Adelaide fuzz, drone and noise band Night Rites was formed by three mates, Peter, Adam and Rhys, in a backyard studio during COVID. They initially had an indie psych sound, but after switching roles—Peter to drums, Adam to guitar, and Rhys on vocals—it led to a more droning style. Influenced by bands like The Black…
In the early Manchester morning, Hannah Mee and Jim Shaw, two halves of punk/rock group Hot Milk, are keenly looking ahead to their upcoming Australia tour in May. Returning to Australia after their last visit in 2023, the group is back on familiar ground. “It feels like a second home”, Hannah describes. “I know the…
Brisbane pop-rock outfit The Idle Minds have today dropped their awaited debut single “Sideways”, a melancholy singalong for the broken-hearted who haven’t lost faith in their happy ending. It has everything you could want from a groovy ballad: haunting piano, warm guitars, shimmering pads, and a tasty rhythm section. The only thing that’s missing is…
Story Of The Year are rediscovering their prime, having just released their best record in recent times, A.R.S.O.N. Serving as a real return to form with an obvious natural progression of sound and talent, A.R.S.O.N is the result of a band with no agendas and nothing to prove, making the music that they want to…
Irish pop-rock outfit Picture This are about to play their first ever headline Australian shows this May, and they’re bringing Perth artist Sam McGovern along with them. Having just recently released their latest single, “Giants”, which follows their 2025 single “Yours Forever”, Picture This are rediscovering their own sound while playing some of their biggest…
After a little over two decades together, The Horrors are still finding new ways to evolve. The British alt-rock band recently hit their 20-year milestone following the release of their latest album Night Life– a record that leans slightly into a darker, more intimate side of their sound. With recent lineup changes reshaping the creative…
If you’ve been anywhere near the pop punk side of the internet over the last decade, you’ll know that Hot Mulligan have quickly become one of the most beloved bands in the scene. From chaotic house shows and jokey song titles to selling out thousand-cap rooms, the Michigan five-piece have built their world on being…
At just 26 years old, Billie Marten already has five studio albums under her belt. Starting out by posting YouTube videos at a young age, she slowly gained attention and was able to release her first EP at 15. Fast forward to now, millions of streams and monthly listeners later, and Billie Marten has found…
Last Dinosaurs have been an integral part of the Australian music scene for over a decade. With songs like “Apollo” and “Sense”, their music has shaped a generation with their notable shoegaze, indie rock, synth pop vibes. Reaching international shores, they’ve also gained a huge following overseas, playing at massive festivals like Lollapalooza, Corona Capital,…
Rain City Drive are on the brink of a long-awaited milestone. This March marks the band’s first-ever Australian tour under their current name- a significant moment for a group that has lived several musical lives. While all members previously toured Australia as part of Slaves, this run of shows further represents their fresh chapter and…
Talking to Stephanie McIntosh at the AACTA Festival Awards Industry Gala, you’re reminded just how fluid her career has always been – and how thoughtfully she reflects on it. From her breakthrough years on Neighbours and her pioneering pop album, Tightrope, to the accompanying televisual journey The Steph Show that felt almost ahead of its…
Anberlin’s rise was never part of a grand masterplan. Formed in Winter Haven, Florida in 2002, the band had signed to a label and released their debut record within a year, quietly laying the groundwork for what would become one of the most enduring catalogues in modern alternative rock. But it was 2005’s Never Take…
Newton Faulkner’s eighth studio album OCTOPUS marks a bold new chapter for the multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter and is his most adventurous work to date. Over five years in the making, the album signals a refreshed sense of artistic freedom, blending influences from funk, R&B, soul, and Latin grooves. We chatted to him about the making of…
Cavetown has always felt like a project built on connection rather than spectacle. Over the years, Robin Skinner has quietly grown from uploading songs online to becoming one of the most trusted voices in indie music, all without losing the intimacy that made people gravitate towards his work in the first place. Now, with a…
Last month, I had the privilege of sitting down in Tokyo, Japan with Orono from Superorganism, and her Dad – the namesake of her new project Nose Noise‘s 2025 LP TOM. Orono and I last formally sat down back in 2018 while they were on ground at The Great Escape in the UK, ahead of…
At just 24, James Barry already sounds like an artist who’s lived a few musical lifetimes. Releasing music under his indie project link3 since late 2022, Barry’s journey has been shaped by instinct, curiosity and a very clear vision, rooted in a self-described ‘slowcore revival’. Growing up in Australia, he gravitated towards the quiet intensity…
Between continents, contracts, and curtain calls, Barry Conrad has found himself standing at the threshold of a bold new chapter. In the space of just a few months, he went from rehearsal rooms in Australia to stepping into New York for meetings – landing in time to attend the Tony Awards the very next day…
The Last Dinner Party have spent the past year accelerating from London newcomers to one of the most talked-about bands in contemporary guitar music. Their debut album, Prelude To Ecstasy, announced the all-female five-piece with grandeur, pairing sharp songwriting and theatrical vocals with a baroque-inspired visual identity that felt fully formed from the outset. Their breakout…
When Full Flower Moon Band released MEGAFLOWER in 2024, it didn’t just mark a breakthrough — it detonated one. A #1 Australian album, a sold-out vinyl pressing, and a viral reel that rocketed the Brisbane group into international feeds; it was the moment the band became unavoidable. One year later, Kate “Babyshakes” Dillon and the…
As the end of the year approaches and the sun starts to make an appearance, it can only mean one thing- Good Things Festival is right around the corner. Kicking off in Melbourne this Friday, there’s no better time to catch up with one of the most exciting bands on the lineup. Dayseeker have spent…
Forever Ends Here were a real moment in the early 2010s Melbourne pop-punk scene, and their 2025 return definitely wasn’t on by bingo card- but I’m here for it. While this might look like a classic comeback, the Melbourne trio are approaching things with a clean slate as they reinvent themselves through their new EP,…
Brendan B. Brown still sounds faintly amazed when you ask him about the staying power of “Teenage Dirtbag.” Twenty-five years after Wheatus released their self-titled debut album, the misfit anthem is not only alive but thriving, fuelled by the viral TikTok trend of celebrities posting teenage photos of themselves, surprise covers, and a new wave…
Secondhand Serenade is the emotive acoustic project of Californian singer-songwriter John Vesely. One of the defining breakout acts of the Myspace era, Vesely soared to global attention with his heart-on-sleeve debut album Awake. Nearly two decades on, the record’s impact hasn’t dulled and Vesely is celebrating its legacy with a tour, playing the record front…
Melbourne duo Cry Club have always existed in their own colourful universe. It’s a place where maximalist pop, punky electronics and unapologetically queer joy crash together in spectacular fashion. Since forming in 2018, best friends Heather and Jono have carved out a loyal audience with their theatrical live shows, heartfelt politics and their ability to…
Adelaide’s Tom Montesi, also known as LOS LEO, likes to play life on hard mode, apparently. Giving himself the almost-impossible task of writing, recording and producing an album solo within one calendar year, he’s just pulled it off with a little over a month to spare, and the result is LL-1000. Sitting down with LOS…
In the wake of Biffy Clyro‘s announcement of Australian tour dates for April next year, bassist James Johnston kindly took some time out to chat with us about the tour and the experience of live music. The very exciting news, of course, is the Australian tour. We’re obviously very, very excited to have you coming…
Upcoming NZ director Ursula Grace Williams has created a playful and revealing story, documenting Marlon Williams‘ four-year journey of creating an album recorded in his native te reo Mãori language. The album, Te Whare Tīwekaweka, is a blend of Marlon’s familiar country folk tunes and the rhythmic styles of traditional Māori music. Williams was recently…
When Luvcat holds the vinyl copy of her debut album Vicious Delicious for the first time, she can hardly believe it’s real. “It was the first day of holding my vinyl today,” she says, still sounding a little dazed. “It was a crazy experience.” With only a week to go before release, she admits to…
Taylor Acorn first caught my attention with her acoustic cover of Blink 182’s First Date, and she’s held it ever since. Now a few years on from that release, she’s played some of the biggest pop-punk festivals such as When We Were Young, Warped Tour and Good Things, and just last week she released her…
In 2015, The AU Review’s John Goodridge interviewed Kiss founder Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley after the release of his 2014 solo album Space Invader. We stumbled upon it while thumbing through our extensive archives and are now publishing it in tribute to the pioneering musician, who sadly passed away on 16th October 2025, aged 74. Read…
