Community radio music directors often have an encyclopaedic knowledge of local music and an insatiable thirst to keep their ears ahead of the curve. So in this Tone Deaf series, the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) invites music directors to highlight new Aussie tunes that you might have missed.
In this edition, Paul Gough, host of Playback – a nationwide radio show presented by APRA AMCOS and heard on community stations via the Community Radio Network – contributes with a selection of tracks currently making their way to community radio through Amrap’s music distribution service ‘AirIt’.
Check out Paul’s selections below and if you’re a musician you can apply here to have your music distributed for free to community radio on Amrap’s AirIt.
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Australia (Melbourne in particular) punches above its weight when it comes to this particular brand of herky-jerky post punk music. Pinch Points deliver a big goofy blast of fun with a tune dedicated to mindless TV drivel.
That doesn’t mean it’s dumb, there are some clever twists and turns in their songwriting that keep you on edge. A cohesive sound for a band who only played their first show in May. Definitely one to watch.
Another fine example of a band exploring the roots of post-punk, with thick bass lines, jagged guitars and swooning vocals. This foursome have contributed to other great Melbourne groups like The Shifters and Terry. Most of the songs clock in around two and a half minutes and are short, sharp and very sweet.
There’s a slightly lo-fi edge to the start of this dreamy pop gem from Brisbane duo Holiday Party. Then someone flips the switch from black and white to colour, the beats change from pencil sketches to bold texta and it becomes a song you can neither get out of your head or stop spinning in circles to as you listen.
Four minutes and it’s over too soon. So hit play again. You know you want to.
I was initially drawn in by the swirling brooding ambience, thudding piano backbone and then – Oh!- what a voice! It all plays into a cinematic pop anthem in the style of Olympia or Ainslie Wills.
Louise Marshall is from Adelaide and this is from her new EP, Juvenile. This will get under your skin.
Grace Armstrong – ‘Bleeding Out’
Growing up in rural WA with music as a way of escape has laid the foundations for another great young songwriter. There’s a gentle effortless to this track, but it’s got a strong backbone, Grace has found like-minded souls at WAAPA (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts) who have crafted an excellent debut EP in Good Fortunes. A mature and excellent debut.
What can I say? I live for finding music like this, I always fear when I find a song that blows my mind – will I ever find one again that can move me? Seagull have done this and more.
This will be one of my favourite tunes this year, with its melancholic edge, the dry delivery of Chris Bolton, (who essentially is Seagull) buzzing Roland Synth sending out morse code like signals – then it changes tack and builds into this all-consuming fire. This is the first track from an album due out at the end of the year. Essential.
Stephen Grady – ‘Happy When You’re High’
Last year Mr Grady was one half of the duo The Ahern Brothers that a delivered a gentle masterpiece that sounded like a darker Everly Brothers.
Josh Rennie-Hynes relocating to the US has allowed them to return to their already established solo careers, while Josh has taken a more electrified path, Stephen’s latest uses the Ahern sound as a springboard to deliver a gorgeous shimmering folk tune.
I was lucky enough to attend Bonnie Stewart’s EP launch recently and was particularly excited by the songs she’s yet to record. This is clever chamber folk with a playful edge that centres around Bonnie’s ethereal voice. This song draws you in to her world and for a brief moment you forget where you are. Enchanting listening.
