Category: Video

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Khan Manuel Showcases New Sound on “The Light”

Khan Manuel first came onto my radar more than a decade ago. He was just finding his feet, but such an impressive guitarist. He knew his craft, the classic traditions of the instrument. But he also enjoyed pushing the envelope. At the time I saw him taking cues from instrumental rock gods like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Now in 2024, he’s taking even more musical risks by combining his love of guitar with EDM sounds. Stay with me and take a listen to “The Light.”

“The Light” is the first single lifted from Khan’s forthcoming album Alpha & Omega. The album was co-produced by Ralph Wegner, known for his work with David Guetta. Khan plans to release a new single every four to six weeks until all eight tracks are unveiled, so make sure you follow him on Spotify to hear them as soon as they drop.

Image used with permission from Khan Manuel

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Amy Shark Teases New Album With “Loving Me Lover”

Local hitmaker Amy Shark should add a few more successes to her repertoire with the release of her third studio album Sunday Sadness on August 16. She’s got my interest piqued with the release of her latest single “Loving Me Lover,” a song which she called “a dreamy love song, based around happy guilt.”

“I was in LA by myself working on music, there were things happening back home, people missing me being around and I remember feeling guilty enjoying this completely different life,” she admitted. “Hence the line fighting forever so stop loving me lover.”

The title of the album, Sunday Sadness, reflects not just the writing process but Amy’s headspace as the weekend draws to a close and a new week begins.

“I specifically wrote this album on Sundays, constantly daydreaming about the happiest moments and the worst, remembering the best people while still getting over others. I am different on Sundays, I am not sure why, but I bet you are too,” she said. “I think about my life so much on Sundays, my family, my friends and probably you. I’m still learning people, I’m still trying to be a better person, Sunday Sadness has every emotion I feel, you’ll smile in some songs and feel the love – but you’ll also be sad and probably not sleep well this Sunday night”.

Pre-orders are available here for the digital download, CD, and vinyl copies of Sunday Sadness. Different retailers have cool offers like signed copies, exclusive coloured vinyl, and guitar picks, so make sure you check them all out.

Image used with permission from Sony Music Australia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Superjesus Still Strong With “We Won’t Let Go Until It’s Over”

Fresh from their massive tour with Live and Incubus, The Superjesus have just dropped a fantastic new single “We Won’t Let Go Until It’s Over.” I’ve been so impressed with the new music they’ve been releasing, which is every bit as good as the tracks they released decades ago. Just in case you thought they were just another nostalgia band.

“This song is one of my favourites from the record,” frontwoman Sarah McLeod said. “I wrote it ages ago and submitted it to the band when we were doing the Love And Violence EP back in 2016, for whatever reason it didn’t make the cut. Never one to give up, I tried again in 2023. With our new lineup and producer/drummer Murray Sheridan on the dials it finally came to life. I think the lyric line is quite fitting for this!”

Hopefully this year will bring a lot more new music from this always excellent Aussie outfit.

Image used with permission from Revolutions per Minute PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

“Tour of Duty Live at National Stadium” – Various Artists

In 1999, a who’s who of the Australian entertainment industry descended on Dili to entertain our troops. Australian Road Crew Association has now released a recording of their star-studded concert. Tour of Duty Live at National Stadium’s release marks the first time that people could enjoy this concert since it originally aired on Channel Seven and Nine.

This album captures a moment in time. It feels like forever since Roy & HG hosted a gig, and gee it’s good to hear them taking the reins here. We get to hear Doc Neeson at the height of his powers delivering hits like “Shadow Boxer” and “No Secrets,” and John Farnham belting out so many of his classics like “Playing to Win” and “That’s Freedom.” He even “reluctantly” agrees to a rousing rendition of “Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)”! We’ve lost Doc, and likely we’ll never hear John Farnham sound like this again, so it’s a real thrill listening to them separately and duetting on timeless tracks like a medley of The Easybeats’ “She’s So Fine” and “Sorry.” Relative up-and-comers at the time like Gina Jeffreys and The Living End also make incredible appearances, along with our pop princess Kylie. You couldn’t wipe the smile from my face as I listened to big singalong numbers featuring the entire cast like “You’re The Voice” and the poignant closer, “I Still Call Australia Home.”

Admittedly some bits haven’t aged well, from the RMC Band’s cover of “Mambo No. 5” to John Farnham introducing Rachel Starkey of the RMC Band as a “pretty young lady.” But again, I remind you, this album captures a moment in time. And what a moment it was.

If there wasn’t enough incentive to get your ears around this release, all money raised with benefit Support Act’s Roadies Fund, which provides financial, health, counselling, and wellbeing services to local roadies and crews in crisis. Tour of Duty Live at National Stadium is out now and available on streaming services and as a digital download.

Images used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Jess Day Showcases New Rock Sound With “Lilith”

Tarntanya/Adelaide-based singer-songwriter Jess Day’s unveiled a new, much darker sound with her latest single “Lilith.” While her past releases have been more pop leaning, this new track showcases an edgier rock sound.

“’Lilith’ is a particularly potent song in terms of the language choices I made,” Jess explained. “It’s very visceral and specific to that song. The last song on the album is probably closest to ‘Lilith’ in terms of its content. However, all of the songs on this album have a very clear concept and you can find that specific brand of darkness creeping its way into even the happier songs on the album.”

That album Jess is talking about, called A Garden of Small Disappointments, is slated for a November release. We can expect three more singles before then, so make sure you follow her socials to learn exactly when they’ll drop.

Photo credit: Christina Lauren

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Nomadic Rock Out With “First Light”

The Nomadic is the coolest local supergroup you haven’t heard about yet. The band features frontman Rob Gaylard, Miles Thomas (Lior, Ronan Keating, Montaigne) on drums, Oliver Thorpe (The Whitlams, Matt Corby, Meg Mac) on guitar, and Brendan Clark (Meg Mac, Montaigne, Jack River) on bass. Their latest single “First Light” has a classic sound that reminds me of 90s bands like Collective Soul and Goo Goo Dolls.

“First Light” comes from The Nomadic’s upcoming album, New Horizons, which should warm up your winter on its release.

Image used with permission from The Planetary Group

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Teenage Joans Join Frank Turner On New Single

UK folk-punk icon Frank Turner has teamed up with our own Teenage Joans for a new rendition of his recent single “Girl From the Record Shop.” I really love what Teenage Joans have brought to this absolute banger.

“I’m beyond stoked to be collaborating with Teenage Joans – one of my favourite new(er) bands in the world,” Frank gushed. “And they really brought the fire to this, they’ve turned the lyric around and made me laugh and dance at the same time, to my own song.”

Teenage Joans were every bit as thrilled to collaborate with Frank.

“We were SO excited when Frank asked us to jump on this song,” they enthused. “It’s punk and it’s punchy, and Tahlia literally works at a record shop … it’s the perfect vibe for us!”

Crank this one up, and don’t be surprised if you don’t press play a few times!

Image used with permission from beehive PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

South Summit On the Rise With “Givin’ It Up”

I’ve been following South Summit’s music journey for a couple of years now, and it’s been pretty exciting watching them go from strength to strength. As their new single “Givin’ It Up” shows, their music is maturing, without losing the easy, breezy surf vibes we all know and love. They’re also playing some pretty iconic venues on their upcoming tour. Hello Opera House! But more about that later.

The band says their latest single “tells the story of South Summit! Illuminating the everyday life for us, Sharing the best of times where we as a band, find ourselves at our happiest. We cherish blissful vibes and whanau, and really capture the feeling of sharing stories and having a jam in the backyard over a couple drinks and a bbq. This is elevated through reggae chops and singalong melodies where everyone can feel a part of what makes us, South Summit. The things we give up and the sacrifices we make to reap certain rewards, come in all different shapes and sizes. But at the end of the day, we can all relate to what we are sacrificing for.”

South Summit have built a reputation as one of the best touring acts in the country, and they can’t wait to get back in front of audiences.

“Playing the iconic Sydney Opera House is a huge milestone achievement for the band, we’re so stoked to be given the opportunity! We’ll also be heading back to our favorite spots Brisbane and Melbourne, while finishing off the run with an Indi Bar show in our hometown of Perth. We’ve got a lot of new music coming out soon, and we can’t wait for you all to hear them. These will be some of the biggest shows we’ve ever done around the country, and we can’t wait to see you all there.”

South Summit will play the following shows later this month:

23 May 2024 – Valley Loft, Meeanjin/Brisbane
24 May 2024 – The Espy, Euro-Yroke/St Kilda
25 May 2024 – Opera House (Vivid Festival), Eora/Sydney
31 May 2024 – Indian Ocean Hotel, Whadjuk Country/Scarborough

Image used with permission from beehive

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

AYLA Gives Album Sneak Peek With “I Liked You Better When You Were On My Side”

AYLA is one of those fabulous artists that always keeps you guessing. Her music is always quality, but you can never put her into a box. Her latest offering is “I Liked You Better When You Were On My Side,” a cool, brooding pop track that you’ll be humming long after the music stops.

She co-wrote this song with Ed Quinn of Telenova, who also produced it. “’I Liked You Better When You Were on My Side’ started as a topline on a production track, and with Ed’s help, we refined the structure and added new elements to take the song to the next level,” AYLA shared. “It was a collaborative effort that brought a real effortless groove to the production.”

“I Liked You Better When You Were On My Side” comes from AYLA’s long-awaited debut album DOPAMINE, which drops on July 12. AYLA will give fans a preview of her new material when she plays Solbar Playhouse in Maroochydore on July 7.

Photo credit: Is Aphrodite

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Greg Gould Aims to Break Stigma Around Sexual Assault With “Who Gave You Permission?”

Australian powerhouse Greg Gould is bravely sharing his experiences with sexual assault with his incredible new single “Who Gave You Permission?” A potent mix of pop and soul, the anthemic song calls out his abusers and reveals his own strength. He hopes the track might empower other survivors on their own journey through the trauma.

“To be honest I’m only just starting to feel comfortable to talk about this,” he shared. “The first time I performed the song live I burst into tears. I have been a victim of sexual abuse on four separate occasions in all very different circumstances from when I was 10 years old, right up until I was 30. Each time left me feeling so violated, so powerless, paralysed. Nobody has the right to touch you without permission. No means no. It was a very emotional, heart-wrenching, and confronting experience to write this song to be honest as I’d pushed a lot of those feelings and experiences down and hadn’t dealt with them – it took a while for me to be OK to admit it. There is a stigma around sexual abuse in general, and I do think it can be really difficult for men who are the victim – whether it be at the hands of another man or a woman. In my case, it was both on separate occasions. I want other men to feel comfortable to talk about this and speak up too.”

Greg has a string of shows happening over the next few months, including several where he’ll play this stirring single.

“Whether the subject matter is darker or lighter, guests at my shows can expect big vocals, big moments and a lot of fun,” he enthused. “I love to perform and I’m excited for the next 12 months! I’ve got big plans and even bigger dreams. I am so proud that ‘Who Gave You Permission?’ is out now and I’m moving forward both personally and professionally! I would love if even one survivor of abuse feels stronger as a result of hearing this song. I want people to know they are seen, they are heard and they are believed. We won’t be broken.

You can see Greg at the following events.

10 May 2024 – Greek Legends of the 20th Century @ Palais Theatre, Naarm/Melbourne
18 May 2024 – Keep the Faith – George Michael & Whitney Houston @ Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Naarm/Melbourne
1 June 2024 – Gippsland Pride Gala @ Lardner Park, Gunai Country/Gippsland
7 June 2024 – Synthony @ Carriageworks, Eora/Sydney (SOLD OUT)
8 June 2024 – Synthony @ Carriageworks, Eora/Sydney

Photo credit: Cain Cooper