MILLAR JUKES & THE MUSCLE SHARE NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘GITTINIT’ LIFTED FROM FORTHCOMING EP ‘GIT IT’
Mere weeks after the release of their latest single, Scotland-born and Melbourne-based indie-soul rocker Millar Jukes is back with his latest release, teaming up with his band The Muscle to unleash the ferocious Gittinit. The first taste from forthcoming EP GIT IT, it’s a blistering piece of blues rock, bolstered by catchy vocals, an irresistible groove, and a sense of power that few other artists could even come close to matching.
Harnessing their horn-filled indie-rock sound, Millar Jukes & The Muscle are an unstoppable force on Gittinit, with its all-out intensity revealing everyone involved in the track pushed themselves to their respective limits. Evoking sonic memories of hard-hitting rockers like Royal Blood, Catfish & The Bottlemen, and Rival Sons, Gittinit is a track that oozes power and confidence, and encompasses that feeling when you leave all your worries behind and become the life of the party – much to the admiration of others. As Millar Jukes explains, “Gittinit is about going out and losing it all on the dancefloor. Usually I write songs that are self-deprecating or about relationships, so I wanted to write one just about having a good time. I heard my mates say it when someone is feeling the music, like, ‘Ooh, he gittinit!’”.
Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, Millar Jukes has been based in Melbourne for over ten years now, curating a well-respected music career in that time, with numerous singles, EPs, and even a self-titled album last year. However, it was only recently that fans got a taste of The Muscle, with June single ‘Tongue Tied’ introducing the expansive sound that the combination resulted in. As Millar Jukes recalls, “I started out singing more folk and Americana singer songwriter stuff but then moved into a more indie-soul kind of vibe. our drummer, Ben Yarram, got the whole Muscle together. He was like, ‘Let me put the band together’, and away he went. He’s put together some of the best musos I’ve ever played with. I feel so lucky that these people have decided to form The Muscle. I’m much more confident, not only as a performer but as a songwriter knowing that The Muscle are behind me.”
As Millar Jukes moves on from his 2021 album, he’s now set to release his new EP, GIT IT, on August 26. Recorded, engineered, and produced by Brent Quick for Headstone Records, and mastered by Tony Mantz, the EP captures the live sound of Millar Jukes & The Muscle, all while showcasing an element of maturity and growth within the songwriting. Gone are the days of leaning into the sadness, GIT IT instead moves away from the ideas of moving on after a breakup, and instead looks at having new relationships and getting caught up in the moment – sometimes a little too much. As Millar Jukes explains, “We wanted to explore a more blues-rock sound when we started writing. These new songs came together pretty organically. Lemon Haze was completely different until we got into the studio and recorded the other tracks. It went from the weird reggae beat to this more driven indie song. It was awesome to see the whole band completely change it on the spot. Recording the whole EP was a brilliant experience, and I hope people like the new direction for this one.”
The music video for Gittinit sets the mood deep in the blues/rock bar scene. Directed by Lewis Robert, the black and white clip juxtaposes live performance with a dive-bar audience rocking out, set to a 4:3 ratio reminiscent of 90’s video clips.
Already renowned for their captivating live shows, intense performance style, and powerful musicianship, Millar Jukes & The Muscle will be accompanying the release of their GIT IT EP on August 26 with a launch show at Melbourne’s Evelyn Hotel. Set to truly stun everyone lucky enough to be in attendance, the Millar Jukes sound is one that continues to grow and expand with every passing minute, with the upcoming show set to feature the group as an eight-piece band. Of course, that’s just business for usual for Millar Jukes & The Muscle, with the intent of every show being to create an experience that the audience won’t soon forget. As Millar Jukes explains, “We just get up there and try to blow the roof off! It’s big energy for a big sound.”
Gittinit is out today, August 5, and new EP GIT IT will be released August 26. [Pre-save GITTINIT]
FRI 26 AUG | THE EVELYN HOTEL, MELBOURNE | 18+
Request private stream: GIT IT
THE LUMINEERS ANNOUNCE AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND DATES FOR THEIR BRIGHTSIDE WORLD TOUR 2022
They’ve soundtracked countless lives with their inimitable sound, sold millions of albums, and have sold out shows the world over. Now, three years since their last visit to our shores for Splendour In The Grass and five years since their last national tour, American folk-rock outfit The Lumineerswill make their triumphant return to Australia this November and play their first ever headline show in New Zealand, with dates in Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne – proudly presented by Handsome Tours and Bluesfest Touring.
Kicking off at Auckland’s Powerstation on November 11, The Lumineers will then hit Australia to play Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall on November 13, before heading to Sydney’s Aware Super Theatre on November 15, and wrapping things up at Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on November 18.
Tickets go on sale at 9am local time on Friday 5 August from http://handsometours.com/tours/the-lumineers-4/, with an artist presale live from Thursday 4 August at 9am local time, and a Handsome Tours presale live from Thursday August 4 at 2pm local time.
“We can’t wait to finally return after three long years to Australia and are excited for our first headline show in New Zealand ever for us. We’ll see you out there!” – Wesley Schultz.
After forming as a duo comprising vocalist/guitarist Wesley Schultz and percussionist/pianist Jeremiah Fraites in 2005, The Lumineers first found their way onto the global music scene in 2012, with their Platinum-selling self-titled debut album boasting the massive Ho Hey, which would top charts around the world, and eventually be certified 5xPlatinum in Australia. The group would follow up their debut in 2016 with Cleopatra, which would not only reach #2 in the ARIA Singles Charts, but also amass more than 116 million streams globally. Releasing their third record, the aptly-titled III in 2019, The Lumineers briefly returned to Australia for a pair of performances in NSW: an intimate show at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre and a high-profile appearance on the 2019 Splendour In The Grass line-up.
Having been performing on some of the world’s greatest stages for the last decade, The Lumineers returned in early 2022 with their fourth full-length album, Brightside, which would top the charts in their native US. Amassing over 5.5 billion global streams for their celebrated discography and selling over 5 million albums, the duo are now set to bring their eclectic and acclaimed folk rock sounds back to Australian shores once again.
Tickets go on sale to the general public at 9am local time Friday 5 August, for tickets and further information, head tohttp://handsometours.com/tours/the-lumineers-4/
THE LUMINEERS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TOUR 2022
Presented In Partnership With Handsome Tours And Bluesfest
FRI 11 NOV | POWERSTATION, AUCKLAND | 18+
SUN 13 NOV | FORTITUDE MUSIC HALL, BRISBANE | 18+
TUES 15 NOV | AWARE SUPER THEATRE, SYDNEY | AA
FRI 18 NOV | MARGARET COURT ARENA, MELBOURNE | AA
Stream: Brightside
Stream: The Lumineers complete playlist
ABOUT HANDSOME TOURS:
Handsome Tours is a boutique promoter with 20+ years experience in touring some of the world’s finest artists across Australia & New Zealand; working with acts including Gang Of Youths, Phoebe Bridgers, The Kid LAROI, The xx, Stormzy, The War On Drugs, Bon Iver, Middle Kids, Skegss and Fontaines D.C.
ABOUT BLUESFEST TOURING:
Bluesfest Touring presents the best international legendary & emerging artists in Blues, R&B, Rock, Soul, Folk, Punk, Hip-Hop, Reggae and Jazz across Australia and New Zealand each year; proudly presenting music royalty including Robert Plant, Iggy Pop, Mary J Blige, George Benson, Bonnie Raitt, Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys), Patti Smith, John Mayall, Mavis Staples, and Jimmy Cliff.
LT ANNOUNCES NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘ROLLERCOASTER’
Renowned as one of Queensland’s hardest working independent artists, enigmatic pop dreamweaver LT returns in joyful and theatrical fashion via her brand new single Rollercoaster out today. Also armed with a hard-hitting accompanying music video, Rollercoaster is a shimmering blast of polished dreamy pop with stirring thematics that you’ll fall in love with over and over again.
Helmed by LT’s vibrant vocals and an effervescent sonic coating, Rollercoaster deals in bouncy beats, shimmering strings and swooning harmonies. A fun, deep and explosive outing, Rollercoaster brings together LT with an all-star team, including co-writing and producing courtesy via Joel Quartermain and Edwin White, mixing by Tony Buchen, and mastering by Leon Zervos. Drawing from a variety of personal influences in the writing process, Rollercoaster may, on its surface, present as a bright and bubbly pop gem, but this utter earworm also comes brandishing significantly personal and hard-hitting thematics, as LT explains, “Rollercoaster is about caring for someone who battles with bipolar disorder. It’s about navigating through sleepless nights and uncontrollable highs, and keeping afloat during days of slumber and sweeping lows. It’s about love, perseverance, and riding that rollercoaster until you next see light.”
The music video for Rollercoaster painstakingly and respectfully reflects the mental health undertones of the accompanying single, with LT working alongside Brendan Shoenmaker, an emerging Brisbane creator, to bring the captivating clip to life. Featuring dancers and actors Katie Woods and Ellie Bankowski front-and-centre in a modern twist on vintage arthouse cinema, and filmed at Smoke Creative in Brisbane, the video for Rollercoaster showcases duality in its many forms, presented in realistic yet optimistic fashion. Marrying the many modes of mental health, manic depression, love and perseverance with a sharp, circular spotlight alongside the glimmering track itself, the clip elegantly embodies darker thematics while also paying visual homage to a filmmaking great, as LT elaborates, “Due to the sensitive subject matter of Rollercoaster, it was really important we created something beautiful that in no way added to the stigma that people battling mental health issues can experience. Brendan used inspiration from filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s persona, creating a film depicting inner duality. The story demonstrates a study of yin and yang told through the cat and mouse relationship of two dancers, representing not just the duality of bipolar but the togetherness of the relationship as well as a healthy dose of self-love. It explores the relationship of duality from a perspective of absence and presence, with the dance built around two characters slipping in and out of each other’s space. It is the tug of war between these moments that we wanted to showcase along with connection, endurance and the will to push on through.”
No stranger to the Aussie musical landscape, LT has continually charmed with her refreshing take on the indie, pop and electronic realms. With her previous single Hold Ya appearing as Song You Need To Know on Rolling Stone Australia in 2021, LT is also a multi-award winning powerhouse, with three Queensland Music Award wins under her belt as well as taking out 2018’s Carol Lloyd Award. Proudly flying the flag for her hometown in Cairns, LT has also snagged international acclaim, with her track How Would It Feel picked up on BBC Radio in the UK as well as being remixed by London artist JHustl3 earlier this year. And while her releases continue to delight and enamour at every turn, creating new music is LT’s ultimate happy place, with 2022 offering a renewed chance to continue her passion and deliver some new tunes along the way, as LT concludes, ‘My favourite thing to do in the world is to write and record music, so I feel very fortunate that I still have the opportunity to release new work after such a tricky time. Happy days!”.
Rollercoaster is out today, Wednesday July 20.