Willie Nelson famously warned mammas around the world to not let their babies grow up to be cowboys. With all due respect to the great man, however, Amends have never been the kind to follow rules – and that song came out well before any of them were born, anyway.

Their new album ‘Tales of Love, Loss and Outlaws’ will see its release on Friday April 23rd and can be pre-ordered now from resistrecords.com! Today they are also releasing the first taste of the album, new single “This One, For Example, Is About Grief”. It comes with a vintage home video-style filmclip that is sure to hit the feels/nostalgia button.

Starting life in the mid 2010s as an emo-rock revival outfit, front-man Luke McDonald later recalibrated and expanded the project to incorporate a sound more focused on alt-country, heartland rock and folk-punk. As a result, Amends’ 2019 debut So Far From Home served as the band’s most realised effort to date. It also served as a cementing of Amends’ creative engine room – McDonald, guitarist Beau Turner and the husband-and-wife team of Ellen (bass, violin, backing vocals) and Marcus (drums, percussion) Tamp.

After playing shows extensively in support of the album, including a support slot with The Menzingers and their own mini-festival “Best In The West”, the Western Sydney band turned their attention to the next chapter. The work towards album number two saw some key changes at play. First and most obvious was bolstering their line-up with the addition of Kurtis Veness, providing a mix of lead, rhythm and slide guitar in the fold. The freshly-minted quintet formation of the band allows for more instrumental switch-ups, as well as a fuller and more forceful Amends sound.

The second change, however, is a switch-up in the band’s overall song writing approach. Rather than take the direct, autobiographical nature of So Far From Home, the band’s new album takes a non-linear path across a series of stories and characters – both real and imagined. True to its nature, the band have opted for the title Tales of Love, Loss and Outlaws to reflect the album’s compendium nature.

“The new record is a collection of short stories, which take themes and ideas from personal experiences and fictional worlds,” explains Luke McDonald. “It explores the realities of the short time we have living on earth, and our need to hold onto the things that mean the most to us – family, time, memories, the desire to cease existing.”

Bunkering down at Def Wolf Studios in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire over the winter, the band co-produced Tales themselves with long time friend Thomas Sigal. Having created So Far From Home in a near-identical fashion, the band hoped to develop their working relationship further by exploring the potential raised by their new line-up and outlook. “We wanted to write an honest record,” says McDonald. “True to the music we love and listen to, while also pushing ourselves into a more developed sound and style.”

Amends didn’t come back to town alone, either. Joining proceedings on the record are Murder By Death cellist Sarah Baillet and Against Me! leader Laura Jane Grace. The former contributes strings on the ballad “I Gave My Heart Away A Long Time Ago,” while the latter duets with McDonald on “Walking Backwards.” Needless to say, the pair’s contributions to the record were met with great excitement by the band themselves.

“We met both Laura and Sarah on their 2018 tour of Australia, and struck up quite the friendship,” recalls McDonald. “We had a list of people we might want to do guesties on this record, and we honestly thought they were a long shot – but hey, here we are.”

“Murder By Death and all of Laura’s projects (especially Against Me!) have been really big influences on this album, as well as our band’s writing in general. To have them be willing to be a part of it is truly so special, and a real band highlight for us all.”

A few years short of a decade, Amends are nigh-on unrecognisable from their origins. Then again, that’s exactly the point – they now stand as sharper, stronger and far more ambitious than the band they used to be.

Tales of Love, Loss, and Outlaws demonstrates as such, leading by example and solidifying their status as one of Australian music’s most unique and endearing prospects. It will be out on Resist Records on Friday April 23rd, available to pre-order now at resistrecords.com – and new single “This One, For Example, Is about Grief” is out now for streaming and purchase.

Amends “Tales of Love, Loss, and Outlaws” LP Out: April 23, 2021 Track List 1. Fighting a Losing Battle 2. Walking Backwards feat. Laura Jane Grace 3. I’m Not the One That’s Lost 4. This One, for Example, Is About Grief 5. The Only Medicine Is Drink 6. It’s Been Heaven Knowing You 7. White Bear Lake 8. Everything Is Gone 9. What Else Would I Do With Myself 10. I Gave My Heart Away a Long Time Ago feat. Sarah Balliet 11. Willingly Return to Darkness

WATCH | LISTEN

Southern California indie-pop band HUNNY have made their long-awaited return with the new single “Sports with Strangers.” The track follows the band’s successful 2019 release ‘Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.’

“We were inspired by the isolation of the last year but rather than cement it in time by literally writing of the current situation, we transposed the feeling to past real situations in which we felt the same way,” says the band of the self-produced track. “Rather than write about the loneliness that comes from being physically separated we were reminded of the distance that comes from spending time in a crowd that couldn’t be further intellectually and emotionally from your perspective.”

CHECK OUT “SPORTS WITH STRANGERS” NOW
WATCH | LISTEN

Since their formation in 2014, HUNNY have built a massive and loyal following with over 90 million streams to date and over 2 million streams per month. The band has released three EPs (2015’s Pain/Ache/Loving, 2017’s Windows I and 2018’s Windows II) and one full-length record (Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.). Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. is the perfect mix of heavy-hearted lyrics, bright-and-shiny melodies, lovesick confession, and addictively dancey rhythms. Produced by Grammy Award-winner Carlos de la Garza (Cherry Glazerr, Paramore), the debut record came to life in November 2018 during the Woolsey Fire and Camp Fire that devastated 96,949 acres of land in Southern California.

HUNNY is Jason Yarger (vocals), Jake Goldstein (guitar), Kevin Grimmett (bass, keyboards), and Joey Anderson (drums).

Multi-Gold and Platinum punk rock band RISE AGAINST is back with a provocative and dynamic new album, Nowhere Generation, the group’s first new studio effort in four years. On the upcoming release, the outspoken band points a finger at big business and politics for stacking the social and economical deck against Millennials’, Gen Y’s, and Gen Z’s pursuit of The American Dream. Musically, the album is blazing, aggressive punk rock; lyrically, the eleven songs were inspired in part by input from band members’ young children and Rise Against’s community of fans. Nowhere Generation is set for a June 4 release and is Rise Against’s first with new label Loma Vista Recordings. 

Said McIlrath,“Today there is the promise of the American Dream, and then there is the reality of the American Dream.  America’s ‘historical norm’ that the next generation will be better off than the one that came before has been diminished by an era of mass social, economic, and political instability and a sell-out of the Middle Class.  The brass ring that was promised by hard work and dedication no longer exists for everyone. When the privileged climb the ladder of success and then burn it from the top, disruption becomes the only answer.”

Also, today Rise Against debuts the Nowhere Generation music video, a stark yet dynamic piece shot entirely in black and white that contributes to the cohesive cross-campaign theme of the album:  the critique of mainstream pop culture and those at the top who actively work to suppress true equality for all. The video also provides a first look at the visual motif that is woven throughout all aspects of the Nowhere Generation project, such as the album packaging and the band’s socials.

For the Nowhere Generation project, the band worked with the Grammy-nominated creative director Brian Roettinger (Jay-Z, Florence and the Machine, No Age) to craft an impressive and truly inspired capsule of album offerings. Those include:

• CD in a soft pack jacket with a multi-page lyric booklet.
• 12-inch, limited edition vinyl picture disc (exclusive to the band’s webstore).
• Deluxe album edition with a distinctive spinning wheel gatefold jacket with die-cut front cover; a 12-page album art booklet insert, and a bonus 7″ featuring two Nowhere Session versions of album standouts Nowhere Generation + Broken Dreams, Inc; special vinyl color variants for select retailers worldwide as well as the band’s webstore.
• Standard vinyl format that includes a single sleeve, dorado paper-wrapped jacket, with lyric insert featuring metallic ink; multiple special vinyl color variants for select retailers as well as the band’s webstore.
• Exclusive versions of the album, on vinyl available at JB HiFi and selected indie stores.

Rise Against – McIlrath, Joe Principe/bass, Brandon Barnes/drums, and Zach Blair/lead guitar – recorded Nowhere Generation at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado, under the tutelage of Jason Livermore, Andrew Berlin, Chris Beeble, and long-time producer/engineer Bill Stevenson (Black Flag, The Descendents). Stevenson has worked with the band on nearly all of their acclaimed releases since their sophomore effort, 2003’s Revolutions Per Minute, and is often described as Rise Against’s fifth member. “Bill is our not-so-secret weapon,” Principe explained.“He really has helped shape the band; he gets what we want to do and will go with us when we think outside the box. He’s the perfect producer for the style of music we play because he has an insane pop sensibility and the hardcore side to him as well.”

In addition to the communal call to arms embedded in Nowhere Generation’s dynamic title track, there’s the fast and furious anti-establishment manifesto Broken Dreams, Inc., the moody ballad Forfeit, Sudden Urge, a true nod to the band’s rock’n’roll side with an overall punk-vibe, the simplicity of The Numbers with a melody that will stick in your head, and the surprise pop candor in Talking To Ourselves, a standout song about wanting to be heard and wondering if anyone is listening. “It describes a lot of what Rise Against does,” says McIlrath, “to speak and scream when we feel there are things that are happening that aren’t being addressed.” 

“When I was growing up,” said Principe, “I listened to bands like 7 Seconds, Bad Brains, Minor Threat, and Bad Religion. All of those bands’ music had a sense of hope with the world, a truly positive global view of what life can be. From the beginning, we’ve wanted Rise Against to have that same positivity, to have our music be an inspiration for people to bring about change in their own lives, they just have to put forth the effort and speak up.”

The mandatory social distancing of the last months affects us all in different ways: there are those who are fine with locking themselves up and enjoy slowing down, but there are those who have been getting more anxious about everyday life than usual. Bohemian Betyars, a speed-folk freak-punk band from Hungary, just released their new song reflecting on the endless cycle of doomed restarting with a video directed by Adam Freund, whose previous work has been a Student Academy Award finalist. The video catches a glimpse of the Eastern European realm as we slowly lose touch with the real world and start all over again. 

Bohemian Betyars is a fiddler band with a purpose to spread the feeling of bitter revelry the farthest possible. Their music has evolved into a new, exciting mixture of rocking punk, bouncing ska, swooping psychedelia, melodic themes all spiced up with Hungarian, Balkanic and Gipsy elements. Their new song evokes an entirely unique atmosphere telling a quarantine story with strong symbols reflecting on our everyday lives. The protagonist is trapped between four walls with towering pizza boxes, a missing mask and multiple TV sets reflecting on the major world events of 2020. This bizarre cycle is an imprint of the social isolation we are living in for the last few months all over the world, a cycle that connects all of us. 

“Although the song was written before the pandemic, it has become even more relevant since. For me, this track is about the uninterrupted cycle of life, where man plans and hopes, but in the end, all is entrusted to the grace of fate. How many times must Sisyphus’ rock roll back from the top of the mountain so he can start his endless battle to push the rock back up. We know again and again.” – said the singer-songwriter, Levente Szűcs, about the track. 

The music video was directed by Adam Freund, whose short film, Earthly People, in addition to numerous awards and foreign festival appearances, was a finalist for the 2017 Student Academy Awards. The cinematographer of the video is the two-time Golden Eye (main prize of the Hungarian Society of Cinematographers) award-winning Mátyás Gyuricza, the editor was Lili Makk, editor of Hungarian drama, The Citizen, and the visual designer was Ilka Giliga. 

Elölről újra is available on YouTube for a week after its premiere and will be available on all music streaming platforms from 4th March. The new album will be released in the fall. Until then, immerse your quarantine days with Bohemian Betyars that will yank you out of the mundane weekdays and throw you into the deep waters of delirium, just as it was planned to happen.

“Mammoth sound and a relentless message.”
Claire Mooney, triple j Unearthed

“Enigmatic and hyper-active, Up Late refuses to sit in one place long enough to be confined. There’s metalcore, straight rock, EDM, pop and hip hop elements all woven atop one another, and with incredible harmony no less.”
Blunt Magazine

“Up Late is filling the gap within the Australian music industry where no other artist seems to be crossing these genres.”
MILKY

His first taste of new music since the release of his inimitable STARS EP in December, Up Late has teamed up with Toronto-based artist Dxrmant for his new single ‘YOU PEAKED IN HIGH SCHOOL!’. The track premiered last night via triple j’s Home & Hosed.

Having both grown up in hardcore/heavy bands while now pursuing genre-bending solo careers, ‘YOU PEAKED IN HIGH SCHOOL!’ is the result of a lockdown collab begun over Instagram DMs. The track finds Up Late and his collaborator poking fun at people who are wrapped in high school-like trends and narrow-mindedness.

Musically, Max Pasalic (Up Late) describes ‘YPIHS!’ as the punk music of the future — “no guitars, no band, just abrasive and distorted synths and electronics. It’s Mad Max meets Blade Runner, it’s Bring Me The Horizon meets Ashnikko, it’s metal meets pop.”

He explains that collaborating with Dxrmant found both artists bringing forth the tenacity and aggression of their pasts with their knack for genre-bending top of mind.

On the lyrics he adds: “It’s poking fun at people who continue to live life like they’re in high school. People who can’t get past their own reserved, narrow mind. People who latch onto trends or culture without actually participating or appreciating it.

“Both growing up in similar environments although living on two different continents, it felt like Dxrmant and I could really connect thematically and build on our own real-world experience living lives vastly different to the status-quo.”

In December 2020, Up Late’s work culminated in the release of the ‘STARS’ EP, listen below.

STREAM ‘YOU PEAKED IN HIGH SCHOOL!’ ft. DXRMANT NOW:
http://unfd.lnk.to/YPIHS

STREAM THE FULL ‘STARS’ EP NOW:
http://unfd.lnk.to/starsAbout Up Late:

Up Late – AKA the moniker for Wollongong singer-songwriter, producer and visual artist Max Pasalic – marked the first solo project to join the UNFD roster after his signing in September last year.

After debuting the project in May 2020 with a knockout entry into triple j’s DIY Supergroup comp, Up Late  scored an honourable mention among 900+ other entrants, a nomination as one of the “10 most exciting discoveries of 2020” by triple j and nods from local music media including Pilerats, Blunt Magazine, Music Feeds, MILKY, Depth + more.

Backing it up with inimitable singles ‘FRIENDS’,  ‘u left me on read’ and ‘Alone’, Pasalic continued to flex on his flair for unusual genre blends. Many may remember the 24 year-old as the lead singer of heavy act After Touch, who released various outputs on UNFD in 2017/18, while he also has credits producing for various local and international rap and hip hop artists including the likes of BONES.

CONNECT WITH UP LATE:

A State Memorial celebrating the incredible life and achievements of Michael Solomon Gudinski AM will be held at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday 24 March.

The State Memorial will include tributes, speeches, and performances commemorating Michael’s life, his considerable contribution to both the Australian and international music industry, his charitable works and his enormous passion for Melbourne and the state of Victoria.

Doors will open at 5.30pm with the State Memorial proceedings commencing at 7.07pm. The State Memorial will be held in line with COVIDSafe requirements and will be fully seated.

Those wishing to attend are invited to register their interest at vic.gov.au/michael-gudinski from Tuesday 16 March 5pm AEDT, with registrations closing Thursday 18 March 5pm AEDT.  Successful registrations will be contacted by email prior to Saturday 20 March 2pm AEDT.

In lieu of flowers the Gudinski family ask people to consider making a donation in Michael’s name to Support Act – a charity that Michael passionately advocated for providing crisis and wellbeing relief to music industry workers.

Deadly quotes from media Feb 2021

“’Summer’ is on track to be one of the most powerful entries in their discography to date.” – Rolling Stone

 “Australia’s best new music for February…weaving English with his native tongue, and delivering a powerful punk song with sugary hooks and a thrilling momentum that belie the horrors of such a massacre“. – The Guardian – Australia’s Best New Music Feb 2021

“’Summer’ is one hell of an amped track with a beat that drives so strong it has the legs to keep rockin’ all Summer long – The Partae

 “When it comes to addressing Indigenous affairs in the music scene, no one does it quite like Chasing Ghosts frontman Jimmy Kyle.” – Wall of Sound

“Every track on the forthcoming EP is about real people and real situations, all of them born from intense real-life stories”. – Scenezine

 “Jimmy Kyle honestly admitted that he “was scared to write these songs.” – Hysteria Mag

Busted Lung is a rollicking track with a pub rock chorus that satiates the thirstiest of music lovers with a punk-rock bent. The track is the second to be released this year from Chasing Ghosts’ forthcoming EP “Homelands” out on May 14th.

Listen to Busted Lung
Watch the video for Busted Lung

Like all songs from the EP, ‘Busted Lung’ is a true-life story inspired by the resilient and stoic survival of one of Jimmy’s friends who was seriously assaulted in what was a calculated act of violence towards a young proud Gay man in a sickening hate crime which took place in inner city Melbourne circa 2015. The survivor in an act of courage and incredible compassion forgave both his attackers who were facing a potential 15-year sentence and advocated they maintain their freedom and be given a second chance.  ‘Busted Lung’ asks of the listener – “What would you do?”

The accompanying film clip is inspired by these events and is both compelling and confronting.  Created by filmographer Neal Walters who directed film clips for ‘Parkway Drive’, ‘Northlane’ and ‘Tonight Alive’ it is emotionally charged depicting the multiple waves that come emotionally crashing down on you when trying to process something so severe  – anger, shock, anxiety, isolation, grief and in this remarkable case, the compassion that flows through the mind of someone trying to deal with ‘what happened’ to him.

Lyrics from Busted Lung

I feel guilty for bothering you
I’m not lost but I don’t know what to do
I’m not dead but I’m barely liv’in
And something’s just can’t be forgiven
Hid the bruises so work couldn’t tell
I’ve always been clumsy as hell
I never asked for this decision
to send two men to prison

wanna forgive the things they’ve done
But it’s hard to do with a busted lung
But it’s all that’s in my head

About the forthcoming EP titled HOMELANDS Jimmy Kyle has this to say
“I know people are going to come after me with some of these songs,” he says. “But I know in my heart that telling these stories is right and telling them in the way I do is the right thing to do. I know my audience is predominantly non-Indigenous, so I have to engage them in a way that engages their heart. Because that way they’re not going to be judged, but they can put themselves in an empathetic position to go on the journey”.

Homelands EP will be released on Friday May 14
Pre-save now  >>  https://umusic.digital/chasingghosts-ps/

CHASING GHOSTS : are Jimmy Kyle (founder/frontman and chief song-writer ), Josh Burgan (guitar/vocals), Aaron Schultz (guitar/vocals), Jake Dargaville (drums), Chris O’Neill (keys/vocals) and Rohan Welsh (bass).