BOY & BEAR SHARE TRANQUIL INTERPRETATION OF FEEL BY ROBBIE WILLIAMS
Adding their own dreamy spin to a 2002 classic, the brand new single Feel from Sydney’s Boy & Bear gifts a lush and brooding interpretation of the Robbie Williams original hit song. Fresh off the back of a massive regional run of shows, with over 26,000 tickets sold nationally, Boy & Bear’s latest rendition adds yet another stellar sonic reworking to their repertoire, joining their beloved 2010 cover Fall at Your Feet and 2020’s Wicked Game.
Originally conceived during recording sessions for their latest full length album, the band’s 2023 self-titled fifth studio release, Boy & Bear’s take on Feel, a track originally made famous by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams melts with languid ambience, woozy keys and the trademark undulating Boy & Bear sunny serenity flowing throughout. And with the recent Netflix docuseries Robbie Williams detailing the prolific popstar’s career ultimately inspiring the group to master and release their interpretation, the end result of Feel itself feels like an unearthed treasure. “When recording new tunes for our latest record and exploring songs for triple j’s Like A Version, we recorded an arrangement of Feel by Robbie Williams,” the band shares. “The song itself, when stripped back to the chords, melody and lyrics is quite sad and haunting, which is unusual for a massive pop song. We really connected with that vibe and leant into that on our version. At the time we recorded it, we didn’t have any plans for it, but then with the recent release of the doco on Robbie we thought it might be cool to put it out into the world rather than leave it gathering digital dust in the “old recordings” folder of our band hard drive. Hope you enjoy.”
Since forming in 2009, Boy & Bear have persistently woven their own unique brand of musical magic, captivating fans across the globe with their sun-soaked and stirring brand of indie rock. A band hellbent on innovation, Boy & Bear have attained a level of staying power most artists could only dream of; and all without sacrificing their authentic vision and driving love for their craft. Achieving early career support from triple j and triple j Unearthed, Boy & Bear swiftly catapulted onto the national stage, releasing their double-platinum debut album Moonfire in 2011, which went on to snag five coveted ARIA award wins. Since then, 2013’s Harlequin Dream and 2015’s Limit Of Love only strengthened the band’s luminous presence, with both albums charting at #1, and Harlequin Dream also marking the group’s second studio album to go Platinum. Also via 2019’s Suck on Light and 2023’s self-titled full length, Boy & Bear have continued to grow and strengthen professionally amidst the ever-changing musical climate – and 2023 continued the dazzling Boy & Bear legacy further again with the recent release of their Lost Dreams EP, comprising found songs from their Harlequin Dream studio time.
Capable of breaking and/or mending hearts with their ever-growing sonic output, Boy & Bear’s creative pathway has also led to them releasing two acclaimed cover songs previously, with their version of Fall at Your Feet recorded for the Tim and Neil Finn tribute album He Will Have His Way now 3x platinum, exceeding 40 million individual streams on Spotify, while the group’s 2020 cover of Chris Isaak’s steamy ballad Wicked Game has generated over 21 million streams and was certified Gold this year. Also having performed across the globe, including multiple world tours and appearances at the likes of Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and Splendour in the Grass, Boy & Bear are equally capable of enamouring onstage to sold out crowds at the Sydney Opera House as they are performing on Conan O’Brien or to a hometown crowd. And their largely sold out recent regional Australian tour showcased the rare magic beating at the Boy & Bear core, with some unforgettable moments forged alongside fans across the country. “To every single person who came to one of Aus or NZ album tour headline shows (more than 26,000 of you!) we can’t thank you enough for your ongoing support and love,” the band shares.
“These shows were truly very special to us, particularly after such a challenging few years and making the decision to go fully independent. It felt amazing to get back to so many places we haven’t been for a long time and to share our new music with you. The vibe at these shows was awesome. Special mention and shout out to all the amazing artists that joined us on this tour, to our incredible crew, our team, loving partners and families for helping make it all possible.”
“We’ve got some really exciting plans in the works for 2024 which we look forward to sharing with you soon,” Boy & Bear conclude. “We hope you’re going to be as excited about them as we are.”
Feel is out now.
NAOMI DIANE SHARES DIVINE DEBUT SINGLE ‘CHASING THE SUN’
Bursting with warm grooves, supple basslines and glossy vocals, the divine debut single Chasing The Sun out today from Gamilaroi singer-songwriter Naomi Diane is an entirely sunny affair, capturing carefree summer vibes with polished delivery.
Now based in Melbourne but originally growing up in Wollongong, Naomi Diane’s experience adapting from coastal living to city life ultimately sparked the core thematics at the heart of Chasing The Sun, with the buoyant and joyous track also drawing inspiration from Lianne La Havas, Tennis, Men I Trust and Harry Styles’ sophomore 2019 album Fine Line. An upbeat amalgamation of pop elements, indie hues and jangly grooves, Chasing The Sun is the ultimate summertime bop painstakingly crafted to soundtrack warm adventures, as Naomi Diane explains, “Chasing The Sun speaks to the challenge of moving to a colder city, and finding a new community and a sense of belonging. And I have terrible circulation, so I ended up on many trips north to soften that chilly blow”.
Inspired by her own personal experiences, with heightened inspiration also arriving courtesy of her housemates at the time, producer and co-writer Tyler Millott (The Terrifying Lows) and the sun-soaked stylings of fellow singer-songwriter Ben Wright Smith, Naomi Diane’s maiden solo release traces its origins far beyond its joyous release in 2023, with the irresistible earworm recorded two and a half years ago amongst Melbourne’s extensive lockdowns, as Naomi Diane elaborates, “I’m so stoked to finally release this track. It feels like the right time to put it out there. It was mostly recorded in our loungeroom in Eaglemont, after many nights around the fire listening to music and sharing hearts when Melbourne was shut down. I want to it to be pumped in car speakers as people get out of the city for adventures! I want people to dance to it under the summer sun, feeling free.”
An all-round creative with equal passions for music and nature, Naomi Diane can usually be found hanging with friends at gigs, cooking, or exploring parks and rivers. Currently also balancing her burgeoning solo musical pursuits alongside working full time as a mentor and advisor for a non-profit Indigenous internship program and singing backing vocals for The Deans of Soul, Estelle Conley, Quinny and Angus Montaigne.
Naomi Diane’s effortlessly affable and enamouring sensibilities shine as bright as the radiant tones on her brand new single; and it’s certainly a beautiful beginning for plenty of future Naomi Diane magic still to come alongside plans to grow with and foster emerging Indigenous artists like herself.
“I always thought I’d be a folky or jazzy artist, but this pop banger has taken me down a really exciting path and I can’t wait to let that flourish,” Naomi Diane concludes. “An EP and some glorious musical collaborations are on the horizon for 2024. And providing space for mentorship, workshops and yarning circles for mob who want to get their music out there.”
Chasing The Sun is out now
JEBEDIAH ANNOUNCE FIRST NEW ALBUM IN 12 YEARS, ‘OIKS’ + SHARE TRANSCENDENTAL NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO ‘RUBBERMAN’
Fresh from the release of their first new single in 12 years, beloved Perth rockers Jebediah have upped the ante once again, with new single Rubberman appearing alongside the long-awaited news of their new album, OIKS. The forthcoming record – their first new album since 2011’s Kosciuszko – will arrive on April 12th, 2024, with pre-orders available now via Cooking Vinyl Australia.
Their sixth album, OIKS isn’t necessarily the return of Jebediah, who have been consistently active in the time since their last record, but rather, a snapshot of where the band find themselves in the current era. Like lead single Gum Up The Bearings, the record was born out of experimentation while in the studio with longtime collaborator – and honorary fifth band member – Dave Parkin (Red Jezebel, Spacey Jane). The result is an album which sees Jebediah feeling content with who they are as artists – not attempting to create the energetic hype of 1997 debut Slightly Odway, but crafting a release which feels representative of modern-day Jebediah.
While the release of September’s Gum Up The Bearings was a true return to form for the WA quartet, Rubberman continues their evolving musical trajectory; pairing their revered, singular attitude towards music making with a dedication to crafting something wholly unique. Noting that their new single “sounds different to any song the band has put out” before, Rubberman began life when the band first entered Dave’s Blackbird Studios back in 2018 without any indication of what they wanted to create, the band let themselves become influenced by jam sessions and the resulting sounds. Using effects and loops as the starting point to Rubberman, the group experimented heavily with melody and atmosphere, allowing guitarist and vocalist Kevin Mitchell’s voice to take on a prominent role, sitting atop a luscious and spacious marriage of indie-rock and dream-pop. The result is a song which equally feels unlike anything Jebediah have ever produced, yet effortlessly slides into their expansive discography as a track emblematic of their continuous musical evolution.
“This one came about by accident. Whilst setting up a guitar for overdubbing we accidentally recorded the sound of it with really loose strings. This sound was turned into a loop and became the bedrock of a new song; a sort of weird melodic rhythmic loop track. The whole thing was built on top of that. It reflects an experimentalism in the studio that we have not really embraced before and so it sounds different to anything we’ve ever written or recorded before,” recalls Kevin.
Alongside the release of the single, Jebediah have taken an almost full-circle approach to its accompanying visuals, sharing a beautifully-animatedclip by Gina Moore. Having initially worked with the band to craft the video to their 1997 single Harpoon, Gina now works at RMIT teaching 3D animation and visual effects in the Animation and Interactive Media program. Taking time to once again create a video for the group, Gina took inspiration from the cover illustration to James Bridle’s book Ways Of Being, the paintings of Clarice Beckett, and her own work, and worked with RMIT students Jack Cornish and Eddy Faulkner to produce the final product.
“I loved Rubberman as soon as I heard it and listened to it many times while walking my dog. After playing the song over and over for several weeks, I created a storyboard in just a few hours. It came easily because my mind was full of imagery that had percolated on repeated walks through Melbourne’s windy parklands. Like the song, I wanted the video to be evocative or experiential and wasn’t concerned with having a definitive meaning or narrative. The song lends itself to a journey, a figure walking through a landscape. I wanted the mood to start tranquil and get increasingly chaotic as invisible forces become evident (deforming the landscape and producing colourful ribbons). I wanted it to feel Australian and to allude to global concerns including the proliferation of plastics in the environment. Although addressing dark and depressing themes, the clip needed to be visually appealing,” explains Gina.
Both Rubberman and previous single Gum Up The Bearings will appear on Jebediah’s forthcoming album, OIKS, which will arrive on April 12th, 2024. Pre-orders for the album are available now via Cooking Vinyl Australia. Though their first new album since 2011’s Kosciuszko, the group have not been far from our hearts – or stages. In addition to sporadic tours and frequent live shows, the respective members of Jebediah have remained busy: Vanessa and Brett played in bands, Chris worked at a record store, and Kevin has focused heavily on his Bob Evans project.
Currently, Jebediah are out on the road, wrapping up a highly-anticipated Aussie tour which has seen them perform intense headline gigs in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. The group will wrap up their current run of shows with a headline gig in Perth on Friday, 17 November, before joining the Good Things festival lineup for a whip-around the country at the start of December. Prior to wrapping up their current run of dates, though, Jebediah will also have their name cemented in Western Australian music history, when they’re inducted into the WAM Hall Of Fame as part of the WA Music Awards on Thursday, 16 November.
Rubberman is out today via Cooking Vinyl Australia.
OIKS will be released on 12 April, 2024 via Cooking Vinyl Australia, pre-order bundles available here.
Final tickets to the Gum Up The Bearings tour are on sale now from https://www.jebediah.net/
The WAM Hall Of Fame induction will take place at the WA Music Awards on Thursday 16 November at Regal Theatre.
JEBEDIAH – AUSTRALIAN TOUR:
Tickets available from Oztix
FRI 17 NOV | THE RECHABITE, PERTH WA | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.jebediah.net/
FRI 1 DEC – GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL, MELB, VIC
SAT 2 DEC | GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL, SYD, NSW
SUN 3 DEC – GOOD THINGS FESTIVAL, BRIS, QLD