Month: January 2021

The Killers’ latest album, the internationally lauded Imploding The Mirage, has been given the Deluxe treatment and is released worldwide today on Island Records. The Deluxe collection comes with live, stripped down versions of beloved songs “Blowback” and “Caution,” as well as a brand new song, “C’est La Vie”, which is a brilliant addition to an already-perfect album.

Imploding The Mirage, The Killers’ sixth studio album and the follow up to 2017’s chart topping Wonderful Wonderful, spawned a monster in first single “Caution ” which reached #1 of both the Alternative and Triple A radio charts. With their headlining stadium show shelved due to the pandemic, the band took “Caution” and the following singles – “Dying Breed,” “Fire In Bone” and “My Own Soul’s Warning” – to multiple TV shows around the world.

Imploding The Mirage – produced by the band in conjunction with Shawn Everett and Jonathan Rado of Foxygen – was recorded in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Park City, UT. It is the first Killers album to be written and recorded since leaving their hometown of Las Vegas, NV. Imploding The Mirage also features a brilliant array of collaborators, another first for the band who have typically kept guest spots on their albums to a minimum. The list of featured artists includes Lindsey Buckingham, kd lang, Weyes Blood, Adam Granduciel (War On Drugs), Blake Mills, and Lucius.

Since the release of their 2004 debut, Hot Fuss, The Killers have sold 28 million albums, headlined stadiums and festivals around the world and won dozens of accolades globally, cementing their continued reign as America’s heartland heroes. Influences include Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel, as well as Killers’ touchstones like Bruce Springsteen and New Order. Throughout it all, Flowers remains a wholly singular songwriter.

Praise For Imploding The Mirage:

“The Killers come storming back with a big, anthemic collection” – NPR

“Led by the exquisite brio of Brandon Flowers, the Las Vegas band returns with one of their biggest and best albums, a marvelously absurd collection of synth-rock gems and arena anthems.” – PITCHFORK

“Epic.” – BILLBOARD

“The kind of roaring energy and catchy hooks that recall the band’s early classics.” – ROLLING STONE

“Brandon Flowers always sounds great bellowing over grandiose guitar bangers with a polished synthetic sheen. Imploding The Mirage is the Killers’ most satisfying collection of songs in more than a decade.” – STEREOGUM

“The songs themselves are vintage Killers, often beginning quietly but driving inexorably to those yearning, multi-layered choruses that Flowers does so well, perfect for singing emotively with an impassioned fist over the chest ” – VARIETY

“Imploding the Mirage doles out bombast, introspection and ironclad hooks in equal measure…The lyrical themes are simple but universal: love, faith, the desire to escape from the shackles of your hometown. And the songs sound larger than life, begging to be shouted from the tallest mountains-or, more realistically, blasted from festival stages across the world as fireworks explode in the distance.” – FORBES

“The Killers have perfected the moment when a song explodes into an anthem, and Imploding the Mirage is a master class in those visceral hooks…Thrilling.” – PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

“Imploding The Mirage is an expansive record, steeped in both the thrill of romance and the simple joy of just being alive.” – AV CLUB

“Nearly every one of the 10 tracks on Imploding the Mirage overflows with confidence and ardor, at a time when this city-this country, this world-could use both.” – LAS VEGAS WEEKLY

“Imploding the Mirage feels like more than just one of their best albums, but a triumphant and invigorated rut-reversal that shines with a hard-won confidence.” – ALL MUSIC

“Their best album in over a decade.” – BROOKLYN VEGAN

“The Killers have followed a lifetime of perfect songs and made their first truly great album.”- EXCLAIM!

“A winning formula from the world’s biggest band. .. This is, for the most part, vintage Killers – glittering, gigantic and boldly triumphant.” – THE FORTY FIVE

“If ‘Wonderful Wonderful’ was an arm around a trembling shoulder, ‘Imploding The Mirage’ is a raised fist to the future.” – NME

“An album that feels rich and invigorating, and proves they’re still one of our most treasured bands for a reason.” DIY

“This album is all Killer, no filler.” – MAIL ON SUNDAY

“A breathless career-high from the Las Vegas group, pitching the wide open vistas so potently explored in their lyrics against tender evocations of love and faith.” – CLASH 8/10

Multidisciplinary artist, RAISSA has released her latest single ‘SHADES ON’ VIA Mark Ronson’s Zelig Records/Columbia Records.
The track is a deep and moody alt-pop track. Filled with enigmatic sounds and RAISSA’s steady yet bold vocals, the track will have you in a trance.
RAISSA’s fascination with sci-fi and fantasy aesthetics is definitely symbolised in the song.
‘SHADES ON’ is from RAISSA’s upcoming debut EP HEROGIRL, which will be released later this year.
RAISSA says “This song was a freestyle, a tongue in cheek moment about feeling like a boss and letting everyone know…”
HEROGIRL tells the narrative of a hero’s journey; the protagonist crosses into another realm learning a critical lesson that can be applied in the normal world. RAISSA is positioned as the hero of the story, as she explores finding strength in what you love, rather than focusing on what makes you miserable.

A modern take on the 50’s doowop of Otis Redding and Ben King, featuring powerful choir sounds and moving strings, “Over and Over” is a song dedicated to his wife as a reminder that his love will not waiver. Mixed by Sean Moffitt (Mat Kearney, Josh Groban, Ingrid Michaelson), it’s the title track off the upcoming mixed EP due out April 2. Listen at 2:46 for the full choir sound!
Commitment. Stability. Love. A testament that no matter how difficult it gets, no matter how strong the emotion, no matter the challenge, he’ll always be there. That’s the message Knickerbocker wanted to send to his wife in the song, “Over and Over.” To reinforce the message, he recorded 15 separate vocal parts to recreate a gospel choir effect. The result is intimate, raw, and powerful.

“Stunning compositions…really great songwriting…really great stuff!”

• Valida Carroll, KCRW (89.9 FM)
  “Good lord, [it] had me hooked from the word go!”
• Jason Grishkoff, Indieshuffle.com
  “I love this! There’s a grandeur to the arrangement that’s easy to get lost in. It’s stellar.”
• Brian Hazard, Color Theory; Passive Promotion Blog
  About Kolby Knickerbocker:
  Knickerbocker started his professional musical career early on, releasing his first album with Kitty’s Musicbox (2004) as a sophomore in college. He has since released an additional full-length album Red Dust (2015) and two EPs, Rodello’s Machine (2012) and Animus (2016). Nate Donnis who’s received industry attention from the BBC’s series “Skins” and the PBS series “Roadtrip Nation,” appeared on Rodello’s Machine . Knickerbocker has received critical acclaim from industry tastemakers including Indie Shuffle and KCRW. His music has been featured in television shows like MTV’s Degrassi High, 90210, Heart Signal, and Barely Breathing.

GLASS ANIMALS TAKE OUT TOP SPOT IN TRIPLE J’S HOTTEST 100 WITH ‘HEAT WAVES’

UK psych-pop outfit Glass Animals have taken out top spot in Triple J’s Hottest 100 countdown with their hit single ‘Heat Waves’. One of the band’s three entries in the countdown, including Tangerine (#18) and Your Love (#51), it also marks the first time the band has reached top 10 in the countdown.

More than 6 months after the tracks release, it continues to hit new peaks across all charts. ‘Heat Waves’ has become the groups highest charting ARIA single, growing to #11 last week, overtaking the bands 2014 hit ‘Gooey’. ‘Heat Waves’ has also hit new chart peaks on Spotify, climbing to #2, and Apple, hitting #1.

Bursting with all the wonderful tricks that we have come to expect from Glass Animals’ frontman and producer Dave Bayley, ‘Heat Waves’ is an introspective summer hit. A scorching, bass-heavy pop-trip, ‘Heat Waves’ is a distorted Glass Animals love song, exploring how relationships can blur your personality and change you in ways you don’t realise until you take a step back.

The track is taken from ‘Dreamland’, the band’s most successful album to-date which peaked at #6 on the ARIA Albums Charts. Fundamentally a nostalgic memoir of his life so far, ‘Dreamland’ finds Bayley covering expansive and difficult ground. As a result, the album is packed full of intensely sensitive and personal experiences, none more emotional than when the bands drummer Joe Seaward was involved in a bike accident in July 2018 which threatened his life, and that of Glass Animals altogether. Born at a time of immense confusion and uncertainty for the band, it’s an album that arrived at the perfect time in 2020

Fremantle four piece Spacey Jane have been gaining fans since they started, a mere four years ago, with every piece of music they have released. After a handful of EP’s it was their debut album ‘Sunlight’, released in June 2020 that showed how significant that following was. It debuted at #2 on the ARIA Album Chart.

The song that has captured the most attention is ‘Booster Seat’. Over the last six months the song continues to win over new fans and is now starting to climb the Spotify Australia Chart (#58 at writing) and looking like factoring in triple j’s annual Hottest 100 poll.

‘Booster Seat’ is a song about a complex but common issue of anxiety and depression taking control away from you and relying on others in the same way children trusted their parents to keep them safe. Spacey Jane make the subject lighter, breezy and the sound effortless and, as their album title suggests “sunny”.

‘Booster Seat’ is a special song and one that I’m sure will be entering many more peoples worlds as we drift into 2021.

Australian country music legend Troy Cassar-Daley announces his first studio album in five years, THE WORLD TODAY, is set for release March 19 via Sony Music Entertainment Australia. This will be the 11th studio album from the multiple ARIA and Golden Guitar winner in just over 3 decades of making music. PRE-ORDER HERE

Alongside the announce, Troy has released the first single from the album, ‘Back On Country’. Speaking on the track Troy explains, “‘Back On Country’ is a term largely used by Indigenous Australians and it gives us the feeling of belonging. My dream is that everyone can feel connection and have the responsibility to look after Our land together as one people.” The driving, guitar laden track caries that message with Troy’s iconic vocals and powerful song writing: “No matter what your bloodlines / we belong to this land”. LISTEN HERE

The forthcoming album was sparked from a moment of deep reflection, as Troy explains, “THE WORLD TODAY songs started flowing not long after losing my Father. I looked at myself in the mirror one morning and asked myself “what do I have to say?” and “where do I go from here?” Then COVID hit and I was like a rudderless ship bouncing in a sea of nothingness. Instead of staying in the darkness that had surrounded me I found light in making music and telling stories, which was my saving grace as a kid and to this day as an adult. Suddenly I had 25 songs, a new deal with Sony Music Australia and some purpose to make new music once again.”

Pulling himself from that dark time, Troy found joy in writing with old friends and playing bass and drums on some of the rough demos in his home studio. Joined by friends and long-time collaborators – producer Matt Fell and engineer Ted Howard.

Troy’s songs have been the soundtrack to the everyday triumphs, struggles and good times for Australians from our small towns to the big cities and this record is no different. It’s testament to the longstanding career of the 50th inductee into the prestigious Australasian Roll Of Renown, who has also been awarded numerous accolades including 37 Golden Guitars, 4 ARIAs, 3 APRA Song of the Year awards, 9 Deadlys (Australian Indigenous Artist Awards), 4 CMAA Entertainer of the Year awards plus 2 NIMAs (National Indigenous Music Awards).

After spending the majority of 2020 writing and recoding at home, Troy will once again hit the road in 2021 with a run of dates, including Bluesfest Byron Bay, Gympie Music Muster, Deni Ute Muster and Savannah in the Round. For more information and tickets visit https://troycassardaley.com.au/touring/ . up to become the largest solo tour he has ever undertaken. Adam will perform over 40 shows across NSW, ACT, VIC, QLD and SA from February to September 2021.

Off Bloom is releasing their next single Boys Don’t Make Me Cry, leading into their debut album In Bloom released on March 5th

Following on from their latest releases, ‘Polaroid Pictures’ and ‘What We Do’, the latter being co-produced by Max Martin, Off Bloom will be releasing their follow-up single, ”Boys Don’t Make Me Cry’ January 29th.

The single is being released through Universal Music Denmark and the last step before the Danish duo will be releasing their debut album, ‘In Bloom’, on March 5th

“We’ve spent most of 2020 in the studio finishing and finetuning our debut album. Writing, producing and mixing almost everything ourselves.” The 30-year-old producer and songwriter, Mads explains.

There is no doubt, that the young producer and songwriting duo have been busy the last couple of years spending hours after hours in the studio in Denmark, but also travelling to LA, which ensured the meeting with CJ Baran along the way. An encounter which later should turn out to be the result of an amazing track and help from Max Martin himself on the single ‘What We Do’.

The Danish group Off Bloom has been praised by media including NME, The Fader, DIY, Dummy, CLASH, The Independent, DORK, The 405, The Line Of Best Fit, i-D and more.

They started of their career back in 2016 releasing their first EP, Love To Hate It, which secured them a direct invite performing on the Danish P3 Gold only one week post release.

The band has won the European Boarder Breaker award, they’ve been touring with Dua Lipaand ALMA and latest they were invited to LA to work with Max Martin and more.

Following her release of Sunshine early in 2020 (#12 on the Australian Christian Music Chart), Every Need (#9) and her beautiful Christmas release Wake the Earth, Anna releases WALKIN’ ON THE WATER a song that speaks to the confidence and joy we can experience when we boldly ‘step out of the boat’ in faith.

This is a fun, upbeat song with a retro-pop vibe. Sure to lift the spirits and have you humming the melody, long after the song has stopped.

“Sometimes I get stopped in my tracks and I become aware once more of how good life really is when I trust in God. Walkin’ On The Water is a celebration of God’s love and what freedom we can walk in when we trust God enough to take a step out of the boat, taking our eyes off the busyness around us and placing our focus on Him.
God doesn’t promise us an easy life, the storms will still come, but He will always be there with us in the middle of it, to lead us through, and that’s worth celebrating!” Anna Waters

‘Waiting On A War’ is the third track, released today, taken from Foo Fighters forthcoming 10th studio album, ‘Medicine at Midnight’, to be released in February 5th, 2021
‘Waiting on A War’ follows the band’s first single ‘Shame Shame’ which was released on November 11, 2020, and most recently, ‘No Son Of Mine’, released on New Years day.
‘Waiting On A War’ will be performed live on Jimmy Kimmel (TODAY), alongside a performance also of ‘No Son Of Mine’. The official video for ‘Waiting On A War’ will be released January 18th.
Produced by Greg Kurstin and Foo Fighters, engineered by Darrell Thorp and mixed by Mark “Spike” Stent, ‘Medicine at Midnight’ packs nine songs into a tight 37 minutes.
Foo Fighters are Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett, Pat Smear, and Rami Jaffee.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Not long ago Portia was homeless yet her fighting spirit which she inherited from her father who died in conflict as a Freedom Fighter in South Africa where he was fighting apartheid is what kept her going and by chance back

stage at a performance in Minneapolis, Portia crossed paths with country music legend and Hootie & The Blowfish lead singer, Darius Rucker.

Portia was invited by Darius back to his green room with his band where they had a Corona and Portia wasn’t shy to ask Darius for a song in the future together, Darius responded with no hesitations “for sure”.

The duet stayed in touch and when Darius came down under for an Aussie tour he reached out to Portia for a catch up at his Sydney show where the opportunity for the duet was advanced and Portia was introduced by Darius to his keys player Lee Turner, an aspiring and talented Nashville producer and song writer.

Portia later joined Darius in Nashville and they hit the studio where Portia was mesmerised every time Darius hit his famous note from Hootie and the Blowfish’s “Let her Cry” hit.

When Darius was recently asked about the ensuing release, he shared:

“Portia has an incredible voice and a powerful story. I was honoured to join her for such a beautiful song.”

On to this year and Portia is currently shooting the music video in Western Australia with Darius will be filming his part in Nashville.

Portia is currently working on a new project for live shows where she will salute women of music and perform their hits.

ABOUT

“When I first heard Portia Clark’s I was not only moved by her voice but also her incredible story of survival. This is an artist that deserves to be heard”. Russell – Kaos

Australia’s Portia Clark has known and endured abandonment, abuse, homelessness, hunger, heartbreak, tragedy and the true meaning of sacrifice. With the power of God’s love and her love for music she has overcome these circumstances and is honored to be living in Australia.

In Portia’s short career, she has shared the same stage with music royalty such as Katy Perry, Gene Simmons, John Fogarty and many more and has performed for two former US Presidents, George Bush & Bill Clinton.