Author: Jennifer Lavis-Quinlin

If you look in the dictionary for the definition of multi-talented I’m not entirely certain you wouldn’t see a picture of Nigel Powell smiling back at you.  For the uninitiated, Nigel is the powerhouse drummer in The Sleeping Souls, the relentlessly touring (and recording) band for Frank Turner. He’s also from Dive Dive, and the…

After four very long years, Muse made an extremely welcome return to Australian shores at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on Saturday night for their first of only two shows in the country this year.  Having skipped Australia on the recent Drones World Tour, it was wonderful to get the opportunity to see them on this…

Arguably the world’s hardest-touring musician, Frank Turner has somehow managed to find enough spare time to collate and release a new album to see out 2017. Songbook is a double CD offering – the first CD being a celebration of some of his finest songs recorded so far in his career, and the second being ten…

Guitar/keyboardist Andre from Sonori recently took some time out to sit down and answer a few questions for us as their self-titled debut EP enjoys its long awaited release!   By way of introduction to our readers, can you tell me a little about how you came together as a band? When I moved to Katoomba five…

It can’t be easy when you’ve been around as long as the Foo Fighters, both collectively and as the myriad of musical permutations of the individuals within the band, to come up with an album that sounds fresh and exciting but Concrete and Gold, the latest offering by the Foos, is just that. From the moment…

We chat with Aussie musician Jess Green, who has been working away on her anticipated EP release, Dragon Year. The seasoned musician has been part of the Australian scene for years now and as we learn, her career has brought her a wealth of musical experience, from jazz right through to composing for dance works. This,…

Sydney three-piece alternative pop/rock band, Stand Atlantic are set to release their new EP, Sidewinder, on September 15 via Rude Records. The trio have only been together for a couple of years but have become the first Australian band signed to the international label. It only takes an instant when hearing their stuff on Soundcloud or YouTube…

Alison Moyet has always been front of mind for me when it comes to female vocalists. Her voice has woven itself steadily through my life ever since I heard “Where Hides Sleep” years ago. Now, with the release of her ninth solo album, Other, I sit in awe still of her extraordinary voice and remarkable…

Following on from the meteoric success of their debut album, we had the chance to have a chat with front man and bassist, Mike Kerr, on the eve of the release of their second album How Did We Get So Dark, which is in stores now. How is it releasing an album the second time around in…

Muse dropped their brand new single, “Dig Down”, overnight and the reaction has been varied. Sounding a lot like “Madness” from The 2nd Law it has a slow, pulsating bassline – possibly from Chris Wolstenholme‘s Kitara, an assumption based purely on the similarity to “Madness” – and Matt Bellamy delivers the vocals in breathy crooner…

We spent some time catching up with Thomas Oliver recently ahead of his national tour dates in support of new album Floating in the Darkness. The New Zealander takes us through the process and his inspirations. Tell us about your latest single, “Losin’”.  Is there a story behind it? It’s a song of feeling someone I love slip…

Against Me! are currently back in Australia, touring for the Groovin the Moo festival and with this in mind, we were stoked to catch up with guitarist, James Bowman. It seems you’ve gone through a few line up changes over the years, though you’ve been a fairly consistent presence since 2001, is it? Pretty close; I…

80’s pop mega-stars, BROS, are reforming for three shows only in 2017. Two shows at London’s O2 Arena are taking place in August, with the first show selling out in an astonishing seven seconds. Twins Matt and Luke Goss are also bringing the show to Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on November 4th and I had…

Before heading off on their new run of Australian tour dates, Society of Beggars took some time out for a quick chat about their brand new EP, vampires, and world domination. What can you tell me about the idea behind the name, An EP Called Night? The EP itself is supposed to reflect the rush in the…

If, like me, you’re a stressed out over-thinker struggling with the constant sensory input of our increasingly busy lives, then you’ll find this absolute gem by MT Warning to be a much needed oasis of calm and serenity. Mikey Bee manages storytelling and imagery woven together with heart-on-sleeve lyrics, all delivered with emotive and honest…

Though firmly anchored in Americana Chris Shiflett‘s third solo album, West Coast Town, translates beautifully to the Australian country scene.  I most recently listened to the album as I churned through a road trip through Victoria and New South Wales and it made many of the 1400 kilometers melt away.  There’s something about the wide…

New York duo Chasing Moonlight have been garnering some decent buzz online as of late, with their music connecting the young duo to thousands of fans in the US. With a debut album in the pipeline for May as well as a growing online media presence, members Brett Steinberg and Zeke Hunter tell us a bit more about…

I never miss a support act when I’m reviewing.  Ever. I think it’s important to support the support every chance you get. Almost every artist we admire has been a support act at some point. Tonight, sadly, I missed Anabelle Kay‘s slot at The Toff In Town owing to circumstances beyond my control. I’m sorry,…

Roo Panes is a singer songwriter from the UK and he’s currently on tour in Australia.  I was lucky enough to grab a chat with him in Melbourne ahead of his show at The Toff In Town. Welcome to Melbourne! Is this your first trip to Australia? Yes, well, I’ve travelled to Australia before, I…

Chris Shiflett, widely known as the awesome guitarist from Foo Fighters, is releasing his third solo album, West Coast Town, next month before heading out on a US tour to support the album release.  We were lucky enough to snag some of his time to have a quick chat with him before the madness begins….

As I sat in the airless room near The Corner Hotel in Richmond I pondered the irony of interviewing Frightened Rabbit about their latest album, Painting of a Panic Attack, whilst I was personally mid-way through my very own anxiety attack. At least the stifling temperature in the room would hopefully serve as a sufficient…

It’s midnight, I’m sitting in a budget hotel, and I have to be up in four hours to catch my flight back home to Melbourne to work. I’ve also just been at the Sydney Opera House to see Kasabian’s second show of their two-nights-only Australian visit. There is so much adrenaline ripping through my system…

As a long-time fan of The Living End it was with great delight that I had the chance to have a chat with drummer-extraordinaire, Andy Strachan, about their seventh album, Shift, life on the road, and the fear of Meatloafing. Firstly, congratulations on the latest album; it’s a killer, I think. Thank you, that’s good…

Over the last week, we’ve taken you on board Jennifer Quinlin’s journey from Melbourne to London with Air New Zealand atypical route for Australian travellers, via Auckland and Los Angeles. So far she’s taken us through legs one and two of the journey, as well as her experience in transit in Los Angeles. Now today…

The Air New Zealand service NZ2 (the first leg of which I reviewed last week) is a rare flight at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), with the airport serving as a transit point for the plane: with the plane continuing on to London. But not before you have to deal with the airport’s infamous security measures. While…

Earlier this week, Jennifer started her journey to London with Air New Zealand with her first leg from Melbourne to Auckland (You can read that review HERE). Today she takes us on the second leg, from Auckland to Los Angeles on Air New Zealand‘s remarkable Premium Economy “Spaceseat” service, abroad their stunning Boeing 777-300 aircraft. Airline: Air New…

While most fly to London via Asia or the Middle East, Air New Zealand offer a service that take you via Auckland and Los Angeles. It’s a longer journey, but depending on the needs of your travel could end up being a better option. Our own Jennifer Quinlin recently flew from Melbourne to London on Air…

UK band Catfish and the Bottlemen, named after lead vocalist Van McCann’s encounter with an Australian busker called Catfish the Bottleman, have recently released their follow-up album to 2014’s debut, The Balcony. The Ride is a stonkingly good collection of tunes which are so polished and mature in their sound and production that I was…

Ahead of their impressive run of Australian dates next month and through July, we catch up with Tom Larkin of Shihad to find out how the band recovered from their recent chaotic venture of slamming down three shows across three NZ cities in one freaking day, what the re-release of the beloved Fish album means to the band and the direction of…

I’m ancient enough to have been around when Madonna‘s career was in its infancy.  I can clearly recall Molly Meldrum championing her on Countdown as a huge talent, and I have vivid memories of dancing around the bedroom with my cousins to “Holiday” and “Lucky Star”.  She has featured in my musical consciousness for almost…