Tag Archives: australian music

Australian singer/songwriter Mick Hart has a brand new album on the way and its first offering is called The Way It Is.

A “you done me wrong” break-up song with a catchy blues groove, The Way It Is grabs the listener with its addictive chorus that features some blistering guitar and Hart’s determined lyrical growl, “I don’t owe you nothing, that’s the way it is.”

It’s the first taste of his upcoming album, Awake, which is due for release this April 26th on MGM.

Mick will tour in support of the Album starting in Europe in April and following through to Australian dates from May.

ARIA nominated for “Best Blues and Roots” in 2002 for his sophomore album Upside Down In The Full Face of Optimism, Mick Hart occupies a sonic space that’s influenced by Jeff Buckley and Ben Harper, from sparse acoustic songs to wild dirty blues rock and some brilliant lap-slide guitar.

Hart has been touring the world for the past 20 years, playing festivals and concerts all over Australia, the UK and Europe, Japan and the USA. Praised all over the globe, Mick has played support to Bob Dylan, Coldplay, Sting, Van Morrison, Paul Weller, Gomez, The Pretenders, Paul Kelly, The John Butler Trio and many more.

Listen to The Way It Is now:

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Big Merino – Official Video – Hummingbird

Video February 19, 2019 Marshall Cullen

News and Touring

NEW RELEASE: Big Merino – Brand New Single ‘Hummingbird’

February 19, 2019 Marshall Cullen

Big Merino – New Single – Hummingbird

Sydney’s Big Merino have recorded a brand new song called Hummingbird.
It’s the very first taste of a bunch of new songs that will be recorded over the coming months at Damien Gerard Studios in Sydney. The as-yet-untitled second album from the blues-country-rock-pop group is expected to be released this Winter.

Hummingbird is not an ode to wildlife, rather a lament on the tragic and powerful consequences of unmanned military aerial drone strikes.

A special black-and-white video for the song was recently shot by band member Alex, who just happens to be a professional photographer. He captured the band on the rocks over the ocean at Maroubra Beach, Sydney and it’s available to watch now on YouTube.

Big Merino will launch Hummingbird on Saturday February 23 at Gasoline Pony in Marrickville, Sydney.

Formed a little over two years ago, Big Merino play original songs that blur the lines between rock, country, blues, roots, soul, funk and grunge, while occasionally making forays into lesser known genres such as New Orleans 2^ndLine.

Citing their major influences as Glen Hansard, The Frames, Jackson Browne and The Rolling Stones, songwriters Alex Craig and Stuart Davis write socially and politically-charged songs that are sometimes gentle and nostalgic and at other times nothing less than a fierce cry for revolution.

Lead singer/guitarist Stuart Davis cut his teeth singing Gospel with Tony Backhouse in Cafe at the Gates of Salvation, and brings that soulful Gospel feel to everything he does. He is joined by Alex Craigon guitar, Peter Richardsonon bass and Colin Sevitt on drums.

“Great songs, great songwriting and the best of it full of a real sincerity and commitment.”
Michael Smith – Rhythms

Listen to ‘Hummingbird’ at all your favourite digital music platforms from Friday, February 15, 2019:

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News and Touring

The Bondi Beach Latin American Festival is happening March 17!

January 31, 2019 Marshall Cullen

Have you ever wanted to experience the vibrant culture, music, dance and cuisine of Latin America? On Sunday 17th of March you can do it all as the BONDI BEACH LATIN AMERICAN FESTIVAL returns to the iconic Bondi Beach Pavilion.

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This year the BONDI BEACH LATIN AMERICAN FESTIVAL completes its 40th year, celebrating the magic of Latin culture by the sunny sands of Australia’s most famous beach. The festival will kick off at 11:00 am with the always colourful beachside parade, representing a diversity of Latin and Caribbean cultures including Comparsa Urumbe (Uruguay), Sabor Boliviano (Bolivia), La Rumba Latina (Colombia), Bateria 61 (Brazil), and the exquisite dancers and costumes of the Carnivale.

From midday to 8 pm the fiesta continues with the Bondi Pavilion hosting 4 arenas where you will find a diverse range of artists and genres representative of Latin culture. Artists such as Pato Lara & The Teyuna Collective, Nativösoul, Cumbiamuffin, Havana Social Club Salsa DJs, and Australiasia’s leading Brazilian performance company, Rhythm Brazil among others, will make your body move with the upbeat and contagious music that the region is known for.

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The party vibes will be in full effect with Bondi Beach providing an amazing backdrop against which to enjoy the “Latin Village” and visit its market stalls. An incredible variety of Latin food will be on offer in the “Latin Beats and Eats Arena” including Argentinian BBQ, Sofrito paella, Venezuelan arepas, Mexican tacos and nachos, ceviche from Peru, empanadas from Chile and amazing desserts such as the ever-popular churros.

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Traditional and emerging Latin dance styles will be on show with folkloric performances on the main stage, and free dance classes with professionals.

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There will also be children’s activities and art exhibitions, allowing to enjoy and participate in the warmth, fun and happiness of the Latin culture.

This extraordinarily engaging experience presented by Waverley Council and Bondi Association of Arts and Music will take place on the 17th of March 2019 at the Bondi Pavilion, so prepare yourself for a stunning day of immersion in Latin culture.

Tickets are now available at

Click here to buy them now!

(Kids under 12 are free!)

News and Touring

Dis-Connect’s new EP ‘Social Disease’ Launches March 30

January 31, 2019 Marshall Cullen

The new EP from Hornsby, Sydney-based 3 piece Dis-Connect is called Social Disease and it’s out on Feb 8!

Recorded in May 2018 at The Grove Studios on the Central Coast, the EP features 4 brand new tracks that use their serrated punk/pop sound to accentuate the difficult issues that are examined in the lyrics. Social Disease offers a glimpse of some of the pressures facing middle and lower-class Australians, from the use of prescription and illegal drugs, troubled relationships and the struggle of a low income to cultural diversity, sexuality and political bias.

The EP will be launched at The Hornsby Inn, Sydney on Saturday 30th March.

Dis-Connect are Phillip Lambert (lead vocals, bass guitar) Steven Tonge (back vocals, guitar) and Grahame Giles (drums). The band was formed after Phil recorded 7 songs in his bedroom and gave the songs and his drum kit to Grahame and from that point it was 6 weeks until the band’s very first gig.

After a few years of playing live gigs, Steve joined the band and they recorded a demo at Damien Gerard Studios with Russell Pilling. A lot of live gigs followed, as well as the release of their debut EP, featuring the track Harmony, which gained national radio airplay on Triple J.

Social Disease will be live on Spotify, iTunes and all your favourite streaming services on Feb 8

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Halfway Homebuoy – Burning in the Sun (official)

Video December 22, 2018 Marshall Cullen

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Jessie May Kitchen – Teen Love (Official)

Video December 22, 2018 Marshall Cullen

Videos

Daxton – 10 000 Miles (Official)

Video December 22, 2018 Marshall Cullen

News and Touring

New single from Texas Strangers – River of Tears

December 6, 2018 Marshall Cullen

Texas Strangers are a 5-piece Central Coast-based country rock outfit.

UPDATE-

They’ve just returned from a successful trip to the annual star-filled Tamworth Country Music Festival, where they played 7 gigs to rapturous crowds.

River of Tears is the first single from their forthcoming album Borderline and it’s now been added to full rotation at ABC Country radio as of January 2019

The Forthcoming Album Borderline will be released On Foghorn/MGM in March

From the pen of singer/songriter Steve Killeen comes a soulful and haunting tale of alcoholism and abandonment. Much like a river itself, the song twists and turns, rises and falls as it reveals itself.

Set to a sweeping “Classic Nashville” arrangement, the Texas Strangers have delivered a great Country track that will remain with the listener long after they’ve heard it.

The single was recorded during the album sessions for Borderline at Damien Gerard Studios engineered by Russell Pilling. The Song was mastered by Sage Audio Nashville Tennessee.

OUT NOW through Foghorn/MGM

Listen on Spotify now:

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NEW ACOUSTIC EP – Joel Leffler – Brighton Lakes Sessions EP

December 6, 2018 Marshall Cullen

If you were to walk in the front door of one of those homes, turn right up the stairs and left into bedroom 3 you would find a grand piano, an acoustic guitar & an air of something recognisably creative.

This 8 track EP features popular songs from Joel Lefflers’s previous titles ‘Run With The Wolves’ & ‘Strip Me Bare’ along with 2 brand new acoustic tracks fresh out of the studio, ‘Where You Are’ & ‘Home To Me (Caledonia)’.

Much like Brighton Lakes face lift; these songs have been re-imagined to give an insight into what they sound like both in pre-production & live in show.

Joel says of his experience recording the acoustic sessions, “I was recently diagnosed with severe anxiety that found me laying in an ER bed at Liverpool Hospital…What I thought was originally derived from music actually turns out to be – that music itself is the cure!”

Brighton Lakes Sessions EP was written, recorded & produced by Joel Leffler followed by mastering by Andrew Beck at Damien Gerard Studios.

Listen here: