Dirty Suits Release Single ‘Blackwater Bay’

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"Dirty Suits Release Single ‘Blackwater Bay’"

UPCOMING SHOW DATES

9th August – Ryans Thirroul, NSW – Event Link

29th August – Link and Pin, NSW – Venue Link

26th September – Dissent Cafe Bar, Canberra – Venue Link

 The Lore says: From a swamp in the pit of the Illawarra Escarpment rose a magical creature called Dirty. It was awful to the eye but true of heart. Shunned by all the other swamp creatures Dirty led a lonely existence until 2020 when three surfing adventurers stumbled across its den. Frightened at first, Dirty soon realised these three might be worthy.

He gave one a guitar, one a drum, and one a piano.

As they played Dirty began to glow.

It said, ‘I’m sure you three will rise to the level of entertaining casual drinkers and diners at the week’s end and I have something that will help.’ Dirty then presented the travelling trio with three suits and said ‘This will help your quest’. The drummer, the boldest of the three said, ‘Are these magic suits?’

Dirty replied, ‘No.’

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After surfing together for over a decade, Matt Ayliffe and Peter Cunnington started jamming in 2020.

The click was immediate. Coming from different musical backgrounds seems to help, not hinder the writing process. From industrial, Avante Garde, Punk and Rock’n’Roll. The songs dictate themselves. Demographics and egos, all checked at the door.  Dirty Suits is creativity for its own sake. And as of Feb 2023, Luke Brooks has joined the ‘Dirty Suits’ family on drums and any out there suitable piece of equipment he can whack a sound out of to get this trio rockin’ any venue down.

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Set in the dark country, Blackwater Bay is the tale of a man trying to rescue his wife from an insidious cult. Is it a salvage operation or a kidnapping? And exactly who is insidious? Led by a bass in 5’s and a wild guitar. This is an expedition of misplaced trust and entrapment.

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Kaijin Solo Releases Single ‘The Dancer’

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"Kaijin Solo Releases Single ‘The Dancer’"

Originally written on the street in Newtown after a late night, The Dancer has gone through many incarnations in various live performances both as a solo artist and various band line ups. This release is dedicated to the force that was Tina Turner. It is also a call to change the name of the fourth house of The Zodiac to ‘Dancer’ in her honour, as it seems wrong to Kaijin that a disease should be named after a sign of The Zodiac.

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Kaijin Solo is a contemporary singer/songwriter based on the NSW Central Coast with a blues rock influence. He has been working and honing his craft for many years with various band line-ups and the plentiful bread and butter busking jobs and pub/club gigs around the coast.

In between studio sessions Kaijin formed The Backbeats with Rhys Meyer on Vocals and Keys, Felix Harper on Bass and Ash Feder on Drums. They spent much of 2023 playing local venues such as the infamous Link and Pin, Brackets and Jam on Kincumber Mountain, Avoca Beach Hotel. Kaijin and Rhys also did a few duo appearances at various venues such as: the Long Jetty Hotel and Bateau Bay Bowling Club.

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Christina Crofts Releases Album ‘Best Of Bottleneck’

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"Christina Crofts Releases Album ‘Best Of Bottleneck’"

 ‘It’s no secret I love playing guitar, but playing slide guitar is something extra special and really feels powerful and thrilling, and it has always been a standout feature on my recordings and especially in my live shows. It grabs attention and I always have people coming up after our sets who are in awe of the bottleneck stuff, so I thought releasing a compilation of my best bottleneck tunes would be a great opportunity to showcase this aspect of my playing and writing.’– Christina

The opening track “Voodoo Queen” is a raucous, swampy rocker. The lyrics were inspired after reading about a supposed ‘voodoo queen’ named Julie Brown who lived in Louisiana. She was rumoured to sit on her porch singing eerie songs that predicted her own death and that she’d take the whole town with her when she died. Apparently, on the day of her funeral, a ferocious hurricane came through the town killing around 300 people!

‘Breakaway’ is from her 2016 EP and debuted at #1 in the Amrap AirIt regional charts. ‘Gonna Find a Way’ was nominated in the top 5 in the blues category in the MusicOz Awards.

Christina Crofts: singer, songwriter, guitarist, slide guitarist and her band were the winners of the 2022 Sydney Blues Society Blues Challenge.

Born in the Australian coastal town of Coffs Harbour to her Norwegian immigrant father and Australian mother, Christina’s family moved to Brisbane where in her early teens her passion for playing guitar really grew. She moved to Sydney where she met and began guitar lessons with and eventually married guitarist Steve Crofts.

Honing her guitar playing skills in various bands over many years, Christina’s trademark sound and style began to emerge. Christina has been performing on the Australian music scene for many years as the Christina Crofts Band and earlier as Croftstown Traffic.

She has performed at major festivals such as Thredbo Blues Festival, Narooma Blues Festival, Mitchell Creek Rock ‘n Blues Festival, Bimbadgen Festival, Australian Blues Festival, Great Southern Blues & Roots Festival, Sydney Blues & Roots Festival, International Blues Challenge Memphis USA, and numerous venues across Australia. She has released 4 albums/EP’s with the most recent two releases charting in the Top 10 of the Australian Blues & Roots Charts and had a #1 on the AMRAP Regional Chart.

Earlier this year Christina started compiling a collection of fan favourites from her previous releases and live shows. This collection has been remastered under the title of ‘Best Of Bottleneck’ highlighting her love, and skill on slide guitar.

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CB Ghost Releases Album ‘MAYHEMIC’

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"CB Ghost Releases Album ‘MAYHEMIC’"

UPCOMING SHOW DATES!

Friday June 6th – Dickson Taphouse, ACT

Saturday June 7th – 1880 Tavern, Bathurst NSW

Saturday June 14th – Gracelands, Forresters Beach NSW

The album, as the title suggests, goes beyond the singles released so far, taking the listener on an audible journey from Bob Dylan-like stripped back melancholy tracks such as Garage Restitution, to foot tapping bangers like One Wave at a Time. And even, sea shanty violin-filled duets like Anchor, all the way to full blown rock beast in Carry Me Home which closes the album with a bang (cover of 80s Punk legends The Slaves tune with singer and lyricist Rik L. Rik).
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CB Ghost, a songwriter with an honest simple folk-rock style that captures the essence of a complicated existence with singalong tunes and poetic lyrics and sometimes a banger beat. A former pro surfer, CB Ghost is driven, bold and dedicated to his evolving sound and a deep love of blue-collar folk. His background provides him with a deep connection to toe tapping Celtic, country and straight-ahead heartfelt rock music mixed with salt water from the ocean.

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The Insufferable Paul Scott Releases Single ‘Extinct’

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"The Insufferable Paul Scott Releases Single ‘Extinct’"

NEW REVIEW

“‘Extinct’ is a slice of pure indie pop with a sparkle… There is a melancholic fairground feel to the music as he repeats the line fail to adapt when extinct with a romantic twist to the lyrics – no-one can sparkle like you do.” – Arun Kendall

https://www.backseatmafia.com/track-its-not-over-for-the-insufferable-paul-scott-ex-pop-mechanix-as-he-releases-sparkling-new-single-extinct/

Scott’s recent release EXTINCT (2025), continues his tradition of combining sharp, introspective lyrics with innovative soundscapes. His music is characterised by its melodic structures, layered instrumentation, and a penchant for exploring themes of modernity and human experience.

Describing himself with a series of tongue-in-cheek adjectives—“Inedible, Incorrigible, Indescribable…”—Scott embraces his “Insufferable” moniker with humour and self-awareness. His work continues to resonate with audiences seeking music that is both thought-provoking and sonically rich.

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The Insufferable Paul Scott is a Sydney-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for his sharp wit, eclectic sound, and prolific output. Emerging from Australia’s indie scene, Scott has played bass and guitar for numerous acts, including The Likes of You, Montana, The Kingdom of Jones and Bad Machines, performing everywhere from community halls to the Sydney Opera House, from Australia and New Zealand to Europe and the USA.

In 2019, he launched his solo career with the debut album Surrender to Robots, a lo-fi, genre-blending collection that drew favourable comparisons to art rock acts such as Of Montreal and The Notwist. This was followed by a string of EPs and albums that showcased his evolving sound and lyrical prowess. Notable releases include Radio Station (2020), Tea and Medals (2021), and Dopamine Mining (2024).

Tea and Medals, recorded during the COVID-19 lockdowns, stands out as a 12-track album featuring collaborations with producers like Steve Melville (The Tea Party, Regurgitator) and Tim Powles (The Church). The album blends indie rock, synth-pop, and jangle pop, reflecting Scott’s diverse musical influences.

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Steve Kilbey & Gareth Koch Release Album ‘Songs From Atlantis’

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"Steve Kilbey & Gareth Koch Release Album ‘Songs From Atlantis’"

In their latest album, Songs from Atlantis, Steve Kilbey & Gareth Koch re-imagine deities and figures from antiquity. Their album creates an esoteric impression of an ancient mythical kingdom, when Poseidon ruled the undersea and the Augur interpreted the will of the gods.

The music on Songs from Atlantis is in turn mystical, powerful and reflective. The textures range from glistening harmonics to diving liquid slides. Some of the music is almost aqueous, with resonator guitars producing a type of whale song while lyres evoke an idea of Ancient Greece.

Kilbey and Koch have created a highly contrasting collection of songs and moods, ranging from the haunting tenderness of Calliope’s Song to the grinding majesty of Hyperion’s Oar. Shimmering and water-like, the music and lyrics evoke the lives of ancient gods, servant girls and soothsayers.

Atlantis, an island mentioned in Plato’s works, is described as an empire that ruled all parts of the world. After falling out of favour with the deities the city is subsumed into the Atlantic Ocean.

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What unites the musical spheres of an Australian rock icon and a Viennese-trained classical musician?

The answer lies in a shared aesthetic and approach to their craft. There is a wistful and haunting lilt to the Kilbey/Koch songs, as they float seamlessly through a narrative of fallen crowns and enchanted gardens.  To compliment the poignant lyrics is a delicious instrumentation, weaving and waif-like, alternately brimming with rhythmic drive.

Steve Kilbey, also known as the frontman of veteran rock band The Church, has generated a lifetime of beautifully crafted songs. His subtly esoteric lyrics create an aura of mystery, posing questions and teasing the listener with riddle-like answers.

Gareth Koch is a European-born classical guitarist and composer who has recorded most of the major repertoire. His compositional style reflects a lifelong engagement with classical, folk, rock and flamenco music. Although not easy to define, Koch’s music is often characterised by medieval gestures, influenced by the unrequited longing style of the French Trouveres (singer-poets) of the 12th century.

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Anirban Jee Releases New Single ‘Are We Gonna’

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"Anirban Jee Releases New Single ‘Are We Gonna’"

The track ‘Are We Gonna’ is an action-packed dance track to get you in the party groove. Laced with contemporary pop-dance elements and riveting vocals, it brings out the excitement and attraction that a person feels to someone they have just met for the first time and experiences an intense desire to make it a long-lasting connection. The track was penned, composed and performed by award winning singer-songwriter Anirban Jee. It was recorded and produced by Sydney’s sought after producer Tony Cvetkovski from Top Cat Music Productions.

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Chart Success in 2023-2024       

#1 on World Independent Music Charts Top 100

#3 European Independent Music Chart

Global Top 150 Independent Airplay Charts

#1 on SoundsLikeCafe Singles Chart (Aus)

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR 2018 (Australian Songwriting Contest) & SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR 2017 (SongsAlive Competition) – Winner of Acoustic category (2021 Australian Songwriting Awards), Winner of INTERNATIONAL and BALLAD Categories (2018) –  Winner of POP category (2017 Songs Alive Competition) – Winner of BALLAD category (2017 Songs Alive Competition) – Winner of CONTEMPORARY POP category (2015 Australian Songwriting Awards), Finalist at the 2022 UK Songwriting Contest  – Numerous airplays in Commercial FM and Amrap Radio stations – Track published by Sydney’s EMBASSY MUSIC PUBLISHING and released by A&R Department (Shock records).

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In his early years of songwriting, Anirban managed to catch the attention of Australian music industry heavy weight producer and ‘song doctor’ Matt O’Connor (Thirsty Merc, The Beautiful Girls) from the A&R Department, Sydney. Originally discovered from a rough demo, Matt O’Connor took Anirban under his wing to further develop and hone his craft.

His third release “Deep Down” featuring X-Factor artist Mary Ann Van Der Horst pegged number one position under the International Category at 2017 Australian Songwriting Awards. His subsequent releases “Mayday” (2020) and ‘Move Out’ (2021) generated quite a positive and exciting reviews on online music magazines such as GongScene, Vents Magazine, Around the Sound, BMA Magazine and even pegged at #1 on Soundslikecafe Singles Chart!!

His first Video single ‘Will Above My Wish’ pegged as a finalist at the 2022 UK Songwriting Contest and secured #1 position on the World Independent Music Chart Top 100 and #3 on the European Independent Music Chart. His second Video single ‘You On My Side’ shot up to #4 on World Independent Music Chart Top 100 and reached #5 on European Independent Music Chart in 2023.

Anirban’s current series of compositions alone range from Pop, Urban, to R&B, featuring a unique and un‐patterned soulful infusion that’s embedded in an expressive lyrical muster. Having recently worked with many sought after music producers such as Simon Cohen (Will.I.Am, Guy Sebastian, Vera Blue, Thelma Plum), Steve Peach (Icehouse, Marcia Hines, Stafford Brothers, “The Voice” Contestants, Choirboys, Fabrice (Milli Vanilli), Sophie Monk), Adrian Hannan (Delta Goodrem, Gabriella Cilmi, Taxi Ride, The Androids), Sven Tydeman (Josh Pyke, Tina Cousins, Candice Alley), AJ’s compositions and songwriting repertoire have resulted in numerous radio plays spanning both commercial and community radio stations across Australia.

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CB Ghost Releases Single ‘High On Elm And Vine’

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"CB Ghost Releases Single ‘High On Elm And Vine’"

UPCOMING SHOW DATES!

Friday June 6th – Dickson Taphouse, Canberra

Saturday June 14th – Gracelands, Forresters Beach NSW

CB Ghost’s latest single, ‘High on Elm & Vine’, is a deeply personal and evocative track inspired by an unforgettable encounter in Los Angeles. A psychedelic like rock song with an almost unhinged drum beat, written in a sudden burst of inspiration, explores themes of displacement, mental health struggles, and personal reflection.

While spending time in Los Angeles with his girlfriend—before the devastating fires—CB Ghost was struck by the stark reality of homelessness and the lack of mental health care in the city.

The emotions that surfaced at that time poured out in the form of ‘High on Elm & Vine’, written in a near-mystical rush of creativity. The song came together in just 20 minutes, its lyrics and melody flowing almost effortlessly. He chose to preserve that spontaneous energy in the final recording, keeping the song as close to its original essence as possible.

The studio recording process brought the track to life with the full band. Garrick Blow’s progressive rock-inspired drumming adds an intense rhythmic drive, while Murray Dilger’s hypnotic bass groove anchors the song. Geoff Nicol contributes a psychedelic, trippy lead guitar that elevates the track’s mystical quality. The result is a song that is both unsettling and mesmerizing, pushing CB Ghost out of his comfort zone.

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CB Ghost, a songwriter with an honest simple folk-rock style that captures the essence of a complicated existence with singalong tunes and poetic lyrics and sometimes a banger beat.  CB Ghost has emerged from a close-nit coastal surfing village in Australia. His background provides him with a deep connection to toe tapping Celtic, country and straight-ahead heartfelt rock music mixed with salt water from the ocean.

A former pro surfer, CB Ghost is driven, bold and dedicated to his evolving sound and a deep love of blue-collar folk stories and sensibility – and most importantly playing live to crowds who love to drink, dance, sing and have fun.

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The Mezcaltones Release Album ‘Big Hat No Cattle’

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"The Mezcaltones Release Album ‘Big Hat No Cattle’"

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Big Hat, No Cattle is the fifth studio album from the Mezcaltones and it comes together for an early 2025 release.

The Mezcaltones’ songs are mined from the rich seam of Alt Country, Roots, Rockin’ Blues and Surf Guitar with a nod to two of their favourite artists; and it’s all wrapped up in their inimitable Mezcaltones Hillbilly Surf Music Style.

Big Hat, No Cattle was recorded at Damien Gerard studios in West Gosford with Andrew Beck at the engineering controls; mixed by Russell Pilling; mastered by William Bowden; produced by the Mezcaltones; and artwork by Stephen Awdry & Melinda Nassif.

The CD is available for purchase at gigs and The Mezcaltones website or can be streamed via your favourite online format.

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Northern Beaches Band The Mezcaltones perform regularly at Sydney venues – The Orient (The Rocks), Marrickville Bowlo, Collaroy Beach Club, Brighton RSL to name a few. They have also performed at eight Tamworth Country Music Festivals; Groundwater CMF; Blues on Broadbeach; Sydney Blues & Roots Festival; Dashville Skyline Festival; and Greazefest.

Their last album ‘Agave Soirée’ entered the Australian Blues and Roots airplay charts at #7 before spending five months embedded in the Top 20.

Their sound can be difficult to describe – mixing original songs with rare tracks you might find on Robert Rodriguez/Tarantino movies or B-Grade 60’s Sci-Fi Flicks the guitars are richly infused with surf tones and 60’s Twang served up with a healthy dose of Cowpunk brashness. One booker described them as “Mexican Hillbilly Surf Music”. One punter said “lf Johnny Cash surfed he’d have sounded like you guys”.

Their antics are captivating. The band is fronted by vocalist Col Padre (who engages in tongue in cheek choreography) and dancer/singer/percussionist Mimi. Mimi is renowned for her routines involving gymnastic ribbons used as whips, hula hoops, fans and whatever else she can lay her hands on. Big Daddy K from 2RRR’S Sydney Sounds show described the Mezcaltones as the best live band in Sydney.

The costumes make for an outstanding visual – four guys dressed as party hire Cowboys and two girls dressed as Spanish gunslingers with several minor costume changes throughout the show involving masks, veils and mirror shades. Sounds corny… sure is.

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Steve Kilbey & The Winged Heels Release Album ‘The Road To Tibooburra’

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"Steve Kilbey & The Winged Heels Release Album ‘The Road To Tibooburra’"

Steve Kilbey: During the early days of Covid 19, I met a guy called Julian who asked me to be in a short silent film he was making called ‘Space Junk’. ‘Space Junk’ was about a stranger (moi) who comes to a remote-ish Australian town during the pandemic and has a number of adventures including aliens and angry villagers and other various kinds of weirdness.

The film got kinda finished and had a couple of screenings in a room but then seemed to be abandoned and never properly completed. Julian then repurposed it for a musical about a washed-up and ageing rockstar called Lord Jim (moi again) who takes a strange crew off to Tibooburra searching for his comeback.

Julian asked me to write all of the songs for the musical, which I did and enjoyed doing too. I recorded them all with a wonderful band of players who also appear on my albums 11 Women and The Hall of Counterfeits, whom I dubbed the Winged Heels.

Well then after sitting in the can for ages I have decided to release this weird collection of tunes. They are in no particular order so you’ll just have to figure it all out for yourself. Or just make up your own plot and story and sit back and enjoy. I have also thrown into the mix some contemporaneous songs I was working on with the Heels at the time but I now look upon them as perhaps part of the musical and let you try to make some sense of all this.

Steve Kilbey, band singer, songwriter, bassist, painter, writer, poet, actor, sage, dispenser of
arcane wisdom is one of Australia’s most loved artists.

The popular song “Under the Milky Way” won the “Best Single of the Year” award at the
Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) awards event in 1989. For his work with
The Church, Kilbey then accepted, together with his bandmates, an induction into the ARIA
Hall of Fame.

Steve got his first bass guitar at age 16, joined a band at 18 and went on to form a number of different groups before forming The Church in 1980. He has gone on to release many solo albums and collaborations with recording artists from around the globe.

“Kilbey’s solo recordings are challenging and evocative. . . joyous and dreamy to saturnine
and sardonic” – Ian McFarlane.

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