Tim Minchin’s well-recognised for his hilarious tunes and musical theatre contributions, but many people don’t realise he’s just an incredible songwriter, period. So I’m glad that fellow Western Australian Helen Shanahan is shining a light on one of his more serious, brilliant songs with her cover of “The Aeroplane.” Her voice has the perfect storyteller quality for this incredible track.
“The song resonates deeply with me, especially now, with my second baby due just weeks after its release,” Helen explained. “The lyrics, ‘any fuel or any fire will do / I will fly to you,’ carry a special meaning for me.”
Take a moment to properly listen to this one. Trust me, you don’t want to miss a lyric. It’s really something special.
Wafia’s dreamy new single “Say It To The Moon” is the perfect antidote to the grind of the working week. Press play and just let your mind drift for a few minutes. I swear it’s more soothing than meditation.
Wafia said she wrote the song for her sister. Wafia writes from the perspective of the moon, which both Wafia and her sister would see at night, just from different vantage points.
“This is a song I wrote inspired by all the nights my little sister tried to call me from Brisbane while I was in LA but she didn’t quite understand time zones,” Wafia explained. “I wanted to write her something from the perspective of the moon, in a way that made her feel like I was always listening and always there.”
“Say It To The Moon” is the latest track from Wafia’s debut album Promised Land, which will arrive on January 17.
If you need a little mid-week pick-me-up, look no further. Daphnie’s latest single “Perfect Piece Of Person I’m Made For” may just be the perfect piece of pop music.
“I wrote this one with Will O’Donohue (Runaway Mornings), and produced/mixed it in my bedroom,” explained Alistair Hayes, who performs under the Daphnie moniker. “We wanted to create a cruisy silly absurd love song that you could dance to with your significant other in your bedroom while your neighbour yells at you through the walls for being too loud. I think we really got it there, mostly because that actually happened.”
With his new album set for release tomorrow, I figured it was about time I put Bully Hay on your radar. He recently released the song “Bushfire Moon,” inspired by the bushfires that tore through Paredarerme Country/Dunalley in Tasmania a few years ago. It tells the fictional love story of a firefighter searching for his love amongst the devastation around him. You know how the greats like Paul Kelly and Bruce Springsteen can sing you a song about fictional characters but there’s so much truth in their voices that you believe it all? Bully’s exactly like that.
“The fire wiped out most of the Tasman Peninsula and caused a lot of damage and disruption,” Bully recalled. “It ended up cutting off a lot of people from the rest of the island to the point where people could only get on and off the peninsula by boat. So, the community had to band together to get help to those that needed it. It felt like just about anyone that had a boat was ferrying supplies and people back and forth for days because the roads were all blocked with debris from the fires. I had this fictional story in my head inspired by those events of a volunteer firefighter right in the thick of it, fighting the fires and totally exhausted. At some point he knows it’s a lost cause. The situation is hopeless and too far gone and he needs to get out of there. All he can think of is finding his love and he sets out, determined to find her amongst all the chaos.”
“Bushfire Moon” comes from Bully’s album Black Dogs & Songbirds, which drops tomorrow. Inspired by artists as diverse as Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine, Jeff Buckley, Crowded House, and the Tea Party (Jeff Martin even recorded and mixed all the songs on this LP), it’s sure to be an interesting listen.
If you’re one of those old-school music fans who complain that all the best stuff is behind us, Dana Gehrman’s new single “Let It Be You” might just change your tune. Her sound is a total throwback to the 70s, in the best possible way. This song sounds like an instant classic, soulful, sultry, and incredibly smooth.
Dana has just wrapped up a string of cool shows including playing support for Charlie Musselwhite and gracing the Dashville Festival stage. While she’s taking some downtime for now, I can’t imagine she’ll be off the road for too long. Until then, make sure you give this song a spin.
Image used with permission from Jo Corbett Publicity
Everything Joan & The Giants touch seems to turn to gold, and their latest single is no exception. “How Could You?” is a fabulous indie-rock track that perfectly encapsulates the heartache that comes with a major betrayal.
“When a person breaks all the trust you once had in them it isn’t just sad, it’s completely chaotic,” vocalist Grace Newton-Wordsworth shared. “I was going through life still doing all the things I have to do like working multiple jobs, playing shows, seeing friends and family – whilst internally, I was screaming.”
If you love their music and want to get your hands on some exclusive merch, preorder a copy of their new limited edition vinyl. There’ll be just 100 copies of this exclusive 7-inch featuring Joan & The Giants and Seb Szabo’s Baked Sessions recorded in Collingwood in June. Pre-order a copy here to make sure you don’t miss out when they’re released on November 8. That same day they’ll also be part of Western Australia’s massive Blues at Bridegtown festival, which runs from November 8 to 10.
With a new EP scheduled for release next week, there’s no better time to tune in to All Regards’ monster new single “FALLBACK.”
“’FALLBACK’ is about hoping you’ve gotten away from your demons, whether that’s a toxic relationship with yourself, a friend, or a substance, but knowing deep down that you haven’t,” the band explained. “It’s about the feeling of knowing that despite your efforts or intentions, you’re going to fall right back into the same self-destructive patterns and being kind of resigned to it.”
All Regards’ new EP ALL OUR DREAMS TURN TO NIGHTMARES drops on November 1. All Regards will officially launch the EP with a show for hometown fans at Bergy Bandroom on November 22.
Naarm/Melbourne outfit Slowly Slowly have knocked it out of the park with their fantastic new single “Forgiving Spree.” It’s such a great rock tune with fabulous lyrics and a catchy AF chorus that should have you singing along and punching the air soon enough. It’s such an earworm, I must have listened to it at least five times straight and I’m definitely preparing for round six.
“Forgiving Spree” is the title track from Slowly Slowly’s forthcoming fifth album, which drops on January 24. “‘Forgiving Spree’ was written at the end of the writing period for the album,” explained the band’s frontman and songwriter Ben Stewart. “It’s a song about moving on, real deep lasting change, and the act of forgiveness as a tool to achieve it. It is also a reminder that forgiveness can be a tool used to move forward, let go, grow, and not look back.”
Slowly Slowly have bundled “Forgiving Spree” with a couple of other album tracks on the streaming services, so make sure you give those a listen too. They’ve certainly got me anticipating this release!
Fresh from European and UK shows supporting Stand Atlantic, Slowly Slowly have announced a stack more. Aussie dates are a little light on, but watch this space and I’m sure they’ll announce some more local gigs soon enough.
It’s taken some time, but King Stingray have finally given us a love song. “Cat 5 (Cyclone)” comes from the band’s highly anticipated sophomore album, For the Dreams. Like the other songs on that album, and indeed the album before, “Cat 5 (Cyclone)” is a joyous track that celebrates life.
“Nothing’s changed in the sense that we’re still who we are, we’re still playing music and enjoying things. But what I think is different about this one is there’s a little bit more lived experience,” the band explained. “We wanted a lot of singalong moments … We were thinking a little bit more about getting everyone in on the party.”
I definitely found myself singing along to this track by the end, so I’d say job done! King Stingray’s new album For the Dreams drops on November 8. You can preorder it now from various retailers by clicking this link. The band have got some American shows with King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard coming up, but Aussies won’t need to wait too long to see them. They’ll play their biggest local shows to date in March. The pre-sale kicks off on Thursday, the same day the band will release “Light Up the Path,” another track from the album. Exciting times for King Stingray fans ahead! Whether you’re in the States or here in Oz, here are all the dates you need:
Naarm/Melbourne-based talents Samuel Gaskin and Kee’ahn have joined forces for “Find My Way Back,” a dance-pop number that pays tribute to the people who’ve paved the way for these two artists. Samuel channels their Māori and Nigerian roots while Kee’ahn celebrates their Yalanji, Jirrbal, Badu islander heritage.
“For me ‘Find My Way Back’ is a love letter to the Ancestors and the parts of ourselves we may have shut down or been disconnected from,” Samuel explained. Kee’ahn added that the song is “an invitation to accept ourselves where we are at so that we can have the courage and self belief, to chase after what feels like home.”
I love a good collaboration, and this is one of the best I’ve heard in a while. Make sure you turn it up!
