Tag Archives: new music

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News and Touring

Grander Things bring back the rock on new release EP Supermoon

Update

New article from Scenestr

Original Press Release

Following on from the release of their first ep MASH in 2020 and unable to play live with the sporadic Sydney shutdowns for the better part of the year, Grander Things went back into their burrow and got busy.

From a riff here or there, the lads played around with some ideas in the rehearsal room and started sending recordings for vocalist, Liz Clear to find the ones that inspired the lyrics and melodies to fall onto the page. After some months of blending music and lyrics, Grander Things had five tracks to put down.

Recorded at Damien Gerard Studios on the Central Coast, you can tell Grander Things love wearing their pop-rock hearts firmly on their sleeves. This ep has gentle moments of angst and vulnerability but then surprises you by colliding into epic rock. Keys were added post recording by Gino Campagnaro to the opening track You Said, but the band have stayed true to their roots with guitars that soar.

Recorded with Andrew Beck, co-produced with Marshall Cullen, mixed by Russell Pilling and mastered by William Bowden, the result is Supermoon out now on Foghorn Records.

Brent Williams /Liz  Clear / Rhys Lewis-Smith/ Bruce Thomas

Song Descriptions:
You Said
A tale of the broken hearted that builds on anger and crescendos with the pain of broken promises.

Loopholes
The future is fresh with positive feels and the knowledge that love is in the air tonight.

Supermoon
With a driving bass beat and sultry invitation this is no time for sleeping. Get your freak on board the Supermoon party.

Greta
In a sea of ineptitude and pollie-speak our best hopes are pinned on a teenage girl screaming the truth and trying to save the planet.

The Push and Pull
We always hurt the ones we love the most; we know they’ll always be there even when we’re at our worst.

Supermoon is OUT NOW – September 24th via MGM
All DSP’s

Video

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Streaming:

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Connect with Grander Things:

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News and Touring

CJ Shaw releases new album All Sorts

 All Sorts is the latest album from ARIA nominated educator and musician CJ Shaw.

Since ‘ANZAC Biscuits’ gained over 30,000 views on social media in 2019, and an ARIA nomination for Music Teacher of the Year, CJ has been busily recording this album. The collection of ten songs affirms Shaw’s position as a creative and dynamic storytelling songwriter for children and adults.

Having spent over twenty years as a songwriter and performer, ‘All Sorts’ draws on the catalogue that Shaw has been performing at folk clubs and festivals. It is an album for the modern eclectic times, containing poignant storytelling, songs of fatherhood, hip-hop, satire and traditional folk. “I wanted an album that could connect people of different ages,” states CJ, “Everyone should be able to enjoy the music”.

Shaw collected some excellent players to help with the recording. The line-up includes: Allyson Newman who brings her emotive arrangement to the song ‘Lonely Road’ and features Canberra Symphony Orchestra players Steven Fitzgerald, Alex Voorhoeve and Timothy Wickham bringing depth and precision to the record.

A collection of the best songs in CJ Shaw’s repertoire, ‘All Sorts’ is brimming with life and vitality, drawing in audiences of all ages. Dubbed the ‘ultimate family album’ for a reason, ‘All Sorts’ is destined to be a family favourite on long car trips in the foreseeable future.

Armed with a guitar and a swag full of harmonicas, singer-songwriter CJ Shaw’s intricate finger-picking, word play and storytelling never fails to captivate his audiences.  CJ Shaw’s music is distinctly Australian in style, influenced by Paul Kelly and Slim Dusty. His lyrical storytelling and musicality lends itself to audiences of all ages.

In 2020, CJ Shaw was nominated for an ARIA Award for ‘Music Teacher of the Year’ with Jimmy Barnes as his official ambassador presenting him with the nomination.  This prestigious music industry acknowledgement recognised his dynamic and poignant songwriting for primary-aged children. These celebrated songs are woven through his performances and albums, played alongside satirical and storytelling Australiana folk songs.

With over a decade experience touring and performing at music festivals in Australia and Timor-Leste, CJ Shaw is an exciting Canberra musician at the top of his game.

CJ Shaw – All Sorts is out NOW September 17th through Foghorn/MGM

Download or stream: 

cj FULL SALES

Connect with CJ Shaw:

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News and Touring

Jack Nolan releases title track single Gabriel from forthcoming album

Gabriel is the title track single from Sydney singer songwriter Jack Nolan’s upcoming 2021 Americana album, Gabriel. 

We were on the road, from heaving LA freeways and into Death Valley, a most peculiar place, an unknown place. When your mind is elsewhere, irretrievable, like mine at the time, the valley’s a parallel universe, perdition. We were in the midst of a three-day dream. I fell upon a crossroad, landing eighty-six metres below sea level in the Californian Desert at a place, Badwater Basin, where an androgynous guardian appears, Gabriel, kind, gentle yet hard-lived and furrowed, who gave and left me with hope that all would be well.

“The original version, the demo, had that magic, which I thought about releasing it as it was, having gone into the old Damien Gerrard studio in Sydney, to bang down some ideas. I played everything, guitars, shakers, lead, the vocal and I also sang the harmonies. It worked, but my belief in the song told me to give it the environment it deserved. Arriving in Nashville I briefed producer Justin Weaver, who went about recreating the demo perfectly from the ground up. I still handled the guitars, the lead vocal and all harmonies but was smart enough to hand off the rest to the boys!.’’ Listen for Jimmy Paxson on the trash can drum, swinging around the harmonies and Justin Weavers banjo, that is the optimism and the final outcome.

Jack Nolan is a singer songwriter based in Sydney, Australia, who’s been performing and releasing music and albums since the mid 90’s. Along with a five-album solo catalogue Jack also fronted The Kelly Gang, with Rick Grossman, bassist for The Divinyls and Hoodoo Gurus, along with Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst, and guitar player Martin Rotsey. Their 2004 album Looking for the Sun was critically adored along with their energetic live shows of the time.

Within Nolan’s music, mysterious and shimmering chords unite his sound with that of the Americana genre, once quaintly described as ‘Darlinghurst Country’ uniting elements of folk, country, rock ‘n’ roll and ambient atmospheres fusing Nolan’s passion for intensely charged electric guitar and finger-picked acoustic guitar.

Scenestr Video Premiere:

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Gabriel
The title track single from forthcoming album GABRIEL

Release dates

Single – September 8 – Digital Only (links below)
Album – October 8 – Gabriel LP (Vinyl, CD, Digital)

Credits:
Written by Jack Nolan
Recorded at ‘Welcome to 1979’ in Nashville TN 2020
Produced by Justin Weaver
Engineered by Chris Mara
Mixed by Chris Mara & Justin Weaver
Mastered by Ryan Smith, Sterling Sound Nashville TN
Jack Nolan – Vocals & guitars
Justin Weaver – Electric Guitars, slide, banjo & backing vocals
Jimmy Paxson – Drums
Chris Autry – Bass

Gabriel is OUT NOW Quay Records/MGM. 

Stream or Download:

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Connect with Jack Nolan:

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News and Touring

New Reviews and Interviews for Steve Kilbey

New album reviews highly lauding this release are still coming in thick and fast weeks after the release.

Theres also some great interview podcasts with Steve talking about the album and of course The Church.

Rhythms writer Ian McFarlane just gave it 4 stars in his album feature and says “Steve Kilbey and his band (The Winged Heels) make life affirming music “

Heres a summary including some great podcasts plus Michael Smith’s review in full below – 

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STEVE KILBEY& THE WINGED HEELS

THE HALL OF COUNTERFEITS

Foghorn/MGM

It was always obvious that Steve Kilbey is an extraordinarily complex chap, positively bursting with ideas, but over the past 18 months just how “bursting” he is has become manifest by his recording eight albums. Perhaps nine, since The Hall of Counterfeitsis a double-album’s worth, 22 songs, one CD – as diverse a collection as you can imagine. It could be his “White Album”, or would be if Kilbey hadn’t already recorded Remindlessnessback in 1990. He tells us that that double-album was his attempt to take in everything he’d ever been fascinated by, an attempt to “reconcile the whole damn lot with a weird and wild bunch of songs far, far from the mainstream.” Thirty years on, he reckons The Hall of Counterfeits is “my answer to myself” and that “time has enabled me to give voice to those same preoccupations” – from The Beatles to mysticism and beyond. Aiding and abetting him this time around are The Winged Heels – classical guitarist (and more) Gareth Koch, keyboards player Roger Mason and drummer Barton Price, the latter pair once an integral part of The Models, though there’s nothing of that particular “past life” evident in their contributions to this sonic exploration of the multifarious arcane corridors Kilbey’s fertile mind takes us. Just how in tune The Winged Heels are with that mind is evident not only in the whirl of sounds but also in their writing co-credits on ten of the 22 songs here. And it’s all there – Beatles, Floyd, Bowie, the Middle East, the Medieval, the whimsical, the cosmic, psychedelic, pop, classical, myth, magic, obscurantism, the lot! There’s even a sort of boogie in ‘Everything for Sale’!! He might assure us, in ‘Bound in Servitude’, that “emptiness never stops”, but it’s obvious neither does his most extraordinary mind, firing on more cylinders than anyone has a right to still be able to boast 50 years into a creative career. Unmistakeably Kilbey, quite simply, this is every kind of party mixtape you could ever wish – superb.

MICHAEL SMITH

Get The Album

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News and Touring

GARETH KOCH RELEASES THE ELIZABETHAN JANGLE EP

Release Date:  September 3rd  (Foghorn/MGM) Digital Platforms
and CD in Store.
Genre- World/Classical

Imagine music from the time of Shakespeare colliding with the Byrds & the 60’s jangle of 12-string guitars.  A fanciful scenario, yet one of the many wonders art & music can perform.

During the reign of Elizabeth I the lute was the king of instruments.  Its chief exponent, John Dowland, was England’s star musician.  He wrote music for Shakespeare’s plays & was lauded across Europe.

Fast forward some 400 years to classically-trained Gareth Koch who re-contextualises Elizabethan music in a contemporary framework.  The lutes are replaced by flamenco, classical & steel-string guitars, while the viols give way to Hofner & Rickenbacker basses.

This brand new musical endeavour embraces both informed historical performance practise & pop sensibilities.  Add to this an over-arching aesthetic derived from shimmering guitar pop & we have a new sound, the sound of Elizabethan Jangle.

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Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a diverse repertory across multiple albums spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects & song writing.  He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.
Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects.  Over the past two years he has released two collaborative albums with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church).  Earlier this year a third collaboration with Steve saw the release of double album ‘The Hall of Counterfeits’.

Song Descriptions
Can She Excuse
The opening track to this fascinating step back in time to the world of troubadours and courtiers and palace commissioned concerts.  Koch’s mastery of the Classical Guitar is augmented by his skills at percussion and arrangement to create a world music element as well.

The Hags of Gloucester
The title alone is intriguing and sure enough the track doesn’t disappoint with soaring peaks of guitar arpeggios and subtle percussion and jangling backing guitars.

Praetorian Jangle
Maybe if classical guitar had been around in Roman times you would have heard this in Caesar’s court or in The Forum.  With a bit of a military backbeat and some other percussion the guitars layered on top tell the whole story.

Fun Fact
The unique original oil portrait was painted by Steve Kilbey.

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Elizabethan Jangle is OUT TODAY September 3rd – via MGM
All DSP’s and CD’s from official store below

Connect with Gareth Koch: 

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News and Touring

CJ Shaw releases new single Adelaide from upcoming album

Adelaide
Acoustic Folk Australian best describes this song which has elements of Slim Dusty and Aussie folk such as The Hussy Hicks and The Beggars. A great opener with nothing but acoustics, electric riffs and vocals which sets the tone for the forthcoming album (All Sorts-Sept 17-MGM)  nicely.

Video premiered today by Scenestr

CJ adl-gran

This story telling song follows the enchanting day which saw the arrival of my first child, Adelaide. The rain tumbled down in Canberra, soaking the city and filling the drains as we marvelled at the magic of being first time parents. As the song suggests the natural world that surrounded us, the animals and birds as well as the gardens and trees were reborn as the result of the 60mm that fell in just under an hour. This is a song that celebrates renewal and new life.

Armed with a guitar and a swag full of harmonicas, singer-songwriter CJ Shaw’s intricate finger-picking, word play and storytelling never fails to captivate his audiences. CJ Shaw’s music is distinctly Australian in style, influenced by Paul Kelly and Slim Dusty. His lyrical storytelling and musicality lends itself to audiences of all ages.

In 2020, CJ Shaw was nominated for an ARIA Award for ‘Music Teacher of the Year’ with Jimmy Barnes as his official ambassador presenting him with the nomination. This prestigious music industry acknowledgement recognised his dynamic and poignant songwriting for primary-aged children. These celebrated songs are woven through his performances and albums, played alongside satirical and storytelling Australiana folk songs.

In 2021 CJ Shaw will release his album ‘All Sorts’. Combining the best of his children’s songs with his unique brand of contemporary Australiana, Shaw has dubbed ‘All Sorts’ “the ultimate Family Album”.  With over a decade experience touring and performing at music festivals in Australia and Timor-Leste, CJ Shaw is an exciting Canberra musician at the top of his game.

CJ Shaw – Adelaide is out NOW August 20th through Foghorn/MGM

Download or stream:

Connect with CJ Shaw:
www.cjshawmusic.com

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News and Touring

ChIPS release single Wake Up Call

In June 2021, members of Sydney Children’s Hospital Network’s Chronic Illness Peer Support group [or “ChIPS”], jumped on a Zoom call with singer-songwriter Luke Escombe to talk about their shared experiences of living with a chronic health condition. 

The result was a relevant and telling high energy single – WAKE UP CALL which was  premiered on Youtube today Friday 6th August and ramped up to over 1500 views in only a few days.. Click below for the link

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Heres the latest review from Triple J Unearthed Music Director Dave Ruby Howe

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ChIPS is a peer support program that runs across Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network for young people aged 12-25 years who are living with a chronic illness or condition that affects their day-to-day lives. The aim of the program is to connect young people with shared experiences and provide them with opportunities for developing leadership and life skills through workshops, advocacy, creative projects, program planning and public speaking. Through these activities and relationships they develop confidence, wellbeing, self-esteem and decrease social isolation. Above all, ChIPS is about creating a community and having fun with new friends. The program is run by young people for young people.

What emerged most strongly from the conversation was the common frustration they felt at not being listened to by the adults in their lives; at being told “you should do this” or “you need to do this” or being made to feel that they were helpless, incapable or in need of fixing.

The ChIPS members also spoke about “the mask” they felt compelled to wear in society in order to appear “normal”, and how exhausting and lonely it is to live behind. Escombe, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease at the age of fourteen, could relate to these feelings directly.

The result of their conversation is “Wake Up Call” – an angry, articulate and infectiously catchy song that asks people to think twice before offering unwanted advice. If you want to help, the song states, just LISTEN.

Beyond the words, “Wake Up Call” also showcases the eclectic mix of talents in this group, from Sky Boe’s powerful lead vocals to Batu’s Turkish rap breakdown. For some of the ChIPS members, the recording session (at Free Energy Device, Sydney, with producer Michael McGlynn) was also the first time they’d met one another in real life.

“Wake Up Call” came about through an initiative called “We Wrote that”, conceived by Escombe – the creator and frontman of ARIA-nominated kids band The Vegetable Plot – and fellow musician and children’s performer Ben Thatcher, as an artistic means to give voice to young people living with disability and chronic health conditions. Funding came from Accessible Arts and Create NSW.

ChIPS – Wake Up Call is out NOW August 6th through Foghorn/MGM

Download or stream: 

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“We Wrote That” – Website
https://wewrotethat.com.au/

Triple J Unearthed

Connect with Luke Escombe:

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News and Touring

Jessie-May Kitchen releases new single Quirky

Imagine being born one day on another planet.
Everybody on this planet was given detailed instructions and knowledge of how to speak the language and how the world works. The entire planet is designed for everybody’s relaxation, socialisation, and comfortability.
Everyone but yours.

Growing up it felt like I was ostracised by the entire world. I felt like I was a literal alien and didn’t belong. The loneliness that never leaves you, leads to years of questioning the why. Am I the protagonist of a movie to be mocked by an invisible audience? Am I the butt of some cosmic joke? This is the life of a neurodivergent child.  This is me. A pop single written with my entire heart from the perspective of a neurodivergent individual trying to navigate a neurotypical world.

I was called many things when I was young – freak, loner, weirdo. It never truly stopped, but the language did shift as I got older, once difference became more socially acceptable. Instead of calling me a weirdo on the playground, I would always get the sceptical phrase, “haha… you are.. QUIRKY… Aren’t you…?”

The relief and confidence I felt when discovering I’m okay, I’m not broken – my brain just works differently, was life changing! I hope Quirky can bring representation, comfort and celebration to the wonderful neurodivergent community. Branching further into the pop genre is something I’ve always wanted to do and Quirky was the perfect chance to do it!

Quirky contains fast paced electronic beats, funky bass, whacky harmonies and the message – it never hurt to be Quirky! I want to thank Jordan for the electronic instrumentals, Russel Pilling and Andrew Beck for recording, mixing and mastering this project and of course Marshall Cullen for producing and always believing in me.

 Song Description
This is a new more pop direction for Jessie May Kitchen. Up-tempo, programmed backing, ‘quirky’ keys, bass and guitar and some very ‘now’ vocal fx all go together to make this song a real winner for pop radio.

Jessie May Kitchen – Quirky is out NOW through Foghorn/MGM

Download or stream: 

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Connect with Jessie-May Kitchen:

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News and Touring

Mark Cashin releases new single The Genius

Mark Cashin Presents
New Single “The Genius“

Mark has produced yet another smash tribute to his late son, Coen, with this brilliant new single and video.  The song was recorded in 2 days at Damien Gerard Studios and then mixed by renown engineer Russell Pilling.

Mark played drums and acoustics as well as providing the lead vocal. Other musicians included: Sarah Piper on backing vocals and Jake Hunt on electric guitars and bass. Recording engineer at DG’s was Murray Dilger and the song was produced by Mark Cashin and Marshall Cullen.

In Mark’s own words: “The song was written for a very talented musical genius, my son, Coen. He was involved in a fatal car crash 3 kilometres from our Central Coast home nearly 4 years ago. I would like to share the only gift I can give my son on his 28th birthday.”

Song Description:

The Genius
Strong acoustics and riffing electrics begin this heartfelt mid-tempo song from Mark. The verses all feature a catchy guitar riff as well as the melodic vocals morphing into some sing along woo hoos as part of the chorus.  Honest and straight from the heart this song really takes you somewhere.

Watch the Video here:

Credits:
Foghorn Media / MGM
Written by MARK  CASHIN
Performed by MARK CASHIN – Lead Vocals, Acoustic guitar, Drums
Jake Hunt – Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar
Sarah Piper – Backing Vocals
Engineered & Recorded by – Murray Dilger? at Damien Gerard studios?
West Gosford, NSW, AUSTRALIA
Mixed & Mastered by Russell Pilling
Produced by Mark Cashin and Marshall Cullen
Film clip by Stewart McDonald

Stream The Genius here:

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Connect with Mark: