Alternative Indie | Musicosity

Alternative Indie

Antonia Gwenyth

18-year-old Antonia Gwenyth has been forging her musical identity since she was in primary school, writing songs on ukulele, piano and guitar. Over the years she has created a plethora of songs across a variety of styles that speak to the wider human experience. Last year, Antonia won the encouragement award in the Tablelands Folk Festival songwriting competition for her song “Forgiveness”. On the stage Antonia Gwenyth is a positive, energetic force whose lyrics capture attention with their original perspective and poetry.

Greta Stanley

Known for her remarkable voice, emotional honesty and ability to translate difficult subject matter into rich pop songs, Cairns-based artist Greta Stanley has been on a steadily rising trajectory over the past few years.

Unafraid to tackle themes of depression, anxiety, heartache and the challenges of transitioning from youth into adulthood, Greta's writing also explores the beauty of the natural world, the comfort of home and the importance of friendship.

Taken from her forthcoming sophomore album, new single 'Hope It Lands' is a collaboration with producer/co-writer Tristan Barton, who is best known for his acclaimed film soundtrack work. It's immediately clear that the combination of Stanley's warm, natural pop sensibilities and the textural depth of Barton's day job work is a winning formula.

She says of the song: “I wrote Hope It Lands when I was in a low headspace and struggling to be social. It’s about a kind of longing to be this person who went out and had ‘fun’ and what might come about if I did go to parties. At the time I was feeling really lonely, but I found it hard to meet anybody or build connections because I was struggling to put myself out there. So it was this kind of alter ego view of who I’d be or what kind of night I’d have if I could have had the courage to say yes to events and step out of this comfort zone or safe zone I was in at the time."

The song showcases Stanley's vulnerability and nous for storytelling. It's an exciting harbinger for her upcoming second album, which will also feature previously released tracks, 'Soak Into This' and 'New Feeling’, both produced by German heavy hitter Tobias Kuhn (Milky Chance, Dean Lewis).

With millions of streams to her name, numerous festival appearances and a list of support slots that reads like a who's who of Australian indie pop (Amy Shark, Tash Sultana, Eves Karydas), now's the time to get on board this truly exceptional artist, if you aren't already.

Talking Heads

Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.[9] The band was composed of Scottish-born David Byrne (lead vocals, guitar), Chris Frantz (drums), Tina Weymouth (bass) and Jerry Harrison (keyboards, guitar). Described as "one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the '80s",[3] the group helped to pioneer new wave music by integrating elements of punk, art rock, funk, and world music with an anxious, clean-cut image.[3]

As former art school students who became involved in the 1970s New York punk scene, Talking Heads released their 1977 debut album, Talking Heads: 77, to positive reviews.[10] They collaborated with the British producer Brian Eno on a trio of critically acclaimed releases—More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978), Fear of Music (1979), and Remain in Light (1980)—which blended their art school sensibilities with influence from artists such as Parliament-Funkadelic and Fela Kuti.[3] From the early 1980s, they included additional musicians in their recording sessions and shows, notably guitarist Adrian Belew, keyboardist Bernie Worrell, singer Nona Hendryx, and bassist Busta Jones.

After a hiatus, Talking Heads hit their commercial peak in 1983 with the U.S. Top 10 hit "Burning Down the House" from the album Speaking in Tongues, and released the concert film Stop Making Sense, directed by Jonathan Demme. For these performances, they were joined by Worrell, guitarist Alex Weir, percussionist Steve Scales, and singers Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt.[3] In 1985, Talking Heads released their best-selling album, Little Creatures. They produced a soundtrack album for Byrne's film True Stories (1986), and released their final album, worldbeat-influenced Naked (1988), before disbanding in 1991. Without Byrne, the other band members performed under the name Shrunken Heads, and released an album, No Talking, Just Head, as the Heads in 1996.

In 2002, Talking Heads were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Four of their albums appear in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and three of their songs ("Psycho Killer", "Life During Wartime", and "Once in a Lifetime") were included among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.[11] Talking Heads were also number 64 on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".[12] In the 2011 update of Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Artists of All Time", they were ranked number 100.

Jeb Cardwell

Jeb Cardwell, a guitarist, singer, songwriter whose music takes you back to the glory days when guitar-driven riffs and rich vocals were king.
A two-time winner of the SAMIA (South Australian Music Industry) award for ‘Most Outstanding Guitarist’, Jeb is also an experienced performer having opened for artists such as Steve Earle and Tony Joe White. He is also an accomplished songwriter collaborating with his sister Abbie Cardwell to co-write ‘Anchored’ which won them the American BMI Songwriting Competition.

After spending a lifetime in multiple bands and as a recording sideman for a diverse range of artists including Chris Altman (Que Paso), Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson (Wreck & Ruin), Van Walker (Celestial Railroads) and ‘Triple J Unearthed’ winner sister Abbie Cardwell, Jeb set out in 2017 to pursue a solo career. After a three year period of writing, recording, re-writing, and re-recording, his debut studio album My Friend Defiance is ready for the world.

My Friend Defiance, a bluesy, Americana, Beatles-esque lesson in guitar tones dripping with Southern swagger. Interweaving synth and piano melodies, slide guitar riffs, rich and soulful vocals and some of the best song-writing Melbourne has seen, Jeb Cardwell's attention to detail is evident in every step of this production.

Three singles have already been released with ‘Blood Moon’ reaching #2 on the AMRAP charts.

Written, recorded and mixed at Union St Studios and mastered by Grammy award-winning Brian Lucey (Black Keys, Lucinda Williams, Liam Gallagher), My Friend Defiance features the crème de la crème of Melbourne's recording artists: Roger Bergadoz (Lost Ragas, Tex Perkins, Jordie Lane), Tim McCormack (Stella Angelico, Downhills Home), Bernie McMahon (Tracy McNeil & The Good Life, Jeff Lang), Mic Hubbard (Spencer P. Jones, Eagle and the Worm) and the Wolfgramm Sisters. Special guests include Kasey Chambers and Butch Norton (Eels, Lucinda Williams).

Jeb’s debut studio album ‘My Friend Defiance’ is out now on iTunes and Spotify through ‘Blind Date Records’.

Alice Skye

Sonic identity paired with storytelling ability is a combination held by only a small number of songwriters throughout the past century. This essential link between a primal sensory attraction and meaning created through spoken language gives us the magic found only in a great work of music.

The type of magic that affords the listener an understanding that their strange, unexplainable experience is somehow not theirs alone; the type of magic that allows you to think that maybe, though characterised in its own unique ways, there is a beautiful commonality in your sadness.

The type of magic that connects an everyday person with another who just happens to write some of the most-relatable, empathising songs you have ever heard. An artist with as much sonic identity and storytelling capability as country Victoria’s Alice Skye is truly a magician in their own right.

Growing up aside the sandstone mountains and wildflowers of the Grampians, Skye is inspired by her roots, though now calling Melbourne home she says, "I take great pride in my heritage, and to combine both music and my background brings me an unexplainable amount of pride and happiness." Alice Skye’s vital relationship between her music and own life experience remains at the core of her art, her body of work serving as a lens through which she continues to synthesise who, and what, her essence of being truly is.

Womb (NZ)

Womb is made up of siblings Cello Forrester (vocals, guitar, strings), Haz Forrester (synth, guitar), and Georgette Brown (drums). Their music is a composite of the three and builds on the shoegaze and dream pop sounds they are inspired by.

Whilst the band formed in Pōneke, Aotearoa in 2015, music has always been central to the siblings’ relationship throughout their lives. In the flat cornfield suburbs of Illinois, Georgette would share Limewire mp3s between the three. Before then, their older siblings would show them music when they lived in a eucalyptus forest near Daylesford, Australia. After moving to Pōneke in their teenage years, the three grew alongside the music community they found there.

Since their inception, Womb have released their first self-titled Womb EP (Sonorous Circle, 2015), their debut album Like Splitting the Head from the Body (Arcade Recordings and Sonorous Circle, 2018), and their second EP, Holding a Flame (Flying Nun Records, 2021). Their sophomore album, Dreaming Of The Future Again, was released via Flying Nun Records in 2022.

Womb have toured many times nationally around New Zealand, as well as taking their sound abroad to Hobart’s Hobienalle in 2019, and touring mainland China in 2019 with friend and booking manager Kristen Ng/Kiwese/Kaishandao.

Tommy Gun

South Sydney local TOMMY GUN slingshots straight to the main stage of the Australian music scene, sharing it with the likes of Thelma Plum and Winston Surfshirt. His last single played on Triple J's Home and Hosed and both of his recent film clips granted a spot on ABC’s Rage.

“Even When” is a song that demands to be heard. Speaking about the song in a press release, TOMMY GUN says “When I was writing the lyrics, I wanted to express the feeling of chasing someone who is emotionally unavailable. The song is about trusting that you will find the person that’s right for you.” Musically, the band pushed boundaries by experimenting with auto-tune, howling guitars and anthemic rock drums to convey the mixture of feelings one gains from offering their heart to a turbulent relationship. Recorded/ Mixed/ Mastered by George Georgiadis (Gang of Youths, Matt Corby, Last Dinosaurs and Ruby Fields) this Sydney super-group will be breathing fresh life into the Australian live music scene, captivating old and new fans.

The Ugly Kings

Coming off the release of their second full length album 'Strange, Strange Times', their first under powerhouse European label Napalm Records, The Ugly Kings are eager to take their unique power-blues sound to the stage and unleash their electrifying performances across Australia. Supporting on the night are Melbourne riff beasts A Gazillion Angry Mexicans and soul wizard Millar Jukes.