TesseracT, The Triffid
TesseracT are a British progressive metal band from Milton Keynes, England. The band, formed in 2003, consists of Daniel Tompkins, Alec “Acle” Kahney, James Monteith, Amos Williams, and Jay Postones.
Behind the lens Gethin Hill
Jenny Mitchell has today released the video for her new single, ‘Wildfires’, from her forthcoming album of the same name, set for release on 22nd October.
Filmed by Spilting Film, a Melbourne-based outfit that has worked with bands including Tori Forsyth and Bad Pony, the video gives fans a taste of the importance of storytelling that runs throughout all of Mitchell’s work. She wanted to create a video that deals with infidelity from all perspectives, saying ‘I always feel like we’re exposed to stories about that cheating that are filled with fights and tears, but I love that we included some sweet, tender moments that the world doesn’t see when they’re judging toxic relationships.’
The video begins as a familiar story. A couple fights and the man is approached by other women at a bar while his partner deals with her emotions at home, but as the story unfolds we realise the unfaithful partner is in fact the woman. It’s a twist, but why should it be? The video is gritty and the story relatable, perfectly matching Mitchell’s powerful voice.
‘Wildfires’ was written about Mitchell’s own toxic relationship ‘in an attempt to explain why I opted to stay with that particular person for so long.’ It comes off the back of her debut album, The Old Oak, which debuted at #1 on the NZ Country iTunes Charts and #2 on theIndependent Music NZ Charts, garnering critical acclaim at home and abroad. Now, the wildfires are burning and this video is fanning the flames.
Mitchell will be touring Australia in support of her new album, ‘Wildfires’, on the below dates:
Friday 26th – Sunday 28th October – Tablelands Folk Festival – Yungaburra, QLD
Wednesday 31st October – The Spotted Mallard – Melbourne, VIC
Thursday 1st November – Caravan Music Club – Melbourne, VIC
Friday 2nd – Monday 5th November: Maldon Folk Festival – Maldon, VIC
Wednesday 7th November: Ararat Live – Ararat, VIC
Thursday 8th November – Porch Light Sessions, Petersham Bowling Club – Sydney, NSW
Friday 9th November – The Acoustic Picnic – Brookvale, NSW
Sam Hale is an Iranian-American singer-songwriter and producer based in Nashville, Tennessee. His musical influences have blended over time to produce a rich musical landscape consisting of ethereal synths and beats, electric guitars, and live drums. After years of sharing his music in Los Angeles, Hale decided to continue his journey in Nashville where he’s currently working on his third EP titled Somewhere Between Love & War with Sam Kassirer, known for producing and performing with Josh Ritter.
My Top Five Fave Guitarists by Sam Hale
Kirk Hammett
Kirk Hammett sometimes got overshadowed by James Hetfield in Metallica. Those who really know Metallica, know what Kirk brought to the table. Kirk Hammett had some unbelievable solos that not only were technically challenging, but they were soulful and melodic. I grew up learning how to solo on the guitar by listening to his amazing solos.
Stevie Ray Vaughn
I personally think Stevie Ray Vaughn is the best blues guitarist ever. That’s a hard pill to swallow because there were many before him and after him that are amazing. I just feel like he really got lost on the guitar and put every ounce of his being into his performance.
Joe Perry
Joe Perry is one of the best creative lead guitarists. He came up with scorching melodies that paved the way for all the great Aerosmith songs.
Paul Simon
Paul Simon is obviously one of the best songwriters of our time, but he’s also quietly an amazing guitarist. His finger picking skills are advanced and he composes his guitar parts to flow into each other with ease. That takes a lot of thought and consideration. You can tell he puts time into the details.
David Gilmour
One of my favorite guitarists from one of my favorite bands of all time. David Gilmour and Roger Waters are both exceptional players, but I can’t imagine Pink Floyd without David Gilmour. His guitar parts and arrangements were beautifully crafted. Dark Side of the Moon is definitely a top 5 album for me.
Sam also has an EP release show on October 20 at Nashville’s The Bowery Vault and an upcoming Texas tour, Reflections of Love & War Tour 2018 with Jon Pattie and guests Cameron Smith and Justin Cellum.
10/26 Opening Bell Coffee-Dallas, TX
10/27 Fort Worth Live-Ft. Worth, TX
10/30 The Austin Winery-Austin, TX
11/1 Rebecca Creek Distillery-San Antonio, TX
11/2 Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville-San Antonio, TX
11/7 House of Blues-Houston, TX11/9 Cafeza-Houston, TX
The Dry, Brutal, Red Centre of Australia has forged Southeast Desert Metal. They have been hailed as “The most isolated metal band in the world” – living in Santa Teresa, a small Aboriginal community in central Australia. Their home is the home of the Arrernte people. Hunters, warriors, and healers. They’ve survived here through droughts, floods and an ice age. This is a land where people have danced in the dust and sung songs, passing down stories, for 40,000 years. The Eastern Arrernte band are hardened from many years of playing across the rigid Australian landscape. They’ve developed a sound that reflects their surroundings: dangerous and distinct.
Today Southeast Desert Metal are announcing their new single “Rainmaker” from their band’s upcoming second album “Break The Silence“. It sets the stage for a band who have found their unmistakable voice. A voice that Australia needs to hear. This album is the second record they will release through The Black Wreath. Lochlan Watt from triple j’s The Racket hosted the worldwide radio premiere for the track Tuesday 25th September and the single has been added to rotation on The Faction.
The filmclip takes the viewer to the red heart of Australia, with the band playing the frenetic, heavy new single in the desert – calling for the skies to rain. Chris Wallace, vocalist and lyricist for the band, said that “Rainmaker is about how I see the land. It’s dry. We haven’t had any rain for a while. In the early days, the old people had the knowledge to sing rain, to make it whenever they needed it. I used to have the traditional rainmaker song. One old man used to sing it but he passed away. It’s more about the story of the rainmaking; Asking for more rain for our land before it really dies. To keep our land going.“
Influenced by heavy metal greats such as Black Sabbath, AC/DC and Iron Maiden, the band have created their own signature sound. The huge riffs and thumping grooves are delivered with passion and precision. The band initiated the Rain Maker Music Festival in October 2015 to launch the album. The event in Santa Teresa was attended by over 500 people, including Australian comic and TV presenter Adam Hills. He was filming with the UK’s True North Productions for the upcoming series The Last Leg Downunder, and has been broadcast worldwide in early 2016. Their first EP “Let’s Rock!”, released in 2013 through The Black Wreath sold out multiple pressings.
Southeast Desert Metal‘s new album “Break The Silence” will be out on Friday November 23 – pre-order information will be available soon at https://www.facebook.com/theblackwreath.
Hailing from Sydney, Zeadala has never been one to shy away from embracing her ‘differentness’ and addressing the many social justice and political issues present in our society as she continues to work with communities and connect to her audiences through her raw and hauntingly honest music. This is shown in her latest release ‘Your Hands’ featuring Mack Fyah.
Things I wish I knew as a young mixed-race girl growing up in Australia by Zeadala
Zimbabwean born, Melbourne based soul singer Thando has released a sleek new visual accompaniment to her latest single ‘Happy’. Which premiered via COMPLEX this week.
The writing process for ‘Happy’ was a way for Thando to assume the identity of her anxiety, to give it a voice and better understand it. The video directed by Tim Brade of Tall Boy Media sees the artist stand defiant, staring down the lens, powerful and foreboding. A compelling visual for those who know the fickle and crippling nature of mental illness. Giving context to the song and the video, Thando explains “It’s a letter to my conscious self from the perspective of my anxiety. My often forgotten villain sneaks up on me when I’m feeling my most content and consequentially risks relationships and opportunities for happiness. I personified and gave her a voice, so that I may attempt to better understand her and learn how to keep her at bay.”
2018 has seen Thando complete a metamorphosis. Kicking off the year by releasing a powerhouse collaboration with REMI, resulting in frank single ‘NUMB’. A track which saw her reflect on her own identity as a woman of colour in Australia and her feelings of ostracism by the current political climate. The single garnered big love from triple j, Double J, national community radio and saw her tour nationally.
Fresh off the stage from BIGSOUND, Thando has won fans hearts nationwide through her mesmeric live performances. Securing coveted support slots with Odette on her recent sold out 12 date Australian tour, Leon Bridges on his Bluesfest sideshow, Sampa The Great, REMI and having wooed festival crowds at Strawberry Fields and her annual hometown, historically sold out Chapel off Chapel performances.
The touring continues, with a host of dates announced today throughout November and December. Tickets and details below. ‘Happy’ and its accompanying video are OUT NOW.
TOUR DATES
FRI 21 + SAT 22 SEPTEMBER | Wollombi Music Festival | Wollombi, NSW
TICKETS | EVENT
FRI 28 + SAT 29 SEPTEMBER | Wallaby Creek Festival | Rossville, QLD
TICKETS | EVENT
FRI 2 NOVEMBER | Happy Wanderer Music Festival | Benalla, Vic
TICKETS | EVENT
THURS 8 NOVEMBER | Stag & Hunter | Newcastle, NSW
FREE ENTRY | EVENT
FRI 9 NOVEMBER | Factory Floor | Sydney, NSW
TICKETS | EVENT
SAT 10 NOVEMBER | Mr Wolf | Canberra, ACT
TICKETS | EVENT
FRI 16 + SUN 18 NOVEMBER | Mullum Music Festival | Mullumbimby, NSW
TICKETS | EVENT
SAT 24 NOVEMBER | Queenscliff Music Festival | Queenscliff, VIC
TICKETS | EVENT
THURS 29 NOVEMBER | Black Bear Lodge | Brisbane, QLD
TICKETS | EVENT
FRI 30 NOVEMBER | Jungle Love Festival | Sunshine Coast, QLD
TICKETS | EVENT
SAT 1 DECEMBER | Nightquarter | Gold Coast, QLD
FREE ENTRY | EVENT
SAT 8 DECEMBER | Gasometer | Melbourne, VIC
TICKETS | EVENT
SAT 15 DECEMBER | The Bird | Perth, WA
$10 ON THE DOOR | EVENT
SUN 16 DECEMBER | Fremantle Arts Center | Fremantle, WA
FREE ENTRY | EVENT
The delightful Sarah Blasko performing in Brisbane.
Behind the lens Jarrad Aspden
Last year Charlz returned from a lengthy four-year hiatus with a swag of melancholic pop. Spending the previous six months writing in LA, she came home to Melbourne with a publishing deal and a list of collaborators including Deadmau5 protégé ATTLAS, UK phenom Maths Time Joy and Grammy Award winner Latroit.
My Top 5 female influences by Charlz
1. Chrissy HyndeI was raised on the Pretenders and was always been mesmerized by her – I still am. I remember realising early on that she didn’t have a traditional conventional style as a singer- she was strongly unique and I just loved listening to her music so much. She was inspiring for me. I wanted to find myself as an artist as Chrissy Hynde had found herself as an artist.I’ll never tire of listening to her sing Back On The Chain Gang, or Kid, or Stop Your Sobbing.
2. Gillian Welch Listening to her is pure peace and comfort for me.She is a magnificent story teller.When I listen to her songs I can drift away and pretend that I am momentarily in a wooden homestead in the smokey mountains drinking whiskey by a fire and listening to country music. I remember that slow beauty of life when I hear Gillian Welch.
3. Lucinda Williams This woman takes her strength and force and brutal truth and forms it all together into these thunderstorms of songs which are harsh, real, melodic and vulnerable all at once. She has been a huge inspiration for me as a songwriter.
4. Adele Obviously she’s amazing in every way.To me she has been inspiring because through her I saw that the world loves a love song. For a long time I was denying myself the natural songwriting process because I thought no one wants to hear songs about heartbreaks and love, but then watching Adele- I realised there is an audience there- so I embraced it.
5. Britney Spears Toxic. Woooah. Through Britney I embraced my inner pop princess. I began to love writing catchy melodies and learning the craft of writing a good pop song.I would listen to Toxic or Piece Of Me and think- this is next level skill, the way it’s delivered, she took those songs and imprinted them with her unique Britney voice and delivery.
Hailing from Sydney, South Sudanese hip hop artist Gabreal returns with a killer highly anticipated EP ‘Afterparty’ produced by Lowgrind.
This is Gabreal’s 5th project and it’s the rawest most personal music he’s made to date.
Showcasing vulnerability and acknowledging the differences he’s had to face as a black
artist in Australia by pushing powerful and ominous lyrical delivery with a twist.
On the single, Gabreal said “This EP is very special to me, it is something new for me,every song and every feature or production is completely different,’ “Afterparty is music you can ride in your car too, play at your house party with mates or at festivals”.
Following on from her standout 2017 which made her one of the most exciting names in Australian indie music, Woodes recently released her acclaimed new single ‘Change My Mind’which was added to full rotation on triple j and adored online.
The angelic new cut from the acclaimed artist, Woodes recently shared with fans and musicians alike the stems to the track. Woodes was so blown away with the submissions, she bundled them together for release. The Remixes features Adelaide’s Wolfjay, Melbourne’s Jim Alxndr and Sonesence – an incredible showing of young up and coming Australian’s talent.
Woodes released her sophomore EP Golden Hour in early 2018 and was asked to perform for the coveted triple j Like A Version in March 2018, putting a Woodes spin on Vance Joy’s ‘Lay It On Me’.
After touring with City Calm Down, BØRNS and Asgeir – catch Woodes returning to a stage of her own on her ‘Change My Mind’ National Tour which has it’s final date in Brisbane this October.
Don’t miss the mesmerising sights and sounds of Woodes!
| WOODES ‘CHANGE MY MIND’ TOUR DATES: SAT 13 OCTOBER THE MILK FACTORY, BRISBANE SUPPORTS TO BE ANNOUNCED |
