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their latest full length album, the band’s 2023 self-titled fifth studio release, Boy & Bear’s take on Feel, a track originally made famous by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams melts with languid ambience, woozy keys and the trademark undulating Boy & Bear sunny serenity flowing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
DAN KEYES + THE NEW RIDES SHARE NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘LONDON’
Somewhere between the country music heartland of Texas, the bustling palm trees of Los Angeles and the sandy shores of Australia, a sublime ode to yearning and living in the moment was conjured, with the debut single London from Dan Keyes + The New Rides officially out today. Also arriving armed with a captivating music video, London not only marks the first official single for Dan Keyes + The New Rides – it also features the group as the first new signing to the resurrected Wheatley Records, first established in 1980 by the late Australian music icon Glenn Wheatley.
A project many years in the making, helmed by the eponymous and enigmatic Keyes, Dan Keyes + The New Rides flow with warm country tones alongside fresh and unique twists, with the group’s debut single London finding Keyes writing alongside Australian songwriter and producer Tim Metcalfe, whose previous work includes work on Robbie Williams’ platinum 2012 album Take The Crown. With its distinctive 80s synths juxtaposed with acoustic and slide guitar, the balanced sentimentality merged with modernity throughout London was no accident, as Keyes elaborates, “We wanted it to sound classic, familiar and new all the same time. A modern, Aussie take on Americana, if you will… The song lyrics are quite intentionally vague; it’s how you interpret it. Do I sound like I come from London? No. Does Tim, who I co-wrote the song with, sound like he is? Maybe. Its about wanting to walk, or run to someone, in the middle of the night, for no real reason other than wanting to be with them; in that moment.”
With the accompanying music video for London weaving a narrative starting in the desert under the sun before ending in a city late at night, Keyes brings to life the longing and languid love story beating at the overarching track’s core. With Keyes himself beckoning the listener and watcher to follow as he walks “through the night just to be with you”, both lyrically and in person in the clip, London flows with a powerful poignancy; and it’s one that has been growing for years through Keyes musical upbringing, as he explains, “When I was a kid, I used to sit on the porch and listen to my Grandfather play country songs that he wrote in San Antonio, and that’s how I started writing songs. After he gave me that guitar, he told me I should become a plumber because I’d always have work. Now, we want to make music that people can dance to, drink tequila to, make love to, and live their lives to. It even sounds good driving too.”
Born and raised in Texas and now splitting his time between Los Angeles and Australia, Keyes began touring nationally at the age of 18 after his band, Texan post-hardcore quartet Recover, inked a deal with Fuelled by Ramen. Touring alongside the likes of Jimmy Eat World, AFI, My Chemical Romance and Thrice at the time, Keyes’ personal musical tastes also developed alongside his craft, with the talented artist going on to form a dance rock project Young Love in New York City in the mid 2000s. Releasing their debut album Too Young to Fight It in 2007, Young Love garnered significant and high-profile attention, with Keyes soon finding himself sitting poolside with Beyonce and under the wing of Jay-Z, aka the man powering Def Jam Recordings at the time. But for Keyes, it became a case of “too much too young”, who soon packed up and headed west, leaving Young Love behind. And it was this very move that would ultimately lead to the birth of Dan Keyes + The New Rides, alongside the revival of the iconic Wheatley Records; an independent record label established in 1980 by Glenn Wheatley that changed the landscape of the Australian music industry, flourishing the careers of John Farnham, Real Life, Pseudo Echo and countless others.
Post-Young Love and with Keyes initially embarking on a songwriting fellowship with friend and fellow creator Tim Metcalfe, the pair soon revisited their roots, weaving tales of musical sojourns and fusing their eclectic backgrounds in a coating of warm, compelling country-hued music. Bringing together Keyes and Metcalfe and also featuring Jy-Perry Banks (Kasey Chambers, Lime Cordiale) on pedal steel for the project’s debut release, Dan Keyes + The New Rides is Keyes riding high once again – and the chance to be the first new signing for the revitalised Wheatley Records is a shining cherry on top of many great things to come for the group, as Keyes concludes, “It feels sensational. We’ve been working on this project for a few years now and it’s finally ready for people to hear. We’ve put our heart and soul, quite literally into this, so I hope you like it as much as my mum does.”
London is out today, Friday November 17.