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Psychedelic Porn Crumpets channel sonic euphoria with fourth studio record SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound
Photo Credit: Tristan McKenzie
The time has come, friends. Just as the dust has settled on a huge album cycle for Perth’s Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, the band are igniting their next one; this time in the form of the huge SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound.
The new album, the fourth studio effort from Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, is a natural evolution and yet an exciting look ahead to the sorts of weird and wonderful soundscapes Jack McEwan and the band have been playing in during their time off road. At 14 tracks strong, SHYGA! is intense in its delivery – a trademark of Psychedelic Porn Crumpets’ output – however in its songwriting and arrangement, the band presents their most refined and dynamic collection of music yet, landing them the coveted spot as Triple J Feature Album.
Featuring previously released singles ‘Mundungus’, ‘Mr. Prism!’, ‘Tally-Ho’ and ‘Pukebox’, SHYGA! is an album full of twists and turns. Written during an extended period of time off the road at home in Perth, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets’ frontman and songwriter Jack McEwan found himself fully going back to the drawing board when it came to sonic inspiration. For a band who has spent the last few years pre-pandemic consistently touring internationally and through Australia, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets’ off-cycle period was one that gave way to reflection and rejuvenation.
We hear this across songs like ‘Sawfish Monktooth’, ‘Glitter Bug’ and ‘Mango Terrarium’; McEwan bounding through vintage guitar rock influences, blending them with his own unique vision for each track. “I wanted to evolve on a sound that’s always felt playful and inviting, an upbeat mixture of fuzz tones and harmonies that nod towards The Beatles, but punch more like early Kings of Leon and Nirvana. A fast paced, high intensity record that journeys from warped acoustics, haunting strings, warm Melotron, to heavy guitar riffs that venture through a plethora of styles and forms, while still allowing the listener to breathe and treat the album as a whole piece.” Jack McEwan, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
For Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, creativity and production hasn’t stopped in 2020 and 2021. Despite much of this year’s tour plans being put on pause, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets have used their time off road to continue preparing themselves for an eventual blistering return to stages around the world with a heavy-hitter of an album primed for the live space.
With singles ‘Mr. Prism’, ‘Mundungus, ‘Tally-Ho’ and ‘Pukebox’ earning acclaim across Spotify, Apple Music, Triple J, BBC Radio One, Radio X and titles including NME, CLASH, The Line Of Best Fit and Rolling Stone Australia, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets’ signalled something special was building out on the West Coast; they were gearing up for something big. The creation of SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound, especially off the back of 2019’s huge LP And Now For The Whatchamacallit, came together in a different environment for McEwan and the results speak to the band’s evolution and McEwan’s evolution as a songwriter.
“Hopefully the album translates well to the listener as I feel it’s the work I’m most proud of, dynamically and production wise. The title reflects the madness, crazy midweek adventures, highs and physical lows of touring and I feel like it encompasses a sense of euphoria to say, SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound.”
Jack McEwan, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
SHYGA! The Sunlight mound is available in Standard Vinyl, Exclusive JB Hi Fi Vinyl (instore only, CD, Cassette Tape, Merch Bundles
PRAISE FOR PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS
“It’s arguably their most daring, cohesive set yet and definitely Australia’s first great psych-rock saga of 2021.”
Triple J
“PPC has their own sound down pat by now. It’s all double scoops of psych riffs and endless refills of careening switch ups. Prepare to go turbo with this band once again.”
Triple J Unearthed, Dave Ruby Howe
“…it’s a psych sizzler with a thirst for the outlandish.”
Clash
“Lords of the loud Psychedelic Porn Crumpets have entered the year with a bang with their brand new, ultra fun and hi-vibing single, ‘Pukebox’. It’s 3 minutes of absolute pure fun and chaos.”
AAA Backstage
September 2020 saw Psychedelic Porn Crumpets make an initial return to touring in WA, thanks to easing of restrictions; a way for the band to reconnect with fans, and restart their engines ahead of their national tour with Ocean Alley, scheduled for February and March 2021.
PSYCHEDELIC PORN CRUMPETS TOUR DATES
Supporting Ocean Alley
Friday 6th August John Cain Arena Melbourne Tickets
Friday 13th August Thebarton Theatre Adelaide SOLD OUT
Saturday 14th August Thebarton Theatre Adelaide Tickets
Friday 20th August Fortitude Music Hall Brisbane SOLD OUT
Saturday 21st August Fortitude Music Hall Brisbane SOLD OUT
Sunday 22nd August Fortitude Music Hall Brisbane Tickets
Friday 27th August Hordern Pavilion Sydney SOLD OUT
Saturday 28th August Hordern Pavilion Sydney Tickets
Saturday 11th September Fremantle Arts Centre Fremantle Tickets
SHYGA! The Sunlight Mound is out now!
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Releasing alongside a video clip, ‘WASTED’ is a free-flowing and introspective track that explores the themes of new beginnings. “This new track was influenced by a short break I had with my music where I wasn’t being focused and going out too much, but I stopped all that and I’m now ready to work – which is talked about in the hook,” says KOTA.
The video clip which also releases today offers an imaginative and aesthetic narrative to accompany the track. The video features KOTA slowly submerging in water encased in a perspex coffin, symbolising re-emerging as an artist after feeling misdirected or trapped. In relation to the creation of the film clip, KOTA explains: “The production team and myself really went all in for this video and it’s my proudest work to date. Being able to watch your track come to life is an amazing feeling and I can’t wait to share this with everyone.”
Prior to ‘WASTED’, KOTA has been releasing tracks since 2018, finding and establishing his own signature sound, leaving an impression on some of Perth’s biggest events such as Get Bodied Festival (The Game Sports Bar), Liquid Kandy 1+2 (Metro City), Apocalypse Tour Perth (Jack Rabbit Slims), Riddim (Gilkison’s) and more. KOTA has also supported some of the leading names in Australian hip-hop such as ChillinIt, Drapht and Wombat, and worked alongside rising artist, Nerve for his track ‘Like That’.
If this release is anything to judge the rest of 2021, KOTA will be an anticipated artist to watch.
‘WASTED’ is out NOW
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If you’re a fan of Ocean Alley and The Rubens then I think there’ll be plenty about Chutney that you’ll be into.
Declan Byrne (Triple J)
That voice is crazy good! I love the way you belt it out but keep it cruisy at the same time. Claire Mooney (Triple J)
A breezy breed of indie rock with just enough grit, it’ll hook you in from the first chord.
Happy Mag
Vocals are akin to the likes of Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys, with a music composition which would not seem out of place in the early 2000s. Young Creative Press
“Real love is hard to come by. So you find a way to cope without it.” The melancholy quote from Sir Elton John’s biopic, Rocketman, struck a chord for Chutney lead vocalist, Matt Hansford, after watching the film on a weekday afternoon. Inspired to put pen to paper, the line was rewritten “real love is hard to come by, she’ll take whatever she can get, you cut a certain silhouette” and the concept for Invisible was conceived.
Featuring honeyed vocal harmonies and guitar lines not uncommon in the early 2000s britpop scene, the track’s unique structure flips a standard song arrangement on its head, replacing the absent chorus with a defining riff to compliment the song’s steady beat.
Delving into the minds of the lonely, the single vocalises the thoughts that come with feeling not good enough and unlucky in love. Frontman, Matt Hansford, explains: “Everyone at some point in their life feels as though they don’t deserve someone’s love, that they’re invisible and dragging them down. You can be left thinking maybe they would be better off without you in their life”.
Invisible, although forlorn in its lyricism, somehow manages to leave you with a sense of warmth. As though being invisible isn’t so bad after all, if it means realising you’re with the wrong person. The thought-provoking lyrics paired with a palpable solo from guitarist Cal Hughes, prove Chutney is well and truly on their way to a future alongside some of their biggest musical influences, Catfish and the Bottlemen & The Strokes. The single will also be accompanied by a satire-soaked music video, set for release on February 11.
Chutney’s electrifying live shows and expressive songwriting verifies the four-piece as a standout in the Gold Coast alternative rock scene. With all members hailing from separate local bands Augusta, Hot Coffee and the Stingin’ Rogers before coming together in late 2019 to turn their mutual love for lyrical indie rock into a fully fledged outfit.
The boys kick-started their musical career releasing their debut track Romance & Intrigue, catching the attention of local fans, leaving them with a taste for Chutney and wanting more. Subsequently, further tracks were released and began charting in the top 5 on triple j Unearthed, setting the group up for their self-titled five track EP shared in September of 2020. The release carries mastering credits from Brian Lucey of Arctic Monkeys, the Black Keys and Chet Faker fame along with production by longtime collaborator Scotty French of Lovestreet Studios.
The EP’s opening track Consolation Prize presents a bluesy ballad listeners can’t help but sing along to, with the song consequently receiving praise from triple j Unearthed tastemakers. Juxtaposing this track, the EP also notably features high-energy, riff-driven track Outcast. Quickly becoming a fan favourite, the thrashing tune showcases Chutney’s versatility whilst remaining true to their british-influenced roots.
Impressively slick guitar lines, magnetic vocals, pounding drums and throbbing bass lines, form the crux of this first-class lineup, with the self-proclaimed “condiment rockers” proving to be more than just a side sauce, they’re the whole damn meal.
CHUTNEY
NEW SINGLE INVISIBLE
https://www.facebook.com/officialchutneyband/
Where are you currently based?
How did you first start playing music?
What’s been happening recently and how has your Covid experience been?
You’ve got a big bunch of new solo tracks, how did the idea to write and perform solo come about?
How did you go about writing the tracks?
You’ll be touring Australia in March 2021, how do you prepare for live shows and what can we expect?
Any shows that you’re especially looking forward to playing?
What do you find most challenging and rewarding whilst touring and playing solo?
Who are you listening to at the moment?
What do you like to do away from music?
What’s planned for 2021?
Favourite food and place to hangout?
TOUR DATES 2021
Friday, 5 March 2021 – Ballina RSL, Ballina NSW
Ticket Link: www.trybooking.com/BLBWX
Saturday, 6 March 2021 – The Lounge, Nundah QLD
Ticket Link: https://bit.ly/2YieBvw
Sunday, 7 March 2021 – Wallaby Hotel, Mudgeeraba QLD
Ticket Link: N/A – Free Event
Thursday, 11 March 2021 – The Vanguard, Sydney NSW (2 x sessions)
Ticket Link: https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/sarah-mcleod-one-electric-lady-tour-/122064
Friday, 12 March 2021 – Royal Hotel, Queanbeyan NSW
Ticket Link: https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/07197120-234a-46ce-9497-a8bbeb6ba882
Saturday, 13 March 2021 – Brass Monkey, Cronulla QLD (2 x sessions)
Ticket Link: https://brassmonkey.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/db8ab600-1601-4dda-a83c-0a0c5b317ab6 (early) / https://brassmonkey.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/4032ae68-c6f6-43a7-aef2-8a72005b0f38 (late)
Friday, 19 March 2021 – Grace Emily, Adelaide SA
Ticket Link: https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/c97205e4-2b2c-4501-b041-11572505d767
Saturday, 20 March 2021 – Soundcity, Port Lincoln SA
Ticket Link: https://www.soundcity.com.au/event-tix/
Thursday, 25 March 2021 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne VIC
Ticket Link: https://northcotesocialclub.com/gig/138890417979/
Friday, 26 March 2021 – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave VIC
Ticket Link: https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/00e88cb3-97c1-42c7-b09f-21f75f70402c
Saturday, 27 March 2021 – Meeniyan Town Hall, Meeniyan VIC
Ticket Link: http://lyrebirdartscouncil.com.au/upcoming-events/
Social Links
https://www.facebook.com/sarahmcleodofficial
https://www.facebook.com/sarahmcleodofficial
Twitter
https://twitter.com/SarahMcLeod1
Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/mcleodswolfpack
Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOSidUlvvKmmEa_xZ6Thpkg
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7bIYFyhnGYw8A4kUsGtQl0?si=HywNrCBfTL20CLMjI8EdYg
Spotify Steaming Links
Chachi’s Theme
https://open.spotify.com/track/6ggVUL34RO06Lr8PP1MFpz
Bad Valentine
https://open.spotify.com/track/5O0ELGHB0xPnaMXPemqP9L
NWA founding member and actor known as The D.O.C. is currently in Australia filming the musical ‘Carmen’ and will be making a special guest appearance to host the G Funk documentary at the Palace Chauvel Cinema in Paddington on Thursday 11 February at 7pm. Limited tickets are available though www.oztix.com.au
The D.O.C was one of the founding members of the prolific group, NWA and was a respected rapper until a near fatal car accident crushed his larynx in 1989 and he was unable to continue performing. The D.O.C went on to become one of the greatest songwriters and producers in the U.S for artists such as NWA, Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg to name a few. He wrote some of their biggest hits including; Straight Outta Compton, We Want Eazy, 100 miles and Running, Nuthin But a G thing, F the Police and many more.
D.O.C is the ghost writer of 131 songs with total sales of over $1B and has generated 30+ platinum singles. He also is the Co-Founder of Death Row Records alongside Dr Dre and Suge Knight.
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Determination and steadfast dedication have defined ERRA’s path, forging a unique connection with an ever-growing audience, without the advantages of traditional recognition. On their career-defining fifth studio album ERRA, the band confront depression, anxiety and desperation throughout. They take listeners on a near-out-of-body journey to Aokigahara, the infamous Suicide Forest of Japan; into episodic storytelling that would make Black Mirror writers proud; and into the literary works of Cormac McCarthy and Hubert Selby Jr.
ERRA was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Grammy-nominated duo Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland. It’s a definitive mission statement for guitarist Jesse Cash, vocalist J.T Cavey, drummer Alex Ballew, bassist Conor Hesse, and guitarist Sean Price, each of them already well-respected players revered for their inspiring technicality and raw, natural talent.
Rising from Alabama, ERRA’s dedicated fanbase and online community organised around the band’s dense music and heady but relatable lyrics have helped further their mission, resulting in multiple No. 1 Heatseekers placements on Billboard. Previous ERRA albums Impulse (2012), Augment (2013), Drift (2016), and Neon (2018) saw the band spotlighted on tastemaker playlists, as the band’s Spotify plays soared past 72 million. And with vigorous worldwide tours under their belt, ERRA have rightfully earned a sprawling audience devoted to the Alabamians’ catalogue, eager for each new missive.
As their music finds the balance between the crushingly heavy and the headily melodic, its members seek to find harmony between the needs of the individual and the natural flow of this shared reality. ERRA, as a band of brothers and creative force, strive to live in alignment with the present moment. ERRA, the album, represents redemption for the band, who emerged from the creative process with renewed focus, confidence, and certainty of self.
Pre-order ‘ERRA’ album +
Stream ‘Scorpion Hymn’ now:
http://unfd.lnk.to/erra
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Midnight Oil’s mini-album The Makarrata Project topped the ARIA charts last November. A powerful call for justice and recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it featured on most critics’ lists for ‘The Best of 2020’. Next month the band will finally bring that acclaimed new music – plus a slew of other iconic Midnight Oil Reconciliation songs – to Australian concert stages for five special outdoor events.
Today, Midnight Oil, Frontier Touring and Roundhouse Entertainment are excited to announce leading First Nations vocalists Dan Sultan, Alice Skye, Troy Cassar-Daley, Tasman Keith & Leah Flanagan will join the band for all Makarrata Live dates. Midnight Oil will also be joined onstage at all shows by backing vocalist Liz Stringer and saxophonist Andy Bickers. Coloured Stone’s legendary frontman, Bunna Lawrie**, will also feature at the WOMADelaide performance.
In addition to appearing as part of the Oil’s set, Dan Sultan, Troy Cassar-Daley, Leah Flanagan and Alice Skye will also perform special guest slots of their own songs on select dates. (For venue specific information and biographical details on each of these guest vocalists please see below).
Sydney bassist Adam Ventoura will also play with Midnight Oil at all these shows due to the sudden passing of longtime band member Bones Hillman late last year. Adam came to the band’s attention when he guested on a recording session at Jim Moginie’s studio involving “Diesel & Dub” creator Declan Kelly. Adam has previously toured with Cold Chisel’s Ian Moss. In addition to appearing at all the Makarrata Live gigs, he will also perform on the Saturday night at WOMADelaide when Midnight Oil will deliver a one off set of Oils material that does not feature the Makarrata guests.
“It will be a moment heavy with emotion to go onstage without our long time brother in music, but Bonesy always made it clear he wanted these gigs to go ahead without him so we know he will be with us in spirit”, said frontman Peter Garrett. “We’ve just started rehearsing with Adam, who, amazingly, has been living under our noses in Sydney. There’s something primal about his playing that caught our ears that makes the band sound great.”
“We’re fortunate that so many of the collaborators on our mini-album can join us onstage for these shows and we remain hopeful that one or two more of our friends might be able to jump up with us here and there as well”, said drummer Rob Hirst. “The message of these songs feel increasingly relevant as public awareness of The Uluru Statement continues to grow. It’s time for Australia to stop dragging the chain on this issue and we call upon the government to begin the process of constitutional recognition for First Australians and to also heed their call for a Voice to the federal parliament.”
Tickets for Makarrata Live are on sale now for Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton, Hope Estate, Hunter Valley and Stage 88, Canberra. The current Covid-safe capacity has almost been reached for Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong but organisers remain hopeful a limited number of additional tickets may also become available if Victorian Covid protocols are eased. As always fans are asked to avoid purchasing through reselling sites such as ViaGoGo which typically cost a lot more.
Raised between inner city Melbourne and the Northern territory town of Yuendumu, Dan Sultan began playing music at a young age. Inspired by classic guitar rock and the tribal culture of his heritage, Sultan quickly proved himself an Australian favourite, winning multiple ARIA awards, playing the country’s largest music festivals; also appearing in film.
Looking forward to performing on these shows, Dan says “The best thing about doing some shows with Midnight Oil is that I get to see them live so much in such a short space of time. Oils concentrated. Can’t wait.”
Alice Skye is a Wergaia/Wemba Wemba person living and writing music in Naarm (Melbourne). Since her first album ‘Friends with Feelings’ she has signed with Bad Apples, the Indigenous-driven label that celebrates and prioritises blak excellence. Alice’s upcoming sophomore album ‘I Feel Better but I Don’t Feel Good’ was produced by local artist Jen Cloher. Her work continues to look inwards and explores finding staunchness in softness.
Troy Cassar-Daley is a proud Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung man who comes from a long line of story tellers. His songs authentically soundtrack the Australian culture, winning him numerous accolades including 37 Golden Guitars, 4 ARIAs, 2 APRA awards, 9 Deadlys (Australian Indigenous Artist Awards), 4 CMAAs, 2 NIMAs (National Indigenous Music Awards) as well as an induction into the prestigious Australasian Roll Of Renown. The latest addition to his legacy is his upcoming album The World Today (out March 19 through Sony Music).
Hometown pride runs deep for 24-year-old rapper Tasman Keith, whose music is indebted to giving back to the community that raised him. From a small town on New South Wales’ mid-North Coast, Keith is carrying on the Gumbaynggirr storytelling traditions of his family through his eclectic and emotive tracks.
Originating from Darwin, Leah Flanagan grew up in a household filled with music and culture – boasting a proud Italian, Indigenous (Alyawarre) and Irish heritage that she credits as early influences to her sound. Flanagan’s latest album ‘Colour By Number’ is out now through her own Darwin based, Indigenous owned and operated label Small Change Records.
Bunna Lawrie is a member and respected elder of the Mirning Aboriginal tribe from the Coastal Nullabor, South Australia. He is a Mirning whaledreamer and songman, medicine man and story teller of his tribe. He is Coloured Stone‘s founding member and chief songwriter.
These concerts seek to elevate The Uluru Statement From The Heart which calls for a Makarrata – or “truth telling” – to account for the theft of lands and displacement of First Nations people.
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“Riding a current of heavy rhythm, the track races through a haze of melodic guitar noise” STEREOGUM
“90s fans, Narrow Head are here so you no longer need to pretend that any of the Helmet, Quicksand or Smashing Pumpkins reunion material is actually good.” DECIBEL
“Acclaimed for their shimmery pop melodies and feedback-soaked shoegazery, the quintet evoke the bittersweet alt-rock of Smashing Pumpkins, Nothing and their ilk.” REVOLVER
“…their combination of nu-metal and ’90s grunge makes for pleasurable sonic immersion” PASTE
“Duarte’s drawl evokes Liam Gallagher’s nonchalant delivery, making the track an exciting trip in nostalgia” UPROXX
“a catchy dose of ’90s shoegaze and grunge worship” BROOKLYN VEGAN
“As the album title suggests, truly is a world of its own – and its emotional weight and power will transport you, whether you like it or not, into the darkest parts of Jacobs mind, as well as your own.” KERRANG!
“For an album whose influences are so explicit, 12th House Rock still manages to feel vibrant, breathing life into an established sound.” METAL HAMMER
US five-piece NARROW HEAD reveal their brand new video for single ‘Hard To Swallow’, the final track to be released from their hugely acclaimed 2nd album ’12th House Rock’, which is out now via Run For Cover Records.
Watch the video for ‘Hard To Swallow’ – HERE
Jacob Duarte from the band explains a bit more about the new video: “We shot the video in the middle of nowhere Texas at this insane house that was rundown but still liveable, courtesy of the Allison Brothers. Kinda like a house from a horror movie, Texas Chainsaw or House of 1000’s Corpses. The house is surrounded with trees and a couple of acres of land with no cell phone service so you’re totally isolated. Gives you this creepy feeling like someone could be watching. The first time I visited the spot I knew I wanted to do a video there, it came out exactly how I imagined it.“
Delving into deep-seated themes of self loathing, desolation, self-medication, the loss of loved ones and hopeful redemption,’12th House Rock’ is, as the title suggests, a rock-focused LP themed on transition– exploring the vast abyss of darkness just before the sun cracks upon the horizon. Today the band has revealed a track by track guide that dives into the album’s concepts, themes and production via Stereogum – read it HERE
12th House Rock is out now on Run For Cover records.
ABOUT NARROW HEAD
NARROW HEAD formed in 2013 but became fully realised as a band in Houston with the release of their 2016 debut LP Satisfaction and the lineup of Duarte, guitarist William Menjivar and drummer Carson Wilcox. Playing in the TX scene instilled a can-do attitude, an ability to explore several different ideas along with a strong set of DIY ethics, qualities that still form the basis of the band to this day.
Though the primary trio was present throughout the entire cycle, fate would intervene on bass as the undeniable chemistry between the band and then strictly producer Ryan Chavez led to his inclusion in Narrow Head. The newly minted four piece would handle the bulk of the remainder of the LP, bringing in Erica Miller (Big Bite, Casual Hex), vocalist/lyricist on “Delano Door,” and mastering guru Sarah Register (Big Thief, U.S. Girls, Protomartyr) to put the final touches on the record. Guitarist Kora Puckett (Bugg, ex-Sheer Mag), who previously logged hours as a live member in the tours preceding the LP, would join Narrow Head as a full-fledged member following the album’s completion.
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LISTEN: https://indiig.ffm.to/drifting
Multi-talented, lo-fi hip-hop rapper, Indii G shares his new single “Drifting.” The vibey lo-fi hip-hop track featuring minimalist guitars and soulful melodies, demonstrates Indii’s keen ability for producing bedroom indie pop hits.
“This song is a product of me sitting around feeling nostalgic about my childhood. Growing up and having people that were once so important to you just fade away is still crazy to me,” explains Indii. “’Drifting’ highlights one person in particular because without her and the times we spent together, I definitely wouldn’t be who I am now and I feel she deserves to know that.” The video, featuring a treatment written by Indii and directed by Aaron Marsh, attempts to recreate those special moments while juxtaposing them with the representation of absence depicted with a cat plushie.
CHECK OUT “DRIFTING” NOW
WATCH | LISTEN
A modest rapper on the rise, citing collabs with Powfu and Sadboyprolific Indii G. started making music as a diary, putting his feelings into fruit for hip-hop heads and DIY chillwave enthusiasts alike. With more than a million streams on Spotify, the Louisiana native is building momentum with his velvety echoed layers, infectious beats and gentle, harmonic vocals. Since his start in 2016, his diary has blossomed into an Ep and over a dozen singles including “Secrets,” and “Story’s End.”
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Fat Wreck Chords and pioneers of SoCal Punk NOFX, are pleased to announce the release of their new single, “Fuck Euphemism.” The second track is lifted from their upcoming full-length titled Single Album, due out on February 26th.
“We had to make a lyric video for this song because these might be my favourite lyrics I’ve ever written. Oh what fun it is to write a song that’s completely PC, but sure as hell sounds like it isn’t.” Fat Mike addressing sobriety, sexuality, gender, and more.
Watch the music video for “Fuck Euphemism” HERE
Stream the track on all platforms HERE
Nearly 40 years in, what else is there to say about NOFX?
And aside from the occasional negative headline, how can one of the pioneers of SoCal punk—a style hardly known for experimentation—surprise anyone these days?
The answers lie on Single Album (Fat Wreck Chords, Feb. 26), NOFX’s 14th full-length studio album. There’s the nearly six-minute post-hardcore opener (“The Big Drag”). The meta sendoff for the band’s best-known song (“Linewleum”). The reggae-inflected song about a mass shooting (“Fish in a Gun Barrel”). Even a piano ballad (“Your Last Resort”).
It is, as frontman and bassist Fat Mike repeatedly describes, “a dark album.” That wasn’t the original intent. By early 2020, NOFX—which includes guitarist El Hefe, guitarist Eric Melvin, and drummer Smelly—had written and recorded enough songs for a planned double album to be released that fall. Like so much about 2020, those plans changed.
“When you write a double album, you write differently,” Mike says. “I was writing really different songs, and some fun songs, but you have to make a double album interesting enough to listen to the whole way. I wanted to make a perfect double album, and I didn’t accomplish that. So I decided to just make a single album, hence the title.”
Recorded at Motor Studios in San Francisco with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore (Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, Teenage Bottlerocket), Single Album pares down the roughly 23 songs NOFX tracked. “I just kept adding songs,” Mike says. “I was maybe a little out of my mind.”
How so? “I was pretty high on drugs that year,” he adds. While fans may wonder what else is new, Single Album casts the frontman’s habits in a surprisingly harsh light. While “Grieve Soto” eulogises beloved Adolescents founder Steve Soto, it takes a meta turn when Eric Melvin warns Mike to be “cautious, more respectful, less obnoxious.”“Birmingham” has what people in recovery call “a moment of clarity,” when he realised he was an addict.
“That was a clarity moment in my life when I was by myself, and the sun’s coming up, and I’m scraping cocaine off the floor, like, ‘Eww, gross. I shouldn’t be doing this,’” Mike says. “So what did I do? I ordered more.” After being hospitalised with a bleeding ulcer—a terrifying experience that caused him to vomit blood—Mike entered rehab in fall 2020. He promptly wrote another new album while there and has been sober since.
Unsurprisingly, Single Album represents his most personal work to date. Heartbreak permeates “I Love You More Than I Hate Me” and “Your Last Resort.” “Fuck Euphemism” dives into Mike’s sexuality for a “pronoun bar fight.” “Doors and Fours” is a grim look into the early ’80s LA punk scene, when dozens of people—many of them Mike’s friends—overdosed on a prescription drug combo. “The Big Drag” is a personal vow to make the most of life, even when it undeniably sucks. “It’s one of my favourite NOFX songs ever. I don’t get sick of listening to that song,” Mike says of “The Big Drag.” “No measure is the same length. Every time a new chord change happens, there’s a different rhythm to the guitar. The bass never stays on one note. You’re not sure when the chords are going to change because they always change at a different point.”
In other words, it’s unpredictable—just like NOFX. Turns out there is a lot to say about them, even after all this time.
Fat Wreck Chords will release Single Album on Feb. 26, 2021.
Pre-order Single Album HERE (limited coloured vinyl)
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“I was in tears the whole time writing that song for Chachi, like weeks. I had tears all over my jeans, all over the piano; I just had to push through it. I thought, ‘There’s only one way out of this.’”
Chachi wasn’t any old dog. She was singer, songwriter, guitarist and now pianist Sarah McLeod’s one constant in a life lived more on the road than off. For fifteen years, Chachi was there on the road with her. When she passed away in July 2020, there really was only one way to deal with her loss – to sit at the piano and find the words to express her feelings.
“I find that playing the piano seems to change the whole mood of things I write,” she admits. “It’s so much more emotive. The guitar for me is more of an upbeat, goodtime rock’n’roll situation, but piano really draws on the heart strings and I love it. It makes me write in a different way. It makes me feel different. I sit at the piano, I light scented candles, I’m emotional.”
Her legion of fans will be seeing and hearing a whole other side of Sarah McLeod when she hits the road in February for her first “electric” tour. Sure, they’ll hear their favourite songs, not only from her last solo album, 2017’s Rocky’s Diner, and even a few from her solo debut, 2005’s Beauty Was a Tiger, but also songs from the band that put her on the international map, The Superjesus – only not how you remember them. “I’ve rewritten The Superjesus songs as beautiful piano pieces, to give them a different edge – or lack of edge.”
Sarah was supposed to go out on her first electric tour of Australia in March 2020 – she’d done the solo sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar thing enough times – but like everything else, that had to be shelved as the nation went into lockdown in order to minimise the impact of COVID-19. Sarah had been doodling around the piano for a little while but with lockdown she finally took the opportunity to get serious about the instrument. Not that she was about to study the books and learn how to play the conventional way. That’s never been her way at all – not even as a guitarist.
“In The Superjesus I play in different tunings and that’s cool,” she explains, “but I don’t know what the chords are called. I’ve never known what any of the chords are called. I just play by ear. So when I got to piano, I have no idea how to read music so I just sit there and tinker until I find sounds, which takes forever, but I’m really committed to the style. I’m finding really interesting voicings these days, like moving the bass around, and it’s making me a better guitar player, strangely.”
It’s also made Sarah a better lyricist. “For some reason, every word counts now. Every time I open my mouth to say something, I feel like it’s high-class real estate and I only have a certain number of lines that I can put in a song. It’s not like a novel, so every line has to count; every line has to help deliver the story in its most imaginative and descriptive way to take the listener on a journey. So, I find myself blabbing less and being more to the point and more colourful.”
Of course, it’s all very well feeling excited about her newfound skills as a pianist, but she’s not about to launch herself on an unsuspecting audience cold. Sarah is still the feisty, powerful, magnetic rock guitarist and performer, and that was the side she’d intended to showcase on that aborted 2020 electric tour. She’d even modified her guitar herself in order to become her own bass player. Adding a second outlet to her guitar that independently picks up the signal of the two bottom strings, she detunes them and put them through a bass amplifier, which provide the bass parts. Meanwhile the other outlet carries the guitar parts from the other six strings to a guitar amplifier – very clever. Throw in a foot pedal by which to control percussion parts and she’s the total one-woman band – One Electric Lady. And joining Sarah McLeod on the tour is – solo pianist Sarah McLeod.
“I thought that perhaps it was a bit brazen of me to come out and do a whole tour on piano while I’m still finding my way, so I thought that perhaps what I would do is do the electric show, which I haven’t ever toured – I’ve only done one show here, one show there – and I’ll put myself on as support playing the piano, ‘cause I know the headliner and she’s been good to me, I think she likes me! Pull some strings so to speak!! And I thought that would be a good way of edging my way into live performance as a pianist.
“The piano song stories are mainly just things in my life, my relationships and my connections with people, so the piano songs are all very personal, so far. With the guitar songs I write a lot of cheeky stuff, I write some fictitious stories, but with piano, I’m writing very vulnerable, direct from the heart songs, which I’ve never actually done before.”
And of course, alongside all those other songs, you’ll hear Chachi’s Theme, Sarah’s tribute to her beloved rock dog and sidekick, sitting somewhere on the other side of the rainbow bridge, tail wagging, where she’ll be listening out for her mummy’s’ voice and hearing the growing confidence in her art, her craft… and her piano playing.
TOUR DATES 2021
Friday, 5 March 2021 – Ballina RSL, Ballina NSW
Ticket Link: www.trybooking.com/BLBWX
Saturday, 6 March 2021 – The Lounge, Nundah QLD
Ticket Link: https://bit.ly/2YieBvw
Sunday, 7 March 2021 – Wallaby Hotel, Mudgeeraba QLD
Ticket Link: N/A – Free Event
Thursday, 11 March 2021 – The Vanguard, Sydney NSW (2 x sessions)
Ticket Link: https://moshtix.com.au/v2/event/sarah-mcleod-one-electric-lady-tour-/122064
Friday, 12 March 2021 – Royal Hotel, Queanbeyan NSW
Ticket Link: https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/07197120-234a-46ce-9497-a8bbeb6ba882
Tickets Sold: 16
Saturday, 13 March 2021 – Brass Monkey, Cronulla QLD (2 x sessions)
Ticket Link: https://brassmonkey.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/db8ab600-1601-4dda-a83c-0a0c5b317ab6 (early) / https://brassmonkey.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/4032ae68-c6f6-43a7-aef2-8a72005b0f38 (late)
Friday, 19 March 2021 – Grace Emily, Adelaide SA
Ticket Link: https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/c97205e4-2b2c-4501-b041-11572505d767
Saturday, 20 March 2021 – Soundcity, Port Lincoln SA
Ticket Link: https://www.soundcity.com.au/event-tix/
Thursday, 25 March 2021 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne VIC
Ticket Link: https://northcotesocialclub.com/gig/138890417979/
Friday, 26 March 2021 – Sooki Lounge, Belgrave VIC
Ticket Link: https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/00e88cb3-97c1-42c7-b09f-21f75f70402c
Saturday, 27 March 2021 – Meeniyan Town Hall, Meeniyan VIC
Ticket Link: http://lyrebirdartscouncil.com.au/upcoming-events/
Social Links
https://www.facebook.com/sarahmcleodofficial
https://www.facebook.com/sarahmcleodofficial
- Twitter
https://twitter.com/SarahMcLeod1
- Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/mcleodswolfpack
- Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7bIYFyhnGYw8A4kUsGtQl0?si=HywNrCBfTL20CLMjI8EdYg
Spotify Steaming Links
- Chachi’s Theme
https://open.spotify.com/track/6ggVUL34RO06Lr8PP1MFpz
- Bad Valentine
https://open.spotify.com/track/5O0ELGHB0xPnaMXPemqP9L
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TRACKLIST
DIE 4 U
RUN
Sleep on Me
Dicey
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