JUSTIN DAVIES AND THE TORTURED SOULS SHARE AFFECTING SINGLE AND VIDEO ‘UNFORGETTABLE DAYS’
Perth singer-songwriter Justin Davies makes an instantly memorable debut for his new project The Tortured Souls with the release of his poignant new single Unforgettable Days, out today. The single lands alongside the announce of The Tortured Souls’ show opening for Ron Sexsmith’s Hangover Terrace Tour, set to play The Rosemount Hotel on April 26.
Soaring piano melodies blended with rousing percussion and string arrangements sees this new single as an affecting, emotional, and powerful debut. Produced, mixed, and mastered by award-winning, two-time GRAMMY nominated, producer/engineer Rob Grant (Tame Impala, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Josh Homme) and featuring backing from a stellar lineup of Perth-based musicians including drummer Malcolm Clark and bassist Jay Cortez (both formerly of Aussie alt-rock heroes The Sleepy Jackson) and members of the internationally acclaimed West Australian Symphony Orchestra, the track heralds Davies’ deeply emotional full-length debut album, arriving later this year.
“‘Unforgettable Days’ is about lost love, but maybe more importantly, the beauty and magic and foreverness that seems to surround you on certain days or at certain times in life,” says Justin Davies. “The wonderful feeling that envelopes and fills you and is ever-present, long after those days have passed. It is a song of longing and loss, but it makes me feel a sense of promise and hope and nostalgia, maybe not in the lyrics, but in the way it ‘lifts’ in the chorus. And I guess I’m feeling that although life can be sad, there are times when it is also uplifting and overwhelmingly beautiful. The song reflects on someone I loved a long time ago, a young love, and how overwhelmingly wonderful our days were together. The reflections within ‘Unforgettable Days’ are also connected to words in the song ‘Promises.’ I remember the day when the light ‘was soft’ in the afternoon and laying on the grass in the middle of a farm paddock. I remember, too many times, kissing away tears when she felt she had been unloving toward me and was sorry. In the early years we would lay together and fall asleep humming and singing songs together. In later times, I did often reach for her to stay with me during the night and her kissing me goodbye, and how empty I felt. And although she left me, I regret not trying harder to keep her from leaving. But within all of that, I can still feel those beautiful, magical moments, like the afternoon laying in the setting sun in the middle of a farm paddock, and the preciousness of those days lives on.”
Accompanying the track is an introspective music video, produced and directed by Patrick Pierce and Dara Munnis from Dead As Disco (Jimmy Barnes, The Paper Kites, The Cat Empire), that blends stunning visual story telling with incredible production value. Balanced between spectacular arial shots, intimate studio lighting, and projected personal memories behind Justin’s performance, the music video effortlessly ruminates on the track’s subject matter of days gone by.
Justin Davies did not set out to become a singer and songwriter, but the lasting effects of a tragic personal loss and some serendipitous cosmic intervention set him on a hitherto unforeseen path towards extraordinary artistic creation. The youngest member of a musical family that includes ARIA Award-winning musician/composer Ashley Davies and acclaimed singer-songwriter Tanya-Lee Davies, he had spent much of his adult life as a successful entrepreneur and businessman in his native Western Australia. Outside of his professional work, Davies also found time to devote himself to a wide range of philanthropic activities, instigated numerous fundraising events supporting local charities and a variety of national and international nonprofit organizations. But sadly, the untimely passing of a loved one to a fatal overdose more than two decades ago continued to haunt him, colouring his busy life with a bruising heartache and crushing disillusionment he simply couldn’t shake.
Whilst visiting a local music shop in 2023, Davies found himself overpoweringly drawn to “the most beautiful guitar I had ever seen, resting there like it was waiting for me.” Despite little more than a rudimentary ability to play the instrument, he put down a deposit and took the guitar home with the idea of writing a song that would perhaps release some of irrevocable sadness and still-burning love he felt inside. Davies’s fingers intuitively found their place on the fretboard, taking him to the sounds he needed, admittedly without him actually knowing what chords he was playing. Lyrics came just as naturally, emerging from a place of truth and reflection as well as how he hoped others may have felt living through similar longing and regret. Music became his sanctuary, with songs flowing effortlessly until he found himself with more than enough material to consider making an album.
Davies reached out to renowned producer/engineer Rob Grant, thinking the vintage analogue equipment at his Poons Head Studio on the West Coast of Australia would yield a sonic authenticity ideally suited to his classic pop songcraft. Taken with Davies’ intimate, evocative songs, Grant helped enlist a gifted assortment of local musicians who he believed would more than do justice to the purity of the material. The arrangements soon took shape from Davies’ original guitar-and-vocal compositions, with all involved falling into a place of genuine friendship and commitment to the project. Nothing was forced or expected, everything simply flowed from the essence or groove of where or how each song should be in its final form. Together, Davies and his collaborators forged a timeless yet idiosyncratic collection rich with organic spontaneity and emotional depth, with songs like the country-inflected “Never One To Love” and the grooving, Hammond-driven “No Tomorrows” each unfolding with collective harmony and ingenious spirit.
Just one year after his surprising musical journey truly began, Davies is now poised to shared his soulful creation with the world beyond. With Unforgettable Days– and more new music to come, Justin Davies proves himself an exceptionally reflective singer and songwriter of the first order, weaving vulnerable melancholia and wistful resilience into a bittersweet, empathetic baroque pop all his own.
“It’s time and meant to be,” says Justin Davies. “It gives some sort of purpose and meaning to years of starting the days below zero. Without the sadness and searching, I wouldn’t have found my peace within the songs and the songs would never have made their way to the surface. The feelings which had a hold of me would’ve held their grip, and the words and music would never have arrived. Thank goodness to be releasing the song, it’s not an incredibly intricate or an overly complicated song, but it’s the best thing I have ever done.”
Unforgettable Days is out today.
SUN 26 APR | SUPPORTING RON SEXSMITH | THE ROSEMOUNT HOTEL, NORTH PERTH
MAXON SHARES TENDER NEW SINGLE ‘LITTLE BLUE’, ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM ‘TALKING WITH STRANGERS’ DUE OUT APRIL 8
Stirring, intimate and fearlessly open-hearted, the brand new single Little Blue out now from award-winning singer-songwriter Maxon offers yet another tender glimpse into her upcoming debut album, Talking With Strangers due out on Wednesday April 8. Penned one winter morning on the edge of her bed, Little Blue tugs at the heartstrings while also offering one of her most open-veined singles to date.
Glimmering to life with Maxon’s luminous vocals set against a sparse but warm backdrop, Little Blue swells into a soaring and softly propulsive pop-folk ode to family bonds, distance, closeness and everything in between. Conjuring Little Blue poised on the edge of her bed one winter morning, its arrival was almost instant for Maxon, and it’s one that resonates both universally with its serene splendour alongside its deeply personal narrative. “Little Blue is a soft place to land”, shares Maxon. “Written for my younger brother, it lives in a world of care… the kind that doesn’t try to fix, only to sit beside. It’s full of those quiet, in-between moments: a look across a room, a shared silence, the feeling of wanting to protect someone you love from a world you know can be heavy.”
Produced by Jono Steer, Little Blue also once again finds Maxon teaming up with some incredible artists to bring her creative vision to life, with guest instrumentalists and harmonies effortlessly amplifying the song’s lyrical vulnerability and rumination, as Maxon elaborates, “There’s so much tenderness in the way this song was built. Pamela Zaharias’ drums move gently but with certainty, like breath, while Ezekiel Fenn’s bass and keys wrap around the song with warmth. The pedal steel from Matt Dixon feels like a voice of its own… something aching and beautiful just under the surface. And woven through it all are the harmonies with Nay Pattuwage, holding the song like a conversation that doesn’t need many words.”
Gearing up to release her long-awaited debut album Talking With Strangers on Wednesday April 8, supported by Mornington Peninsula Arts & Culture, Creative Victoria Music Works and City of Melbourne, Little Blue joins Maxon’s earlier singles Everybody, Tangerine Dream and 18, hinting at the depth and sublime beauty lying in wait on her first-ever full-length release. Described as her “loudest love letter so far”, Talking With Strangers traverses heartbreak, longing, healing, rage and radical honesty, while also marking what Maxon describes as a “personal coming out”.
Opening with Americana hues and warm empowerment (Strangers), the album deftly journeys between playful infectious energy (18), blissful melodies and billowing soundscapes (Tangerine Dream), angsty charm that rouses with self-belief (Some Days), hazy self-love delights (Best Shot), soothing softness (Little Blue), elegant defiance merged with country-pop (Rebel), jaunty celebrations of difference (Yabadaba), and undulating swoon set against themes of grief, clarity and coming back to life (No Good For Me). And with penultimate track Everybody dazzling with a rousing reminder of community and connection, Talking With Strangers ultimately concludes in spectacular and stripped-back style with Circles; a piano, voice and the beautiful space in between.
“Talking With Strangers, my debut album, is a love letter to anyone who’s ever felt too much, too late, or too far behind,” shares Maxon. “I’m offering up stories of heartbreak, longing, healing, and rage – all with a whole lot of heart and musicians who play like they mean it. I grew up believing I had to hide my softness, my queerness, my age. This album is me unlearning all of that. This is really a coming out story. Music is where I tell the truth – even when it hurts, even when it’s loud.”
A two-time recipient of the Mornington Peninsula Development Arts Grant, winner of the Green Wedge Songwriting Comp and City of Melbourne Grant Recipient, Maxon’s ability to shatter yet heal hearts with her raw creations and powerful depth simultaneously makes any listener feel instantly seen, understood and coaxed into the light. An LGBTQIA+ creative powerhouse fluent in fusing Americana with 70s folk-rock and a modern sheen, Maxon’s relationship with music spans beyond the studio and the stage. From devouring John Mayer’s Room for Squares on CD on a family road trip through to rapidly developing her own love for singing and songwriting, Maxon has since gone on to share stages and lineups with the likes of Tones and I, Ella Hooper, Alex Lahey more, and has also appeared at major festivals including St Kilda Festival and Melbourne Fringe.
Ahead of the release of Talking With Strangers, Maxon will take to the stage at Glenoura’s Seven Sisters Festival on March 21 and will also tick off an extra special performance on May 7 at The Toff in Melbourne, celebrating the release of her debut album with surprise guests.
Little Blue is out now.
Talking With Strangers is due out Wednesday April 8.
Supported by Mornington Peninsula Arts & Culture, Creative Victoria Music Works and City of Melbourne.
EP Out Today: Flynn Gurry – ‘Gold’
Today, Aussie singer-songwriter Flynn Gurry releases his brand new EP Gold, a heartfelt and energetic collection that captures a defining moment for the rising artist. Led by the gritty folk-rock single “Bones”, the EP finds Flynn expanding his sonic palette while staying true to the warmth, relatability and storytelling that have quickly set him apart.
Written across continents — from the Scottish Highlands to Flynn’s hometown of Warrnambool — Gold explores themes of dreaming, love and self-discovery. As Flynn puts it, the EP represents “the making of me.” Collaborating with fellow songwriter Cooper Lower, as well as Brad Arthur and Caisha Sprout, Flynn crafts a collection that balances soaring folk anthems with intimate moments of reflection.
Opening with the warm, shimmering title track “Gold”, the EP moves through the acoustic urgency of “Shadows”, the buoyant and road-worn honesty of “Don’t Stop Dreaming”, and the tranquil rumination of “8am” featuring Lottie McLeod, before culminating with the cathartic punch of “Bones.” Co-written with Lower and produced by Joel Quartermaine (Eskimo Joe, Dan Sultan, Meg Mac) alongside Edwin White, the track marks a bold sonic step forward, inspired by the soulful drive of artists like Kaleo and Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats.
Raised on the windswept coast of Warrnambool, Flynn has quickly risen from busking on Melbourne streets to sharing stages with the likes of Ian Moss, King Stingray, Ash Grunwald and Kim Churchill. After winning triple j Unearthed’s One Night Stand competition in 2024, he has continued to build momentum with appearances at Beyond The Valley, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival and BIGSOUND, alongside national tours supporting The Dreggs and Pierce Brothers.
With Gold now out in the world, Flynn will take the new songs on the road for his Gold EP Tour, running from March through May across Australia. Known for his charismatic stage presence and dynamic performances, the shows promise the same mix of euphoric folk energy and heartfelt storytelling that defines the EP.
Flynn Gurry – Gold EP Tour
FRI 20 MAR — Lighthouse Studio, Warrnambool VIC
SAT 21 MAR — Wide Open Spaces Festival, VIC
FRI 27 MAR — Paper Scissors Rock Co, Halls Gap VIC (Free Show)
SAT 28 MAR — Alt Road Wines, Winchelsea VIC (Free Show)
FRI 03 APR — Down The Rabbit Hole, McLaren Vale SA (Free Show)
FRI 10 APR — Solbar, Maroochydore QLD
FRI 24 APR — The Retreat Hotel, Melbourne VIC
FRI 01 MAY — Towradgi Beach Hotel, Wollongong NSW (Free Show)
SUN 03 MAY — Stag & Hunter, Newcastle NSW (Free Show)
THU 07 MAY — Little Albert’s, Bathurst NSW
FRI 08 MAY — Smith’s Alternative, Canberra ACT
SAT 09 MAY — Golden Age Cinema, Sydney NSW (Free Show)
SUN 10 MAY — Bombies, Freshwater NSW (Free Show)