Jason Hawk Harris hit rock bottom during the writing and recording of his debut full-length Love & the Dark. In the last few years, the Houston-born-and-raised, Los Angeles-based musician endured life-altering hardships—illness, death, familial strife, and addiction—yet from these trials, a luxuriant and confident vision of art country emerged.

With an unlikely background, Harris is a singer/guitarist/songwriter who walks his own line, one that touches on Lyle Lovett’s lyrical frankness, John Moreland’s punk cerebralism and Judee Sill’s mysticism and orchestral sensibility. There’s even the literary and sonic audacity of an early Steve Earle, an outlaw unafraid to embrace harmony.

Jason’s grandfather exposed him to country music at an early age, and his family celebrated holidays with group sing-alongs. In his teens, Harris began listening to punk, indie rock, and, notably, Queen. In some part inspired by the instrumental flair of Freddie Mercury & Co., he later took the educational plunge into classical composition and was eventually wait-listed for the master’s program at UCLA, when things took a turn.

While touring and performing in the indie folk band The Show Ponies, Jason started writing his own songs, intuitively returning to his country roots but incorporating his classical and rock ‘n’ roll performance skills. He released his first solo offering, the Formaldehyde, Tobacco and Tulips EP in 2017 and hit the road.

Meanwhile, his world fell apart: his mother died from complications of alcoholism; his father went bankrupt after being sued by the King of Morocco; his sister was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and gave birth to a premature son with cerebral palsy; and—subsequently—Jason got sidetracked by his own vices.

Love & the Dark is not THAT country narrative, though; that of surviving through pain. But it’s not NOT that either. This is his personal narrative on death, struggle, and addiction, of a life deconstructed and reassembled. From the opener, “The Smoke and the Stars,” it’s apparent this album, produced by Andy Freeman, will take you to compelling new places. An ache, a longing, claws its way out of the speakers, the gradual drone blossoming through without rigid genre designs. You can hear the essence of classical music in a long crescendo; you can feel his Houston upbringing in JHH’s soulful and humid inflection; you can sense his Los Angeles home in the sharp and risky dynamics. You can also hear the joy and exquisite desperation when he swings for the fences, belting “Maybe I was just waiting for you, to get through the grapevine, tear down that door, and let me live in those green eyes of yours.”

On “Cussing at the Light,” the classic “drink-you-off-my-mind” trope has an updated countrypolitan vibe with its precise harmonies courtesy of Natalie Nicoles, and later a raucous teenage urgency rumbles through the punchy “I’m Afraid.” The buoyant roots-pop “Red Room Blues,” featuring vocals by folk/bluegrass maven Rachel Baiman, touches antecedents stretching from Jason Isbell to Nick Lowe.

In the dark balladry of “Phantom Limb” (also sung with Baiman), when he softly describes his mother’s funeral through keenly personal details, “I got this shirt. Smells like the viewing/ Formaldehyde, tobacco and tulips/ I’ve washed it ten times, and it won’t come out,” he takes us to the bottom with him.

While his music acknowledges mortality, pain, and hardship, it’s also Jason Hawk Harris’s way of working through it. Love & The Dark is a hypnotically convincing album; you can feel the unknown, but you need not fear it.

Female Comedy hits a nadir on Late Night

I was several minutes though Late Night’s opening scenes before I remembered I was meant to be taking notes for this review. That’s how mesmerising Emma Thomson and Mindy Kaling are in this frothy film about succeeding in show biz in New York City when you’re not a white man of privilege.

Thompson, plays Katherine Newbury, the uncompromising long-time host of Late Night who eschews social media and ‘low’ comedy, and whose egocentric, complacent life is upended when she discovers she’s to be replaced as host by a misogynist white man.

Thompson, who’s own career began as a comic in England, is in her element on Late Night: channeling both Helen Miren and James Corden, while slaying an elevated drag king lewk and Annie Lennox locks.

Kaling is Molly Patel, an impulse ‘diversity hire’, with no television experience and limited comedy writing, who’s hired as a token brown-skinned women in an otherwise all-white male writer’s room in a ‘hail Mary’ attempt to lift ratings. She’s also always dressed beautifully, which the film makes fun of in another meta moment.

The flavour of Late Night is earnest slapstick. In an opening scene Molly (Kaling) is standing outside the NYC studio of Late Night, the hit show that’s been running for nearly three decades with Newbury as host. Molly idolises Katherine. Before her unlikely job interview, she closes her eyes and makes a wish… then a giant garabage bags hits her square in the face.

Late Night is a light-weight ‘personal journey’ comedy with a twist on the romcom formula. Here the romance is about female friendship, trust and vulnerability. The comedy is post #metoo and at the expense of prejudice and intollerance, and not at the expense of the women — who are all fully in their power and femaleness.

This film also passes the Bechel test in every scene. Whenever Thompson and Kaling are on screen, or Amy Ryan, as the network president, no one’s talking about how to catch a guy.

There is some painfully hilarious commentry on the entrenched sexism in comedy when Molly finds that the ladies room is used by the men for ‘number 2s’ because there’s just no women in production.

The only niggle is that someone with no TV or comedy experience could walk straight into a successful TV show and write gold. However this gives the film license to explain to the audience, through Molly, how TV gets made. The montage covering a day in the life of a comedy writer is especially fun and clever. Kudos to cinematographer Matthew Clark for this dynamic scene that feels like a single long take.

Kaling herself, like Molly, is freakishly talented and workhorse perfectionist. Aspects of the film, written and produced by Kaling, are clearly biographical and this allows her to use humour to address the casual racism, sexism and ageism she’s experienced in show biz head-on.

At work, Molly is often yelled at, bullied and gaslighted by Katherine and her writer colleagues in the name of producing the best show. Yet Molly handles the barrage the way we all wish we could – with a big cry under her desk and just trying harder.

Molly’s repeated crying at work (and not always in the toilet!) stands out as especially gender political. Women crying at work is often seen as weak and makes men uncomfortable. To see a smart woman be affected by bullying in a comedy, to sob and allow hereself to be comforted is radical for mainstream cinema, not to mention real life.

The supporting cast, especially John Lithgow as Katherine’s much older husband, and Dennis O’Hare, as her senior producer, bring another layer of gravitas to the film and help elevate some of the more cliche material and make this movie a mainstream must-see — that also has a lot to say about how things are; and how they should be in the world.

Words by Irena Bukhshtaber (aka Irena Bee)

Irena is a writer, film and TV critic and PhD student.

Honne, The Corner Hotel

Honne is an English electronic music duo formed in 2014 in Bow, London, consisting of James Hatcher and Andy Clutterbuck who both write, record and produce the music.

Behind the lens Matt Gee

Secret Sounds, triple j, Flagrant Artists & WME Presents
RUEL
FREE TIME TOUR 2019
PRESALE: 4PM FRI 2 AUG – 3PM MON 5 AUG LOCAL TIME
GENERAL SALES: 4PM MON 5 AUG LOCAL TIME
SIGN UP FOR PRESALE ACCESS: SECRETSOUNDS.COM

After playing sold out rooms throughout the UK, Europe and Asia, and making history as the youngest male artist to sell out Sydney’s iconic Opera House (twice), ARIA-award winning multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and performer Ruel will release his highly anticipated sophomore EP FREE TIME on Friday 13 September and embark on his most ambitious tour to date.

The tour kicks off on Thursday 19 September in Brisbane, before hitting Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart. Throughout the run, Ruel will treat fans to a completely new stage production and brand new music from the new EP.

FREE TIME was written in between Ruel’s rigorous global touring schedule and sees the young songwriter teaming up once again with Grammy winning producer M-Phazes, plus an all star cast of collaborators including Sarah Aarons (Zedd, Alessia Cara), Tobias Jesso Jr. (Adele, Sia), Joseph Angel (Rihanna), Nick Long (King Princess, K. Flay) and Wrabel (Ellie Goulding).

The EP’s first single Painkiller has already gathered over 20 million streams in just two months, adding to Ruel’s overall 300 million+ global streams. The new body of work is the next step in the evolution of an artist who began playing guitar and writing songs at only 8 years of age. It demonstrates Ruel’s maturity as a songwriter able take on any genre and unsatisfied staying in the lanes of Pop and RnB.

At just 16 years of age, Ruel has received public praise from the likes of Khalid, Zane Lowe and Sir Elton John for his songwriting craft well beyond his years and his commanding live performances. Last year, he received recognition back home by becoming the youngest recipient of an ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

Ruel’s videos for singles ‘Younger’ and ‘Not Thinkin’ Bout You’ have caught fire, each surpassing over 8 million views, and the videos for ‘Dazed and Confused’ and ‘Don’t Tell Me’ have each enjoyed over 5 million views, with his latest single ‘Painkiller’ fast approaching 8 million views. Additionally ‘Younger’ and ‘Dazed & Confused’ are both ARIA certified Platinum with over 73 million and 62 million streams respectively, and ‘Painkiller’ and ‘Don’t Tell Me’ are both ARIA certified Gold.

2019 saw the star collaborating with Australian legends Hilltop Hoods for their track ‘Fire & Grace’ and later performing with them on the main stage at this year’s Splendour in the Grass Festival. He also recently performed at California’s legendary Coachella festival with British producer SG Lewis on their electro collaboration ‘Flames’.

Secret Sounds, triple j, Flagrant Artists & WME Presents
RUEL
FREE TIME TOUR 2019
PRESALE: 4PM FRI 2 AUG – 3PM MON 5 AUG LOCAL TIME
GENERAL SALES: 4PM MON 5 AUG LOCAL TIME
SIGN UP FOR PRESALE ACCESS: SECRETSOUNDS.COM

THU 19 SEPT FORTITUDE MUSIC HALL BRISBANE LIC ALL AGES
SUN 22 SEPT THEBARTON THEATRE ADELAIDE LIC ALL AGES
TUE 24 SEPT FESTIVAL HALL MELBOURNE LIC ALL AGES
SAT 28 SEPT SHED 10 AUCKLAND LIC ALL AGES
TUE 01 OCT ODEON HOBART LIC ALL AGES
THU 03 OCT HORDERN PAVILION SYDNEY LIC ALL AGES

CROCODYLUS GET YOUR BLOOD PUMPING WITH ‘ADRENALINE’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
STREAM ‘ADRENALINE’ HERE
DOWNLOAD ASSETS HERE
“Crocodyl-yes.” – The Music
“…Crocodylus [are] one of the most unique bands in Australia.” – Backyard Opera
“Crocodylus kick the energy up to 11…” – Happy Mag
“This band have fangs.” – Tommy Faith, triple j

Recently completing a national headline tour with viral punks The Chats, Crocodylus continue their fast-paced, jam-packed 2019 with their second release of the year in the short and loud ‘Adrenaline’.

Coming in at under two and a half minutes, the frenetic intensity of ‘Adrenaline’ matches the subject matter. Comprised of signature, grunge-tinged riffs matched by crowd sourced chorus’ it’s impossible to not move to.

“Wrote this for a buddy of mine, pretty sure he liked it,” bassist and singer Josh explains. He continues, “Solo has some Motörhead vibes and the back up in the chorus has some Misfits vibes, two bands the three of us love. Been playing this in the set for a while now so keen to get it out to the rest of the world.”

Crocodylus returned in May with the dynamic ‘Ghosts’ which was premiered on triple j’s Home & Hosed and added to triple j unearthed and EDGE Radio. The part vintage horror, part arthouse cinema film clip produced by regular collaborator Jamieson Kerr was lauded by The Music and added to Rage.

They spent last month traipsing the country with mullet-bearers The Chats on their national ‘Pub Feed’ tour, playing their show-stopping set to sold out crowds every night and adding to their legions of fans. Their unpredictable live show has been honed on stages around the country, supporting the likes of Ocean Alley, Dune Rats, Hockey Dad and Psychedelic Porn Crumpets alongside a tri-headline tour with A. Swayze and the Ghosts and VOIID to kick off 2019. Never not on the road, Crocodylus have just been announced on a raft of shows including Yours & Owls Festival alongside Courtney Barnett and Bad // Dreems.

Last year saw the most acclaimed releases from the well-toured trio, even while only delivering two singles. The former, ‘My Love’ is a slice of vintage surf-rock indicative of the band’s live shows and was well-supported with sold-out launch gigs at The Lansdowne in Sydney, and The Tote in Melbourne and came in at #14 on Happy Mag’s Top 100 Songs of 2018. The latter, ‘My Baby’, is a 60’s-style crooner and came out alongside a choreographed music video premiered by Triple J Unearthed and heralded by Life Without Andy as the #1 Indie Music Video of that year.

‘Adrenaline’ is another feather for Crocodylus’ multi-faceted bow and will guarantee to see you in the mosh.

CROCODYLUS
‘Adrenaline’
OUT NOW

performing at

Selina’s, Coogee
Friday, 2nd August
FREE ENTRY

Parkhouse, Mona Vale
Friday, 9th August
w/SOY
FREE ENTRY

Chopped Festival 2019
Guildford, VIC
Friday, 4th October
w/ The Chats, Los Tones
TICKETS

Yours & Owls Festival
Stuart Park, Wollongong
Sunday, 6th October
w/ Courtney Barnett, Skeggs, Bad//Dreems
TICKETS

The Pinheads
New Clip ‘Is This Real’
Album Tour Supports Announced
Tickets On Sale Now via http://thepinheads.net
‘Is This Real’ Out Now via Farmer & The Owl / Inertia

A stunning array of punk perfection” – Happy Mag

The Pinheads have today revealed the stirring clip for the title track of their second studio album, ‘Is This Real’. An ode to drummer James “Jimbo” Kates’ Nonno, the clip takes you on a dreamy journey to the streets of Warrawong, to a simpler time and place.

The clip, which premiered on Pile Rats, captures the personal and profound experience of Jimbo’s Nonno, who at 94 years old visits his late-wife’s grave at Kanahooka Cemetery every week like clockwork. Taken on the 7th anniversary of her death, the beautiful and heart-wrenching film tells the story of being with someone for 60-something years, and continuing to be there for them after they pass.

If anything it’s a reminder to myself that we’re all going to die sooner or later, so appreciate what’s in front of you, live your life and treat people right. – Jimbo, The Pinheads

Described by guitarist Luke Player as the “perfect song to fly to the moon to as the Earth slowly implodes behind you”, ‘Is This Real’ is a sobering realisation of the shape of things at present and to come, focusing on human superiority and the treatment of planet Earth. It’s a fight or flight response in the face of a fierce, and oftentimes ugly truth.

Watch the clip here

Fresh of the back of their warmly received second album, The Pinheads are gearing up to take ‘Is This Real’ on the road this August, with a solid line-up of local Aussie talent ready to join them in wreaking havoc all over sweaty stages in Sydney, Newcastle, Melbourne, Brisbane and Byron Bay.

The handpicked roster of local legends performing in selected cities across the country will include Bitch Diesel, New Age Group, RMFC, 2 Stroke, Dave, The Uplifting Bellends, Dianas, Smooch, Blistar, The Unknowns and Liquid Face.

Snap up tickets to The Pinheads ‘Is This Real’ Album Tour now via thepinheads.net/.

Stream or buy ‘Is This Real’ here

The Pinheads
‘Is This Real’ Album Tour Dates
Tickets On Sale Now via http://thepinheads.net

Sat 10 August Marrickville Bowlo Sydney NSW
With special guests Bitch Diesel, New Age Group, RMFC & 2 Stroke
Tickets: http://bit.ly/Pinheads-SYD

Fri 16 August Cambridge Warehouse Newcastle NSW
With special guests Dave & The Uplifting Bellends
Tickets: https://http://bit.ly/Pinheads-NEWY

Sat 24 August The Tote Melbourne VIC
With special guests Dianas, Smooch & The Unknowns
Tickets: http://bit.ly/PINHEADS-MELB

Fri 30 August The Foundry Brisbane QLD
With special guests Liquid Face, Blistar & The Unknowns
Tickets: http://bit.ly/Pinheads-BRIS

Sat 31 August The Northern Byron Bay NSW
With special guests Blistar & The Unknowns
FREE show

Wage War have released two new tracks from their forthcoming album ‘Pressure’ – out Friday August 30 through Fearless Records and Caroline Australia! The album can be pre-ordered/pre-saved at https://lnk.to/wwpressure!

The two tracks – the heavy as hell ‘Prison’ and the melodic ‘Me Against Myself’ dropped overnight after being premiered separately at different US blogs and radio stations. Prison was premiered at Loudwire and Me Against Myself on Sirius XM Octane. Prison was then spun on triple j’s The Racket last night! Both tracks are live now for streaming and purchase!

A whirlwind four years set the foundation for such a statement. The group’s 2015 debut, Blueprints, yielded multiple fan favorites with “Alive” cracking 12 million Spotify streams and “The River” exceeding 8 million to date. Meanwhile, 2017’s Deadweight established them as a rising force. Totaling nearly 50 million cumulative streams in two years, the single “Stitch” racked up 14 million streams on Spotify as Deadweight received widespread praise from Metal Injection, New Noise, Metal Hammer, and Rock Sound who dubbed it, “a relentless, genre-evolving treat.” Meanwhile, they toured alongside everyone from I Prevail and Of Mice & Men to Parkway Drive and A Day To Remember, logging countless miles on the road.

In order to approach their next evolution from a different angle, Wage War enlisted the talents of producer Drew Fulk (Motionless in White, Lil Peep, IDKHOW) and recorded in Los Angeles for the first time. The locale fostered a spirit of evolution.

In the end, Pressure elevates Wage War to the next level. “When you listen to the album, you hopefully get Wage War turned up to ten,” Cody leaves off. “Lyrically, everything is from the heart. Maybe, it gets you through a tough time, pushes you into another day, or gives you the strength to talk to somebody. There’s nothing better.”

New singles Prison and Me Against Myself are out now in Spotify/Apple Music/iTunes and more. Wage War’s new album “Pressure” is out on Friday August 30 in Australia and New Zealand through Fearless Records/Caroline Australia. Pre-Orders can be found at https://lnk.to/wwpressure. Single “Who I Am” is out now on all digital platforms and streaming outlets.

TIDDAS & WILMA READING TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS HALL OF FAME

The National Indigenous Music Awards will this weekend honour two iconic names in Indigenous music this weekend, with folk trio Tiddas and soul singer Wilma Reading inducted into the Hall Of Fame at Saturday’s event under the stars at the iconic Darwin Amphitheatre.

Tiddas formed in 1990 by members Lou Bennett, Sally Dastey and Amy Saunders, releasing their first EP ‘Inside My Kitchen’ in 1992, going on to score two ARIA nominations. Their seminal 1993 album ‘Sing about Life’ achieved gold sales status and was followed up by a self-titled album which debuted in the top 30 in 1996 and delivered a third album in 1997, before calling it a day in 2000 as one of the most successful Indigenous acts of the 90s.

Wilma Reading began her career singing for friends in 1959 at the Brisbane Jazz Club before heading to the USA where she released singles, performed on Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, toured with Duke Ellington and held down a residency in New York’s famed Copacabana nightclub. The first ever Indigenous artist to achieve success overseas, she has performed across the world with orchestras, in movies and on TV across five continents, these days living back at home in Far North Queensland (now 79 years old) after a proud international career.

Wilma Reading will also perform at the awards this Saturday and will join performances on the night from Archie Roach, Jessica Mauboy, Dan Sultan, Electric Fields, Tasman Keith, Indigenous choir collective Spinifex Gum, Yorta Yorta soprano Deborah Cheetham, Larrakia nation’s Kenbi Dancers and Indigenous violinist Eric Avery, creating what must be one of the greatest and most diverse gatherings of Indigenous talent ever assembled.

Tickets are on sale now, available through Darwin Festival at https://bit.ly/2FaBxDK.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE NATIONAL INDIGENOUS
MUSIC CHART EACH WEEK

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS
NOMINATIONS
Artist of the Year
Archie Roach
Baker Boy
Briggs
Electric Fields
Jessica Mauboy
Mojo Juju

Album of the Year
Archie Roach – The Concert Collection 2012 – 2018
Dan Sultan – Aviary Tales
Mojo Juju – Native Tongue
Tia Gostelow – Thick SkinThelma Plum – Better In Blak

Song of the Year
Baker Boy – Black Magic
Electric Fields – 2000 and Whatever
Mojo Juju – Native Tongue
Tasman Keith (ft Stevie Jean) – Prey
Yirrmal – For Everyone

New Talent of the Year
Dallas Woods
Kaiit
Kobie Dee
Mambali Band
Tasman Keith

Film Clip of the Year
Briggs – Life Is Incredible
Mojo Juju – Native Tongue
Tasman Keith (ft Stevie Jean) – Prey
Thelma Plum – Better In Blak
Yirrmal – For Everyone

Community Clip of the Year
Deni Mob – State Of The Heart
Peppi School – Play Good Way
Numbulwar School Band – What’s The Reason?
Tiwi College – Picka Family