Viewing entries tagged
new video
This one is coming in SO HOTT! Iconic U.S rockers BUCKCHERRY release their ninth studio album 'Hellbound' on June 25 which features new singles 'So Hott' and title track 'Hellbound'.
Brendan the blind guy was thrilled to chat to lead guitarist Stevie D about the new album, their choice to return to a beloved producer, life for the band during the pandemic and so much more to take your top, or bootoms off to in excitement!
Pre-order ‘Hellbound’ here.
"I WISH I WAS A SLICE OF CHEESE" Classically trained pop new-comer MONTANA SHARP drops her mysterious, theatrical and spine-tingling debut single 'Greenhouse' Brendan the blind guy had a chat to Montana about the single and more to make you feel like a Disney Princess!
Classically trained pop new-comer MONTANA SHARP drops her mysterious, theatrical and spine-tingling debut single 'Greenhouse' Brendan the blind guy had a chat to Montana about the single and more that’ll make you feel like a Disney Princess!
“Apart from it having the obvious humorous lyrics, it’s actually quite beautiful as far as the music goes and all in all, shows a rare creativity and talent for songwriting which I think people will love!” Brendan - ‘A Slice Of Cheese’
View the press release for ‘Greenhouse’ by Montana Sharp here.
Like, Share and follow Keen Eye 4 Concerts on social media and via our e-newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com/sign-up
The talented and inspirational blues-rock guitar prodigy NATHAN CAVALERI unveils his new album 'Demons' featuring emotive single 'Before You Check Out' plus announces a string of headline Australian tour dates, a spot on the Bluesfest 2021 line-up and an episode on ABC's Australian Story, sharing his incredible story! Brendan the blind guy had a deep, meaningful and uplifting chat with the prodigal guitarist about the new album, beating Leukaemia, selling out arenas with some of the industries biggest names and much more! Like, Share and Follow Keen Eye 4 Concerts on social media and via our e-nesletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com/sign-up
The talented and inspirational blues-rock guitar prodigy NATHAN CAVALERI unveils his new album 'Demons' featuring emotive single 'Before You Check Out' plus announces a string of headline Australian tour dates, a spot on the Bluesfest 2021 line-up and an episode on ABC's Australian Story, sharing his incredible story!
Brendan the blind guy had a deep, meaningful and uplifting chat with the prodigal guitarist about the new album, beating Leukaemia, selling out arenas with some of the industries biggest names and much more!
For the ABC Australian Story episode on Nathan Cavaleri, click here.
Like, Share and Follow Keen Eye 4 Concerts on social media and via our e-newsletter at www.keeneye4concerts.com/sign-up
Check out the press release announcing new single ‘Before You Check Out’, album ‘Demons’ and more here
Aussie brothers, Travalley have today dropped their seriously fun, raucous new single, Dear Babe. The track is accompanied by a fittingly bonkers video that sees the duo, Levi and Sam Mellington, munch through as many chillies as possible throughout the duration of the clip, and they’ll be celebrating the release with a livestream single launch on Saturday May 23 at 7pm on Instagram.
Upbeat and hooky as all getout, this driving indie rock track will be lapped up by fans of Lime Cordiale, The Jungle Giants, Hockey Dad and Skegss, and will have listeners toe-tapping, singing along with the insanely catchy backing vocals and coming back for more. Recorded in a Melbourne home studio, engineered by Fabian Hunter and mixed and mastered by Austin Asvanonda (The War on Drugs), Dear Babe is about lead singer Levi’s lack of ability to be able to flirt or express how he feels. “I always manage to say the wrong thing or give too much away too early which tends to end up in the “what if I said this” situation happening over and over again and then repeating the process with the same results,” Levi explains. “About a year ago, I finally stuck to my guns and held back from blurting out everything about myself to a girl, I was so impressed with myself that I decided to write a song about all my past experiences, and now here we are! We just hope people really enjoy the song and get a laugh out of the film clip.”
Filmed and edited by Gareth Harrison (DJ for Yacht Club DJs who also tours regularly with DZ Deathrays and Dune Rats), the concept for the Dear Babe video was inspired by the DZ Deathrays The mess Up film clip where the guys drank as much alcohol over the duration of the song. An extrapolation of this was then released by Dune Rats in Red Light Green Light where they smoked as much as they could. Pretty chuffed with their ingeniousness with this video concept that is sure to set tongues wagging, and rightfully so, Levi explains, “We decided to continue the trend that these two amazing bands created, and stupidly ate as many chillies as we could within the time of the film clip. Little did we know that we ate far more than expected and experienced all sorts of pains for days after the video was filmed!”
Having spent a lifetime together, and the greatest part of it playing music together, the visceral bond present in their playing and their vocal harmonies is obvious, and their onstage banter is infectious. And though the brothers have been combatting a heap of change during the Covid19 madness, they’re also able to see the positives. “We’ve had a lot more time to write new music and expand our sound, and we’ve had to come up with more creative ways to keep our fans engaged, but it’s also given us the opportunity to sit back and relax for the first time in a long time,” says Levi. “But like many other bands out there, we had to cancel our entire tour and a bunch of bookings too. The biggest thing we’ve missed is playing live to our amazing fans that travel to come see us play. Once this has passed and we are able to start playing music in front of people again, we can only imagine how amazing and hyped everyone will be to get out and have a great time.”
Dear Babe is released today.
DEAR BABE | LIVESTREAM INSTAGRAM SINGLE LAUNCH | SATURDAY MAY 23 | 7PM
CONNECT WITH TRAVALLEY
What’s the inspiration behind Dear Babe?
“The song was inspired by my inability to get my message across to someone that I like. I'm sure everyone has experienced something like this over the years so it’s an ode to everyone who freezes up or becomes awkward in those tough times in life.”
Who are your greatest musical influences?
“Jungle Giants and Hockey Dad for sure. We have looked up to these 2 artists ever since we started making music really. They both make absolute bangers and their live shows are super high energy. We have taken bits and pieces from both artists. More so chord progressions from Jungle Giants as they suit our sound better. “
What do you bring to the live stage?
“ We bring a very high energy to each show and generally bring audience members up on stage to enjoy the time with us. We have found by being welcoming to the crowd and acknowledging them quite a lot, they generally become more involved with the show. Our best shows are always the ones where the crowd are dancing and singing. “
How was the recording process?
“The recording process was extremely quick. The entire process of writing, recording and releasing the track was incredibly quick to be completely honest. It was fun though. We recorded through a guy in Melb just before lockdown happened so we got in just at the right time. We were able to get the entire song recorded in about 4 hours. Because it is short and fairly simple there wasn’t anything exciting to happen.”
What was the inspiration behind the music video?
“We got inspiration from DZ Deathrays and Dune Rats. They did very similar videos to us except what they consumed was a little different, check them out if you are curious. For us, eating chillies was the next best thing and boy did we regret it the next day.”
How would you describe your writing process?
“The writing process I use is pretty bizarre but it works. I use a shitty 5 string guitar with a huge crack through the body of the guitar. IT sounds horrible.. However, if i can get it to sound good on that, it will sound good on anything. After I write the guitar section I will generally write the vocals and then bring it to a jam session.”
Give us an interesting personal fact!
“I can hold my breath for a really long time, we are talking like the entire length of Dear Babe.”
HARPER BLOOM SHARES DEBUT SINGLE & VIDEO MARY
Upcoming folkster Harper Bloom (otherwise known as Hayley De Pledge) has today announced her debut single Mary, a gorgeous, empowering romp about taking control back over your life, out April 2. Harper Bloom has also announced a moving clip to accompany the release, directed by David Hansen (notable for his short film Anija).
For fans of Alex The Astronaut, Courtney Barnett and Paul Kelly, Harper Bloom’s Mary is a wonderful example of brilliant Australian songwriting from beginning to end. Deeply personal, affecting and sweet, Mary shines with acoustic guitars, driving percussion and Harper Bloom’s wonderfully unique, gentle vocals. Working alongside Benjamin McCarthy (G Flip, Thelma Plum, Megan Washington) to bring Mary to life, Harper Bloom is sure to impress with this brilliant single. Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, Harper Bloom enthuses, “The single is essentially about not being afraid to be vulnerable and take risks, no matter who you are or how old you are. It’s about having the strength to leave a comfortable, mundane existence behind in search of enriching experiences and a new lease of life. The idea really came from observing people on trains and buses…some of the verses came from overheard conversations or things I saw on public transport, and watching the body language and expressions of people doing a job they didn’t really want to be doing.”
The clip for Mary is so well done, so touching, that it will absolutely stay with the viewer for hours after viewing. It follows the story of an elderly wife, who finally liberates herself from the hum-drum nature of daily life, bucking all expectations for what elderly people should and shouldn’t do and having a ball all throughout. It’s a beautiful, cinematic clip – every freeze frame looks like a spectacular photograph. Reflecting on the narrative of the video for Mary, Harper Bloom says, “The story begins in Mary’s run-down suburban home – which was my sharehouse at the time – with her husband drunk and unresponsive on the couch. After moments of taking in her life over the past 60 years, she gains clarity and decides to finally leave. The story then follows Mary on her journey of rediscovery.”
Mary is set for release on April 2.
“Loving this debut release from Harper Bloom. Good luck resisting this song’s stirring pull and Harper Bloom’s storytelling nous” Dave Ruby Howe, triple j unearthed
“Fans of Alex The Astronaut should keep an ear out for your charming, stream of consciousness, observant songwriting and the fun-as-hell musical bits and bobs that accompany it” Abby Butler, triple j unearthed
What’s the inspiration behind your new single ‘Mary’?
”It’s a narrative about an older lady who is living a mundane existence who finds the courage to leave in search of enriching experiences and a new lease of life. I think subconsciously the initial idea came from working with a few middle-aged women who weren’t happy with their lives and had a lot of regrets about avenues they didn’t pursue. So, its just about having the courage to move forward and make a change, which is scary because change is uncertain. The song was then glued together by things I had seen or conversations I had heard on public transport between New York, Perth and Melbourne.”
Who are your greatest musical influences?
”I would say artists whose music has longevity and resonates with multiple generations. A huge influence has been Bob Dylan because of his ability to take observations from the world around him to convey thought provoking messages about society in his songs. Then there’s the metaphorical writing style of Stevie Nicks. I think by being more symbolic in lyrics, their meaning can be inferred differently by different people and in that way the songs can be more personal. Also, the Beatles and their ability to push out catchy hooks that resonate with people. They also got me into arranging fingerstyle melodies.”
What do you bring to the live stage?
”I have formed a full 4-piece band early this year, which I am really excited about. All the band members are extremely seasoned and talented musicians (Keyboardist- Jack Saward, Bassist- Joe Kniepp and Drummer- David Quested) and I am stoked to have them on board. As I was formerly playing solo or as a duo, it’s nice to have a full band as it helps bring the single and debut EP to life. The live show is pretty energetic and upbeat with acoustic-pop driven songs and a couple of open-hearted ballads in between.”
How was the recording process?
“It was a lot of fun. I was lucky enough to work with an amazing producer called Benjamin McCarthy! He has worked with a bunch of talented artists such as G-flip, Thelma Plum and Alex The Astronaut. He has a studio set up at his Carlton house which is where we recorded the track. Ben arranged keys and the driving drum beat which really made the song pop.”
What was the inspiration behind the music video?
“I think the narrative of the song inspired the foundation of the music video. I also worked with an amazing director called David Hansen who was able to generate a storyline that didn’t follow the lyrics so literally, instead he used the general message of the song to form the story-line in the video. So, we came up with ideas of scenes that represent freedom and then ended on a scene that was symbolic of moving onto a new chapter in life.”
How would you describe your writing process?
“Most of the time I catalogue lines in my notebook or phone. Maybe it’s something that I thought of, or read or heard somewhere. I am kind of obsessed with doing that. I won’t watch a movie or go anywhere without my notebook. Then when I am feeling inspired, I write sections of songs or a melody. Most of the time, I write a little bit then sit on it and let it stew and then come back to it. Then other times, but not as often, a whole chorus or verse can come out of no-where.”
Give us an interesting personal fact!
“I worked as a beach lifeguard for 4 years and was lucky enough to work and live on an Island off the W.A coast!”
KIT ANNOUNCES DEBUT SINGLE AND VIDEO GOOD GUY
An integral part of the beloved Australian group All Our Exes Live In Texas, Kit (otherwise known as Katie Wighton) has today announced her debut solo release, Good Guy. A gritty, guitar-led powerhouse of a single, Good Guy calls out every dude who’s ever gotten away with bad behaviour. Kit has also released a stellar clip to accompany Good Guy, created in collaboration with Gina Somfleth of Pop Candi Films (Merpire, Peach Noise, Press Club).
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, Kit has had to be creative with her single launch shows. After performing at ISOLAID on March 22 she was inspired to do her single launch show live on Instagram. With support from Bonnie Songs , Nancie Schipper & Hannah Blackburn, Kit will perform live from her livingroom on Friday April 17 at 7pm AEDT. She will have a Bandcamp set up with the idea that people can buy the single and donate what they may have paid to come to the show, and a percentage of the proceeds from the night will also go to Support Act to help those who are seriously suffering in our musical community."I find it very interesting that at the moment the things we seem to be talking about are our healthcare workers and hospitals, schools and universities and The Arts. In a crisis, these things become the most important and I hope that when we get through this awful time we will remember that.” Kit remarks. “Being creative can sometimes be a burden but right now, it's our biggest asset. I've been doing the crossword on Instagram live and also have started an insta-choir – which is so much fun. I was sitting in my room playing a Hank Williams song and really missing the harmonies, so I chucked it up on my socials and asked people to send in their harmonies. The second week has really taken on a life of its own - we did Two Strong Hearts and had drums and bass and even a wine bottle solo! It’s so beautiful to connect with people safely and bring a little smile to people across the interwebs!”
Co-written with Ali Barter (also featured on backing vocals) and created with producers Dave Symes (Boy and Bear, Sarah Blasko, Missy Higgins) and James Seymour (Merpire, Eaglemont), Good Guy is a sharp, hard-hitting track with a vital message. One for fans of rockers Alex Lahey, Angel Olsen and Ruby Fields, Good Guy leads with its heart on its sleeve; with amps cranked and driving percussion alongside clever and playful melodies, this track is impossible to ignore. Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, Kit explains, “I wrote this song with Ali Barter last year after having one too many conversations with amazing women about men in the entertainment industry getting away with bad behaviour. There is a long and specific story behind it, basically I was tired of hearing sad songs by incredible women about other remarkable women who were wronged – I just wanted to get mad about it. The chorus is kind of a G-rated ‘fuck the patriarchy’. One of the lyrics is 'it's bigger than us both’. The conversations stopped just being about my own sadness, anger, disappointment and horror and turned into ‘What the actual shit is going on around us? How can we fix this?’”
The clip for Good Guy reinforces the message behind the track wholeheartedly. Reflecting on the video, Kit says, “It's kind of alluding to the experience of someone seeming like a lovely person at first and lulling you into a semi-false sense of security. Then bam, they do something shit and you're all confused. And I feel like it's so common now. Sometimes it's not even something that bad. Ghosting and not replying to texts, not going straight for a condom, not being honest and open about where they're at. Anyway, it's that. In a film clip. You'll just have to watch it to get the full scoop! And it's shot in Melbourne at some of my favourite spots! The patriarchy is giving me a lot of creative fodder, ha!”
Good Guy is a far cry from the exquisite folk stylings of All Our Exes Live In Texas that fans might know Kit best for, but it’s all a melting pot of influences as she explains, “I've been listening to different music – more rocky, raw stuff. We played folk songs for a long time and I got to a point where I wanted to yell a bit. Get my punk on! And have my own voice too. The band has definitely been a part of KIT, even if it isn't conscious. Those women are a really important part of my music and emotional history and it would be naïve to think it hasn't influenced KIT.”
Good Guy is out April 3 through Believe.
FRIDAY 17 APR @ 7pm AEDT | LIVE ON INSTAGRAM WITH BONNIE SONGS, NANCIE SCHIPPER & HANNAH BLACKBURN
What’s the inspiration behind your new single Good Guy?
“I wrote this song with Ali Barter last year after having one too many conversations with amazing women about men in the entertainment industry getting away with bad behaviour. There is a long and specific story behind it, basically I was tired of hearing sad songs by incredible women about other remarkable
women who were wronged – I just wanted to get mad about it. The chorus is kind of a G-rated ‘fuck the patriarchy’. One of the lyrics is ‘this is bigger than us both’. The conversations stopped just being about my own sadness, anger, disappointment and horror and turned into ‘What the actual shit is going on around us? How can we fix this?”
Who are your greatest musical influences?
“Phoebe Bridgers, Merpire, my mum. “
What do you bring to the live stage?
“I HOPE good banter and open, honest music. “
How was the recording process?
“Long haha! But so fun. I was just so picky about this first single that it took awhile. Thankfully I had a lot of very kind, patient, BRILLIANT musicians and friends around me so that helped. And in the end I’m really proud of where we got to so it was all worth it!”
What was the inspiration behind the music video?
“Well we’re tackling what I think is pretty heavy subject matter so Gina Somfleth (from Popcandi and who I made the clip with) and I were keen to stay away from that. We wanted to find a humourous route to take so we went with going on a date with the devil - except I don’t know he’s the bad guy!!”
How would you describe your writing process?
“I think it changes all the time. BUT I would say I mostly start with an idea or a melody. Then I usually build it from there. Honestly there’s no one way though! “
Give us an interesting personal fact!
“I once baked a cake with a BB8 (Star Wars) on the top of it for a friend’s birthday. I still sleep with a teddy bear called White Bear and he’s actually a cat. “
<script data-ad-client="ca-pub-8252639257577867" async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
Hey everyone, Brendan the blind guy here! In these “unprecedented times” that’ve Gone and issued at least One Second Of Insanity over our lives like A Slow Descent of darkness, we Crave and Reach for freedom and normality. Although the World’s On Fire at the moment, we will rise again out of the ashes like a Phoenix, because no matter what, we Always have the lifeline that is music, which remains Unbroken!
So, consider these guys your saviours! Ladies & gentlemen, lords & ladies, I give to you Australia’s favourite rockers, THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT!
Brendan; Last August, you warmed up fans with your first new musical offering in over a decade, the fiery powerhouse single ’Unbroken’. As fitting as this song is for these hard times, point in case the first verse“when all that you’ve known, is taken away, inside a heart that died, living a lonely life”, this song was written before this current crises, even before the recent national bushfire crisis. So what was the inspiration for this song?
Clint – “Unbroken” was inspired by the emotional rollercoaster that is life. I drew on some really dark and turbulent times in my life for some of the lyrical content. But I also wanted to highlight the fact that I gotten through every bad day of my life and I was still standing. We all have a fight and I wanted people to know that they are not alone and I hope that every time they listen to Unbroken that they feel a little better knowing that.
Brendan; This song definitely has a more powerful, anthemic drive to it musically speaking I find, with a major-tone in the chorus to lift up the spirits and help carry the soaring vocals. What are the influences and musical flavours you’ve drawn on for this song, and are any in contrast to previous influences?
Clint – There is so much great music that is always out there floating around in the ether, you can’t help but be inspired by it. I don’t think there was any one influence I could put my finger on though. We really wanted to sound like a band that had grown and matured, whilst still sounding like us, just fresher and reenergised after our little holiday.
Brendan; I’m sure we’re all keen to find out if this song is a taste of a possible new album coming soon, and if so, what can fans expect from the new music to come?
Clint – It definitely is and we are working hard on a brand new full length album as we speak. We have demo’d about 6 or 7 songs to date, so we are hoping to have an album ready for release some time next year.
Brendan; Recently you dropped the video clip for Unbroken which gives viewers an in-your-face experience on-stage and backstage, featuring footage from your performances at Good Things Festival in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. What inspired you to take this approach for the video?
Clint – I don’t think we’ve done a live crowd footage based clip since “One Second of Insanity” from Begins Here. I’ve always loved those kinds of clips as you get an insight into what it’s like for the band both on stage and back stage. We had the best time on the “Good Things” festival and really wanted to share that great experience with everyone.
Brendan; Right, if this interview is a meal, we’ve served up the tasties, now time for the veggies. Seeing as we’re all going a bit stir-crazy stuck in isolation cut off from our surroundings and thus physical contact with people, we have to be a bit more creative with our time and methods of coping and living. Over on the Let’s Talk blog page, I asked people to share how they’re coping with the help of music and what creative projects fans and artists are undergoing. So, despite not being able to perform at shows, have these times been opened up any new creative pathways, and how have you all been coping and staying sane?
Clint – I’m sure for a lot of musicians and creative people out there, this time has been used to create new art. I’ve had time to get more lyrics written, finished songs that have been kicking around for ages, working on demos for all of my projects, so it’s that little bit of down time some of us needed. Other than that playing a shit load of COD, drinking responsibly and annoying my friends :P
Brendan; Now time for dessert! Let’s get exclusive guys, just me and you… So, what is an exclusive fun-fact about yourselves? (anything you want music related or not)
Clint – I don’t know about “fun fact” and I really wish I had some crazy stuff to tell you but we’ve become really boring ha ha! We’ve traded late nights and partying for eating well and getting enough sleep. We are leaving the crazy stuff to the next generation of musos coming through!
Brendan; Want more dessert? Good, ‘cause it’s time for my favourite question of all! It’s WTF time y’all! So, guys, you must have some pretty priceless moments on your music journey, but what’s the one that takes the cake as the most hilarious, priceless, WTF of them all?
Clint – We’ve seen the world, played some amazing shows, been on some amazing tours, there has been partying, nudity oh so much nudity ha ha, so much fun, it really does play out like the immortal words from ACDC in it’s a long way to the top. But the one that takes the cake for me and it’s pretty simple really and didn’t involve any nudity (well I think) was the time someone lost the masters to one of our albums in transit from LA to Brisbane. I’m still scratching my head about that one and they’ve never turned up, both parties involved still blame each other, ha ha
Brendan; Thanks so much for taking the time to chat guy’s! Let’s wrap things up with a message to all fans out there, particularly those struggling in these hard times, what would you like to say to them?
Clint – Thank you so much for all of your continued support, you guys are the best. We have new music on its way and I gotta say some of the new tunes gave me goosebumps. You know that’s a good sign after 20yrs, the vibe in the band room has never been better. Everyone is inspired and energised to deliver a great album that we hope you will love just as much as the others. Hang in there guys, it’s on its way. Big luv always C
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT DROP VIDEO CLIP FOR FIRST NEW MUSICAL OFFERING IN OVER A DECADE
UNBROKEN
Off the back of a sold out tour, a towering new single, and killer sets at Good Things festival, Australia’s favourite rockers The Butterfly Effect have today served up the video for their first new musical offering in over a decade, Unbroken – giving viewers a AAA pass to life on stage and backstage. Featuring behind the scenes footage and on-stage rampaging from their performances at Good Things Festival in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, the video will allow everyone to relive their festival-going days, and is an in-your-face reminder of just how staggeringly powerful and relevant this band is, and offers a genuine insight in to the comradery within.
True to name, The Butterfly Effect is indeed a force, and they have clearly been missed by a patient and loyal fanbase who were right back there with them the moment it was revealed the band were back together.
“Releasing Unbroken was a pivotal moment in itself for us. We're so happy to have been able to write more music as ‘The Butterfly Effect’. To then be added to the Good Things bill really topped off 2019 for us, "lead vocalist Clint Boge says. “To be honest, stepping out onto those festival stages again was a real uncertainty for us. It'd been 10 years between festival performances so to see that many faces, young and old in the audience really solidified to us that pushing forward with new material was an absolute must.”
Formed in 1999, The Butterfly Effect have enjoyed an illustrious career racking up some impressive stats, including three massive albums – all certified Gold – multiple appearances at renowned festivals including Livid, Falls Festival, Big Day Out and more, countless national and overseas tours, six consecutive years in triple j’s Hottest 100, three features on triple j’s Live at the Wireless, and a number one-selling DVD documentary and concert film. Despite sustained successes throughout the 00s, the rigours of band life took their toll on the band – and in 2014 The Butterfly Effect went on indefinite hiatus. After reconnecting at a rock show, the guys decided that a beer and a chat was in order. That catch up eventually led to a sold out national tour, and an ongoing desire to continue making music, which saw The Butterfly Effect jump into the studio, and as a result, the bold new single Unbroken was born. The melancholic track is a refreshingly honest and impassioned offering from the experienced hard rockers, and one that proves their creative connection is stronger than ever.
“We're having a blast!” Boge enthuses, “Obviously we can't all be in the studio together at the moment but writing music online is going to be the new normal for us for the next few months. It's sounding like us, which is exciting! The feeling is reminiscent of when the band first started writing together back in the early 2000s.”
And in more thrilling news for fans, the band are hopeful to have some new music to dish out before 2020 is done, with Boge saying, “We’re obviously in uncharted territory in terms of when life will get back to normal for everyone, but for now – dropping new music before the end of the year is our plan, and Unbroken sets the tone for what's to come.”
The Butterfly Effect is Ben Hall (drums), Clint Boge (lead vocals), Glenn Edmond (bass guitar) and Kurt Goedhart (lead guitar).
NIC ROLLO ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO MONSTER
Perth based producer and songwriter Nic Rollo has today announced his driving, eerie new single Monster, about identifying and quelling the monster within us all, set for release on February 5. Accompanying the track is a dark, revolving film clip, directed by Alex Montanari (Cub Sport, What So Not, Khalid) and Matthew James. Monster follows the 2019 release of Nic’s brilliant, iridescent EP What Happened to the Kid.
Monster will feel familiar to anyone who has said something in frustration or anger that they regret after the fact – the track is an introspective interrogation of that remorse, and what it’ll take to tame the inner monster who is responsible for those biting remarks. Reminiscent of synth-pop auteurs M83 and indie rockers The Wombats, and mastered by pop royalty Chris Gehringer (Harry Styles, Rihanna, Halsey), the track is buoyed by glistening synths, hooky guitar and driving percussion – while Nic’s gentle vocals and arresting lyrics take centre stage. Reflecting on the inspiration behind the track, Nic explains, “Monster was written during a previous relationship of mine when things were a bit shaky. There were a few times that I’d said something to my ex that had started to cause fractures in the relationship and unnecessary conflict. Monster is about that side of myself that I don’t always like - the part that is impulsive and lashes out when I should just hold my tongue instead.”
The video for Monster feels like the beginning of a horror film – there’s a sense of suspense, as though the calm atmosphere of the night-driving scenes will not last for much longer. It’s a beautiful watch, too – the lights passing in the night as the song plays out feels like a perfect representation of the moody nature of the music. Speaking about the clip, Nic says, “The video for Monster is a narrative based video that features a lot of driving and aims to be aesthetically pleasing. Matthew James, Alex Montanari and I came together to think about the video a few months back and we all had this vibe of the song revolving around driving and having dark colours. The story itself is supposed to be slightly confusing - am I driving to the burial or from the burial? Am I burying the monster or is the monster burying me?”
The release of Monster is a killer way to kick off 2020 for this exciting young artist, as he enthuses, “It feels fantastic to finally be releasing Monster. I wrote the song over a year ago and have been sitting on it for what feels like forever now. To date, it is probably my favourite song that I’ve written, and I’m super stoked to finally be able to share it with people.”
Monster is out February 5.
Q&A Interview with Nic Rollo.
Q; What’s the inspiration behind your new single Monster?
A; I wrote Monster during a pretty turbulent time in a previous relationship where it felt like I kept saying things that would damage it, and inevitably caused fractures in the relationship itself. The song is also commenting on how often, we shouldn’t be worried about other people, we should be more cautious of our own monsters. I think the song came from the guitar line that goes throughout the song - I vaguely remember coming up with it whilst in the studio with a band I play in and instantly knew I could write something around it.
Q; Who are your greatest musical influences?
A; I used to listen to so much Radiohead when I was younger that I’m sure they’re still impacting some of my musical decisions today. I think there’s something exciting about having weirder elements in pop music, so Radiohead definitely helped a lot there. In terms of synth sounds and all of that, bands like Tears for Fears, Fleetwood Mac and Tame Impala all gave me a look into that world about 5 years ago (starting with Tame). More recently artists like The Weeknd, Drake, Charlie Puth (and many others) have been really big influences on me as I’ve gotten more and more into writing pop music.
Q; What do you bring to the live stage?
A; Aside from INCREDIBLE musical prowess (I’m kidding), I feel like the live show is pretty fun. We’re all just up there having a good time, trying to not mess up too badly. I’m planning on upgrading the live show over the next few months with another member and potentially starting to look into incorporating lights and visuals, which I’m super pumped about. I’ve always been so fascinated by lighting and visuals in music.
Q; How was the recording process?
A; I love the recording process, I feel most comfortable when I’m in the studio. Working on Monster was good fun since I had been so fond of the song in its demo form. I was really excited to polish it up and see how it sounded. I recorded it at Blackbird Studio in Perth with Dave Parkin, and had Felix Parker with me (who played those ripper guitar solos). Some songs have historically been an emotional rollercoaster in the studio due to a number of reasons, but luckily Monster was pretty easy going.
Q; What was the inspiration behind the music video?
A; I caught up with Alex Montanari and Matthew James, who both worked on the clip, a few months before we were planning on beginning filming to figure out the story and what we wanted to achieve. Alex and I both had this idea in our heads about the film revolving around driving… something about Monster had a ‘driving a car’ kinda feel. After that point the hard part was figuring out how to incorporate driving into an interesting story line and keep the video interesting over nearly 4 minutes.
Q; How would you describe your writing process?
A; Sometimes it’s manic, sometimes it’s relaxed. I’ll typically just shit down at a keyboard and start playing chords until I come up with a chord progression or melody that inspires me to keep working on it. At that point I’ll begin to build a track from there. Sometimes I’ll write the bulk of the song in 20 minutes and be done with it (spending the next month or two producing it), other times I’ll spend 3 weeks trying to finish the actual songwriting (the chords, melodies, lyrics). I guess it can be hard to put a method to being creative, so to an extent you just have to let it happen as it does.
Q; Give us an interesting personal fact!
A; I’ll give you two - I’m a literal caffeine fiend, like I drink enough coffee to be considered ¼ coffee myself. It’s in my blood now. I also get a stupid amount of nose bleeds during summer, I think I have really weak nose lining or something, but damn does it suck. I’m surprised I’m not dead yet from blood loss.
