Single Launch shows:
The Vanguard, Sydney – THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15
Lalala’s, Wollongong – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
Having spent the past couple of years sweating it out in venues up and down the East Coast of Australia, Eddie Boyd AKA Human Noise (formerly Boydos) has returned with a fresh moniker, revived energy, and his strongest single to date.
Listening to his debut record It’s Alright, Look At Me I’m Young (2019), you wouldn’t have guessed all was not quite well in the camp of the Sydney muso. Swaying between heartful Jeff Buckley-esque songmanship and bouncy indie rock, all the while chronicling his foray into young manhood, IALAMIY quickly established him as one of the most exciting talents in the Australian musical ecosystem. Yet, the name “Boydos”, niggled away at the enigmatic songwriter.
“It always felt like a rushed choice to me” Boyd says of his former title. “I had been stewing on it for a long time and I just didn’t feel connected to “Boydos”. I definitely think the new name represents the music better.”
Today we have the first taste of Human Noise’s as yet untitled sophomore album, recorded in New Zealand with NZ Music Award-winning producer Ben Edwards. ‘How Is It You Do That?’, which clocks in at two minutes and six seconds, is a frenetic melodic collage that explodes with energy.
With the drum beat charging toward the finish line, Boyd lets his vocals take center-stage. The emotion that bleeds through the speaker is simply electrifying. Ironically, the track lyrically centers around controlling your mind, or in Boyd’s case, a lack thereof:
“How Is It You Do That?’ is an ode to a friend and his ability to be calm under emotional stress. We were going through similar things at the same time and I really admired the way he could maintain such a rational and forgiving outlook. It was a challenging time for both of us and I’m really happy at how well that angst and frustration was captured in the studio.”
Directed and edited by Boyd himself, with AnnieRose Collis shooting on the night, the video encapsulates the frantic bones of the track. Shot in one take, Boyd gives the song the impassioned performance it deserves as a spattering of colours radiate in the background.
“I was just trying to think of economic ways to make a video clip that wasn’t terrible, and I definitely made a few terrible prototypes. We shot it at half the speed of the final edit, to give it that frantic, unhinged effect. We did a bunch of takes, because if the camera’s not steady, it just looks crazy” he says. “There’s a hilarious early take of me, loping around suburbia, singing full volume at half speed sounding like a total drunk.”
If you’re late to the Human Noise party, now’s the chance to sink your teeth in. The new record is expected early 2021 and if ‘How Is It You Do That?’ is anything to go by, the birth (or rebirth) of Human Noise is something you don’t want to sleep on.
“I’m really excited for everything to be heard, which is a different feeling than I had with the first album,” Boyd says. “I feel more confident in the lyrics. I just feel like … Yeah, I feel excited about everything.”
How Is It You Do That? is out now through Ditto Music.
Single Launch shows:
The Vanguard (Sydney) – THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15
Lalala’s (Wollongong) – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
Ticketing info HERE
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Where are you currently based?
We’re all based around the inner-west of Sydney City.
We were originally sort of an art project between myself and Carmen Minikus, before going through a number of different iterations over the next few years few years to becoming the band we are now. I feel like we’ve really just found our feet (and our sound) over the past year and a half or so.
Like everyone else, our live shows came to a grinding halt as the world turned upside down in Feburary or March, but I think we were really lucky in a way as we had already just booked in recording and mixing time for our debut EP and we were able to get a lot of done just as the restrictions came into place. There was some down time as we isolated like everyone else, but we’ve still managed to keep moving!
Myself and Carmen first started playing together in a flat share near Chinatown about six years ago, coming from completely different musical backgrounds. She was a classically trained pianist, and I was a guitarist more used to playing in noisy post-rock types of bands. We somehow found some kind of connection in each other’s music, but it really took shape when Carmen started playing guitar. We haven’t looked back since.
I feel like the sound of the song really sits in that pocket of being dream pop, with the reverb-drenched guitar and floating melodies, but it definitely has a driving element to it coming from the rhythm section which makes it sort of an uplifting tune and stops it from being too melancholic, I think. The songwriting itself was influenced by personal experiences of people you care about or used to care a lot about who have become physically or emotionally distant to where you can’t find them anymore.
When I was writing the initial melody and structure, I definitely thought about having Carmen becoming more involved in the singing and writing process and trying to harmonise together. I have always loved bands who used multiple vocal harmonies drifting in and out with each other, like the Byrds or maybe Teenage Fanclub, and I really wanted to try some of that approach in our music. The song was actually still unfinished when we brought it into the studio, and our producer, who is a great songwriter himself, helped give it a few finishing touches. We taught it to the rest of the band on the spot and ran with it.
The EP was recorded and produced with Wayne Connolly, at Hercules Street Studio in Surry Hills. The main instrument and vocal tracks were recorded in early March, and then we added more overdubs and layers when we could over the partial lockdown months, before going in and starting to mix everything in the months afterwards. We’re still mixing the EP now actually, but hopefully it will all be done soon!
Some of these songs had actually been ready for a couple of years before we went into the studio, so they had been demoed a few times already, and we were dying to get them out there. Then there are a couple of songs like the Great Divide which are really new comparatively. We worked with Wayne, whose production work with a number of Australian indie-rock bands we were really big fans of, as well as admiring the bands he himself had played in as well.
For me writing music is pure catharsis. Some people just need some kind of outlet for their happy / sad feelings or else they go a bit nuts, and I think that I am one of them. I write a lot of stuff in the songs that I sometimes find difficult to say. Then there’s just the thrill of playing the music to an audience, with some people who you really care about playing with you, and literally creating something out of nothing with them. Nothing can beat that feeling, really!
I’ve been obsessed with Ruby Haunts latest album for about half a year now. Black Marble are another go to band of mine, and I’ve recently started listening to an old Alt-rock band from 80s New Zealand called The Clean. They were on that amazing Flying Nun record label and the music is just fantastic.
I’m a digital designer by trade, and I like photography and reading a lot, and occasionally playing retro video games. We also go out camping a lot in summertime.
We have a new single which is a cover of a song by Nick Drake out next month through Scenic Drive records, and then our debut EP will be out early next year. We have an albums worth of material we’re writing now which we hope to record in Feb or March next year which we are literally so excited about.
One of my favourite restaurants is a small Italian place on Cleveland St. in Darlington called Kindred. Just a super nice local atmosphere and the best food. Our favourite place to hang out and chill is the dog beach behind the main strip in Rose Bay!
THE CHURCH
KATE MILLER-HEIDKE
THE LIVING END
THE ANGELS
ROSS WILSON AND THE PEACENIKS
BLUE KING BROWN
JEFF LANG
KARA GRAINGER
And many more to be announced!
Get your tickets on-sale now
The 2021 Bluesfest Third Artist Announcement is a legendary list of exceptional artists who join what is already an incredible line up of Australian talent confirmed to perform next Easter on April 1 – 5th at the beautiful green Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm located 10 minutes north of Byron Bay.
Commenting on the announcement Festival Director, Peter Noble OAM says “Look at this line up – all that talent. When it comes to musical talent Australia is an embarrassment of riches and it is a privilege to create a line up to clearly showcase that very fact.”
Legendary psych-rock guitar stars The Church step on to the Bluesfest stage for the very first time and headline this Third Artist Announcement for 2021 Bluesfest. Award winning singer-songwriter and Euro Vision 2019 success story Kate Miller- Heidke will bring her touch of class, whilst punk inspired rock band The Living End with their blend of rockabilly and punk and eternal rock-stars The Angels bring their exhilarating and raw live energy to this powerful line up. Rock royalty and bona fide legend Ross Wilson & The Peaceniks have signed on and will be pumping out the non-stop hit machine featuring songs from Daddy Cool to Mondo Rock. Joining them are festival favourites Blue King Brown, headed up by the dynamic no-holds- barred pocket rocket Nattali Rize. “Bluesfest is one of our favourite festivals on the planet. We’re looking forward to returning to Australian shores and bringing the full power Blue King Brown show home!” Says Nattali Rize.
With 14 Bluesfest performances behind him, the first in 1994, Jeff Lang is a legend in his own right. Said to play the guitar with the devils in his fingers, Jeff has won three ARIA Awards and his live performances are always a guaranteed showstopper. Adding more femme force to the bill is the return to Australia from the now Nashville based singer-songwriter Kara Grainger, her soulful vocals and unique style of slide guitar has earned her ‘opening’ performance slots with Peter Frampton, Buddy Guy and Taj Mahal to name a few. Many in the business will be watching what this lead singer from the much-loved “Papa Lips” is doing now.
The Church
Australian psych-rock guitar masters The Church enter their fifth decade of making music with all the fierce creative energy of their early years. With new members introduced, the band are deep into recording the band’s 25th studio album, 40 years after their formation and will perform at Bluesfest for the first time in 2021. The 2020 epic line-up is bassist, vocalist and founder Steve Kilbey; with longtime collaborator Tim Ebandit Powles drummer and producer across 17 albums since ’94; guitarist Ian Haug who joined the band in 2013 and Jeffrey Cain, touring multi-instrumentalist who is now a full-time member of The Church since the departure of Peter Koppes in early 2020. The band have also recently recruited one of Australia’s finest and most respected guitarists Ashley Naylor (Even, The Grapes). Ashley and Steve have collaborated on many different projects over the years and now was the perfect time to bring Ashley into the band.
Kate Miller-Heidke
Award winning singer-songwriter and Euro Vision 2019 success story Kate Miller-Heidke traverses the worlds of contemporary pop, folk, and opera. She has released four studio albums including the top 5 album O Vertigo!, and Curiouser, which reached double platinum sales and featured the multi-platinum hits ‘The Last Day On Earth’ and ‘Caught In The Crowd’, which won Grand Prize in the 2009 International Songwriting Competition.
She won the 2016 Helpmann for Best Australian Contemporary Concert.
Trained as a classical singer at the Queensland Conservatorium, Kate has performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and several roles for the English National Opera. Her debut opera as a composer, The Rabbits, won 4 Helpmann Awards including Best Score and Best New Australian Work. With her collaborator Keir Nuttall, she has written the music and lyrics to Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical, which premiered at the Sydney Theatre Company and played throughout 2019 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The Living End
The Living End consider themselves to be a rock ‘n’ roll band based on punk ethics, citing The Clash, Iggy Pop, The Who and The Jam as influences and bands with whom they share the same ideals. Formed in 1994 and since 2002 the line up consists of Chris Cheney (vocals, guitar), Scott Owen (double bass, vocals) and Andy Strachan (drums). The band rose to fame in 1997 after the release of their double A-sided single, ”Second Solution” / “Prisoner of Society”, which peaked at No. 4 on the Australian Singles Chart and went on to sell triple platinum. They have released seven studio albums and two reached the No. 1 spot on the Australian Albums Chart - self-titled album (12 October 1998) and State of Emergency (4 February 2006). They have also gained chart success in the United States and the United Kingdom. Said to be one of Australia’s most ferocious live acts, their blistering live performances have earned the band an enviable position as one of Australia’s greatest live bands.
The Angels
Delivering raucous hard rock in the tradition of contemporaries like AC/DC and Rose Tattoo, the Angels are among the longest-lasting and most beloved bands ever to emerge from the Australian pub circuit. Their roots date back to 1973, when singer Doc Neeson and guitarist Rick Brewster first teamed up, but it was really in 1976 when they really started making their mark. Discovered by AC/DC‘s Angus Young and Bon Scott, and signed to their label Albert Productions, their first single, ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’ was an instant hit – and set The Angels on their loud and proud rock journey.
Albums ‘The Angels,’ No Exit’, ‘Face To Face’, ‘Night Attack’, ‘Beyond Salvation’ and more followed …
and the Angels rock juggernaut rolled on through the decades. They lost two original members, Chris Bailey and Doc Neeson, but have never wavered in their musical mission.
Thirteen studio albums, eight Top 10 albums, 17 Top 40 singles … but that tells only part of The Angels story. It’s the relationship with the audience that means everything to the band, built via thousands of gigs. An exhilarating exchange of energy, legendary live shows, raucous audience ‘call-backs’, high-energy, high-voltage sets have made The Angels synonymous with Aussie pub-rock – and continues to keep The Angels at the forefront of our music industry as one of the most beloved rock bands in Australia. The Angels remain fierce and uncompromising. They have always done things their own way. So many of their songs ‘Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again’, ‘Take A Long Line’, ‘Comin’ Down’, ‘Shadow Boxer’, ‘No Secrets’ … and more…. are bone-fide Australian anthems, calling out to be sung at high volume in a hot sweaty atmosphere. Featuring Dave Gleeson [Screaming Jets] on lead vocals and still run by founding members John Brewster and Rick Brewster you better answer that call and rally front and centre when The Angels play their first Bluesfest show.
Ross Wilson and The Peaceniks
From ‘Daddy Cool’ to ‘Mondo Rock’ and as a solo artist with no less than 26 ARIA Top 40 hits to his credit as a singer, songwriter and producer, Ross Wilson is one of Australia’s most awarded, respected and well-known artists! The legendary band ‘Daddy Cool’ whose number one anthem ‘Eagle Rock’ smashed all previous sales records in Australia, to the 1977 formation of ‘Mondo Rock’, delivering 80’s hits ‘Cool World’, ‘State of The Heart’, ‘Chemistry’, ‘No Time’, and ‘Come Said The Boy’ and into the 21st century as a solo performer, Ross Wilson has never been out of the limelight. Twice inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, Wilson has written hits for Jimmy Barnes, John Farnham and Joe Cocker, and produced smash hit albums for Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons, Skyhooks and Screaming Jets. Come back again to see an absolute solid gold legend of rock and his full band ‘The Peaceniks’ perform all his hits this year at 2021 Bluesfest.
Blue King Brown
Hailed by Santana as “The voice of the street and the band of the future!” Blue King Brown, is Australia’s premier live urban roots & reggae powerhouse act. Their cross-generational groove and socially conscious sound is lead by the multi talented, relentless energy of Nattali Rize. Powerful vocal & lyrical delivery’s meet a roots, rock & afro groove mash-up built on an irrepressible percussive foundation, cementing their highly regarded live reputation. A force of nature onstage Blue King Brown are festival favourites and return to Bluesfest for the eighth time this year.
Jeff Lang
This will be the 15th Bluesfest performance for Australian guitarist-songwriter-vocalist-producer, Jeff Lang who made his Bluesfest debut in 1994. Jeff has built a reputation for making startling music that is accomplished, intricate, gutsy, melodic and loaded with soul. Often taking unexpected turns, he has consistently inspired his audiences by creating a stylistically diverse catalogue of over 30 albums. As many journalists have written over the years, Jeff is not one to be easily pegged, though in a general sense it’s fair to say he largely trades in roots-oriented rock; wider reaching in collaborations with the likes of roving guitar anthropologist the late Bob Brozman, American blues-rocker Chris Whitley, India’s desert-dwellers Maru Tarang and world music virtuosos Bobby Singh and Mamadou Diabate. Jeff’s work with the latter won the 2010 ARIA for Best World Music Album, while he and Brozman took one home for Best Blues and Roots Music Album in 2002. Jeff received that same award on his own in 2012 for the album ‘Carried In Mind’. In 2020 Jeff published his first book – “Some Memories Never Die” – a memoir of three decades on the road; Memories of gigs where the pay was akin to blood money, reflections on how the road’s twists and turns can be lightened by the presence of fellow travellers and occasionally darkened by them too.
Kara Grainger
Some people just have music running through their veins. Kara’s music journey has taken her all around the globe. From her inner city beginnings in the town of Balmain, Sydney Australia, she has since performed and toured in Japan, Indonesia, India, Switzerland, Germany, the UK, and the USA. Her soulful vocals and unique style of slide guitar has caught the attention of many well renowned artists, she’s opened the show for Peter Frampton, Buddy Guy, Johnny Lang, Taj Mahal, Marc Cohen and Eric Johnson to name a few. Kara has been based in Nashville and returns to Australia after a long stint abroad. Many will be watching what she will bring to the stage on this occasion.
All ticket types and Add-Ons are on-sale now.
For further information on the line-up or artists please see here.
Bluesfest 2021 is being held from 1 – 5 April 2021. Tickets are on sale now via Moshtix.
BEATPORT LIVE STREAM XX STEREO 2020
Last Thursday, September 17th (Pacific Time) and Friday 18th (European Time), the Spanish label hosted a Beatport Live Stream from a unique location, the Calderon Theater in Valladolid, in Spain. The event revolved around the concept of defense of culture and Art. The line-up featured familiar Stereo names and also brand new talents: DJ Chus, Sparrow & Barbossa, Óscar de Rivera, Oscar L, D-Formation and La Santa. During the DJ session, Kike Garcinuño captured in one of his paintings what he called the ‘Techno Virus of 2020‘. The Work will be auctioned, and the proceeds will be donated to a non-profit organization to help artists affected by the Pandemic.
DJ CHUS REMIXED BY SPARROW & BARBOSSA
Stereo Productions, for the celebration of its 20th anniversary, launches an extraordinary project.
But the relationship didn’t start there. Read our full story:
Emiliano (AKA Uru) Haberli and Bryan Coletta are the names behind the infamous duo Sparrow & Barbossa. Uru (Barbossa) was the original percussionist in DJ Chus & Joeski’s ‘El Amor’ back in 2003. The stars aligned when Chus got in touch with the duo after they reached #1 with their Yeke mix, one of Chus’s favorites. Now, 20 years later, Uru has crafted the drums sequence again. Bryan (Sparrow) is a pianist and comes from a musical family. His father is the legendary guitarist Francis Coletta, who worked with artists like Whitney Houston, Quincy Jones, and Frank Sinatra.
‘El Amor (Sparrow & Barbossa Remix)’
The Pirates duo has kept the original essence of Caterina’s sensual and enraptured Brazilian voice blending in perfect harmony with the timeless bossa nova bassline. Uru rebuilt the percussion section, giving it an extra samba-esque breeze; meanwhile, Bryan plays the afro synths with new sounds that rouse emotive reactions.
‘World Routes (Sparrow & Barbossa Remix)’
The original track was one of the most significant pillars of Iberican Sound, colored with plenty of organic elements. This gem takes on new skin with Sparrow & Barbosa bringing in afro rhythms, dense basslines, and a tribal house atmosphere while keeping the sensuality of the ethnic vocals, imprinting a confident message of joy and celebration.
Black Rain is one of the most mature and profound of Chus’s works, based on the planet’s origins and the ancestral influences of his music. This Eden of organic elements builds a cinematographic soundscape in which the duo preserves the roots and emphasizes the bassline, capturing the original’s natural strength in an eyes-closed epic.
‘El Amor‘ will be available from September, 23rd via Stereo Productions.
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About On Air
Today, Fleet Foxes surprised fans with the release of their fourth studio album Shore. The bright and hopeful album, released via Anti-, is available to stream and for physical pre-order HERE for a February 5th street date.
In addition to the album, a 16 mm road movie of the same name by Kersti Jan Werdal that showcases the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest set to the score of the album is available to view at https://fleetfoxes.co.
Shore was recorded before and during quarantine in Hudson (NY), Paris, Los Angeles, Long Island City and New York City from September 2018 until September 2020 with the help of recording and production engineer Beatriz Artola.
The fifteen song, fifty-five minute Shore was initially inspired by frontman Robin Pecknold’s musical heroes such as Arthur Russell, Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guebrou and more who, in his experience, celebrated life in the face of death. “I see “shore” as a place of safety on the edge of something uncertain, staring at Whitman’s waves reciting ‘death,’” commented Pecknold. “Tempted by the adventure of the unknown at the same time you are relishing the comfort of the stable ground beneath you. This was the mindset I found, the fuel I found, for making this album.”
Pecknold continues:
Since the unexpected success of the first Fleet Foxes album over a decade ago, I have spent more time than I’m happy to admit in a state of constant worry and anxiety. Worried about what I should make, how it will be received, worried about the moves of other artists, my place amongst them, worried about my singing voice and mental health on long tours. I’ve never let myself enjoy this process as much as I could, or as much as I should. I’ve been so lucky in so many ways in my life, so lucky to be born with the seeds of the talents I have cultivated and lucky to have had so many unreal experiences. Maybe with luck can come guilt sometimes. I know I’ve welcomed hardship wherever I could find it, real or imagined, as a way of subconsciously tempering all this unreal luck I’ve had.
By February 2020, I was again consumed with worry and anxiety over this album and how I would finish it. But since March, with a pandemic spiralling out of control, living in a failed state, watching and participating in a rash of protests and marches against systemic injustice, most of my anxiety around the album disappeared. It just came to seem so small in comparison to what we were all experiencing together. In its place came a gratitude, a joy at having the time and resources to devote to making sound, and a different perspective on how important or not this music was in the grand scheme of things. Music is both the most inessential and the most essential thing. We don’t need music to live, but I couldn’t imagine life without it. It became a great gift to no longer carry any worry or anxiety around the album, in light of everything that is going on. A tour may not happen for a year, music careers may not be what they once were. So it may be, but music remains essential.
This reframing was another stroke of unexpected luck I have been the undeserving recipient of. I was able to take the wheel completely and see the album through much better than I had imagined it, with help from so many incredible collaborators, safe and lucky in a new frame of mind.
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Wow, how did this all happen you say?
Without going into it too much, let’s just say that due to a minor update in the wording on the NSW Government Public Health Order, where as of Sept 11, it now mentions that music festivals ‘attended by less than 2000 people’ are illegal. We had to prove to the local authority that Sky Ball was indeed a concert series and not operating as a music festival.
FUN FACT #1
Of the significant hurdles imposed by the government’s current legislation on the music industry, the biggest one is the fact that you need to be a ‘concert’ and a ‘concert’ can not have more than 4 acts or go for any longer than 5 hours. Any more than 4 acts in succession is not a concert, and even if it’s not a music festival by definition, it basically is a music festival and is illegal regardless of how many people attend.
FUN FACT #2
On the same weekend as Sky Ball, if you live within earshot, you’re likely to hear the 40,000 or so people at ANZ stadium, screaming away for their favourite football team.
So yes please rest easy music lovers, safe in the knowledge that after 5hrs of listening to live music, you won’t catch COVID off the gum trees, because funnily enough 4hrs and 59mins is the exact period of germination.
Despite the live music restrictions imposed by government legislation, you can still come and camp for 3 days, walk the bush, visit the vineyards, hang by your camp, busk under a gum tree. The prestigious Swoop Inn and Bird Bath Bar will be open breakfast, lunch and tea.
So the choice is yours, just make sure you’re front and centre when the music kicks off at 6pm.
With limited tickets still available, we’d love for you to join us if you can!
Whilst the large outdoor concert held at Dashville will only feature a small audience of around 250 people socially distanced, an additional component for punters to get excited about is the huge online component known as Sky Ball TV, which will feature all the artists performing, via a pay to view streaming concert series kicking off on Saturday 3rd October, running for the month of October. Click here for details.
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After releasing his Kylie Minogue cover earlier this month, Tom Snowdon today shares the second instalment of forthcoming covers EP Channel. Listen HERE.
The new single is ‘Who Can It Be Now?‘, originally written and performed by Men At Work in 1981. The minimal arrangement of Snowdon’s interpretation serves to highlight the reclusive lyrics. Over plucked strings & a heart-beat drum, the beseeching vocals bend and soar, building to a euphoric end.
Snowdon hails from Mparntwe/Alice Springs. Family holidays meant looong road trips across the desert to the coast – south, east or north… “Mum and Dad had this album FM Rock Classics from the 80s and we wore the thing out playing it so much. “Who Can It Be Now” was my favourite track on that compilation. I remember vividly the long stretches on the Stuart Highway with that song on repeat. I’d sit for hours just gazing out the window at the landscape and listening. I’d picture a sad man in his house, pushing people away, wanting to be alone – sad but content. Only much later did I start wondering about the deeper messages about fear, isolation and anxiety in those words. That especially has felt relevant amidst the lockdowns we’ve been facing this year.”
‘Who Can It Be Now?‘ by Tom Snowdon is out now, buy/stream it here.
For our friends at community radio, you can also download the track via AMRAP here.
The EP will be released 7th October Out on Pieater
Stay connected with:
Tom Snowdon: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Pieater: Pieater.net | Instagr
Today, sees Baker Boy explore new lyrical and thematic territory with the release of his new single ‘Better Days’. Featuring longtime collaborator Dallas Woods and powerhouse Sampa The Great, Baker Boy joins two distinct creative forces with his own to form an impactful new release.
Though written in 2019, the release of ‘Better Days’ has never been more timely; in its honesty and hopefulness. The project is a special one that many listeners will be able to resonate with and ultimately find some comfort in.
Premiering the single on triple j’s Drive, ‘Better Days’ is Baker Boy putting stories of personal struggle and challenges on track with two of the country’s most dynamic voices.
Cohesive and powerful in its delivery, the three very individual voices and lyrical flows on the record, sees Baker Boy, Dallas and Sampa united. Incorporating English, Yolngu Matha and Bemba, the track is a celebration of culture and shared experience through language.
Each opening up honestly and vividly about their own experiences, the wordsmiths take on oppression to imposter syndrome and the ever-present pressures of meeting the expectations your culture has of you; ensuring its presence in the mainstream as young leaders driving their art forward.
Baker Boy says of the process, “The whole studio time we had was amazing. The first time, seeing Sampa actually perform in the recording session, I got a surprise when she started singing. She’s got an amazing voice. I’ve always listened to her rap and to hear her sing, it was a whole other level. In the first part of Sampa’s verse, she’s rapping in language too, that inspires me as well.”
The partnership between Baker Boy and Dallas Woods on ‘Better Days’ has never been stronger, with the two artists acknowledging the importance of one another not just as fellow creatives, but brothers in arms too.
“That’s my little brother,” Dallas said. “It was good to see him talk about his struggles.”
“Our common ground is bringing our cultures to the forefront in what is the mainstream right now.” Sampa The Great added. “That’s something that I always saw and always admired in both Baker Boy and Dallas, and something I wanted to do for myself. Sometimes we put so much strain on artists, that they are even afraid to grow. I’m glad Baker Boy feels like he can actually express this element of himself. He doesn’t have to be one thing and that’s really beautiful.”
The release of ‘Better Days’ arrives alongside a remix of the track by AIRWOLF. The remix is the sync to the latest marketing campaign for TikTok. Listen to the AIRWOLF remix version here.
Upon his debut in 2017, Baker Boy struck the Australian music industry with his unashamed optimism and love for music, dance and his connection to his culture. And as fans have been able to see as his releases have continued to roll out in following years, Baker Boy is not simply a one-off success story.
The release of ‘Better Days’ continues Baker Boy’s growing list of recent accomplishments, sitting alongside recent wins at the National Indigenous Music Awards (including Artist of The Year), his first Gold ARIA Certification (‘Cool As Hell’), and numerous APRA and ARIA Award nominations (‘Cool As Hell’).
BAKER BOY ‘BETTER DAYS with Dallas Woods feat. Sampa The Great’
IS OUT NOW
For further info on Baker Boy you can check out:
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
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After its long-awaited release on Friday, the album from Australia’s pop-punk bright lights also took out the lauded Feature Album slot on triple j this week.
The huge nod of praise comes alongside a groundswell of global support for the record, out now in full via UNFD.
“Yours Truly have underlined just what an exciting and dynamic band they’ve become.”
Rock Sound
“‘Self Care’ sees Yours Truly take things up a notch thanks to their powerful pop-punk compositions. 4/5.”
Rolling Stone Australia
“‘[‘Self Care’ has] the guts and charisma of traditional pop-punk, but with the vulnerability and fearlessness of now.”
Pilerats
“‘Self Care” is this year’s most important album, and quite frankly, it’s our favourite of the year so far.”
Bloody Good Music
Thematically, ‘Self Care’ unravels the momentous year 2019 was for the band personally and professionally, and the means for reflection and coping that writing their debut album was for them.
‘Self Care’ is out everywhere now, with limited vinyl now available via 24Hundred.
YOURS TRULY
‘SELF CARE’ ALBUM RELEASE
LIVESTREAM
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I’m currently based in my hometown, Jaboticabal, it’s a small town in the countryside of the São Paulo state in Brazil. And there’s not much things to do, especially in the quarantine. But I’m always travelling.
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
I’m still in lockdown since March and in the first week I thought I’d be crazy, to be honest. And didn’t happen, because I took all my time to start to make songs and lyrics that were popping up in my head, and I started to go back and look into the music that I’ve already put online or the songs that I’ve finished, and in my mind were finished, and started to make it completely different with these songs.
And quarantine has helped me so much, allowing the time to look inside myself and not to be just like “freaking out because of what’s going on out there and I can’t change”. Of course, there’s a lot of things that change your perception and make your mental health pretty bad. So I started to think about who I am today as an artist and who I am going to be tomorrow, you know. Because everyday we wake up as a new person. And the things that I’ve wanted to say in my music.How did you first start playing music?
I started to play music when I was 12 years-old. I’ve always been in love with music, my parents used to have a local radio station, so growing up in a house like that was like heaven. Surrounded by vinyl collections, albums and all the equipment get you inspired. And I remember thinking: “this is really what I love to do.”. But then I went to Disney Channel Brazil to act in some TV shows and I came back to musical theater.
And in this meantime, I was still writing my own songs, but I decided to put just covers on YouTube, in acoustic or acapellas, from pop songs. Because I was so afraid of putting my music out for the world, and looking back now that was the most non-sense fear I’ve ever had. And I held myself back when I was at university. So when I started to put my songs on, it was like taking all the cuff around my wrists and finally breaking free, because I wanted to be recognized by my music and not like “the cover guy from YouTube”.Your new single ‘No One Who Loves’ is out now, what influenced the sound and songwriting?
My new single ‘No One Who Loves’ is influenced by the sound of my favorite bands and artists, like Oh Wonder, FINNEAS, Taylor Swift and LANY. The songwriting of them is amazing. And it’s so different. I’ve been making pop music for a long time, and I always wanted to be involved in everything. If you take my first single ‘Battle Scars’ and this new one, you will see a whole path and how these songs connect. And I wanted to make music to make people feel things and create an atmosphere, because there’s a story to tell.
How did you go about writing No One Who Loves?
This is a very crazy story. I was reading a book named ‘Chain of Gold’ by Cassandra Clare, which I’ve been a fan for a long, long time, and while I was reading the last pages of the book in a very intense way and feeling very connected with the characters’ dynamics in the story. And the last chapter crashes you and there was a line saying “no one who loves”, and I thought it would be a great name for a song.
So the next morning, I could not work and get away from that story inside my head. Since I was 12, the only stories that I’ve told in my music were about myself, people around me and my feelings and broken hearts. And then I wrote a verse about the characters and after an hour, I had the complete lyrics of the song in a different point of view, very away from mine. And that was the first time that this happened.Where and when did you record and who with?
That’s the most complicated part when you’re in quarantine. So I had to set up a home studio to record my new songs from home. I started to seek different music producers and looked over my favorite songs and artists, and through Love You Later, I discovered that she has an amazing producer named Jordie Saenz. So I sat down and wrote the top line and piano guide a month ago and sounded like a ballad in my mind. But at the same time, I wanted to go in another direction.
How did you approach the recording process?
I’ve sent Jordie the demo and gave him 100% of the liberty to make the song happen. Usually I’m always the co-producer of my music, my last single ‘Delicate’ was produced by myself, but with ‘No One Who Loves’ I was willing to give the full power to the music producer. And Jordie took all my references of sounds and turned into this amazing indie-pop track and changed the whole point of view of the song, because in my mind it would be the piano and violins. When I sent the first mix to some people, everyone was surprised by how it sounded.
And it’s hard to be away from Jordie, especially being in Brazil while he’s in California. So I recorded the vocal tracks and sent them to him. But I’m used to that, because I’ve been producing music with friends in London and Vienna like that. For me, it’s very important to see how people are responding to this new single.Where can we listen/buy?
You can listen on every single streaming platform and you can buy in music stores. I know that there’s a lot.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’m listening to a lot of songs and artists at the moment, Taylor Swift’s Folklore, which is a masterpiece of her songwriting and Aaron Dessener’s production. The singer-songwriter named Luz. I’ve been listening to a lot of Vance Joy, because he’s the best to uplift your mood. But I’m also listening to Jessie Ware’s What’s Your Pleasure, one of the greatest albums of the year, Jack Garratt, an incredible producer and singer. And there’s Twilight Driving, a British band and with incredible lyrics.
What do you like to do away from music?
Well, I’m a marketing analyst in a brand agency in Brazil, so I’m always making things around art. I love to write stories, which I already published in a sci-fi book series ‘The Dark World’ in Portuguese and planning to publish it in English next year. And recently I discovered that I love to make drinks. And travelling.
What’s planned for the remainder of 2020 going into 2021?
I’m planning to release more songs, actually I’m already recording them. And for the first time I’m collaborating with songwriters, which is new since I’ve always written my songs on my own. But first I need to release ‘No One Who Loves’ music video, before diving into more music and different sounds. And I can’t wait to see and hear them.
Favourite food and place to hangout?
My favorite food is Pizza, because c’mon, everyone loves pizza.
And my favorite place isn’t a place, but the idea of it. It’s going to concerts, no matter where. The atmosphere and feeling before a great concert is beyond everything and this is what I’m missing the most this year. But I can’t wait to return to these places next year when everything is normal.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: https://www.luizfariamusic.
Of the video Garbus says,
“The song and the video for ‘nowhere, man’ were created under conditions of feeling squeezed and pushed to the brink — relatively, of course. I wanted to ask, ‘How loudly do I have to shout and sing before I’m heard?’ And the video asks, too, ‘What am I not hearing?’ We hope the music brings energy and a strong wind of encouragement to those who are shouting and singing loudly for justice right now.”
‘nowhere, man’ follows the release of Tune-Yards’ 2018 fourth album i can feel you creep into my private life. Exploring Garbus’ place in the world, the album ruminated on race, politics, intersectional feminism and the environment, and was called “dance-pop at its most polyglot and polemical,” by The Sunday Times, “bright, vital and surprising,” by Gay Times and “an entertainingly disruptive blast of a record with a mirrorball lure,” by Uncut. That same year, Tune-Yards scored Boots Riley’s film Sorry To Bother You and released a critically acclaimed collaborative song ‘Mango’ with actor Lakeith Stanfield’s musical project Moors.
Purchase / Stream ‘nowhere, man’ https://tuneyards.ffm.to/