GRETTA ZILLER SHARES NEW SINGLE ST LOUIS NEW ALBUM ALL THESE WALLS DUE OUT FRIDAY AUGUST 25 – PRESAVE NOW
Draped in sunny melodics and buoyant brassy hues, the brand new single St Louis from the Golden Guitar-nominated Melbourne powerhouse Gretta Ziller is a grooving, moving wonderland of rock, pop, Americana and blues. Marking a sparkling peek into Ziller’s upcoming third album, All These Walls due out Friday August 25, St Louis will also be witnessed live in action imminently, with Ziller hitting the road extensively throughout August, September and November.
An exuberant celebration of soul-tinged goodness complete with glowing production and affable melodics, St Louis also showcases a formidable array of guest musicians lending Hammond organ and keys, saxophones, trumpet, pedal steel guitars and backing vocals alongside Ziller’s commanding yet sumptuous vocal delivery throughout. A song many years in the making, St Louis also embraces and pays homage to Ziller’s own creative history, as she explains, “St. Louis the song had been on my mind and in my heart to write for a number of years. I had written a few versions of this song before a song club prompt gave me the excuse to finally finish the version we recorded. The song expresses my gratitude to all the songs, and the writers of those songs, that shaped my musical influences. In particular, the first song I performed for an audience; St. Louis Blues written by W.C Handy.”
A passionate storyteller and songwriter, Gretta Ziller not only teamed up with an army of fellow musicians on St Louis; she also amassed multiple talents alongside her own to bring All These Walls to life, while also working alongside producers Paul Ruske, who has worked with the likes of Kyle Lionheart and Skyscraper Stan, and Rob Muinõs, whose previous work spans Didirri, Little May, Dorsal Fins and more. Stylistically inspired by a potent array of influences, including Bishop Briggs, Rag n Bone Man, Tom Petty, Foy Vance, Alabama Shakes and HAIM, All These Walls follows in the footsteps of Ziller’s earlier works, including 2021’s Judas Tree and 2017’s Queen of Boomtown, while firmly showcasing joyful creative evolution alongside a significantly thriving core message summed up by Ziller herself: “The main themes on All These Walls are love, self believe and self-worth …with a hint of self-doubt cause we can’t be too cheery!”
Case in point, All These Walls opens in silken fashion via Cross My Fingers, morphing into a sharp ode to facing one’s demons complete with modern gloss and hints of twanging charm, before sliding into maudlin beauty on the wistful and winsome Dear Damascus. Effortlessly flitting between gossamer restraint and powerful glee, Ziller’s mesmerising vocals thrive throughout the album’s journey, from jaunty, bold tracks coated in brass (Ain’t Even Your Lover), to heart-rending country ballads (Whole) and anthemic stompers brimming with positivity (Bones). In between moments of mellowed beauty (Golden Days, Who Knows) and lush modern production, witnessed in spades on the album’s very title track, Ziller’s capacity to concoct authentic narratives alongside glistening guitars, warm melodics and an unmistakable alt-country flavour shines loudly and proudly, effortlessly baring her soul with self-awareness and captivating compositions – and, ultimately, an unmistakable love for her craft.
A critically acclaimed, classically trained artist, Ziller’s career to date has seen her accrue two Golden Guitar nominations, with her single 5,4,3,2,1also currently sitting just shy of 500K individual streams on Spotify alone. Destined for a life in the creative arts, Ziller was able to whistle before she could talk, hailing as the token musician in a family of farmers and going on to take up the violin when she was just 2 years old. Picking up other instruments along the way, including the bagpipes, Ziller went on to complete a Bachelor of Music at Melbourne University, majoring in voice and starting her musical career as an opera singer and teaching the notoriously complex art that is the bagpipes.
Over the years, Ziller’s potent talents have garnered resounding praise with each new release, including two full length albums, an acoustic album and her debut EP which released back in 2014. Armed with a sharp self-awareness alongside her irresistible blend of modern Americana, blues and beyond, 2020 saw Ziller support Australian legends Ian Moss and Troy Cassar-Daley for their 2020 Together Alone tour, a tour which remains one of her career highlights to date. But the talented Melbourne artist also continues to burgeon her own individual fanbase alongside her trademark sound, with the release of All These Walls set to stun both on and off the stage, as Ziller concludes, “Most of my upcoming live shows are acoustic solo, so in those shows you’ll get to know me and the stories around my songs. In these shows I want to let people in, I want them to get to know me and walk away with joy in their hearts. If you’re seeing a band show of mine, which I rarely get to do, we like to make them big and rocking and full on …we want you to feel the joy and love for what we do oozing off the stage & infecting you!”
St Louis is out today, Wednesday July 19.
All These Walls is due out Friday August 25 via ABC Music and is available to pre-save now.
GRETTA ZILLER – UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
Tickets available from www.grettaziller.com
FRI 4 AUG | THE OLD PRESBYTERIAN CHRUCH, SPRINGWOOD NSW
SAT 5 AUG | HUMPH HALL, ALLAMBIE HEIGHTS NSW
SAT 12 AUG | STAR HOTEL, YACKANDANDAH VIC
SUN 13 AUG | HYDRANT FOOD HALL, BALLARAT VIC
SAT 19 AUG | SMITHS ALTERNATIVE, CANBERRA ACT
SUN 20 AUG | THE CURIOUS RABBIT, WAGGA WAGGA NSW
FRI 25 AUG | THE NOOJEE HOTEL, NOOJEE VIC
SAT 26 AUG | GEORGE LANE, ST KILDA VIC
SUN 27 AUG | BAYVIEW COUNTRY ARTS CLUB, BITTERN VIC
TUES 19 SEPT – SAT 23 SEPT | AMERICANA FEST, NASHVILLE TN
FRI 29 SEPT | DENI UTE MUSTER, DENELIQUIN NSW
THU 16 NOV | QIRKS, KURRI KURRI NSW
FRI 17 NOV | WINGHAM HOUSE, WINGHAM NSW
SUN 19 NOV | CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET, BRISBANE QLD
FRI 1 DEC | THE PALAIS, HEPBURN SPRINGS VIC
EMILY VICTORIA SHARES DREAMY NEW SINGLE + VIDEO ‘MEMORISE’
An undulating ode to the shifting of time, memory and the world around us, Melbourne singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Emily Victoria returns today with a sublime new dream pop-laced single Memorise, also accompanied by an exquisitely filmed and edited photobook-inspired music video.
Expansive, dreamy and magnetically heartfelt, Memorise finds Emily drawing inspiration from a range of specific artists and songs, including Massive Attack’s Unfinished Sympathy, Acopia’s Holding On, Purient’s WBWU, and City Moon’s Love Spirals Downwards. A lush dreamy pop universe steeped with moments of soft melodics, warm fuzz and angelic synths, the journey to the ultimate release of Memorise was also deeply shaped by the impact of time on memories, reflected by the ever-changing seasons themselves, as Emily elaborates, “Memorise is about time passing and the seasons changing. As we move forward , memories are distant…how consistent are visions of an event that occurred many years ago? What images are we reflecting on? And it’s also about nature following a cyclic progression. My intention was to compose a song that resembled a cycle structurally. There are no defined sections, the verse unfolds into the chorus and then the chorus concludes sooner than anticipated and the beginning of the idea surfaces again (round and round). Like a clock. Every time the cycle recommences , new paths are explored thus new lyrics, instrumental layers and additions surface. Like memories, culminating in new layers of thought, connections made, ideas appear.”
Produced by Nao Anzai and Lewis Moody and Gareth Thomson (vocal production) and mastering by Seb Moomin, with additional instrumentation provided by Anthony Farrugia, Jacob Long, Lewis Moody and Sam Clarke, Memorise also vividly comes to life via its accompanying music video. Directed by Brendan Schoenmaker alongside a stellar team, the clip captures the visualisation of memory itself, with inspiration taken from photobooks as well as the work of Alexandra Savior and films A Ghost Story and Bones. From filming at 5am on beaches earlier this year to careful colour consideration, the clip seamlessly links to Emily’s sharp lyricism and the track’s overarching dream-like state, as Brendan explains, “The video explores the haunting ability of memories as well as its fleeting and corruptible nature. The concept is built off the idea that memory is constantly being rewritten with every recall leaving us with the gist of something faded.” Offering further insight, Emily notes, “In the clip, an individual visits some of their memories – images of them in a red dress (a lively colour resembling life), wandering lonely landscapes. The occasional appearance of a mannequin blurs the lines between individual and mannequin.”
Marking Emily’s second release following her most recent single Humming Heart, which has been streamed over 300,000 times, went to #1 in Latvia and was selected as Brag Media’s feature video of the week upon release earlier this year, Memorise is a matured and exceedingly polished addition to the Emily Victoria burgeoning repertoire. An accomplished vocalist, cellist, guitarist and pianist, Emily’s creative pursuits to date has seen her awarded an AMRAP Women In Music mentorship, currently mentoring under Chrissie Vincent, as well as multiple projects and performances in her wake since 2013, including performing with her high school band My Tree Origin launching an experimental jazz quartet, releasing an EP The Creature You Are in 2018, and harnessing her dream pop prowess as of 2020 under the moniker Emily Victoria. From studying classical cello in her youth to now spreading her creative wings further than ever, Memorise is a delectable continuation as much as it has been a pivotal juncture to future endeavours, as Emily concludes, “I am so in love with this song. From writing the lyrics on Chapel Street a few years ago to shooting the video clip at 5am at Emerald Beach NSW earlier this year, Memorise has taught me so much and taken me on a journey. There has been so much growth.”
Memorise is out today, Tuesday July 11.
THE ELSEWHERES ANNOUNCE DEBUT EP ‘RUN AWAY WITH ME’ – OUT AUGUST 3 + SHARE ANIMATED VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE, ‘TAKE MY HAND’
Melbourne technicolour folk-rock collective The Elsewheres are on the verge of greatness, with feelings of catharsis, pride, and joy accompanying the release of their newest single Take My Hand. The second taste of their debut EP, Run Away With Me (set for release on August 3), Take My Hand is the raw, twangy sound of the Victorian octet reckoning with elements of anxiety, depression, and defeat, and the importance of the titular helping hand that can set one upon the right path.
With musical nods to icons such as Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel, recording and mixing assistance from Lee and Michael Bradshaw(Bradshaw Productions) respectively, and mastering by Jeremy Chua, lead singer and songwriter Oliver Northam explains that Take My Hand is the story of a saving, nurturing love during a deep depression.
As Oliver explains, “Amidst an interminable depression during lockdown, there was a morning when every little thing went wrong and my mind collapsed inward with doubt, fear and complete hopelessness. In a bid to snap me out of it, my beautiful partner at the time suggested we take the greyhound for a walk. I recall kicking a stone along the footpath utterly despondent. As we came up to the crossing, she lent down trying to teach the dog to sit. I saw a white bus approaching around the bend and kept moving forward. As I put one foot onto the road, she took my hand and pulled me back. I don’t think she ever knew. Take My Hand is my thank you to her. The bridge says everything; ‘I might not be here now, if it weren’t for you’. I sincerely hope it might be some semblance of hope for the lost soul who finds themself defeated by anxiety and depression. It is for that reason that I feel so much pride and joy at releasing it. However, there are so many friends and family who have no idea how these lyrics could have come through me because I’ve never let on just how far I fell, so I fear what they might say.”
Alongside the release of Take My Hand, The Elsewheres also share the official video for the track, which utilises the animation talents of Jasper Turpie and Yee Hui to contextualise the lyrics. Through a visceral animation style, a stark use of colour, and the appearance of The Elsewheres as a swampy bar band, the creation is one which adds another element of honesty and power to a song that already hits close to the heart.
As Oliver explains, “It was during Ned’s (electric guitar) recording session that a vision for the video struck me. Lee and I had been using ‘swampy’ as the predominant adjective to elicit the feel we wanted out of the band and I began to see myself floating down a swampy river on an air boat singing the song. I saw myself coming to an old tavern with caricatures of The Elsewheres playing inside (much like the animated videos from Gorillaz). I knew we’d never be able to film it, so I reached out to my dear friend Jasper Turpie who is an incredible animator. We fleshed out the storyboard over a few pints and after some months slaving away he produced my vision wonderfully. It was quite a miraculous moment. Unfortunately, Jasper was suddenly unable to continue working on it and luckily Yee Hui Wong came to the rescue, bringing her own flavour to Jasper’s style. What they created is a masterpiece!”
Take My Hand will join The Elsewheres’ recent single, the EP title track, Run Away With Me, on their forthcoming EP Run Away With Me when it arrives on August 3. A five-track collection of songs that address love and romance in different forms, it’s a tender yet forceful, reflective yet progressive release which encapsulates the heartfelt sound that The Elsewheres display, albeit with their own unique flavour of cheekiness throughout. While songs such as Long Long Way, If Your Love Was Still Mine, and Take My Hand ruminate on deeper, more serious forms of romance and love, the likes of Hurricane speak to joviality and wholesomeness, while Run Away With Me is a head-on, all-in celebration of reckless love.
Though Run Away With Me will serve as The Elsewheres’ debut EP, it’s been a long time coming for the group and its founder, Oliver Northam. Penning the initial version of Run Away With Me while at high school in 2010, recording of the EP began in earnest during the heady days of lockdown. With Run Away With Me being finalised at university alongside the formation of The Elsewheres (and winning the approval of Oh Mercy’s Alex Gow), the Push Songwriting Competition gave Oliver the chance to work with Alice Skye to refine Long Long Way and If Your Love Was Still Mine, and the Box Hill Music Industry Mentoring Edge program provided Oliver with guidance from Liz Stringer. The result is a collection of work far more accomplished than most debut EPs, and one that tugs on the heartstrings more than expected due to a masterful command of songwriting.
As Oliver explains, “My songwriting has shifted a lot over the years and the EP marks that change well. I moved from songs with really morose stories of regret, to songs that begin bleakly and culminate in a happy ending. Now I really want to write uplifting tracks, partly for my own mental health and partly because I think writing a truly happy song that is uplifting without being tacky is one of the greatest challenges. I love a challenge.”
In addition to the release of their new single and forthcoming EP, The Elsewheres will celebrate their myriad accomplishments with a special launch show at Melbourne’s John Curtin Hotel on August 10. A special opportunity to witness what makes The Elsewheres one of the most compelling groups in Australia, it will be a celebration of music, life, love, and – one of their most important elements – fun. Urges Oliver, “Come for a boogie, a laugh, and perhaps a tear or two. There will be a display of local visual art exhibited around the venue as well as special guests Fairtrade Narcoticsopening up the night!”
Take My Hand is out today, Friday July 7. Run Away With Me is out, Thursday August 3.
Tickets to the single launch show are on sale now from Oztix
THUR 10 AUGUST | JOHN CURTIN HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC | 18+
Tickets available from https://tickets.oztix.com.au/outlet/event/fd1e847a-ec5d-4833-8798-f60f0bed0c58
STREAM: TAKE MY HAND
STREAM: RUN AWAY WITH ME EP