GRANT MCLENNAN FELLOWSHIP WINNER JACK BRATT ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘SPADES’
Hot off the back of winning the prestigious Grant McLennan Fellowship in 2019, beloved Aussie rocker Jack Bratt has today announced his brooding new single Spades, a study in over-thinking, out now, and accompanied by an intimate live video.
Spades is a dark, moody track, and will be an exciting release for fans of anthemic legends The War On Drugs, Kingswood, Holy Holy, The Rubens et al. Expert guitar reigns throughout, while Jack’s unique, cutting vocal sits within the bed of sound, with sharp, affecting lyrics. Speaking of the inspiration behind the track, Jack explains, “I’m a classic overthinker, and Spades is a bit of a snapshot of me over-analysing everything. It’s a lot about comparing where I’m at in my life to my friends and family, thinking about whether or not I’m where I should be compared to, say, when my parents were at the same age.”
Such a close, vulnerable track requires careful treatment when it comes to live performance, and the accompanying video for Spades will give goosebumps to anyone who presses play. Directed by Clint Lewis of Red Tape Pictures (Tim Rogers, The Church), the black and white, artistic video depicts a solo rendition of the track, which allows Jack to accurately portray the significant nature of the subject matter in this song, as he says, “I just wanted the video to be simple. Playing this song solo, not in a band setting, is a pretty vulnerable thing. When I walked into the room for the first time and saw the pillars and the stained-glass windows, I knew it was going to be perfect for the song.”
Jack Bratt, who still hopes to head to New York City in June for a three month artist residency thanks to his recent Grant McLennan Fellowship accolade, also holds high hopes that he’ll be able to play a run of intimate shows while over in the US. With a lot of uncertainty around Covid19, Jack’s plans are a little up in the air, but he’s got a great attitude about his year ahead, enthusing, “While this is obviously a pretty distressing time for all of us, I’m using the time wisely by writing a lot of music which I’m excited about. And I’m planning on still heading to New York as soon as the travel bans have been lifted.”
Spades is out now
GAUDION ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO ‘TV SHOWS’ + LIVESTREAM PERFORMANCES
Newcomer Gaudion has today announced his clever, indie pop single TV Shows, a wistful reflection upon love and loss written during a period of deep change and development for the artist, out April 1. Gaudion has also revealed a sweet, adventurous video to accompany the track, directed by Guido Pezz. In light of COVID-19, Gaudion is unable to perform regular gigs – so to celebrate the release of TV Shows he has announced two YouTube/Instagram livestream performances on April 2 at 7.30PM AEST, and April 30 at 7.30PM AEST.
TV Shows is one for fans of guitar pop and brilliant Australian songwriting. Evocative of Dean Lewis, Ziggy Alberts, and Ben Howard, TV Shows would feel at home on the soundtrack for a coming of age romantic film, or perhaps it’s that track that you’ll play over and over on your next summer roadtrip. Catchy and affecting, this song features Gaudion’s lovely vocal performance front and centre. Speaking on the inspiration behind the track, Gaudion explains, “TV Shows is a small part of my life. I began writing the tune when I was working on a small farm in a rural area in Canada’s Saskatchewan. In this place I was turbulent. I never knew what I wanted to do. So I taught myself to play guitar and sing inside a grain silo every day after work. I was also going through a difficult stage of adolesence; through this song I was aiming to express my current feelings with music. Every time I’d think of the things I was going through I’d write a little bit more of the song. It’s not the first song I ever wrote, and definitely not the last, but it holds a long journey of my emotions, my memories and my thoughts.”
The film clip for TV Shows is open to interpretation, allowing the audience to incorporate their own meaning into the clip, which is a very special feeling. The video follows the story of a couple who part, while Gaudion watches on on a television set. The performance is serene, indicating a sense of acceptance of life’s inherent challenges and curveballs. Speaking on the clip, Gaudion enthuses, “The music video for TV Shows has been one of the funnest journeys ever. Guido Pezz is a fantastic director, new mate of mine and creative genius. It’s literally a video of me watching TV Shows which follow the emotions of the music. I’m very happy with the process, the beautiful actors we worked with and laughs we had along the way.”
Although disappointed that he won’t be able to perform in person for the foreseeable future, Gaudion is excited to present two intimate performances via livestream, as he says, “All we have seen happen to the world over the past months due to COVID-19 has been devastating. In our industry, all shows have been cancelled, jobs have been lost and artists are genuinely scared of the carryover effects that this virus will have. I feel the need to keep moving forward and I’m also in a position to brighten peoples’ days through sharing my music, so I feel very fortunate. I am excited to be performing two Youtube livestream performances to celebrate the release of this song.”
Talented in more ways than one, Gaudion is a keen carpenter, and even made his own guitar, as he says, “I love building and creating things with my hands, I find it very rewarding and exciting. A few years back I built an acoustic guitar from scratch. She’s a medium sized dreadnaught made from Tasmanian blackwood (back and sides), sitka spruce (top), mahogany (neck) and Indian rosewood (features). Her name is Grace, and I play her every day! Everything happens for a reason, and after building this guitar I became a lot more interested in playing.”
TV Shows is out April 1.
GAUDION ‘TV SHOWS’ LIVESTREAM PERFORMANCES
THURS APR 2 | YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM LIVESTREAM | 7:30PM AEST
https://youtu.be/O3-W0QRGtr4 | IGTV @gaudion_music
THURS APR 30 | YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM LIVESTREAM | 7:30PM AEST
https://youtu.be/gaDdbb4y9Ns | IGTV @gaudion_music
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