Singles Spin #40

So what’s the latest singles in Singles Spin #40? Check out the latest from:

Following the success of their latest single Caution, which hit #1 on the Alternative radio chart this week, THE KILLERS are thrilled to share an incredible new song, entitled Fire In Bone, from forthcoming album, Imploding The Mirage.

Imploding The Mirage, which will be released via Island Records, will be receiving a new release date in the coming weeks due to delays in finalising the album. Watch this space for more.

Melbourne quartet of chameleons The Tiger & Me announce the release of their haunting new single Adrift in Time – a tangled modern folk song laid bare through exposed emotive vocal and gritty electric guitar.

Inspired by the poetry of Yeats and the stories of Tolstoy the song’s unconventional structure tells the desperation of a man who seeks to reach his lover through masks that distort and disorient our view of the world.

With the world in lockdown and more than half the population bunkering down with their partners, housemates and family members around the clock, COVID-19 related isolation has presented some households with a unique set of challenges. For Australian band Sheppard, it’s brought back memories from a time when loneliness and isolation was an issue, well before the virus took hold.

Written by George Sheppard in late 2019 – well before the industry was placed into lockdown mode – Come Back is the result of a solo writing trip to the opposite of the world; three weeks isolated in a hotel room in Sweden without contact to anyone in the same time zone.

“It’s kind of ironic how closely the time I spent alone in Sweden last year mirrors the current situation” Continued George Sheppard. “There’s definitely a strong parallel between being in a band, isolated in a hotel room somewhere without contact to the people you care about, and being locked in your home, unable to spend time with family and friends.“

Tori Forsyth releases her new video and single Down Below, a gut-wrenching grunge stomp that tackles erosive feelings of paranoia and anxiety.

“It’s about conflict that people drum up in their own head” the Hunter Valley local says. Based on Tori’s own countless experiences, Down Below is a raw, visceral alt-rock song that captures how we can misread personal interactions and let our anxious internal monologue wreck our rational thinking.

Written earlier this year while Tori was recovering from surgery, the song spilled out in a moment of inspiration on a grand piano, then later recorded with surging 90’s guitars mixed in with a perfect blend of pop hooks and punk force. A Shirley Manson for the modern era.

The song is searing but also comforting, with an underlying message of how anxiety and inadequacy are experiences we all face collectively. “The ethos of the song is that everyone is on a level-playing field” says Tori.

The release of multiple ARIA and Grammy Award winner Keith Urban’s brand new single Polaroid, which comes ahead of his Spring 2020 album release.

An upbeat guitar driven pop song, the track builds around a dynamic riff before lifting the song into a melody-laden chorus. Just as a Polaroid picture captures a single moment in time, Polaroid evokes a special moment – a universal feeling everyone can imagine.

“’Polaroid’ captures not only a moment, but THE moment. After coming across the photo again, it becomes a portal back in time,” said Urban.

Edgy pop chanteuse Nicole Millar follows up 2019’s Favours with an intensely personal and hypnotic new single, I should probably go to therapy.

Written by Nicole alongside Muki and Kilter, and produced by Kilter, the song has been brought to life by Nicholas Keays with a quirky and clever animated video depicting Nicole and her beloved dog Kodi. Keays said, “Nicole hit me up on Instagram about the clip and sent me the song and some of her ideas, the song feels very relevant in current times so the concept evolved naturally and the visual came together effortlessly.”

Discussing the single, Nicole said, “I wrote Therapy on my couch at a time when I felt like nobody was listening to what I had to say, I felt I couldn’t trust anyone and everyone was asking too much of me. There is such a stigma behind going to therapy but I believe everyone should give it a go it’s nice to talk to someone that won’t judge how you are feeling or even tell anyone. This song is one of favorites because it touches on a meaningful subject but is also playful at the same time. I wanted to put Therapy out next because I think it will shed some light on everything that is going on now.”

Central Coast indie-pop trio The Million welcome a left-field pop earworm into the world today, an exciting next step in the form of their new single Check Up.

This new single find’s lead singer and lyricist Jacob Thomas switching his vision more inward, after a formative experience on the trio’s Los Angeles writing trip made Jacob take stock of who he really is.

“It was written at a time when self-reflection and self-doubt were fighting each other in my head. I began having these internal thoughts of, “Am I good enough? Am I good at what I’m doing?” he says, “In that period of time, I was really questioning if I was worth anything, or more specifically if I was worth the career I was building.”

YUMA X –comprised of vocalist Lucy Washington and producer Jake Smith – want to write music that makes you feel good, more than anything else. And the timing couldn’t be anything but perfect. The Sydney duo release their new single and video, Secret Lover.

Written alongside Pawws – the alias for UK songwriter and musician Lucy Taylor (Dua Lipa, Friendly Fires), Secret Lover channels a heavier influence in club-adjacent sounds while not drifting far from the comforting warmth that defined their earliest work.

Jake says “I remember the song had a very 80s feel to it on the day, and it had this fun, anthemic sing-along energy about it.The song has changed a bit since then, but I always remember that feeling even when I hear the song as it is now.”

Paul Kelly is releasing two singles within a week of each other. Or, to look at it another way, he’s releasing A and B sides of one single attenuated in time. Better still, let’s just look at it as a Double A!

The new release, Hummin’ To Myself, is a cover from the early 1930s and the second, to follow on May 1st, is a stunning update of Paul’s song Every Day My Mother’s Voice performed with Jessica Hitchcock at Sydney’s Making Gravy show last December.

The songs are accompanied by entertaining videos which both reference football. Purely co-incidental, but perhaps it’ll help mitigate the pain of withdrawals for those who miss playing or watching their favourite sport this autumn and winter!

Off the back of What’s Wrong With Me? released in October 2019, Anthony Callea is back with his brand new single Lonely.

Lonely written by Anthony Callea, Liam Quinn and Ash Gale hits you in the face with honesty and truth, a story of an addicted soul searching for answers. With rising pop melodies, grit, his trademark flawless vocals and world class production, Lonely is currently capturing the mood of a nation and the hearts of his ever increasing fan base. Reaching Top 10 on the iTunes singles charts in its first week of release, the song continues to forge a path with a life of its own.

Anthony says, “The essence of this track is raw, vulnerable and brutal and paints the picture of self-struggle, realisation and shame. I immersed myself in the feelings and truth that both I and close friends around me have gone through. The feelings that many of us do not share but are real and what we must face.”

Following on from the release of their summer hit Live In Life, The Rubens return in full force with their new single, Heavy Weather. Bursting with colossal hooks that are bound to stay in your head for days, Heavy Weather is all about empowerment; an anthem reminding us all to take control of the inner critic and back yourself when times get tough – a message that seems timely in this new world order.

Until recently the band were in the final stages of recording what is to be the band’s fourth studio album, giving themselves a break and some space at the end of March to see if inspiration would strike at the final hour before heading on their (now-postponed) tour.

“We wrote ‘Heavy Weather’ at the end of 2019. The song is about the inner dialogue you have with yourself when you’re going through something heavy/challenging. This song has nothing to do with Covid-19 but I guess more than ever people are going through some very hard times now. So on one hand it’s a bit scary to know the themes relate but what we really want is that pandemic or no pandemic, if you’re going through a tough period, maybe this song can help you through that process and let you know you’re not alone.”

The Wolfe Brothers release their new single No Brakes and announce a global recording deal with BMG. No Brakes is the most conceptually and musically bold song The Wolfe Brothers have ever put to tape. A joyful fusion of country, rock, and pop, No Brakes, like Country Heart, is a portrait of where the brothers are at this point in time — only this time, it shows them going full speed ahead, pushing forward with no cares in the world.

“We’re drawing from pub rock, from old country, from new country,” lead singer Nick Wolfe explains. “Maybe it’s a bit confusing, but we do what we do and write what we love.”

A song about going full steam ahead in a relationship, No Brakes works as an accurate metaphor for where The Wolfe Brothers are in their career. Co-written and produced by Lindsay Rimes in Nashville, it presents the last few years of the band’s journey and where they want to go.

5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) continue to #StayHome, but that can’t stop them from making one of their best videos to date. Wildflower was shot entirely on a green screen, which was safely delivered to each member’s house, allowing them to self-capture footage. The footage was then sent back to the band’s creative director and collaborator, Andy DeLuca, who along with Sarah Eisemen, created the end product after many hours of animation and VFX.

Wildflower is an ode to videos of yesteryear but serves as a modern testament to creativity and ingenuity during this unique time in our lives.

Global superstar Sam Smith releases their brand new single I’m Ready alongside international music sensation Demi Lovato. Also unveiled is the video to accompany the single – directed by award winning director Jora Frantzis (Cardi B, Rosalia) and renowned choreographer Sean Bankhead (Normani, Missy Elliot).

The last twelve months have also seen Smith release singles To Die For, How Do You Sleep? and Dancing With A Stranger, a joint release with Normani. The new single follows on from Smith’s recent album postponement announcement with further details regarding this third studio album to be revealed in coming months.

Last Dinosaurs return to the spotlight with their French house inspired new single Flying. This 90’s Nu-Disco vibe has always been in Last Dinosaurs’ D.N.A having covered artists in their live show like Jamiroquai, Spiller, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Modjo and Daft Punk. So they’ve decided to have a little fun with it and enjoy themselves in the process.

Lach comments on their new single, “Flying, which harkens back to the tongue and cheek, cheesy and dramatic love / flirt tales of the Nu-Disco genre. “We were kids when we heard this stuff on the radio and TV so it’s in our reptile brains and it’ll never get out.

The demo was made at a time when I had to either be wallowing in loneliness, or enjoying the freedoms let’s say, of a single young man. My friend from Spain about 12 years my senior whom I consider to be a brother was responsible to helping me capitalise on this time, and for a period of about 6 months took me out every Friday to admittedly tacky clubs and shithouse bars. Of course, I was nervous and uncomfortable in the beginning, but I eventually learned to embrace being the very kind of sleeze-bag that I still despise, only because I had no choice. In this profoundly sultry yet transformational journey I found that one of the central distractors from ‘success’ was phones.

You’d think European backpackers wouldn’t have sim cards most of the time, but I guess the clubs had free wifi”. So, this formative period of going to euro-dance clubs and trying my luck got me vibing on Nu-Disco again. I can romanticize this period through a cool and corny lens of 90s Nu-Disco and that makes me happy”.

If there’s one thing Eliott should be known for, it’s her ability to tell a story. The Melbourne-based-artist returns with her new single Circles and the accompanying video filmed along the beautiful streets of Paris. More powerful than anything she’s put out before, Circles showcases Eliott’s ability to translate her past into show-stopping, heart-gripping pop, rich in emotional lyricism and vulnerability.

Arriving in the wake of her debut EP Bold Enough, after a period of self-reflection and overthinking that often comes alongside, Circles sees Eliott confront her life journey head-on.

“It navigates through a lot of my life,” Eliott explains. “Dropping out of university, letting down my parents, always being on diets, and ultimately living in this cycle of making mistakes and hating who I am.”

Hockey Dad injects a blend of raw energy and loveable irreverence into their dynamic, sun-drenched pop. The band released their energetic new single In This State and announced the new release date of their upcoming album Brain Candy, now out on July 31 via BMG.

In This State, the lead off track on Brain Candy, follows a loser navigating a breakup. Hockey Dad came up with the concept for the song after a successful set at Splendour In The Grass in 2018.

“It’s the first song we completed when we were working on this album,” says guitarist and lead vocalist Zach Stephenson. “We came up with most of it the weekend of Splendour in the Grass. We had just played a You Am I song with Tim Rogers, and whilst rehearsing for it, I was playing around with the opening guitar chords. Tim seemed to like them, which got us even more excited to finish it and start playing it live. To me, it always felt like an album opener. The initial energy it brings sets a great pace for the rest of the album. It’s definitely one of the most energetic songs in the live set for sure.”

The Naked and Famous have created some of the past decade’s most memorable synth-pop, be it their breakout smash Young Blood or their recent Bury Us which NYLON said will “instantly transport you to pop bliss”. Their latest release Come As You Are (a cut off their forthcoming album Recover, out July 24), serves as a rallying anthem for individuality and self-pride in all the ways we are uniquely one-of-a-kind, and today they have released the ground-breaking music video for the song.

Directed by surrealist visual and video artist Frank Nitty, the video for Come As You Are is a fitting metaphor for the track’s message, an expertly crafted piece of moving art that includes images of band members Alisa Xayalith and Thom Powers being morphed, geometrically manipulated and fused with beautiful blooming roses.

“What began as a personal love song turned into a mission statement. Come as you are, with all your layers and complexities. This song is about the importance of welcoming and accepting people from all walks of life—an anthem of inclusivity,” said Alisa and Thom. “The music video is a playful visual metaphor for how we are, as humans. Working with Frank Nitty allowed us to explore this idea through his lens.”

Reemerging from that dusty dirt track deep in the Mallee are the Dip Road Dogs, who have today dropped their dreamy new single, Lazy, a comforting, hypnotic journey into Americana. Lazy is the third taste of their new EP, Shakshuka that is set for release on May 21.

Dip Road Dogs are back with some of their finest music to date. Lazy is exquisite Americana folk rock from the fun loving Aussie country boys. For fans of The National and The Church, haunting cello, and mesmerising, deep vocals will entice the listener, but it’s the unassuming emotional force that will sock you right in the feels and keep you coming back for more. Contrastingly, Lazy is a song about a relationship where one partner is not pulling their weight with the household chores and the other becomes fed up with this behaviour and finally leaves for greener pastures. “It’s a warning to everyone to make sure you mow the lawns and do the dishes or you will end up alone!” Jests lead singer and songwriter Dave Chirnside.

Asking Alexandria, one of the most successful rock bands of their generation, have released another new track Down To Hell with an accompanying visualiser video. The track is the fourth single to be released from the band’s highly anticipated sixth studio album, Like A House On Fire, set for release on May 15th via Sumerian Records.

Speaking on the release of Down To Hell, guitarist Ben Bruce explains, “We all have a rebellious side and ‘Down to Hell’ is a big ol’, rebellious rock n roll song reminiscent of From Death to Destiny. From the minute the song starts to the very last note the energy doesn’t stop! It’s a headbanger from start to finish and I cannot wait to play this one live!”

Caligula’s Horse, hailing from Brisbane, Australia, a leading light in contemporary progressive metal worldwide, recently announced their fifth studio album Rise Radiant for release on May 22. Produced by the group’s Sam Vallen, and mixed by Jens Bogren (Opeth, Devin Townsend Project, Leprous), the record is their most focussed and potent artistic statement to date.

The band are proud to release the video for the awe-inspiring second single Slow Violence, directed and produced by the band’s own Adrian Goleby & Dale Prinsse respectively.

Vocalist Jim Grey comments: “Our goal with Slow Violence was to create something more stripped back and minimal musically speaking, letting the guy’s performances speak for themselves. The result was something full of energy and with a powerful message that we’re all really proud of, and the hectic music video ended up capturing that explosive vibe perfectly. The idea for the themes in Slow Violence came out of my own frustrations with very visible hypocrisy in the face of a desperate need for change, and a youth that is crying out for unity in crisis. Slow Violence expresses that frustration along with the unifying message that one way or another, all are inevitably made equal.”

Car Seat Headrest has released Hollywood, the latest single taken from his hotly anticipated album Making A Door Less Open, released May 1st on Matador Records / Remote Control. Accompanied by an animated video by Sabrina Nichols featuring Toledo’s alternate persona ‘Trait’, Hollywood is an a simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying haunted ride through Tinseltown that sees Car Seat Headrest embarking on adventurous new roads. Listen/watch below. An acoustic version of the song is available to listen to on all digital services.

Toledo said: “This song is about Hollywood as a place where people go to make their fantasies come to life, and they end up exploiting other people and doing terrible things to maintain their fantasy. There’s this terror you’re going to lose the fantasy, and you’re going to have to face the facts, and some people will do anything to avoid facing that. It’s about that fear, and the pain of being subjugated to someone else’s fantasy against your will, and it’s all tied together under this banner of this physical location of Hollywood that we all know about and dream about, but none of us really want to think about what is going on behind the scenes there.”

I OH YOU are thrilled to share The Glow, the intoxicating title track off DMA’S forthcoming third album, which will now be released on Friday 10 July.

The Glow has an anthemic feel with a signature distorted guitar riff and a Strokes-y beat, layered with vocalist Tommy O’Dell’s euphoric howl. The track was fine-tuned over the years, overseeing many personal and professional changes for the band. It’s for this reason Tommy says it’s one of his favourites off the record, “for me it’s a snapshot of where we were and where we’re at now”. This perhaps explains why it’s also the most upbeat track on the hugely anticipated album. While the intro has hints of the digital sequencers that are sprinkled through the album, The Glow is a classic DMA’S belter and a nod to the guitar-driven warmth that defined the band’s early sound.

Troye Sivan has just shared an evocative live performance of his new single Take Yourself Home, in a video that he and his bandmates shot in their respective homes, chatting with fans during its YouTube premiere.

Originally set for release later this year, Troye considered the song in a new context as he headed home to Australia to self-isolate and decided to share it with fans early. #Take Yourself Home was the #1 trending hashtag worldwide on Twitter after its release on April 1. The track has amassed over 14 million cumulative global streams to date. On TikTok, views of #takeyourselfhome have surpassed seven million with fans posting over 3,000 videos inspired by the song.

Having recently signed to Golden Robot Records part of the Golden Robot Global Entertainment Group, the legendary L.A. Guns have released their new single Crawl off their upcoming album RENEGADES. Crawl is now available on all digital platforms.

If there was a band synonymous with the infamous Sunset Strip it is L.A. GUNS. Born into a scene that will never be replicated, L.A. GUNS rode alongside Motley Crue, Guns n’ Roses, Ratt, Poison, Quiet Riot and co. in one of the biggest movements in Music history. L.A. GUNS are without a doubt Hollywood Rock Royalty.

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