DALLAS FRASCA ANNOUNCES NEW SOLO ALBUM ‘FORCE OF NATURE’ OUT JULY 19 + SHARES NEW LYRIC VIDEO ‘ELECTRIC DAYS’ + HUGE NATIONAL TOUR AUG-NOV
A fierce and authentic collection of songs from the dazzling mind of Melbourne roots rock icon Dallas Frasca, the upcoming new solo album Force of Nature is set to truly be a genuine sonic force to be reckoned with, journeying between towering highs and glossy reprieves with unbridled power and passion. Officially set for release on Friday July 19, pre-orders for Force of Nature are now live, with each pre-order automatically securing a free ticket to an upcoming Dallas Frasca secret listening party, with pre-orders also offering the chance to win a prize pack from D’Addario and a Cole Clark guitar. And if the confirmation of a solo Dallas Frasca album today isn’t enough, a brand new lyric video has also unveiled, with some fittingly electrifying visuals out now to accompany Dallas Frasca’s recent single Electric Days, as well as a horde of live shows to come, starting this August.
The third offering from the upcoming Force of Nature full-length, Dallas Frasca’s recent single Electric Days follows on from Stand on My Shoulders (#1 AMRAP Charts) and River Queen (#2 AMRAP Charts), with Electric Days erupting with fuzz, guitar-fuelled hooks and explosive 60s Motown-driven percussion. Stemming from Dallas Frasca’s songwriting exercises undertaken during her involvement with the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the explosive track takes on new life with real-world performance vision driving the track’s accompanying lyric video alongside a firm and empowered DIY ethic behind the scenes, as Dallas reveals, “A fan sent me a video of me performing Electric Days for the first time I played it at Blues on Broadbeach in May this year. My music business is a fiercely run and very proud one-stop ‘independent music shop’. I edited the video myself and my friend Raymond J Evans put the lyrics on for me. I think too many young artists get deluded by a ‘fantasy’ of a music career. I feel like the music industry model has crumbled and has a long way to go before it finds its way again. Until then I’ll be still connecting with real fans that love the experience of going to shows and supporting artists by buying their merch. My philosophy is that you build your music business one person at a time, however, this is not just my business, this is my/our community. There are opportunities to have a sustainable living from a music career, and what we want our versions of success to look like varies from artist to artist. I have a clear idea of what I want my success story to look like and I feel fortunate to be able to be living my dream. I’m building my little empire and along with that comes hard work and learning the many facets of your own business (and a shit tonne of work, editing videos, designing merch, content creation). I love it. I’d much rather be doing this than a 9-5.”
Self-described as “like a cheer squad from the sideline hyping up against the naysayers, a self-manifestation and that feeling when you eventually achieve the things you set out to do despite all the noise, it’s the moment”, Electric Days is a stellar step forward into a brand-new creative chapter for Dallas Frasca as she approaches the release of Force of Nature. Spanning influences from Lisa Kekaula of Basement Jaxx through to Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Larkin Poe, and Led Zeppelin alongside the gravitational pull from blues-influenced music that has so adamantly punctuated her prior releases, Force of Nature is Dallas Frasca at her most potent and engaging self to date; a fact made even more impressive by her ongoing legacy since first emerging onto the Australian music scene back in the mid 2000s. An album four years in the making and inspired greatly by time spent in nature as well as finding her own true self along the way, the result is a spellbinding journey deep into the soul of one of Australia’s genuine songwriting greats. “A couple of years ago I had an enormous epiphany where I was overcome with an overwhelming feeling that it was the right time to put a solo record out, barebones, ME as an artist, with no other influences,” shares Dallas. “It was kind of like a moment, I truly found my own voice, and the fire was lit. It grew as I obsessively picked up the guitar every day and began to write. Recording Force of Nature was an intense and deeply personal process, I recorded it across six different studios in Melbourne including the piano for The Wind Blows in my loungeroom aka ‘Lady Luck Studios’, and you can hear the birds chirping outside throughout the recording. Real and raw. It’s the third record I’ve made with my dear friend and collaborator, L.A Based, Andy Baldwin. It was tricky figuring out how to record the album when it was only me, and Andy’s playful and adventurous spirit brought a touch of genius to the plate every day. He pushed me far beyond what I thought I was capable of. I could not have achieved this without him. He is such a generous collaborator, when I heard the mix for the opening track on the record, I cried. I couldn’t believe what we had accomplished together. The album’s quieter moments hint at a new, more compelling frontier for me, maybe suggesting an evolution in my sound and songwriting. You’ll hear the combinations of my love for traditional blues elements with modern influences.”
Opening with driving stomp and swagger via Pray, Force of Nature journeys between the simmering might of Let It Rain, coated in raw vocals, modern gospel hues and a magnetic vocal delivery, through to uplifting and bold waves of acoustic guitars and glimmering harmonies (You Are Glorious (Unborn Unicorn) and River Queen), poignant ballads draped in warmth (The Wind Blows and May The Bridges We’ve Burned Light The Way), stomping gems laden with country charm and blues (I’ll Be Here When You Wake), and modern rock (Electric Days), with all tracks powerfully helmed and woven together throughout by Dallas Frasca herself. “Force of Nature is a musical homecoming of sorts and in retrospect was a time of healing and growth for me,” Dallas reveals. “My producer Andy and my vision was to treat each song like its own universe to make a multi-dimensional piece of art. It’s massive, gutsy and raw. I think the element I’m most proud of, is it doesn’t sound like anyone else but me.”
Garnering praise with a career spanning close to two decades, Dallas Frasca has been named everything from “the most powerful female voice in Australian rock” (RockPit) through to “one of the best frontwomen in the business” (Upside Down News) and scored the seal of approval from Guns N’ Roses’ very own Slash along the way. Renowned for her electrifying onstage presence and guitar slinging prowess, the new era for Dallas Frasca as a solo artist has only heightened her sonic might, now also arming her with both electric and acoustic guitars, a live loop pedal and staggering vulnerability and authenticity that flows throughout her brand of roots/rock. Whether placing in the top three of the International Songwriting Competition, snagging a theme song and worldwide sync on the popular TV series Bondi Ink, collaborating with Ugly Kid Joe or charting internationally, Dallas Frasca has also enamoured onstage at the likes of Bluesfest, Falls Festival, Woodford, was invited to fill in the shoes of Peter Garrett and fronted Midnight Oil for an Amnesty International event and also wowed at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in front of 1.5 billion viewers in 2018. And while critical and fan acclaim has followed Dallas Frasca throughout her career, it’s in 2024 that this talented creative has leant into the unknown and emerged triumphant, armed with the aptly titled Force of Nature. “Growing my wings as a solo artist has been the most challenging, vulnerable, raw, and empowering endeavour I have embarked on to date,” shares Dallas. “Hats off to all the solo artists out there. It’s given me an unwavering purpose and direction. This new body of work is by far the proudest achievement of my life thus far, I’m so excited to share it with everyone. There is so much to come, and I look forward to revealing a showcase of my growth as an artist and songwriter.”
Fans can catch Dallas Frasca on the road later this year following the release of Force of Nature, kicking off on Friday August 2 in Scarborough, Western Australia, with tour dates spanning across the country well into November.
Electric Days is out now.
Force of Nature is due out on Friday July 19.
DALLAS FRASCA – FORCE OF NATURE NATIONAL TOUR:
Tickets available from dallasfrasca.com
FRI 02 AUG | INDI BAR, SCARBOROUGH WA
DUO w/ Abbe May
SAT 03 AUG | THE RIVER, MARGARET RIVER WA
DUO w/ Abbe May
SUN 04 AUG | MOJO’S, FREMANTLE WA
DUO w/ Abbe May
SAT 17 AUG | MILTON THEATRE, MILTON NSW
DUO w/ James Van Cooper
SUN 18 AUG | LONGSTOCKING BREWERY, PAMBULA NSW
DUO w/ TBC
23 AUGUST | HABA, RYE VIC
BAND w/ Queenie
24 AUGUST | NORTHCOTE SOCIAL CLUB, MELBOURNE VIC
BAND w/ Georgia Rodgers
25 AUGUST |WHEATSHEAF, ADELAIDE SA
DUO w/ Fazz and Mannix
20 SEPTEMBER | MOYHU HOTEL, MOYHU VIC
DUO w/ Jo Jo Smith
21 SEPTEMBER | SMITH’S ALTERNATIVE, CANBERRA ACT
DUO w/ James Southwell
17 OCTOBER | BRUNSWICK PICTURE HOUSE, BRUNSWICK HEADS NSW
TRIO w/ CC The Cat
18 OCTOBER | WOLVI STOMP FESTIVAL, WOLVI QLD
TRIO w/ Line-Up: Frank Sultana, Owen Campbell, Jesse Redwing & more.
19 OCTOBER | MO’S DESERT CLUBHOUSE, GOLD COAST QLD
TRIO w/ CC The Cat
20 OCTOBER | IT’S STILL A SECRET, BRISBANE QLD
TRIO w/ Blues Arcadia
02 NOVEMBER | TANK ARTS CENTRE, CAIRNS QLD
DUO w/ Lady Valiant + Stu Harcourt + Mas Minimals
15 NOVEMBER |CAMELOT LOUNGE, SYDNEY NSW
DUO w/ Roshani
16 NOVEMBER | CHIEFEST FESTIVAL, NEWCASTLE NSW
DUO w/ Line-Up: The Urban Chiefs + Good Corn Liquor + Piper Butcher + L.R. Marsh & more.
17 NOVEMBER | FLOW BAR, OLD BAR NSW
DUO w/ Felicity Dowd
29 NOVEMBER | REPUBLIC BAR, HOBART TAS
DUO w/ The Bad Dad Orchestra
30 NOVEMBER | ISLAND STATE BREWING – THE PIER, ULVERSTON TAS
DUO w/ The Bad Dad Orchestra
JOIN THE WORLDWIDE CELEBRATION OF MUSIC-MAKING THIS WEEK ‘MAKE MUSIC DAY’ RETURNS THIS FRIDAY JUNE 21
All the world is a stage, and this week the joy of music-making is stepping into the spotlight at home and abroad. Come and join the worldwide celebration of music this Friday June 21 with the return of Make Music Day, a global day dedicated to celebrating all things music-making. Make Music Day is a chance for musicians and artists to come together to perform and showcase creativity with their peers and communities, with free public concerts set to take place both live and online worldwide.
Presented in Australia by the Australian Music Association and the NAMM Foundation, Make Music Day originated in 1982 as Fête de la Musique in France before evolving into a global event that encapsulates over a thousand cities and places across 120 countries. A day long musical free-for-all celebrating music in all its forms, all ages and levels of skills are welcome, with communities also encouraged to get involved and support their local artists. A full list of events and information is available at https://makemusicaustralia.org.au/.
Proudly heading up Australia’s Make Music Day endeavours in 2024, Australian Music Association CEO and ARIA Award-winning musician Alex Masso shares, “Music making is something that resonates with people from all walks of life, all over the world. We think there should be a day to celebrate the way music making brings us together and gives us an outlet for expression, connection and so much else.”
“We know that professional musicians left the industry due to the challenges of the pandemic,” Masso adds, “but the interest in making music remains strong in the community at about 17% of the population. We saw a spike in sales of instruments such as guitars during the pandemic, it’s something that people turn to for fun, for a challenge and for creative expression and there are endless opportunities for musical expression from creating something by yourself at home to playing with a band or orchestra, singing in a choir, or going along to a jam session.”
Following the pandemic years, a recent report from Creative Australia found that in 2022 the number of professional musicians almost halved as proportion of the labour force since 2015, but a separate study of participation in the arts found that the proportion of people playing music has remained stable during the same period.
In a stunning display of solidarity and celebration, rock bands, songwriters, ukuleles, community bands and choirs, even flowerpots will be part of the musical offerings at Make Music Day Australian events in 2024. As part of the upcoming festivities, Billilla Gardens in Victoria will come to life this week with the ringing sound of flowerpots. Composed by Elliot Cole, Flowerpot music is a composition celebrating the unlikely beauty of the humble flowerpot played with mallets.
Elsewhere, South Regional TAFE Margaret River and Arts Margaret River have taken the opportunity to combine musical performance with technical training, with TAFE students learning the inner workings of the world class sound system at Main Theatre then performing their original works on stage.
Suburban and regional centres will also come alive with music this week, including Parramatta’s ‘Best of the West’ battle of the bands, a musical picnic in Grafton (NSW), and a travelling Impromptu Choir in Clare, SA, moving from a park to the library and a café.
Additionally, Make Music Make Friends is a project bringing together schools from Australia and nine other countries, who will collectively share songs and introduce themselves to each other through music. And breaking global barriers, My Song Is Your Song connects songwriters from different countries to perform a version of each other’s songs, with prizes on offer for the global music song swap spanning a ukulele from famed Slovenian-based company Flight, a Scarlett 2i2 4th gen audio interface from Focusrite, and a Novation Launchkey 37.
At the Curious Rabbit in Wagga Wagga (NSW) there will be a series of ukulele workshops and a jam that is open to everyone keen to participate, with ukuleles also on the menu at Merewether Ocean Bath in Newcastle (NSW) for hours of singing and strumming, and as part of a flash mob event called The Other ‘Lithgow Flash’ (Mob), a reference to Olympic legend Marjorie Jackson-Nelson who set six world athletics records and won multiple gold medals in the 1950s.
Make Music Day is presented in Australia by the Australian Music Association and the NAMM Foundation and takes place this Friday June 21.
For information further information on events, visit https://makemusicaustralia.org.au/.
VIEW: MAKE MUSIC DAY PROMOTIONAL VIDEO
MAKE MUSIC DAY AUSTRALIA 2024
SELECTED EVENTS – FRI 21 JUNE
CITY CONCERTS
Challis Singers at Gordon Library (Gordon, NSW)
Make Music Day Celebration at Bernie’s Music Land (Ringwood, VIC)
Jazzscape Trio at Paddington Library and Woollahra Library
Winter Concert – Music for Canberra Orchestras (Canberra, ACT)
CITY – OUTDOORS
Canada Bay
Make Music Day Parramatta – Best of the West (Parramatta, NSW)
CITY – PARTICIPATE
Sing Australia Gordon (Gordon, NSW)
REGIONAL – CONCERTS
Make Music Day ORC (Orange, NSW)
Groove is in the Heart (Margaret River, WA)
WollCon Voices Sing! (Wollongong, NSW)
REGIONAL – PARTICIPATE
Cobar Seniors’ Singalong (Cobar, NSW)
Make Music Day at Kitten Vintage (Mackay, QLD)
Music Mayhem (Dalyston, VIC)
Make Curious Music (Wagga Wagga, NSW)
Open Floor Jam with Two Up Music Show (Shorncliffe, QLD)
REGIONAL – OUTDOORS
Make Music Day Clarence Valley (Grafton, NSW)
Impromptu Singing (Clare, SA)
Uke by the Beach (Newcastle, NSW)
The Other “Lithgow Flash” Mob (Lithgow, NSW)
SCHOOLS
Grovedale College
NBSC Cromer Campus
St Xavier’s Gunnedah
CREATIVE AUSTRALIA STATISTICS:
In the Creative Australia report ‘Creating Value: Results of the National Arts Participation Survey’, the proportion of the Australian population actively participating in music (playing, singing, composing) was 17% in 2022. The previous comparable reports showed 18% in 2019,15% in 2016, 20% in 2013, 15% in 2009. Source: https://creative.gov.au/advocacy-and-research/creating-value/.
In the Creative Australia report ‘Artists as Workers: An Economic Study of Professional Artists in Australia’, the proportion of professional musicians in the Australian Labour Force was 0.07% in 2022. The previous comparable reports showed 0.12% in 2015, 0.11% in 2008, 0.13% in 2001, 0.13% in 1993, and 0.17% in 1987. Source: https://creative.gov.au/advocacy-and-research/artists-as-workers-an-economic-study-of-professional-artists-in-australia/.
The Australian Music Association’s Annual Market Report, which tracks imports of music products using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, found that 2021 had the highest number of guitar products of the past 10 years, followed by 2020. For pianos and keyboards 2020 was the strongest year, followed by 2021. Source: https://australianmusic.asn.au/market-report/
RADICAL SON SHARES NEW SINGLE YULUWIRRI WANDABAA (THE RAINBOW DREAMING) FEATURING EMMA DONOVAN AND FRANK YAMMA NEW ALBUM BILAMBIYAL (THE LEARNING) DUE OUT JULY 11
A celebration of ceremony and culture, the brand new single Yuluwirri Wandabaa (The Rainbow Dreaming) out today from Kamilaroi and Tongan artist Radical Son combines powerful storytelling with driving delivery, with Radical Son also joined on this magnetic track by revered Indigenous Australian singer-songwriter Emma Donovan and Pitjantjatjara singer-songwriter Frank Yamma. Also set to feature on Radical Son’s upcoming sophomore album Bilambiyal (The Learning), due out next month, Yuluwirri Wandabaa (The Rainbow Dreaming) once again finds Radical Son delivering artistry that is equal parts dynamic and meaningful.
Bringing together three eminent artists from the Wantok Musik stable, Yuluwirri Wandabaa (The Rainbow Dreaming) opens with Radical Son, aka David Leha’s, inescapably gripping vocals, declaring “Spirit Dreaming / Serpent Dreaming / The Rainbow Dreaming” before the track instrumentally swells to match its emphatic thematics. Firmly driven alongside Radical Son’s delivery by effusive percussion and colourful yet urgent ambience, Yuluwirri Wandabaa (The Rainbow Dreaming) takes further flight courtesy of the powerhouse guest vocals provided from Emma Donovan and Frank Yamma, with the single building to interplay all three artists in an unforgettable climax. “Emma, Frank and I recorded separately,” shares Radical Son of bringing Yuluwirri Wandabaa (The Rainbow Dreaming) to life alongside Donovan and Yamma. “I was really sick the week I had flown to Melbourne to record. The recording sessions were long days and one of the guys had to pump me up full of medicines to get me through the those days. I don’t know how we did it – but it came out sounding pretty good.”
Along with the mesmerising addition of Donovan and Yamma on Yuluwirri Wandabaa (The Rainbow Dreaming), Radical Son also worked alongside Marcus Longfoot and David Bridie to pen the track, with Mitch McGregor on percussion, Phil Wales on guitar, and programming courtesy of Longfoot and Andrew Robinson. And, as with much of Radical Son’s creative endeavours, the beating heart behind his incredible new track is one of passion and advocacy for culture and for connection in the modern age, as he elaborates, “I absolutely love this song. A song about ceremony and culture. There is so much depth in our Culture and Country. Country provides us a way of living and sustenance both physically and mentally. It provides the story and the way. It is there for us. Right in front of us. The only thing is we don’t see it as we are looking at the screens that stand between us.”
Joining recent singles Until You Call My Name and Elder, Yuluwirri Wandabaa (The Rainbow Dreaming) offers yet another spellbinding glimpse into Radical Son’s upcoming new album Bilambiyal (The Learning), with the hotly anticipated full length set to further showcase Leha’s cultural connection, innate integrity and powerful perception across its 12 tracks. Releasing via Leha’s own label, Wantok Musik, and following on from his debut release Cause ‘N Affect, Bilambiyal (The Learning) was also crafted alongside a powerhouse team, including Full Circle Audio, Marcus Longfoot, Andy Robinson, David Bridie, Frank Yamma, Emma Donovan and many more. Opening with the starkly intimate Elder Reprise, Radical Son instantly conjures goosebumps as his almighty vocals soar, akin to standing on a mountaintop proclaiming: “I wish to be an Elder”, before seamlessly oscillating between warm and soul-hued beauty (How Long Must I Wait), contemporary glow (All My Life) and the utterly calming balm of Until You Call My Name, with the latter straddling raw ambience and rousing vocals. And between shifting between reggae hues (Only One Life), glossy soul (A Golden Age) and rousing, iron-willed ballads (The Fall), Bilambiyal (The Learning) also fervently reflects Radical Son’s powerful devotion to his country and his soul, displayed with gusto via the stunning might of Elder, the album’s various spoken word interludes, and the vulnerable and unforgettable punch of Bilambiyal (The Learning)’s title track.
One of the most compelling artists in the Australian cultural scene, Radical Son, the son of an Aboriginal woman and Tongan man, channels his experiences from his past into immense power and resolve, with his trademark sound pulsing with the urgency of hip hop and emotionally-charged soul. A festival favourite, cemented by his show-stopping cover of his mentor Uncle Archie Roach’s Walking Into Doors in 2022, Radical Son has performed to standing ovations at Bluesfest, St Kilda Festival, VIVID, the AFL Dreamtime 2032 game, and the official Uncle Archie Roach memorial in Melbourne and Sydney.
A highly skilled concert artist, with performances alongside classical ensembles and high-profile collaborations under his belt, Radical Son’s artistry also expands to film and TV, with credits including Defining Moments, a six-part NITV documentary exploring life-defining experiences, and theatre work, including the lead role of Pemulwuy in I am Eora at the 2012 Sydney Festival.
Studying as a musician at The Eora Centre for Visual and Performing Arts in Redfern, as well completing a Bachelor of Music from Newcastle Conservatorium, Radical Son’s creative prowess and steadfast substance is only matched by his otherworldly stage presence that repeatedly transfixes; and this fact is only set to heighten with the upcoming release of Bilambiyal (The Learning), and an upcoming performance in July as part of QPAC’s Warriors Concert for 2024’s Clancestry Festival in Brisbane.
“I have put the work in to improve as a vocalist, and I think that will show,” shares Radical Son of what fans can expect from his upcoming performance. “I think it’s important to stand up as an Indigenous man and share what is important to me. I’m grateful that I have the ability and the option to do so.”
“I am excited to be releasing our album Bilambiyal (The Learning),” Radical Son concludes. “I am very proud of this work and grateful to those who have collaborated with me to bring it to life.”
Yuluwirri Wandabaa (The Rainbow Dreaming) is out today via Wantok Musik.
Bilambiyal (The Learning) is due out on Thursday July 11.
RADICAL SON – UPCOMING SHOWS:
WED 31 JULY | QPAC, BRISBANE QLD| ALL AGES
Tickets available from https://www.qpac.com.au/whats-on/2024/clancestry-warriors