The Apartments‘ magnificent album ‘In And Out Of The Light’ was one of the brief rays of light of the grim 2020 – one of my favourite albums of that year. With one of Brisbane’s greatest singer/songwriters, Peter Milton Walsh (briefly an early Go-Between), The Apartments are possibly one of the most underrated bands coming out of Australia, leaving an indelible impression on indie music in the southern hemisphere and beyond. The band has just released ‘That’s What The Music is For’ via Riley Records/MGM and in Europe, UK and USA by Talitres and it is another example of Walsh's heartbreakingly beautiful delicate songwriting filled with luscious imagery and haunting melodies.

The new album 'Silverlinings' from Tasmania’s Verticoli puts on show their musical versatility and range of expression. A mix of tangible anger with a punkish delivery, hard rock swagger and some more laid back tracks combine to deliver something that is quite exciting and very cathartic. Opening with the fittingly entitled 'A Kick in the Teeth', Vertici show an uncompromising hard rock edge that is leavened by the melodies and jangling guitars. Singer Sam Hunn's vocals manage to sound both sweet and sardonic at the same time: filled with a swagger as he sings…

Normal service in an increasingly bizarre world has been at least temporarily been resumed with the exciting release of a new single by one of Australia's finest exports, The Church. 'Sacred Echoes (Part Two)' indicates the extraordinary level of creative brilliance from Steve Kilbey and his cohorts continues unabated after an incredible period of creative abundance. Kilbey says of the track Bleak and yet beautiful, Sacred Echoes (Part Two) is unlike any previous Church song ever with its almost orchestral climaxes and its sombre mood. The lyrics and voice are the weariness at the point where hope and hopelessness merge.

The legendary Split Enz – featuring Tim Finn, Eddie Rayner, Neil Finn, and Noel Crombie – will reunite for their first tour in nearly 20 years on the Forever Enz Tour through Live Nation, confirmed for May 2026. Antipodean pioneers in make-up and self-designed clothing with a zany form of art rock, and later transitioning to more accessible indie pop maestros, the Enz always were the archetypal quirky rock band, while their mastery of melody and bittersweet melancholy saw some of their biggest global hits such as 'I See Red' (possibly one of the first singles I ever bought) and from the album True Colours (still so listenable today) with the hit 'I Got You'.

We are ever so honoured to review the new single 'Overnight Sensation' from Sydney band Kate Moth, whose inherent worth can be gleaned form the fact that they have signed to the illustrious Scenic Drive Records label run by the legendary Australian music producer, audio engineer and musician, Wayne Connolly. You may have heard of Australian indie giants Josh Pyke, The Vines, Boy & Bear, Paul Dempsey, Youth Group, Underground Lovers, Died Pretty, Hoodoo Gurus and You Am I. They all received Connolly's magic touch behind the production desk and his label include some Backseat Mafia regulars including The Nagging Doubts, Ellen Soffe, Victoria, Bec Sykes and Grids and Dots.

You could tell before the doors even opened that it was going to be a tight squeeze. Both Lansdowne shows had sold out, the first so quickly that a second was added, only for that one to disappear too. Aotearoa's No Cigar have been quietly gathering word-of-mouth momentum that's now anything but quiet. Inside, it was shoulder-to-shoulder and pushing 40 degrees. Fog spilling off the stage, walls already sweating. There was that easy camaraderie you get when everyone’s equally stuck and stoked. I clamoured onto the side benches to get a view through the haze.

I first came across 208L Containers when they supported Pond at the Altar Bar in Hobart back in 2024 and lauded them for their performance - noting that they had: ...a native form of lutruwita punk that has a unique sound – abrasive yet intelligent, laced with humour and a self-deprecating air. (They were) were highly entertaining – an acrobatic and enigmatic lead singer Richie Cuskelly loaded with charisma led the charge supported by a passionate, energetic band. The music was not a homogenous blast of predictable punk – there were moments of pure pop brilliance and an endearing vaguely chaotic approach.

The Sydney Opera House welcomed one of jazz's most distinctive voices this week as Gregory Porter took to the stage, delivering a performance that showcased exactly why he is one of the genre's most beloved contemporary artists. Porter’s signature baritone filled the Concert Hall with that rich, velvety tone that has made him a multiple Grammy winner. The evening was a masterclass in modern jazz vocal performance, blending classic soul influences with Porter's own deeply personal songwriting. One of the most touching moments came when multiple audience members took turns calling out "I love you!" to the singer.

Before Connan Mockasin took the stage, the crowd was greeted with a bizarre opening: a homemade parody of a disturbing after-school special, starring the musician himself. It was the first of many pranks to come. A blonde-haired figure appeared on stage and settled behind the drum kit, making themselves comfortable. Another layer of misdirection in a night built on subtle confusion and playful deception. When the real Connan finally emerged, the moment dissolved into music. 'Charlotte's Thong' slipped in softly, drawing the room into that hazy, half-awake calm Mockasin has perfected.

SXSW Sydney officially began today, easing into the week with a performance from local Haley Holgate at the Tumbalong Park stage. Her set brought a warm breath to an otherwise hectic first day, giving the crowd an early glimpse of the immense talent still to come. While the panels, tech talks and film screenings have already started, the rush continues tomorrow when the official music program launches. This year’s lineup pulls talent from across the globe, but there’s also plenty to get excited about close to home. We’re particularly looking forward to sets from…

Nipaluna/Hobart band Silver Fleet Ships are signed to the tremendous Meanjin/Brisbane label False Peaks Records, and this is a sure guarantee of the quality you can except in their debut album 'Before Never, After Forever'. It's an album which bleeds atmosphere from every pore: statuesque and gilded with an Antarctic chill exacerbated by the sharp expressive guitar riffs that thread their way through every track. Opening track 'Before Never' is a smooth and floating entry that is delivered over a rambling piano: there is something of the classic 'Nilsson Sings Newman' album in the balladry and gentleness.

Belarusian post-punk outfit Molchat Doma are returning to Australia this December, bringing their uniquely brooding sound to the East Coast for three shows only. The trio will play Naarm/Melbourne’s Forum on December 17, Gadigal/Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on December 18, and Meanjin/Brisbane’s Tivoli on December 20. It’s their first visit since their meteoric rise from underground cult status to global acclaim. For the uninitiated, Molchat Doma represents the return of post-punk, new wave and synth-pop. Everything they create is dark, minimalist, and hypnotic. Their music feels like greyscale melancholy and brutalist architecture.

Vinted Vineer return with ‘you’, a tender love song floating between dream-pop and alt-indie hues. Recorded at home and rich with warmth, the single arrives ahead of the band’s East Coast tour, kicking off with a hometown launch at Brisbane’s Black Bear Lodge on October 18th.

Australia’s The Belair Lip Bombs return with Again, a glittering collection of indie-rock anthems. New single “Back of My Hand” captures the band’s signature “yearn-core” sound — fuzzy, heartfelt and irresistibly melodic — as they gear up for their US co-headline tour with dust.

Morcheeba return to Australia in 2026 to celebrate 30 years of genre-bending brilliance, joined by UNKLE’s James Lavelle for a night of hypnotic grooves, nostalgia and visual splendour.

We are very proud to premiere the sparkling single 'It's All Been For Nothing' from Sydney band Indian Pacific, a shimmering ride that is threaded throughout with a satisfying melancholia. Horns frame the sound, providing a golden burnish, and there is a pop dynamism that is redolent of The Saints, replete with jingle jangle guitars and a slight alt country twang. The band says of the track: 'It’s All Been for Nothing' is a song about doing the hard yards. The idea that things don't typically work out on their own.

I've always said that a good instrumental can evoke feeling and emotions without the need for words, and the instrumental band follow always manages this effortlessly. Their new single 'Cherry Blossoms in the Front Yards, Forever' has a power and impact that will leave you speechless, even from the poignant title alone. follow's style and delivery has always been laden with atmosphere and emotion - one that I have in past reviews linked with the geography and climate of the southern isle of Lutruwita/Tasmania: wild, raw and heart-breakingly beautiful (see my review of their 2023 debut album…

With founding members Lindy Morrison (legendary drummer from The Go-Betweens) and Rob Snarski (the iconic Black Eyed Susans) at the helm, and joined by ‘Evil’ Graham Lee (The Triffids, The Blackeyed Susans), Shane O’Mara (Rebecca’s Empire, Chris Wilson, The Silversound) and Dan Kelly (Paul Kelly, Dan Kelly & The Alpha Males), there was never any doubt something special would result from the supergroup SnarskiCircusLindyBand (SCLB). Their new album ‘what’s said and what’s left unsaid’ is a delicious blend of antipodean pop and sixties flavoured bubble gum with a hint of Australiana thanks to Lee's distinctive pedal guitars.

At 85, George Clinton has earned the right to take things easy, but clearly no one told him that. Clad in gold, he launched the Enmore Theatre straight into the cosmic depths of funk. The stage was packed with musicians, which is exactly how P-Funk should be experienced. Horns blared, guitars criss-crossed, and voices piled up until the whole place swept into the same groove. It wasn’t neat or restrained and that’s exactly the point. Watching the generational handover unfold in real time was what stood out most. Veterans like Michael "Clip" Payne anchored the set, while others, especially Garrett "Starchild Jr" Shider and Scottie Clinton, brought a new energy.

The streets of the southernmost capital in Australia are filled with crazed youths, and at the front of the pack is the rampant Lutruwita band TEENS spreading discord and riotous energy everywhere they can with a wild-eyed blend of punk, pop and anarchy. They have today released their second album 'Negative Energy' through No Sleep Records / Psychedelic Salad Records, following rapidly from last year's self-titled debut. Opening track ‘Like An Animal’ is like a twin set of chainsaws being whirled around the head advancing with bad intent but with a glint of humour hidden behind the baseball mask.

Icecream Hands achieved prominence in the nineties and early noughties with their vibrant brand of harmonious power pop, and we are extremely honoured to bring you a taste of new material in the form of the single 'Back on the Road'. Having returned to the fray in 2020 after a 13 year hiatus, the band has also announced the release of a new album entitled 'Giant Fox Pinapple Tree' for 7 November 2025. 'Back On The Road' sparkles with a melancholy jingle jangle chime of guitars and indelible melodies as the band looks back in time with a deep poignancy, shining with glorious harmonies.

We've basically run out of superlatives to express our love here at Backseat Mafia for multi-talented and all round star Kat Greta other than to say when she releases a single, the sun seems to shine that little brighter. And thus the luminescence is turned up to eleven as Greta releases her new track 'Shoot Me Lover' - another prime example of Great's unerring ear for pop masterpieces that glow with a nuclear power. As usual Greta's background as a drummer shows in the pattering percussion that underlies the track with Greta's vocals cool and urgent delivering a rousing chorus filled with melody.

 All India Radio have already signalled their much welcomed return to the airwaves with the single 'Catch The Breeze' released earlier this year (see my review here) and have just released another single 'The Red Room' ahead of the the new album 'The Unified Field'. As usual, the sound and visuals of All India Radio are a luscious and complex - Martin Kennedy's meticulous devotion to the entire production of his releases results in something quite celestial. 'The Red Room' is spacious and airy like the soundtrack to a Sergio Leone movie, but set in deep space amongst the glittering stars.

A favourite outfit at the southern outpost of 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. We are proud to premiere their new single 'Neverlandfill', the first since the release of last year's album 'Heathen Sound' (reviewed by me here) and following an excursion over the ditch to New Zealand. 'Neverlandfill' is the sound of the band revving their collective engines into a driving sparkling anthem that rumbles though like a breath of fresh air.

We are very honoured to bring you an early listen to the new single 'Banter' from Naarm/Melbourne instrumental ensemble Badinage. Rolling guitars and a pattering drum herald an almost flamenco sound with a driving stabbing instrumentation, a stop start heartbeat that sparkles and flounces with gleeful abandon. The track drifts off into a reverie - a psychedelic interlude that provides a counterpoint - before speeding back into the riff-loaded body. Guitarist Dave Reid says of the piece: ...the song title comes from the phrasing in the verse sounding almost conversational.