INTERVIEW: ODETTE HERALDS A NEW OMEN WITH HER SOPHOMORE ALBUM
Sound the bells and raise the bugles, 23-year-old Georgia Odette Sallybanks, Odette, one of Sydney’s most talented singer-songwriters, has released her sophomore album Herald after dipping and diving through the last five years of her adolescence.
Image: Odette explores a deep soundscape with her sophomore album Herald Photo: Giulia McGauran
Sound the bells and raise the bugles, 23-year-old Georgia Odette Sallybanks, Odette, one of Sydney’s most talented singer-songwriters, has released her sophomore album Herald after dipping and diving through the last five years of her adolescence.
Herald has explored new sonic depths as Odette herself went through a transformative period with grace and maturity, navigating a world of complex emotions. Combining two worlds, her sophomore record is adorned with instrumental intricacies which tie in to the natural world.
“There’s two worlds that sort of co-exist, so the lyrical world which is very much centred around me, my emotions, or almost self-absorption, and then there’s the instrumental world which is very much a phenomenon of natural environments,” she said.
“While I’m navigating these complex emotions which I’m not really sure how to navigate, these instruments act as sort of a world and also a safe space which creates a grounding texture.”
And with a new record, comes a newfound sense of confidence for the 23-year-old Sydney song-writer. After a late name change from Dwell, Herald represents a coming-of-age period for Odette.
“When I changed it to Herald it was mostly just because I really really wanted to bring about something new,” she said.
“I wrote that song because Herald means – it’s kind of like an omen – like something’s coming and it has a tone of anticipation and that’s sort of the tone of the whole record.”
The record also features a collaboration with Australian electronic duo, Hermitude, on her track ‘Feverbreak’. The track honours her debut single, ‘Watch Me Read You’, as it intertwines her signature spoken word poetry stylings with delicate electronic undercurrents from Hermitude.
“I write songs like that when I have a lot to say and not a lot of patience, and the Hermitude guys were so great with that, they just totally got it... it was such an amazing experience,” she said.
“That was the point of the record, to just say everything out loud and hopefully just use that as a launchpad to launch myself out of that headspace – I think it’s working – we’ll see.”
Late last year Odette reimagined Australian rock band ACDC’s ‘Thunderstruck’ for Triple J’s Like A Version segment, where she mentioned in an interview how much she had grown out of the pressure to ‘sound pretty’ and felt more herself since her first Like A Version cover in 2018.
“[In the first record] I still had this mentality of like it needs to be ethereal, it needs to be pretty and light, and as I’ve aged my voice is getting deeper, you know?”
Whilst there was a high degree of praise for her cover, a few comments criticised Odette’s interpretation of ‘Thunderstruck’, which perhaps speaks more loudly to the degree of tone policing which is inflicted on some women in music in Australia.
“There seems to be this weird intense policing of female tone, if you’re not beautiful sounding and perfectly articulate, you get a lot of hate,” she said.
“I just noticed it a lot, especially with female artists and non-binary artists.”
If COVID-19 vaccines are successful, Odette is keen to get back on the road and tour rural Australia, especially Tasmania.
“I want to do rural Australia, and I really am desperate to get to Tassie,” she said.
“On my last tour Tassie was always left out and I hated that so I’m so excited. I love Tassie so much, if I could close my eyes and be there I would in a heartbeat.”
Odette today releases her second studio album Herald along with a new music video for the title track, and announces a string of national dates in support of the release.
6 May - Altar Bar, Hobart
7 May - 170 Russell, Melbourne
8 May - Volta, Ballarat
9 May - Northcote Social Club, Melbourne [U18]
14 May - Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide
21 May - The Triffid, Brisbane
22 May - The Northern, Byron Bay
23 May - HOTA, Gold Coast
4 June - Factory Theatre, Sydney
5 June - The Cambridge, Newcastle
11 June - UniBar, Wollongong
12 June - Fiction, Canberra
18 June - Rosemount, Perth
SOUNDS FROM THE SOUTH: TYLER JENKE ON THE SOUTH AUSTRALIA MUSIC AWARDS 2020
The South Australian Music Awards (SAMs) are set to go ahead in November, celebrating another incredible year of both up-and-coming and established South Australian musicians. Amongst the judges of the SAMs, ex-Adelaide local and Editor of Rolling Stone Australia, Tyler Jenke has a personal conn…
The South Australian Music Awards (SAMs) are set to go ahead in November, celebrating another incredible year of both up-and-coming and established South Australian musicians.
The ceremony will be in line with COVID-19 restrictions, with the winners being announced on 3 November 2020.
In 2019, the SAMs made waves as they encountered a record-breaking number of votes in the lead up to the event.
Amongst the judges of the SAMs, ex-Adelaide local and Editor of Rolling Stone Australia, Tyler Jenke has a personal connection to the sounds which are emerging from South Australia.
“I’m originally from Adelaide, so I’ve always had that really close experience and relationship with South Australian musicians,” he said.
“I think from a personal point of view that’s the big thing that really appeals to me, it’s just giving back to the music scene that gave so much to me.”
Adelaide, a city which at times was overlooked on tour schedules by bigger artists, has been coined as the first and only UNESCO City of Music in Australia. Jenke found this to be a great step in the right direction for Adelaide musicians and fans.
“As an Adelaide music fan, you would always miss out a little bit,” he said. “To have this sort of distinction like a UNESCO City of Music I feel that would really help for putting Adelaide on the map as more of a music city… it’ll mean that a lot more bands and artists have much more of a platform to show their stuff and end up as huge Australian names in the future.”
Something which draws Jenke to the South Australian music scene is a sense of realness and vulnerability, with artists such as Wing Defence and Triple J Unearthed High Winners, Teenage Joans developing and distinguishing the South Australian sound. Jenke found the songwriting abilities of South Australian’s to be something which draws him to that scene.
“And that shines true in their storytelling – they don’t necessarily sort of want to better all the other states or anything like that, they’re just sort of blazing their own trail,” he said.
“It’s something to really be proud of, I feel.”
Artists such as TOWNS, Horror My Friend, and Stellie are amongst the nominees for this year's SAMs. Jenke has a feeling that the bar will be raised yet again at the SAMs.
“Every year it’s always such an amazing example of everything that artists have done off of their own back, there’s always so much creativity and innovation that comes out from these artists,” he said.
“So I think if anything I’m still just expecting more of the same - just expecting the next level to be reached once again as they do every year.”
In regards to COVID-19’s impact on the South Australian music scene, Jenke said 2020 will serve as a reminder of South Australia’s sheer determination to revive the scene.
“I really feel it’ll highlight the tenacity of the South Australian music scene and hopefully a lot of outside states will be looking over and saying, ‘Wow, Adelaide have really got it,’” he said.
“South Australian musicians really know how to survive under pressure.”
2020 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC AWARDS
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020
Further details to come
The SAM Awards is looking ahead to the future in continuing their commitment to celebrating the thriving community of musicians that really make SA Great.
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HEAD OVER HEELS FOR ST EMERALD
Move over Bachelorette, MAF’s, and Farmer Wants A Wife, it’s time to turn off the tv and straight onto the radio - or any form of streaming service - to tune into Melbourne indie-pop band, St Emerald, with their new single, Head Over Heels featuring the incredibly talented fellow Melbourne singer songwriter, Jessie Singleton.
Move over Bachelorette, MAF’s, and Farmer Wants A Wife, it’s time to turn off the tv and straight onto the radio - or any form of streaming service - to tune into Melbourne indie-pop band, St Emerald, with their new single, Head Over Heels featuring the incredibly talented fellow Melbourne singer songwriter, Jessie Singleton.
Compared to their EP, Worried Hearts earlier in 2020, Head Over Heels moves away from a full band indie-rock sound and is a sweet love song with the duets to match, as Jessie’s vocals add that layer of tenderness. It’s an interesting direction St Emerald are taking, but one which showcases their adaptability, and further explores their gentle songwriting abilities.
It’s a gorgeous release from the relatively newly formed group, with finger picking moments sure to strike a chord with fans of Plain White T’s Hey There Delilah. But the melody isn’t overpowering, the acoustic moments blend almost seamlessly with the backing vocals along the way. This track, just over two minutes in length, is an ode to that fairytale-love-stuff which is perfect for those moments spent daydreaming about a future lover.
Single artwork by: @jamesmactaylor on Instagram
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KEV CARMODY: OUR PILLAR OF SOCIETY
It could not be a more appropriate time for the re-release of Kev Carmody’s 2007 album, Cannot Buy My Soul. Produced by Sian Darling, Cannot Buy My Soul encapsulates the essence of Kev Carmody and more, as the tribute album is adorned with Australian artists such as Paul Kelly, Bernard Fanning, Missy Higgins, Alice Skye, Electric Fields, Courtney Barnett, and Mo’Ju.
Pictured: Kev Carmody holds tradition dear with the 2020 edition of Cannot Buy My Soul Image: Supplied
It could not be a more appropriate time for the re-release of Kev Carmody’s 2007 album, Cannot Buy My Soul. Produced by Sian Darling, Cannot Buy My Soul encapsulates the essence of Kev Carmody and more, as the tribute album is adorned with Australian artists such as Paul Kelly, Bernard Fanning, Missy Higgins, Alice Skye, Electric Fields, Courtney Barnett, and Mo’Ju.
In June 2020 the world saw the rise of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement following 46-year-old African-American man, George Floyd’s death, serving for us as a reminder of our very own black history.
Whilst the BLM movement may have been no surprise to Carmody, the re-release of Cannot Buy My Soul still stirred within him passion and purpose to fight a seemingly familiar battle.
Talking to Kev Carmody is like chatting with a long-lost friend: despite us only meeting for the first time, it’s as if we’d picked up where we’d left off the last time we spoke, possibly due to Carmody’s incredibly friendly nature.
“Crikey, I reckon it involves us all, Selin, it’s global now!” he said.
“The thing is it’s connected with Black Lives Matter, because musically we’ve been talking about this for 40-50 flaming years, and it’s still relevant, like 438 deaths in custody, [and] nobody’s been charged in Australia, it’s a hidden tragedy.”
Since the 1991 report of the Royal Commission of Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, over 430 Indigenous deaths in custody have taken place.
First Nations people account for just over three per cent of Australia’s population, however Indigenous children are, on a national average, 17 times more likely to be imprisoned than non-Indigenous youth, a study released by the Sentencing Advisory Council of Victoria found.
It’s this passion which Carmody hopes to pass on to future generations through the notion of storytelling, with young First Nations artists such as Alice Skye, Electric Fields, and Mo’Ju, all performing unique renditions of his tracks on Cannot Buy My Soul.
“And that’s what I love, Selin, the old Indigenous tradition of oral storytelling,” he said. “Passing it on to the next generation, and the generation after that, as we’ve done it for thousands and thousands of years.”
A track which encapsulates Carmody’s remarkable storytelling abilities is one which he wrote with fellow Australian musician, Paul Kelly, From Little Things Big Things Grow, which tells the story of the fight for land rights by the Gurindji people in the Northern Territory, led by Vincent Lingiari.
First Nations indie-electronic duo Electric Fields re-interpreted From Little Things Big Things Grow, incorporating excerpts of Lingiari’s voice throughout, with the duo also singing in language.
Excited, Carmody expressed his appreciation for the glimmering rendition performed by Electric Fields.
“It’s blown me away because it’s all globally connected now… the transformation and evolution that’s happened with the genre of music, as an example, Electric Fields, goodness me, hearing that old mans – they got permission too off the Gurindji people – they got permission to use that old man's voice,” he said.
“And it’s like his spirit is re-lived, he’s become alive again, in that video. To hear that, it just floored me.”
Electric Fields:
Another track which Carmody holds dear is one he wrote when he was only 22, called I’ve Been Moved. The year before he wrote this song, First Nations people had only just won the right to be counted in the National Census, with 94 per cent of Australians voting “yes” in the 1967 referendum.
“Young Dan Kelly did a beautiful version of it – Paul’s nephew. That was done in 1968, and it’s the only song really that I’ve ever done the lyrics first,” he said.
“What moved my spirit outside the things which were happening around me, I tore off some cardboard off a cereal packet, wrote it down… I’ve been moved, by the crying of a newborn, because our son, our eldest son Paul was just born in 1967, and he’s in the second verse.”
“It’s just that whole concept of energy is born, that I thought was precious.”
Carmody’s 1988 powerful debut protest album, Pillars of Society, gained critical acclaim with Rollingstone Magazine describing it as, “The best album ever released by an Aboriginal musician and arguably the best protest album ever made in Australia.”
Since, Carmody has had a remarkable career with accolades to show.
In 2007, Cannot Buy My Soul won the Deadly for Best Album.
In 2008, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Southern Queensland (formerly the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education) where he studied.
Shortly after, in 2009, he was inducted into the ARIA’s Hall of Fame.
And, despite it all, Carmody manages to maintain his love for songwriting and storytelling, with his infectious optimism felt throughout the re-imagining of Cannot Buy My Soul.
“Let’s hope the music is going to be uplifting, let’s hope we can be optimistic my friends.”
MEET SIDNEY ROSE: MELBOURNE’S NEW INDIE-POP TRAILBLAZER
For some artists, the push and pull of Melbourne’s lockdown measures has stunted creativity, forming mental roadblocks. This was not the case, however, for a newcomer to the scene, Melbourne indie-pop artist Sidney Rose. Described as “pop, but left of centre” by Triple J’s Tommy Faith, Rose has established herself as one to watch with her second single of the year, Guarantee.
Pictured: Sidney Rose has made the most of lockdown, with her new single, Guarantee Image: Sarah Caust
For some artists, the push and pull of Melbourne’s lockdown measures has stunted creativity, forming mental roadblocks. This was not the case, however, for a newcomer to the scene, Melbourne indie-pop artist Sidney Rose. Described as “pop, but left of centre” by Triple J’s Tommy Faith, Rose has established herself as one to watch with her second single of the year, Guarantee.
Produced by Ben Oldland, Guarantee is a captivating indie-pop track, which, believe it or not, was a product of her first time in a recording studio after beginning her project in December 2019.
After chasing musical theatre for three years post high school, Rose found herself more immersed with the notion of storytelling purely through music, and so made the switch to the Australian music scene.
“I think my real passion, at the core, is telling either my story and expressing that... then also being able to then use that [mode of] storytelling to tell other people’s stories, I think of it as a cool craft when you get down to the crux of it.”
Drawing on influences from Canadian musician Lennon Stella and Australia’s own Eliott, Rose blends vulnerable lyricism with alluring hooks.
“What I’ve always found with music is that it’s a lot easier to sing something that’s really raw and honest than it is to sit and say that to someone’s face, so Guarantee wasn’t necessarily written about a certain person,” she said.
Pictured: Rose embraces vulnerability in her track, Guarantee
Image: Sarah Caust
“With Guarantee it was the first time I was really trying to write from just kind of what was in front of me at the time, rather than trying to pull on past experiences.”
Indie-pop as a genre is proving popular among the masses, with artists such as Rose appreciative of the sheer amount of work which goes into creating an indie-pop track.
“Working with Ben on Guarantee I just didn’t understand the full craft of indie pop, there’s so much craft to coming up with hooks that stick with people,” she said.
“And so to try and translate really sad emotional stuff that I write with my guitar and put that into a context, it’s just really cool.”
Navigating the Australian music scene as a young emerging artist during a global pandemic is quite the task, but one which Rose was more than willing to tackle, noting her determination and much-needed optimistic nature.
“I actually set a goal at the start of the year basically to be writing something musical every day, creating in some way, and that’s something that I’ve stuck to and I’m so grateful that I have,” she said.
“I think I’ve been able to stay growing as an artist, because I’ve either created with someone else via Zoom that day or I’ve been forced sometimes to sit at my piano or sit at my guitar and sing and figure something out because I’ve made that commitment to myself.”
The current climate in the Australian music scene has allowed Rose to slowly make her mark and work through moments of personal growth.
“Because I haven’t experienced it in normal life,” she laughed.
“Normal life, whatever that is, I haven’t had anything to compare it to, I’ve really just been able to grow and find ways to do it.”
For the remainder of 2020, Rose has her sight set on collaborations and demos, and eagerly working on her live set for the return of live music, whenever that may be.
“I think at the moment it's still up in the air but I’ve been building up a whole heap of collaborations and demos and things because I’d love to have as much released stuff [as] ready as I can,” she said.
“At the moment it’ll look like a lot more releases and stuff to come out of lockdown – kind of like lockdown babies but [in the form of] songs.”
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INTERVIEW: SYDNEY RAPPER TUKA PERSONIFIES HIS SOUNDSCAPE WITH HIS NEW ALBUM ‘NOTHING IN COMMON BUT US’
In the last five years, Tuka had a semi-hiatus from his solo career, making two albums with Thundamentals and subsequently touring those albums. Sel chats to Tuka about all things…well, Tuka!
Pictured: Sydney rapper Tuka breaks genre boundaries with his new album, Nothing In Common But Us
Image: Supplied
For those who are accustomed to the Australian hip-hop scene, the name Tuka would almost be synonymous with Blue Mountains hip-hop trio, Thundamentals. Iconic moments for the hip-hop group like their 2012 cover of Brother by Matt Corby for Triple J’s Like a Version segment (amassing over 4.9 million views) may also spring to mind, as well as their popular light-hearted tune Sally. Tuka is one third of that trio, and is hoping to define himself as a solo artist with his new album, Nothing In Common But Us.
In the last five years, Tuka had a semi-hiatus from his solo career, making two albums with Thundamentals and subsequently touring those albums. A major defining moment in that five year period for Tuka was a relationship which influenced a large part of his work.
“Nothing In Common But Us is from my perspective, it’s about personifying a relationship into the one character,” he said.
“I definitely got the idea for the album from spending a lot of time with someone and them uprooting a lot of things that I didn’t know about myself.”
Listeners are greeted by tracks such as the first single from the album, Wish I Knew, which was co-written with The Presets’ Julian Hamilton, and premiered on Triple J’s Good Nights. Tuka is renowned for his warmth when it comes to hip-hop songwriting, however this track finds him experimenting with deep house influences and breaking down the barriers of conventional genres.
“I guess the sonic soundscape was a victim to whatever I found exciting, that didn’t put me in the box of being a hip hop artist - I wanted to be an artist in general for this one,” he said.
“Dropping a genre or trying to create my own genre was the objective, there really weren't any rules.”
Nothing In Common But Us expands upon hip-hop more broadly and invites the listener to sit with a wide spectrum of emotions, with Tuka including spoken word poet Anne Casey to explore these feelings and as an ode to his relationship with poetry. “When I saw Anne perform it just hit me right in the head because it’s what I was writing about, and she actually coined the phrase ‘Nothing In Common But Us’, within that poem,” he said.
“...and so afterwards I talked to her on the side of the stage and we had big chats, and I asked her if I could use that line and she was so cool about everything I asked her.” Oftentimes, you can catch Tuka heading to Glebe in Sydney to share wine with friends and listen in adoration to poets who grace the stage.
“You just watch all of these people come out of the woodwork, they’ve had this whole life of experience, and they’ve put a lot of effort into writing a piece of poetry about their perspective and a lot of the time it’s just so beautiful,” he said.
Tuka also collaborated with rising Brisbane indie-pop star Sycco (the brainchild of Sasha McLeod), who features on his track Click Bang.
“Oh my god, she’s a genius! When I sent it to her I didn’t send her any harmonies or anything, but I just sent her a lead,” he said.
“She got it first try, I didn’t even give her any notes. She just came back with her own take on it and I loved everything about it.”
It’s hard to tell what’s in store for the rest of the year for Tuka, as the live music scene is on halt due to COVID-19, but Tuka assured us that it’ll be full of the thing he loves most: writing music.
“All I have to do is write music, and if I told myself that when I was a 17-year-old kid when I started this, I would have been elated! And I am, I am very happy - I’m in a super privileged position where I can wake up and I write a song and that’s my responsibility for the day – and that’s absurd.”
“I’m using COVID to just do a proper reset and hopefully write some of the best music of my life that will be relevant when I go to play it live, whenever that is.”
A GENTLE REMINDER IN THE FORM OF MUSIC FROM PEAK PARK’S NEW SINGLE: PLEASE DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF
Enter Melbourne three-piece project Peak Park, who have released their new single, Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself, and you’ve got yourself a seasonal remedy which is sure to provide a sense of comfort amidst the uncertainty.
Pictured: Callum Lausberg, Mitchell Summers, and Thomas Hoeft from indie-rock band Peak Park.
Image: Todd Riley
As July begins, 2020 is half way through and the winter months are in full-force. Winter, along with a second wave of COVID-19 in Victoria, presents a somewhat difficult time, especially for those who are confined to the safety of their own homes. Enter Melbourne three-piece project Peak Park, who have released their new single, Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself, and you’ve got yourself a seasonal remedy which is sure to provide a sense of comfort amidst the uncertainty.
Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself, released on 25 May, touches on feelings of shame surrounding mental health struggles, and is an attempt to bring relief in the form of a four-minute track.
Multi-instrumentalist, producer and mixer of Peak Park, Thomas Hoeft, spoke of the source of inspiration which led to Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself.
“The complete process of writing, recording, producing and releasing this song in and of itself ended up being an enlightening journey for us to realise how important song writing is for our own mental health,” he said.
“It wasn’t till we started recording and finishing the mixing process that we began to critically discuss what the song was about and why we’d written it.”
This process allowed the three-piece to really tap into vulnerable moments people may encounter when facing troubling thoughts.
“The themes explored in the song can be quite intimidating and confronting but the challenge for us (or anyone for that matter) is to find your own way of expressing these emotions,” he said.
“You should also never feel ashamed for talking about them. It’s a nice notion to be reminded that sometimes you need to cut yourself some slack.”
Pictured: Peak Park helped each other with their mental health during isolation periods of COVID-19.
Image: Todd Riley
Hoeft added that during COVID-19 the band collectively helped each other to maintain a healthy mindset.
“We’ve been fortunate enough that through the band the three of us have become quite close and have created an open forum to discuss our emotions and to rely on one another,” he said.
“Talking to friends and family and admitting when things are rough has really helped me get through iso, and working on music when I’m stressed is also a big thing for me.”
The song itself encompasses a whirlpool of genres: the beginning starting as what seems to be a lofi-bedroom sound, which quickly transcends into a synth driven indie-electronic mood, and then eventually culminates in an alt-rock breakdown (my favourite kind!) reminiscent of English alt-rock band Foals.
All of these components blend and build upon one another, ultimately creating an incredibly unique sound for Peak Park.
Hoeft said if Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself reaches even one person, the band would be “incredibly stoked”.
“The hope is this song speaks to at least one person and they feel a sense of comfort or reassurance through the music and lyrics,” he said.
Please Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself is a gentle reminder from Peak Park to take it easy, and whilst doing so, absorb all of the swirling sounds they’ve so wonderfully produced.
If you, or someone you know needs help:
Lifeline on 13 11 14
Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800
Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636
Headspace on 1800 650 890
MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
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TRAVALLEY TALK NEW SINGLE DEAR BABE, RED-HOT VIDEO CLIPS, AND UPCOMING INSTAGRAM LIVE EVENT
The live music industry in Melbourne has seen a huge stand-still due to COVID-19, however, bands such as Ballarat’s Travalley have used this time to hone their skills, keep positive, and release ear-tingling tunes.
Picture: Travalley talk all-things new releases and Instagram live events. Source: Drew McCarty
The live music industry in Melbourne has seen a huge stand-still due to COVID-19, however, bands such as Ballarat’s Travalley have used this time to hone their skills, keep positive, and release ear-tingling tunes.
From starting out in Ballarat as a four-piece, to a now Melbourne-based duo consisting of brothers Levi and Sam Mellington, Travalley have cemented themselves as an exciting alt-surf-rock duo who are the gift that keeps on giving.
On May 5 the dynamic duo uploaded their latest single, Dear Babe, which was followed closely by their hilarious DZ Deathrays and Dune Rats inspired video clip, which shows Levi and Sam scoffing down some red hot chillies, displaying the boys’ larrikin-style nature almost perfectly.
Speaking on the inspiration behind their comical clip, Levi said both him and his brother wanted to portray their fun-loving characters.
“We just don’t really take ourselves too seriously and we like to have as much fun as possible at the expense of ourselves,” he said.
“We’re happy to make everyone laugh just by doing something dumb.”
Their commitment to making enjoyable content for listeners is more than evidenced here - possibly a little too well, as Levi detailed the after-effects of inhaling far too many piping-hot chillies in a small amount of time.
“So we recorded it about four or five weeks ago and my stomach lining was just wrecked,” he said.
“I’ve only just been able to really start eating properly again.”
Sam, on the other hand, took a face-first dive into the chillies, with milk being poured all over his face afterwards.
On the inner-workings of Dear Babe, their fourth release of 2020, Levi spoke of using an old sun-kissed guitar as his starting point for his creative processes.
“I have this really really shit guitar, well it was good - but I left it in the car on a 40 degree day at work, and when you leave acoustics in the car they crack because they expand,” he said.
“So I always go to that guitar first to write the songs, because if it can sound good on that, it’s going to sound good anywhere.”
Have you ever gone blank or had word vomit when you’re trying to act cool in front of the person you like? It’s a feeling most people may have encountered on a typical night out. Levi encapsulates this somewhat humbling and relatable experience lyrically throughout Dear Babe.
“I guess it’s one of those songs that everyone relates to because you picture it in your head like, I’m gonna say this, or I’m gonna say this, I’m going to act this way, and sound real cool and real sexy and then you get to the stage and you're like nah, this is just not working - you just freak out and go blank,” he said.
“It’s kind of like an ode to everyone to just say, ‘It’s fine, you don’t have to be cool or sexy.’”
With an exciting, quick pace setting the scene and a Jungle Giants inspired chord progression, what’s not to love? The song is fun and upbeat, and keeps the listener on their toes all the way throughout with explosive drum beats courtesy of Sam, and tantalising vocals from Levi.
On Saturday May 23 the Ballarat boys are going live on their Instagram (@travalley_) for an hour (yep, you heard it right, an HOUR) of covers and originals.
Pictured: Travalley are going live on their Instagram for an hour on Saturday May 23. Source: Instagram screenshot
“So it’ll pretty much be like 80 per cent of our songs and then maybe four or five covers,” Levi said.
Levi and Sam have a glistening path ahead of them once restrictions ease, and they can channel their energy from Dear Babe into their live shows.
Levi hinted at a possible “Trav-fest”, in the works, with a night of indie-pop, alt-rock, and DJ sets on the cards. But I won’t spoil all the details! More on “Trav-fest” to come in the future.
For now, sit back in Melbourne’s winter sun when you can and enjoy the tranquil tunes of Travalley.
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PHONER WITH BUTTERFINGERS FRONTMAN ‘EVIL’ EDDIE
Butterfingers frontman “Evil” Eddie Jacobson answered the phone and his laid back nature oozed through. For a newbie to doing interviews I was nervous to be talking to a guy whose lyrics I have sung hundreds of times, but after a warm greeting it felt like chatting to an old friend.
Butterfingers frontman “Evil” Eddie Jacobson answered the phone and his laid back nature oozed through. For a newbie to doing interviews I was nervous to be talking to a guy whose lyrics I have sung hundreds of times, but after a warm greeting it felt like chatting to an old friend. From its first release in 2006, Butterfingers classic FIGJAM cemented the boys as an iconic Aussie hip hop group that I rate up there with the likes of Hilltop Hoods. The Brisbane locals smashed onto the music scene in the early 2000’s with two songs making it into the top 50 of triple J’s hottest 100 of 2003.
It’s been 14 years since their last album release and Eddie is aware of the changes in how music is consumed. His last album launch was primarily distributed on CD’s and boosted by a promotional team. It was controlled by the promoter and out of his hands. This time is different, “I’m doing a lot more trips to the post office! You’re so in touch with the way people are responding to content on social media. You can see how it affects streams. Before you just sent it into the void”.
The album is aptly named “Bad News” which is quite ironic given current events. It has a mix of genres which is not often seen. Eddie noted ‘Dancing to the beat of my own drum’ features on a rock playlist. See our album review by Selin! Despite having to reschedule the album tour due to the coronavirus pandemic and the arts and entertainment industry being turned on its head, Eddie seemed to take it in his stride “Its not that weird for me, I work from home anyway. I don't go out a lot unless gigging”. He noted most bands are struggling, having to push back tours, delay release of music and contemplate what the music industry is going to look like when the chaos dies down. “We have pushed the tour back to the end of the year, gives the album a chance to breathe before we tour. It might be helpful that people have more time to listen to it…..people have more free time to enjoy entertainment”
It was an album over 10 years in the making, closing track ‘(I Just Wanna Play) Music’ “musically and chorus are all the same, the thing that changes the most is the raps/verses. I have written at least seven or eight different versions.” Eddie described the approach to the album as more “big picture” than previous work which came through as a “stream of consciousness”.
We started to compare notes on favourite venues and those he has chosen for his tour, “All the venues are booked for the tour later in the year. I am excited to play at the The Triffid in Brisbane - I have played there before in my punk band days but not as a headline act, so thats pretty cool.” Eddie’s passion was palpable when describing the infamous Badlands Bar he is due to play in Perth. “This was one of the coolest venues I have ever played. It used to be a hell themed restaurant. They sprayed concrete n everything so it looks like caves. The walls are curved. The vibe is cool and acoustically there is no horrible resonance frequencies. Sounds really good, I’m excited.
Leading up to the new album, Eddie talked about his influences, “I studied trap stuff…Post Malone, through the process of breaking down Post Malone, who I didn't particularly care for before, but found myself going wow, this is more interesting than I thought it was. Melodically I compare it a lot to Kurt Cobain writing style. The scale would change from the verse to the chorus. Made me appreciate it.” When I questioned what he is listening to right now he chuckled “its really obvious and cliche but the Queens of the Stone Age desert sessions record” and between the band they have been sharing some old favourites “a lot of old school performances of faith no more and Pantera in ’94”.
INTERVIEW WITH JAKE MARRA - ‘THE DAY THAT YOU LEFT’ DEBUT
One of Australia’s most exciting new pop artists Jake Marra recently announced his magnetic debut single The Day That You Left, a hard-hitting track that details the wave of emotions that follows a significant loss, and how it feels to be drowning in the swell. This magnetic single is out now and we chatted to Jake about his debut, his influences, and what’s up next for the Aussie singer and producer.
One of Australia’s most exciting new pop artists Jake Marra recently announced his magnetic debut single The Day That You Left, a hard-hitting track that details the wave of emotions that follows a significant loss, and how it feels to be drowning in the swell. This magnetic single is out now and our gal Selin chatted to Jake about his debut, his influences, and what’s up next for the Aussie singer and producer.
Where did it all begin?
“I’m gonna narrow it down to 2010, when I started my first YouTube channel. I started uploading mashups I produced, purely for fun. I hadn’t started officially singing yet but that was my way of dipping my toes into the world of music. In 2015, I produced a mashup of Ariana Grande’s “One Last Time” and Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?” which went viral. I had articles written about me by Billboard, MTV, and Teen Vogue to name a few.
In an interview with Ariana Grande, Ryan Seacrest asked if she’d heard it, to which she replied
“I’m obsessed with it! Whoever did that is a genius”.
After that happened, I started to take myself a lot more seriously as a musician and finally started to believe that I had something to offer. “
What’s your sound like?
“It’s pure pop. Heavy beats, pulsing synths, catchy melodies and stacked harmonies. Everything you’ve come to know and love about pop music over the last 40 years, condensed into a perfect pop package!”
Your debut single, The Day That You Left delves into Robyn and Troye Sivan territory – all whilst creating your own unique, exciting pop sound. Can you tell us a little bit about this single, and the writing processes behind it?
“That’s such a huge compliment, and I’m so glad it translated because Troye Sivan and Robyn are some of my greatest inspirations when it comes to my own music. “The Day That You Left” was a happy accident. I was in the studio with Ben Oldland trying to breathe new life into an old track which I wasn’t happy with. I wasn’t really feeling, so we stopped and started from scratch. He started this bass line that immediately drew me in. It happened so organically, nothing felt forced, we were just two musicians bouncing ideas back and forth and before we knew, we created a full-blown pop banger!”
What would you like people to keep in mind whilst listening to this song?
“The overall theme is ‘Loss’, and I intentionally wrote it in a way that doesn’t detail a single experience specifically. I’ve experienced loss in so many different ways over the years. Friendships falling apart. Love interests walking away. This song captures the feeling of denial that comes after loss. Not being able to move forward, pretending it didn’t happen, replaying old conversations over and over in your head. It’s something most of us can relate to, as much as we wish we couldn’t. When you listen to it, you’re gonna think of your person. Your experience. That’s the beauty of not only this song, but music in general. It can be interpreted in a way that’s unique to each individual.”
If you could collaborate with one artist, who would it be and why?
”My answer to this question changes every day! Haha. Today, I’m gonna go with Troye Sivan. I remember watching Troye grow up on YouTube, coming out, releasing absolute BOPS and going on to be an incredibly strong and vocal member of the LGBTQ+ community. I respect him as an artist and as a human being and I would love to be able to work on a song with him. Channel our queer energies into the ultimate bop!“
What’s in store for the remainder of 2020?
”I think I’m just going to be hiding away and recording a bunch of music. I’ve got a few songs almost finished, one of which I’m hoping to release before the end of the year, and a heap of ideas that I want to explore further. I’m only very early into my musical journey and the creative process is so exciting, I really just want to enjoy it. Be in the moment and not take any of it for granted. “
Where’s the best place to find your music?
“Take your pick! Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes. Wherever you like to enjoy your music, I’ve got you covered!”
Check out ‘The Day That You Left’ and heaps of other amazing Aussie/NZ artists in our very own all-local Spotify playlist now!
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