redding, Etta James, and other classic acts.

“It inspires me that they came from a time where they literally founded and defined the rules of balladry and songwriting. I think ‘In Your Arms Again’ is pretty true to some of these classic influences whilst lending itself to a contemporary soundscape. I’ve been quite ambitious pushing the boundaries yet trying to serve this song with the influences it deserves whilst also incorporating the sound and identity myself and The Howlers have to offer,” he said. “The song comes from a dreamy, old soul, rosy-eyed state. I’m lucky enough for all of my grandparents to have had 50+ year marriages. This song highlights the commitment relationships like this take whilst also drawing from within my own rosy-eyed beginnings. There’s also a chance it might have come from one of the weddings I’ve played trying to support my original project.”

The video captures Timothy Wolf and his band The Howlers playing a sold-out debut show at the Night Cat last month. If it looks like a lot of fun, make sure you catch Timothy at Northcote Social Club in Melbourne on May 6. It’s still more than a month away, but given how quickly tickets for his last local show sold, I’d jump on this one now!

Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Mike Ridley

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Casey Barnes Releases Provocative Country-Pop Single, “Come Turn Me On”

Country darling Casey Barnes is dabbling in pop with his latest single “Come Turn Me On.” The country influence in the violin and steel guitar is unmistakable, but those catchy hooks and upbeat energy should give this track plenty of crossover appeal.

“I’d like to think that we’re trying to shape our own unique sound at the moment. I don’t really want to sound like anyone else,” Casey explained. “With this single, it has that blend of modern country meets commercial pop which I’ve really connected with over the last few years. The song is about a guy who’s basically travelled around the world, seen his fair share of girls but nothing compares to coming home to the one he loves.”

The clip is also Casey’s most ambitious.

“We’ve gone all out with this video and I think it’s easily the most expensive clip I’ve shot to date – but we wanted to make sure this one was pretty special,” he enthused. “My wife Michelle is a creative genius and the whole concept for this video has been her baby. Colin Jeffs from Ten of Swords Media has brought it to life. We found this incredible venue in Brisbane called Smoked Garage which is a multi-level event space where each floor has a completely different look to it, so it was the perfect place to shoot. The concept is that it’s one big party and everything has been made to look like it was shot in one take within the venue, culminating in a big high energy finale out in the side street at the end.”

Casey hasn’t let the global pandemic slow him down. His latest album Town Of a Million Dreams topped the country charts and earned him an ARIA nomination. This track’s already clocked up more than 100,000 Spotify streams just a couple of weeks after its release and been featured on the platform’s Fresh Country and New Music Fridays playlists. He’s also just announced a bunch of festival and headlining dates.

“I can’t wait to add ‘Come Turn Me On’ into the set for all our upcoming shows!” he said. “We’ve actually created a brand-new live show for 2021, and it’s great to finally see some major festivals and events coming back after the pandemic, which we’re thrilled to be playing at in the weeks and months to come.”

Check him Casey’s brand-new set at the following venues.

25 March 2021 – Prince Bandroom, Melbourne (18+)
27 March 2021 – Mathinna Country Club, Mathinna (18+)
10 April 2021 – Winton’s Way Out West Fest, Winton (ALL AGES)
24 April 2021 – Gippsland Country Music Festival, Mossvale Park (ALL AGES)
30 April 2021 – Highfields Tavern, Toowoomba (18+)
26 & 27 August 2021 – Gympie Music Muster (ALL AGES)
1 October 2021 – Savannah in the Round, Mareeba (ALL AGES)

Image used with permission from On the Map PR; credit: Luke Marsden

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Saint Lane Drops Vibrant Video for “The Water”

Saint Lane has reminded me why I fell in love with his music earlier this year with the release of a video for his current single “The Water.” The clip’s Somerset Dam setting is the ideal backdrop for this laidback but insightful cut from his brilliant debut EP If I Leave You In the Fire.

“I was going for a Chance the Rapper meets Harry Styles things both sonically and with the outfit,” Saint Lane said of the video. “We wanted the location of the track to feel as big as the song. Massive mountains, huge river, full of life. Lots of brightness.”

Saint Lane will support Bootleg Rascal at their upcoming April 9 show at Sunshine Coast’s Sol Bar.

Image used with permission from Good Intent

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Parker Blows Me Away With “Lie Low”

Parker dropped her new single “Lie Low” a couple of days ago, just in time for International Women’s Day, but there’s never a bad time for female empowerment, right? So if you didn’t catch it then, make sure you listen now.

When you do, really listen to those lyrics. It’s so easy to get swept up in her angelic, ethereal voice, but those lyrics are what really sold me on this song. They’re so strong and wise. While I think they’ll really hit a chord with female listeners, I can imagine plenty of men will take something from them as well. If you’ve ever tried to shrink yourself down and or present a front that’s more palatable for the world than your authentic self, this one’s for you.

“I’ve always held myself with a belief that I should exist in the world with quiet grace. Not be too loud or stand out too much … Even though my friends, parents and partners have encouraged me to follow my dreams I always felt this responsibility to not be too loud or abrasive, to look pretty, to sound pretty, to not challenge people too much, make music and art that is beautiful and easy to listen to and look at,” she admitted. “Hans and I were working remotely on the track and we had the ‘be less, be less’ section looping at the end. I felt this rage inside me in response to that idea. This feeling of frustration at all the times I’ve controlled my emotions so that I didn’t make others feel uncomfortable. I set up my mic in my bedroom and just started screaming and yelling until finally it felt like my heart cracked open. The floodgates opened up and I wept loudly for about 10 mins.”

The emotions kept flowing for the music video. Parker explained the artistic choices she made in this beautifully surreal clip.

“We talked about the courage it takes as a woman to put yourself first in a world where there are still so many expectations for women to play support roles in both career and domestic spaces. Thinking about the concept of sacrificing time and energy for another we found a way to represent this with the metaphor of colour being drained from one character to another. I like that it is not explicit that the colour is being taken or given. When the character drops to her knees she could be crying or she could be praying. When we worship our loved ones we can fall into our own pattern of giving too much of ourselves to them.”

This isn’t the first time Parker’s impressed me, but I think “Lie Low” might be her best single yet. What do you think readers?

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

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Pinkish Blu Release Great New Bop, “Backward”

Adelaide quartet Pinkish Blu has won me over with their latest single “Backward.” With a clap-along chorus, relatable angsty lyrics, and a heavy sense of bittersweet nostalgia, this track ticks all the boxes. It’s the sort of song that you just want to keep listening to, but it almost didn’t see the light of day.

“During COVID we felt nostalgic and were looking back on our old demos and found ‘Backward’, actually, four different versions of ‘Backward’. From what it was back then to what it is now is vastly different, but the core idea of the song has remained prevalent throughout,” explained frontman Brice Young. “Sonically we’ve evolved to a sound we’re really comfortable with, which has given us the opportunity to be more open and wear our hearts on our sleeve.”

The nostalgia continues with the music video, which was filmed at Gawler Cinemas.

“Reflecting on something you may have just gone through or went through a long time ago … when you reflect on things that hold strong emotional value, these moments can play out in your head like scenes from a movie. We hit up our local small-town cinema and managed to convince them to let us film a music video there for a whole day,” added bassist Ricky Liddell.

If you’ve missed Pinkish Blu on the live circuit, the way is almost over. They’ll hit the road with Odette this May. Catch them at the following venues:

14 May 2021 – Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide
21 May 2021 – The Triffid, Brisbane
22 May 2021 – The Northern, Byron Bay
23 May 2021 – HOTA, Gold Coast

Image used with permission from Beehive PR; credit: Noah Sutherland

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Keith Urban Guests on Tender New Amy Shark Single, “Love Songs Ain’t For Us”

Amy Shark has just dropped her new single “Love Songs Ain’t For Us,” featuring vocals from Keith Urban and cowritten by Ed Sheeran. With so much star power, it should come as no surprise that it’s pretty brilliant. Prepare to hear this one all over radio in the coming weeks.

This is a real change of pace for Amy, a tender song without the angst we usually hear. It seems we can credit Ed for that change in direction.

“Ed asked me if I wrote songs about my man. I told him I do, but love songs aren’t really for us. He then smiled and said, “OK that’s what we’ll do then.” This song is as loved up as you’ll get from me and I love it,” she explained.

“The song is so classy and timeless I needed to find a class act to join me,” she added. “Keith is so professional and well respected around the world, so it was a no-brainer.”

“Love Songs Ain’t For Us” gives us our first taste of Amy’s upcoming album Cry Forever, which hits stores on April 30. She’ll celebrate its release with one of the biggest tours we’ve seen in this country for a while. Tickets are on sale now for the following shows.

12 June 2021 – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
18 June 2021 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
19 June 2021 – Wrest Point Lawns, Hobart
25 June 2021 – HOTA, Gold Coast
26 June 2021 – Riverstage, Brisbane
1 July 2021 – AEC Theatre, Adelaide
3 July 2021 – RAC Arena, Perth

Image source: own photo

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Say Goodbye to Yuma X With Final Single Release, “We Could Be So Good”

Sydney duo Yuma X have decided to go their separate ways, but they’re leaving us with a parting gift. What delicious irony that their final release together, “We Could Be So Good” is one of their best.

Lucy Washington and Jake Smith have been releasing music together since 2015, but I guess all good things must eventually come to an end. Knowing this is their final single together certainly makes listening to this song a bittersweet experience.

“WCBSG is a real feel-good song, and the visuals in the music video capture that perfectly. I think this song is my favourite we’ve written and it feels like the perfect high note to end on. I’m so grateful for the last 5 years we’ve had and the music we’ve released and everyone who has supported us along the journey. I’m really proud of this one because it’s something so positive and happy that came out of the hardest and strangest year. I hope it puts a smile on people’s faces and is the background song to many fun memories people make in the future.”

“We Could Be So Good” was born out of a period of musical experimentation inspired by acts like Lana Del Rey and Frank Ocean. As Jake explained, they were “moving towards a sound that’s more fun and dancefloor-centric,” Jake explained.
It’s all a bit sad to think what might have been. In that spirit, get nostalgic about Yuma X with this lyric video, which documents the act’s creative process and their personal lives outside the music world.

Image used with permission from Island Records Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Liz Stringer Drops Title Track Ahead of “First Time Really Feeling” Album Release

There’s something special about listening to new music from a seasoned pro like Liz Stringer. The Melbourne-born musician is prepared to release her sixth studio album, First Time Really Feeling, and she’s giving us a little taste with the release of the title track.

“It’s about experiencing the world with a clear and present heart for the first time after beginning a process of intense personal change, precipitated by getting sober at 36,” she explained. “It was initially very frightening but ultimately liberating and necessary for me to face everything that I hadn’t been able to look at, for a lot of different reasons, for many years. There’s real fear in real feeling. But I believe now that, for me, it’s the only place from which real love can grow and thrive.”

The music video, directed by Dyllan Corbett, is a powerful exploration of the world around us right now.

“Exploring the outskirts of Melbourne just out of lockdown, we wanted the camera to feel the energy of life on the road while capturing a nostalgia and simple beauty of home,” Dyllan explained. “With a small crew, we convoyed around to find these almost forgotten about places; which now inspired a deeper gratitude in us all. In some ways the message of the track reinforced the team’s creativity; helping us to find inspiration in the seemingly mundane.”

The album First Time Really Feeling drops on April 30. Liz will perform at Castlemaine State Festival on April 2, with more shows to come.

Image used with permission from Remote Control Records; credit: Kristoffer Paulsen