Music

Australia House music showcases revealed for SXSW 2019

Set times have now officially been released for the second annual Australia House, taking place during SXSW in Austin, Texas. For over ten years, SOUNDS AUSTRALIA has been to thank for bolstering the success of many globally recognised and adored Australian artists. This year sees SOUNDS AUSTRALIA celebrating their 10th anniversary (along with the AU Review!) as they return…

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Exclusive EP Premiere: Patrick James – What We’re Fighting For (2019 EP)

Ahead of its official release this Friday, we’re excited to bring you the exclusive premiere of What We’re Fighting For, the new EP from singer-songwriter Patrick James. What We’re Fighting For is Patrick James’ first full length release in four years and marks something of a change in direction, with James trading in his guitar…

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Track of the Day: Sloan Peterson “Here” (2019)

Sydney band Sloan Peterson have released a banging new track “Here”, from their forthcoming album, Midnight Love Vol. 2.   It’s a catchy fast-moving track, with beautiful lush vocals. “I wrote ‘Here’ when I was 18, at a time when there was nothing to do but thrash around in a garage playing music, making art and hanging…

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Adelaide Fringe Review: Orbital + Severed Heads – RCC, Maths Lawns (03.02.19)

This year, the RCC in the Adelaide University has presented a bold and diverse range of acts for the Fringe and one of those has to be the combination of two iconic electronic musical acts, Orbital and Severed Heads. Held outdoors on the Maths Lawns, Severed Heads opened with an easy collection of beats and…

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Photo Gallery: Banoffee + QT + Lupa J – Lansdowne Hotel, Sydney (04.03.19)

Supported by Lupa J and QT, Banoffee took some time out from touring with Charlie XCX and Taylor Swift to play some new and old material for us at the Lansdowne Hotel in Sydney on Monday night. Photos by Belinda Dipalo.

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Five shows not to miss at Melbourne’s Brunswick Music Festival

Spanning over the course of the next two weeks, from the third until the seventeenth, the 2019 Brunswick Music Festival is hosting some of the premier music acts from around the globe. With a long list of acts and activities, speakers and galleries to view spanning over such a long period, it can make it…

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The Capital One House at SXSW has announced a PACKED lineup for 2019

The Capital One House at Antone’s always has an impressive lineup; but this year’s collection of acts from around the world just might take the cake. The event, which runs alongside the Interactive portion of SXSW, often hosts exclusive performances ahead of the main music conference, with world class artists who need little introduction nor the…

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Track of the Day: BATTS “Folding Chairs” (2019)

“Folding Chairs” is the new single from Melbourne singer-songwriter BATTS, taken from her forthcoming debut album The Grand Tour, due in April, the single is stripped back, contemplative and utterly beautiful. The track is gently delivered and places BATTS’ delicate and emotive vocals front and centre. It brings to mind, or mine at least, Laura…

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Live Review: Rita Ora brings down Sydney’s Big Top with Sammi Constantine (02.03.19)

I can remember sitting in Maths class when I was sixteen and receiving a text from my dad saying Rita Ora’s Radioactive concert that night was cancelled due to illness. I was devastated. After six years of waiting, I was not disappointed as she graced the Big Top at Sydney’s Luna Park as part of…

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Live Review: The Internet + Baro – Zoo Twilights, Melbourne Zoo (03.03.19)

The Internet, at Melbourne Zoo, closed out the week with some of the smoothest sounds going at their ‘Zoo Twilights’ concert. With a bubbling and excitable crowd, the evening couldn’t have gone better for the North American five-piece and their opener, Baro. Baro proved to be a great lead in for The Internet, with a juxtaposing sound…

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Photo Gallery: The Delta Riggs + Tiny Little Houses + Bec Sandridge + Eliza and The Delusionals – The Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne (01.03.19)

The Delta Riggs‘ finished off their ‘Unscramble Your Lids’ tour in Melbourne on Friday night, supported by a swath of growing Australian talents. Photographer Danny Hanssen was there to capture all the highlights.

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Live Review: Superloop Adelaide 500 After Race Concert Series (01-03.03.19)

This past weekend Adelaide has enjoyed the fun, festivities and fumes of the Superloop Adelaide 500, with three nights of after-race concerts featuring some of Australia, and the world’s biggest performers. The annual event sees tens of thousands descend on the city with many procuring their tickets for the concerts alone.  The summer sun blared down on Adelaide, and with largely…

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Photo Gallery: Rita Ora + Sammi Constantine – Big Top, Sydney (02.03.19)

UK pop sensation Rita Ora‘s debut Australian tour rolled into Sydney on the weekend, with Sammi Constantine supporting. AU photographer Belinda brings us these shots from the night.

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Photo Gallery: Twelve Foot Ninja + Voyager + Yalla Yalla – Rosemount Hotel, Perth (02.03.19)

Twelve Foot Ninja kicked off their Upload Tour at the Rosemount Hotel with an awesome show. Joining in on the fun were the impressive Voyager, and Perth prog rockers Yalla Yalla. Our photographer Stuart Sevastos was on the ground to capture these highlights from the night. The tour continues in Canberra this Friday, March 8th,…

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Live Review: The Delta Riggs + Tiny Little Houses + Bec Sandridge + Eliza and The Delusionals – The Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne (01.03.19)

Set alight with the classic Australian indie sound, Melbourne’s Croxton Bandroom hosted a number of growing Australian bands on Friday night. There to celebrate the Melbourne outfit, The Delta Riggs on their ‘The Unscramble Your Lids’ tour, Eliza and The Delusionals, Bec Sandridge, and Tiny Little Houses were all present for the final show of…

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Photo Gallery: Hanson + The Million – Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne (01.03.19)

Hanson were an audible treat at Melbourne Zoo during the early evening on Friday, helped along by their support act The Million. AU photographer Danny was there to bring us these highlights.

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Live Review: Hanson + The Million – Melbourne Zoo (01.03.2019)

I thought I knew what to expect going to see Hanson perform as part of Zoo Twilights at Melbourne Zoo. Being the fan that I am, I also saw them earlier this week at the Palais Theatre on their String Theory Tour – and to say I was underwhelmed by this tour would be an…

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Live Review: Arctic Monkeys treat Sydney to a mixed cocktail of hits

It’s been widely reported that the opening line of Arctic Monkeys’ most recent – and divisive – album, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, was about Alex Turner just wanting to be one of The Strokes. If you’re going to take away one thing about that line ( a line that very well could have been…

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Album Review: Night Lovell’s GOODNIGHT LOVELL (2019 LP) does the job, but still falls a little short

Night Lovell has remained an underground heavyweight in the trap scene, with dark and harrowing production, with booming bass and some emo-inspired elements. Lovell deploys quick flows over these gruesome instrumentals, with all the trace elements of typical flex rapping, but altered to fit a completely different mood. With this new album, Lovell is looking…

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Track of the Day: J.S. Ondara “Torch Song” (2019)

“Torch Song” is a melancholic and yearning track from Tales of America, the debut album from singer-songwriter J.S. Ondara. It is a track and indeed an album firmly rooted in the worlds of Americana and folk music, with Ondara citing Bob Dylan, amongst others, as an influence, but there’s something a twist to the tale. …

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Photo Gallery: Deafheaven + Divide And Dissolve – Corner Hotel, Melbourne (27.02.19)

American post-metal band Deafheaven returned to Melbourne to play an incredibly intense and powerful show at the Corner Hotel. Photos by Rebecca Houlden.

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Exclusive EP Premiere: Chakra Efendi – Until The Children Grow Old (2019 EP)

We’re excited today to be premiere, Until The Children Grow Old, the debut EP from the Brisbane via Sunshine Coast singer-songwriter Chakra Efendi. At only nineteen years old, Efendi has already built something of a dedicated cult both at home and overseas thanks to a series of demos posted to SoundCloud. Demos, which to date,…

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Album Review: Gary Clark Jr. – This Land (2019 LP)

The bluesman appears to have become a rare and shy character in the age of synthesizers and auto tune. Still some loyal guitar heroes keep on carrying the torch for the moody genre. Among them is Texas born and raised guitarist and singer Gary Clark Jr. Even though he clearly has a passion for the…

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the AU review announces its first ever SXSW official showcase as final 10th Birthday celebration with Hello Asia!

In our 10th year of covering SXSW on the AU review, we’re thrilled to reveal the lineup for our first ever official showcase at the iconic Austin event. Partnering with our sister publication Hello Asia!, the event will feature three Australian acts and two acts from Japan and one from Korea. It’s all happening at…

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Photo Gallery: Arctic Monkeys + Mini Mansions – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne (26.02.19)

Arctic Monkeys‘ Australian & New Zealand tour hit Melbourne on Tuesday night, joining the band were Mini Mansions. The AU’s Rebecca Houlden was there to capture all the action. The tour continues to Sydney for two shows on Friday and Saturday, before heading to Brisbane. For more information and to get tickets for the remaining shows…

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Track of the Day: Trupa Trupa “Dream About” (2019)

Polish psych-pop quartet Trupa Trupa are the newest signees to legendary Seattle label, Sub Pop. With the promise of new music later in the year, the band has released an official video for their track “Dream About” to hold fans over in the meantime. Boosted by a gloomy bassline that would heighten the tension in…

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Album Review: On See You (2019 EP) Sweater Curse showcase their talent and potential

Brisbane band Sweater Curse have been making many waves in the Australian music scene over the past few years, with support slots for major artists, Triple J Unearthed support and a growing list of performances. Now, with their new EP See You, the band offer up a full showcase of just why they’ve become so…

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Album of the Week: Pond – Tasmania (2019 LP)

We’re a matter of days away from the release of Pond’s eighth studio album, Tasmania. Pond declares Tasmania something of a sister missive to their critically acclaimed 2017 album The Weather. The thematics of both albums are kindred in many respects. Tasmania explores place, history, hints of colonialism, and nature’s unfortunate submission towards humans – themes that…

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Interview: Jet’s Nic Cester talks fatherhood, the downsides of Melbourne, and the potential for new material

A lot has changed for Jet frontman, Nic Cester, since the Australian rock icons first shot to international superstardom. It’s been over fifteen years since the band first released their debut album, Get Born. Two more albums followed and then a decade long hiatus. In recent years, the band have finally made a return, supporting Bruce…

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