News
News: Kina Makes History As First Italian Artist to Reach 1 Billion Streams On Spotify With Original Song
In a milestone for Italian music, Kina has achieved a feat that sets him apart in the industry. With his chilled, emotional 2018 single ‘Get You The Moon,’ the Naples-born artist has become the first from Italy to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify. The journey of ‘Get You The Moon’ from its origins in …
Meet: Music is the vice – we chat to the legendary Kid Congo Powers about danger and excitement and being an alien.
Kid Congo & the Pink Monkey Birds are in the middle of a tour of Australia and I caught up with the irrepressible Kid Congo Powers on the the day before he ventured to the deep south to play in Hobart. Born Brian Tristan, Kid likes to be called Kid – even my sister calls …
Album Review: The ‘Heathen Sound’ of Big League is a deliciously fuzzy onslaught filled with melody and chainsaws.
Much loved here at Backseat Mafia, Naarm/Melbourne band Big League began as a series of lounge-room recordings by husband and wife team Travis (guitar, vocals) & Marie Velthoven (bass) before expanding into a full band and an even fuller sound. And the sound is bigger than Ben Hur. Big League have released a new album, ‘Hethen Sound’, and according to …
Album Review : Arthur Melo – ‘Mirantes Emocionais’ : a dazzling alt pop escapade from the Brazilian guitarist and composer.
In the same way that last year Bala Dejeso and Ana Frango Elétrico swung the spotlight back on the wild creativity of the Brazilian pop scene, 2024 looks like it’s facing a repeat. Alongside the whispers of the enigmatic Sessa, gathering a new album together, there’s another name filtering through to the surface, the multi-talented …
EP Review: ‘Accelerator’ – life speeds up for the brilliant HighSchool in this haunting epic release ahead of European tour.
Today, the imperial HighSchool release their EP ‘Accelerator’ via [PIAS] Australia, and it fulfils all promises made by the series of singles that anticipated its release. Based in London but coming from Naarm/Melbourne the band normally consists of brother and sister Rory and Lilli Trobbiani (related to Frank Trobbiani from The Wreckery) and Luke Scott, but Lilli …
Live Review and Gallery: The Ronson Hangup, George Lane, Melbourne 19.04.2024
Melbourne psych-pop supergroup The Ronson Hangup – featuring members of The Anyones, Dallas Crane, The Church, Even, Paul Kelly’s band and Courtney Barnett’s band, launched their most recent single ‘SSDD (Same Shit Different Day)’ at the very Bohemian George Lane venue in the equally Bohemian St Kilda suburb of Melbourne. The venue was intimate enough but the …
Live Review + Galleries: Bluesfest Byron Bay – Day 4, Sunday 31.03.2024
If the Saturday at Bluesfest Byron Bay had been fairly hectic with me getting to 11 artists, then Sunday would turn out to be even busier. With the crowds still buzzing, I tried to make sure that I captured as many artists as I could across this day. I opened my day by catching the …
Album Review: Big|Brave – ‘A Chaos Of Flowers’ : The Montreal rock trio craft a post-metal touchstone.
Ever since Big|Brave‘s core members Robin Wattie (vocals/guitar) and Mathieu Ball (guitars) experienced a ‘loud can be quiet’ epiphany over a decade ago, ditching the acoustics and plugging in, their elemental sound has set the aerobatic thrill of Wattie’s singular voice within a swirling storm of riffs, distortion and pummelling rhythms. In some ways their …
News: Cincinnati Singer-Songwriter Lydia Shae Shines Bright with Debut Album ‘Decade Diaries’
Singer-songwriter Lydia Shae unveils her highly anticipated debut album, ‘Decade Diaries’. Embarking on a musical journey that spans themes of love, loss, and self-discovery, Lydia’s album promises to be a poignant reflection of life’s myriad experiences, all delivered with her signature blend of raw authenticity and heartfelt passion. With thirteen tracks of emotive folk songwriting, …
News: Marieme Shares Emotion Driven New Ballad ‘Changin’
Senegalese-American artist Marieme shares the intoxicating new single ‘Changin’. Taken from the upcoming debut album ‘Heartbreak’, the track offers and exciting taste of what to expect. Comparable to Adele, thew track builds a cinematic backdrop of piano and strings under the silky, soaring lead vocals. Having already made waves with its inclusion in prominent television …