Author: Bruce Baker

Probably riding my bike, taking photos and/or at a gig. Insta: @bruce_a_baker

Skyuka

Perth’s Skyuka shares her top 4 Michael Cera movies and musical influences

“Michael Cera”  is the recently released and joyous ear-worm from Perth-based pop artist Skyuka. If you are wondering who Michael Cera is, he played George Michael Bluth in the Arrested Development series (amongst many other TV, film and theatre roles). The track puts its hooks in on the first listen. It’s about unrequited love; a topic…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: Jess Irvine “Electricity” (2023)

  Jess Irvine is a fresh folk-pop artist and is just about to launch “Electricity”, her third single, and we are thrilled to be hosting the exclusive premiere at the AU. “Electricity” follows on from “New Moon” and “Wild Wild Me” that both received national airplay. The track was produced by Nashville’s  Ben Kling (River…

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Du0

Track by Track: Du0 takes us through his captivating new EP, Float

Float is the latest EP from the extraordinary Meanjin/Brisbane-based electronic artist and producer Du0. The record is a collection of five songs that showcase the versatility and velvety touch from Du0. From the leading track, “Your Arms” featuring the gorgeous vocals of Julia Ross, to the reimagining of the classic “Walking on a Dream” from Empire…

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DICE

Track by Track: DICE take us through their new EP, Time Will Tell

Western Australia continues to give birth to bands that you must listen to. The latest on this long list is DICE, a band of four young lads from Perth who are making waves with their melodic rock featuring big choruses, jangly guitars and lyrics that resonate strongly with their generation. They have just dropped their…

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Melita

Exclusive Single Premiere: Melita “Crystal Logic” (2023)

Sydney’s Melita launched herself onto the scene last year with two well-crafted RnB bangers, “Delusional” and “Hearticulate”. The follow-up is the the high-octane “Crystal Logic”, a glorious infusion of soul, funk and RnB with a disco twist. We’re thrilled today to have the premiere ahead of its release on Thursday. Melita grew up in a…

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Exclusive Single Premiere: FVNERAL “FROZEN LASAGNE” (2023)

Eora/Sydney-based indie rockers FVNERAL are about to add another potent and poignant gem to their catalogue, via the cathartic and caring new track,  “FROZEN LASAGNE”. We’re thrilled today to be premiering it ahead of its release on Thursday, 18th May. “FROZEN LASAGNE” is an introspective ballad,  searching for a means to lead a better life,…

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The Scary Jokes

Exclusive Single Premiere: The Scary Jokes “Riptide” (2023)

The Scary Jokes is the solo project of queer / nonbinary indie- & hyper-pop Pennsylvania-based artist Liz Lehman. We are thrilled today to be premiering “Riptide”, a track that examines the story behind the Diablo Cody-penned film Jennifer’s Body. The track explores the exploitation that the star Megan Fox has experienced in her acting career….

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Exclusive EP Premiere: Justin Stewart Cotta – City Of Angels (2023 EP)

Sydney singer/songwriter Justin Stewart Cotta is a musician we’ve long admired at the AU. This brave and honest songwriter is just about to drop his latest collection of songs via the EP City Of Angels, and we are thrilled today to have the first listen. We also have the moving video premiere for the title-track….

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Splendour In The Grass 2023 Official Sideshows Announced

July is going to be busy. As if the prospect of heading to Byron for Splendour in the Grass isn’t enough to get us worked up into a frenzy, the official Splendour in the Grass sideshows have just been announced by Secret Sounds. As with Splendour, there is something there to satisfy all tastes. Rock…

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Festival Gallery: The Gum Ball – Lower Belford, NSW (21-23.04.23)

The Gum Ball festival held at ‘Dashville’, near Lower Belford in the Hunter Valley is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding festivals on the calendar. The property is owned by the local Johnston family, and as the name would suggest, it is held amongst many mature eucalypt trees, with the added advantage of being only…

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Ryan Martin John

Exclusive Album Premiere: Ryan Martin John – Goodness Gracious Graceless (2023)

Goodness Gracious Graceless is the debut album from singer/songwriter Ryan Martin John and we are thrilled to have the first listen of it prior to the release on Friday. His songs straddle indie/rock, folk and country are imbued with vivid storyteling and blessed with golden vocals. The album is richly varied. Replete with twangy guitars,…

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The Jungle Giants

The Jungle Giants, Spiderbait and Kevin Morby lead first Wanderer Festival announcement

The Wanderer Festival will be returning to Pambula on the beautiful Sapphire Coast of NSW this September, and the first artist announcement is a corker. Leading the charge is indie-rock darlings The Jungle Giants.  They are festival favourites, with their catchy rock hooks and incredible vocals from lead singer Sam Hales. Their set at Splendour…

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The Smashing Pumpkins

Photo Gallery: The World Is A Vampire ft. The Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction, Amyl & The Sniffers and Battlesnake – The Hordern Pavilion, Sydney (18.04.23)

The Smashing Pumpkins brought their The World Is A Vampire tour to Sydney last night at The Hordern Pavilion. Featuring Jane’s Addiction, Amyl and the Sniffers, Battlesnake and of course The Smashing Pumpkins, it was an incredible afternoon and evening of music. As if the music wasn’t enough, the crowd was entertained between sets by…

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Stone Lions

Exclusive Video Premiere: Stone Lions “New Year’s Ghost” (2023)

Darkinjung/Central Coast-based pop-punk band Stone Lions have recently released the raucous “New Year’s Ghost”. New Year’s Eve can be such a mixed bag. It can be one of those nights where the euphoria infuses you and your mates and it’s the best night ever, or it can be one of those nights where you find yourself on…

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You Am I

You Am I to perform The Who’s Tommy, with guest vocalists Hayley Mary and Sarah McLeod

The much loved ARIA award-winning Australian quartet You Am I are paying homage to one of their musical heroes in performing The Who’s legendary album, Tommy across the country this July and August. They will also be playing a selection of Who classics. With special guest vocalists Hayley Mary and Sarah McLeod, it is going…

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Simon Robert Gibson

Exclusive Video Premiere: Simon Robert Gibson “You Look Good in a T-Shirt” (2023)

Simon Robert Gibson has been a member of many Sydney bands since the early ’90s, usually behind the drumkit. In 2020 he released his debut solo album and has recently released “You Look Good in a T-Shirt”, the first single from his forthcoming third album. The track has a warm local feel to it, referencing…

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The Cat Empire

Festival Photo Gallery: Byron Bay Bluesfest (Day Five) – Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm (10.04.23)

And before we knew it, the final day of Byron Bay Bluesfest 2023 was upon us. Jon Stevens was up early, and brought the hits from his days fronting The Noiseworks and dipping into his time with INXS. There were plenty in the crowd who had come on Monday specifically for this. The legendary Bonnie…

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Flume

Splendour in the Grass lineup revealed: Flume, Mumford & Sons and Lizzo to headline

The lineup for Splendour in the Grass 2023 has just dropped. The festival is returning to the Ngarindjin / North Byron Parklands from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 July and is once again jam packed with festival favourites. Headlining on Friday night is the previously announced Lizzo. On Saturday night, local hero Flume will be making…

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Tash Sultana

Festival Photo Gallery: Byron Bay Bluesfest (Day Four) – Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm (09.04.23)

We rolled into day four of Byron Bay Bluesfest 2023 full of beans for the day ahead. Rockwiz is a perennial favourite at the festival, with Brian Nankervis and Julia Zemiro dishing up the laughs and giving the crowd their chance at 15 minutes of fame. The special guests included Chris Cheney (The Living End)…

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Buddy Guy

Festival Photo Gallery: Byron Bay Bluesfest (Day Three) – Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm (08.04.23)

  Day 3 of Bluesfest 2023 was dominated by the legend that is Buddy Guy. He has been to the festival many times over the years, and 2023 has been pegged as his final visit. His performance did not disappoint. He was playful and thoroughly entertaining. The humour was complemented by his mastery of the…

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LP

Festival Photo Gallery: Byron Bay Bluesfest (Day Two) – Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm (07.04.23)

Day two of Byron Bay Bluesfest 2023 was a cracker. It was well worth getting to the festival early, as one of the highlights was Southern Avenue who ripped up the Juke Joint just after midday. Their mashup of gospel, blues and R&B had us dancing and blowing away the cobwebs. Southern Avenue Over at…

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Spinifex Gum

Festival Photo Gallery: Byron Bay Bluesfest (Day One) – Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm (06.04.23)

The 34th edition of the Byron Bay Bluesfest kicked off yesterday at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm. Those that arrived early were well rewarded with a swift entry and a solid early lineup. Nikki Hill is a  fan-favourite at the festival, having rocked Bluesfest a number of times before. It was the first visit since 2015,…

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DMA’S announce additional shows as dates sell out

On the back of the release of their fourth album, How Many Dreams?, DMA’S have announced a national tour of Australia in September and October. These sixteen dates have quickly become eighteen, as the first shows in Sydney at the Enmore Theatre and Melbourne at the Forum have sold out. The first couple of listens…

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Lucy Gallant

Exclusive Video Premiere: Lucy Gallant “Rebel” (2023)

British-born Lucy Gallant has led a full and adventurous life thus far. The singer/songwriter left home at fourteen years old and has followed her instincts and lust for life in a colourful and spiritual journey. Having travelled to more than fifty countries, the culmination of her lived experiences are for all to witness in her…

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Circle

Track by Track: Circle takes us through the intimate and beautiful Coco and Charlie

Circle is an artist based in Sydney, who has just released the delicate and nuanced album, Coco and Charlie, a collection of intimate portraits of those that have been nearest and dearest to him. He has the gift of writing and singing about the everyday, and giving it meaning and beauty. Each track on the…

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King Stingray

King Stingray announce That’s’ Where I Wanna Be national tour kicking off in June

King Stingray have announced today a natioanl headline tour, ‘That’s’ Where I Wanna Be’, to kick off in Sydney on the 24th June at the Enmore Theatre, concluding on the 7th July in Brisbane/Meanjin at The Tivoli. The band has had a phenomenal past twelve months. Last year they released their debut album that was nominated…

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Aodhan

Exclusive Video Premiere: Aodhan “All That I’ve Wasted” (2023)

We’ve been a fan at the AU of young singer/songwriter Aodhan since 2020 when we landed upon the then fifteen-year-old. We caught him supporting Seeker Lover Keeper last year in Sydney and were blown away by his performance. Last week he dropped his latest single, “All That I’ve Wasted”, a melancholic look at a past…

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The Tambourine Girls

The albums that have helped define Sydney’s The Tambourine Girls

Earlier this month, Sydney’s The Tambourine Girls released their long-awaited third album, Different Streets. The band is a formidable line-up of local talent, and of course included the great, late Nick Weaver who tragically passed from cancer in 2021. It’s a beautiful album, steeped in many influences from yesteryear. For me, there’s a love affair…

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Carla Wehbe

Interview: Carla Wehbe on Jupiter and Mars, Vivid Sydney and her Space Cowboy clothing label

Carla Wehbe has today released her latest EP, the cinematic Jupiter and Mars. It follows on from her highly-acclaimed 2020 debut, Half Past Nine. It’s a beautiful collection of five personal and heartfelt tracks. Three have already been released; “knight to E5”, “introvert (with extroverted expectations)” and “is forever off the table?”, and today the…

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girl in red

Interview: girl in red on gratitude, “October Passed Me By” and the power of delegation

girl in red is the solo project for Norweigan singer/songwriter Marie Ulven. One of her first hits was the touching “we fell in love in october”, a beautiful pop song capturing the first flushes of romance, and has some 645 million spotify streams to its name. Recently girl in red released a sequel to the…

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