EMILY REMIXED

Former Young Divas starlet Emily Williams' 2010 debut solo single 'Spellbound' has had a little lick of paint, with a brand new remix of the tune making its way to media this week.
The 'Popstar' remix of the track has its sights most definitely on the dancefloor and is full to the eyeballs with thumping club beats and pulsing strings.
It comes hot on the heels of her previous single 'Never Alone', her tribute to the people of Christchurch following February's devastating earthquake.
'Spellbound' - the Popstar remix - is available on iTunes now. You can also check out the track in this promo video, filmed live on the Gold Coast.

NEW MAUBOY AHOY

Jessica Mauboy has dropped the cover image and the name for her forthcoming single 'Inescapable', and gosh, doesn't she look great on the official cover (above)?
'Inescapable' is due to go to radio on Monday and is the first new tune lifted from a repackaged version of her latest album 'Get 'Em Girls'.
The release for the repackaged album is still to be determined for the time being, but it will include new songs, one of which is a duet with her fellow local Sony stablemate Stan Walker. The repackage will also feature all-new artwork.
More details on this as they come to hand.

THE AUSTRALIAN CD NEW RELEASE SCHEDULE

July 08
Avalanche City – Our New Life Above The Ground
Cascada – Original Me (Deluxe Edition)
Fitz & The Tantrums – Pickin’ Up The Pieces
Ford & Lopatin – Channel Pressure
Adam Harvey – Falling Into Place
Jump Jump Dance Dance – Jump Jump Dance Dance
Junior Boys – It’s All True
Megadeth – Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying
Kylie Minogue – Aphrodite (Goddess Edition)
Randy Newman – Songbook Vol.1
Noah & The Whale – Last Night On Earth
OST – Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Pt.II
Dolly Parton – The Collection
Christina Perri – Lovestrong
Rod Stewart – Best Of The Great American Songbook
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – 2120 South Michigan Avenue
Tiny Ruins – Some Were Meant For Sea
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Various – Eurovision Song Contest (DVD)
Various – Ministry Of Sound : The Annual – 10 Years
Various – This Is Dubstep 2011
Wiley – 100% Publishing

July 15
Alkaline Trio – Damnesia
Big Talk – Big Talk
Bonjah – Go Go Chaos
Bonjah – Go Go Chaos (Deluxe Edition)
Colbie Caillat – All Of You
Thomas Dybdahl – Songs
Jackie Evancho – Dream With Me
Incubus – If Not Now, When?
Jack Johnson – Brushfire Fairytales
The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar
Leader Cheetah – Lotus Skies
Theophilus London – Timez Are Weird These Days
OST – Hannah
OST – Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure
Owl Eyes – Raiders EP
James Rhodes – Bullets & Lullabies
The Ten Tenors – Double Platinum
William Elliot Whitmore – Field Songs
Yacht – Shangri-La

July 22
3 Doors Down – Time Of My Life
Attack Attack! - Attack Attack! (Deluxe Edition)
Biffy Clyro – Live At Wembley
Cher – ICON
Cream – ICON
Sheryl Crow – ICON
The Dead Leaves – Cities On The Sea
DJ Sir-vere – Major Flavours 6
Emerson Drive – Decade Of Drive : Greatest Hits
Enter Shikari – Live From Planet Earth
French Horn Rebellion – The Infinite Music Of French Horn Rebellion
Gin Blossoms – ICON
Billie Holiday – ICON
Imaginary Cities – Temporary Resident
Insane Clown Posse – ICON
The Living End – The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating
Steve Mason & Dennis Bovell – Ghosts Outside
Willie Nelson – ICON
Dolly Parton – Live From London (DVD)
Part Time – What Would You Say?
The Pierces – You & I
Pnau – Soft Universe
R.E.M. – Life’s Rich Pageant (Deluxe Edition)
Rodrigo Y Gabriela – Live In France
Sea Of Bees – Songs For The Ravens
Unwritten Law – Blue Room
Various – The Dinner Party
Various – Ministry Of Sound : In The Club Vol.3
Various – Rage : Let’s Dance (CD/DVD)
Various – School Of Rock
Various – Skitz Mix 38
Rufus Wainwright – House Of Rufus (Super Deluxe Box)
Jim Ward – Quiet, In The Valley, On The Shore, The End Begins
We The Kings – Sunshine State Of Mind
Hank Williams – ICON
Steve Winwood – ICON
Young Legionnaire – Crisis Works

July 29
Azari & III – Azari & III
The Count & Sinden – Mega Mega Remix
The Idea Of North – Extraordinary Tale
Katherine Jenkins – From The Heart
McAlister Kemp – All Kinds Of Tough (Deluxe Edition)
Mercury Rev – Deserters Song (Deluxe Edition)
OST – Captain America : The First Avenger
Matt Nathanson – Modern Love
The Panics – Rain On The Humming Wire
Portugal The Man – In The Mountain In The Cold
Redcoats – Redcoats EP
The Reels – Quasimodos Dream
Sick Puppies – Tri Polar (Deluxe Edition)
Joss Stone – LP1
Sunny Sweeney – Concrete
The Suzukis – The Suzukis
Various – Guilty Pleasures
Various – Kickin’ Hard 11
Various – Songbird
Wu-Tang – Legendary Weapons

August 05
Keren Ann – 101
Zoë Badwi – Zoë
The Black Ghosts – When Animals Star
Blood Orange – Coastal Grooves
Boy & Bear – Moonfire
Brother – Famous First Words
Calling All Cars – Dancing With A Dead Man
Designer Drugs – Hardcore Softcore
Dream On Dreamer – Heartbound
Elixir – First Seed Ripening
Il Volo – Il Volo
Alfredo Malabello – The Two Of Us
Mehanical Bride – Living With Ants
Nero – Welcome Reality
Hayley Sales – When The Bird Became A Book

August 12
Jeff Bridges – What A Little Bit Of Love Can Do
Steve Cropper – Dedicated
Eskimo Joe – Ghosts Of The Past
Phrase – Babylon
The Sand Band – All Through The Night
Nicole Scherzinger – Killer Love
These Kids Wear Crowns – Jumpstart
Various – 50 Years Of Australian Rock & Roll Vol.2
Various – Ministry Of Sound : Uncovered 3

August 19
Gotye – Making Mirrors
Josh Pyke – Only Sparrows
Josh Pyke – Only Sparrows (Deluxe Edition)
Joss Stone – Super Duper Hits
James Taylor & Carole King – Troubadours

August 26
Bombay Motorcycle Club – A Different Kind Of Fix
Johnny Clegg – Human
Dead Letter Chorus – Yearlings
Tim Finn – The View Is Worth The Climb
Game – The R.E.D. Album
David Guetta – Nothing But The Beat
Lindi Ortega – Little Red Boots
OST – Legally Blonde : Original London Cast Recording
OST – O Brother Where Art Thou? (Deluxe Edition)
Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You
Sneaky Sound System – From Here To Anywhere

September 02
Counting Crows – August And Everything After : Live At Town Hall
Taio Cruz – Troublemaker
Example – Playing In The Shadows
The Rapture – In The Grace Of Your Love

September 09
DJ Shadow – The Less You Know The Better
Grouplove – Never Trust A Happy Song
Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine
The Kooks – Junk Of The Heart
Laura Marling – A Creature I Don’t Know

September 16
The Drums – Title TBA
Kasabian – Velociraptor
SuperHeavy – SuperHeavy

September 23
Twin Sister – In Heaven

All release dates subject to change & list is updated weekly.

WILLY COUNTDOWN

Despite no word about its release here in Australia (and to be honest, we'll be gobsmacked if it actually was), over in the UK, the countdown is on in earnest to the launch of Will Young's new album 'Echoes'. The singer has been uploading a couple of brand new shots this week over on his FACEBOOK PAGE, teasing fans ahead of the album's release in August.
The new LP has been produced by the almighty Richard X and sees the former UK Idol winner head in a more dance direction. And with a release for the long player penned in for August 22, you can bet your buns that the announcement of the lead single must only be days away.

COLDPLAY : Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall

The boys from Coldplay always give good video - and their latest one - for their single 'Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall' is most certainly no exception. How the hell is it all put together? We have no idea, but time-lapse is most definitely involved, along with more than a few cans of paint and a creative team that seems hell-bent on making us ponder.
Of course, it's not only the bright paintwork outdoors that captures the eye - the band heads into what looks to be a darkened corridor before it too bursts to life with glow in the dark fluorescence.
If colour, movement, a desperately creative clip that'll have you wondering how they did it and a great tune float your boat, you're bound to love this.

NEW REASON 4

Australia's never seen these four blokes before, but thanks to the 2010 season of The X Factor over in the UK, the Southampton quartet Reason 4 is well on its way to nudging its way into the hearts of the nation.
They'll release their debut single 'Take It All' over in Britain in August. Co-written by the boys, the tune has been produced by Eliot Kennedy, who's produced with Gary Barlow and who in the past has worked with the likes of Spice Girls, Take That and even our own Delta Goodrem.
The track is a mid-tempo pop number with inspirational lyrics, and the clip features our four heavily-tattooed former builders bouncing about in front of a green screen.
However, their record company seems intent on setting them up for failure by making fans wait until August 07 to actually buy the track.

BRYAN ADDS SHOWS

Tickets for Bryan Adams' forthcoming Australian tour only went on sale this morning at 9am, but with a limited run of shows and intimate venues, demand for tickets has been rather high.
So much so that Frontier Touring has just half an hour ago announced that the Canadian superstar has added extra shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to cope with demand.
The 'Bare Bones' tour will be the chance for fans to see Bryan in an intimate setting, playing some of the hits that have made him such an iconic star over the past 30 years. The shows will be his most private and personal on Australian soil to date.
Tickets for the three new shows are on sale now.

September 15 : Melbourne (Palais Theatre)
September 16 : Melbourne (Palais Theatre) NEW SHOW
September 17 : Sydney (Opera House)
September 18 : Sydney (Opera House) NEW SHOW
September 20 : Brisbane (QPAC Concert Hall)
September 21 : Brisbane (QPAC Concert Hall) NEW SHOW
September 22 : Newcastle (Civic Theatre)

JOE'S SNIPPET

Joe Jonas has teased fans around the globe, releasing a tiny slither of footage from the forthcoming video clip to his new single 'See No More'.
The track, serviced to radio and released to digital retail in Australia this week, is the lead single from the Jonas Brothers star's forthcoming album 'Fastlife', which is currently slated for a September release.
The full video, meanwhile, is expected to drop early next month.

NEWS WRAP

• Stacks of new singles out at radio this week including the new single from Aussie outfit Eskimo Joe called 'Love Is A Drug' (pictured). It's the first single to be lifted from the band's new LP 'Ghosts Of The Past', which is set for release on August 12.
• Among the other tracks at radio this week are Chris Brown's new tune with Justin Bieber 'Next To You', Kate Vigo's 'You're Haunting Me' and Joe Jonas' 'See No More'. For a more comprehensive list of the tracks taken to radio this week, keep your eye on or pop over and 'Like' us on FACEBOOK!
• Speaking of Facebook, after extensive feedback, we've made changes to the way we provide you with information in our FB feed. No longer will your feed be clogged with every bombarding post we make here on the main site - instead we'll bring you selected highlights once or twice a day. We'll also provide links to the site with each post, allowing those following on Facebook via either iPhone or Android to link through to the main site.
• Warner Music will release an extensive range of deluxe edition Cold Chisel albums late next month. Touted as the "biggest archival release in Australian music history", the band's studio albums will be re-released in a deluxe digipak format with new images and a bonus live DVD featuring never before released concert footage. Their live albums will be re-released in completely remastered format and there'll be a swag of digital releases with more than 56 songs that you'll not be able to get anywhere else.
The Cold Chisel roll-out happens on Friday July 22.
• Universal Music has started announcing some of their September album releases. Revealed yesterday is the new Taio Cruz album 'Troublemaker' and Example's Playing In The Shadows' (due on September 02), DJ Shadow's 'The Less You Know The Better' (September 09) and The Drums' new LP - Title TBA (September 16).
• In the UK, Jason Derulo has scored himself a No.1 hit with his latest single 'Don't Wanna Go Home'. Vato Gonzalez with Foreign Beggars are in at No.06 with 'Badman Riddim (Jump)' and Katy Perry is sailing towards the top with her single 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)' - up 13 spots to No.11.
• And on the UK album chart, Lady Gaga is back at No.1 with her album 'Born This Way', knocking off Take That who fall to No.3. Adele remains in the No.2 position with her all-conquering '21'. Bon Iver's eponymous LP is new at No.4, Bruno Mars and Rihanna are into the ten and Pitbull's 'Planet Pit' pits at No.18 first week in.

JENNIFER HUDSON : No One Gonna Love You

J-Hud's doing a bit of acting in the video to her new single 'No One Gonna Love You'. Her man is off from the bedroom on their anniversary and he seems a little non-plussed about it, much to the dismay of our Oscar-winning star.
She's even taking the time to perform a little bit of simple choreography this time around, looking effortlessly cool in a black hat and some gold dangly earrings.
Meanwhile actor Jen is cleaning up the apartment from the night before - a half-eaten pizza (Jen must've been counting the Weight Watchers points) strewn on a chair along with some pieces of discarded clothing (must've been quite the night).
She starts getting ready, there's an obvious plug for L'Oreal, she heads out, he's not there. She gets mad, she drives off, she heads home. Seems, however, like nothing compares to a little princess-cut something or other.

NEW SEBASTIAN

Not who you were expecting? Read on friends, as we introduce you to the next star from the Sebastian household - it's Guy's younger brother Chris and he's about to step out from his big brother's shadow to release his debut single.
The "infectious urban pop song" 'F.L.O.W.' will hit Aussie retail and radio from Monday.
Chris passed up producers' offers to appear on Australian Idol, following on from his brother's triumph in the inaugural series in 2003. He decided instead to go it alone and create his own destiny.
'F.L.O.W.' is rather super. It's a mid-tempo, feel-good r&b/pop song that deserves a spot on radio stations up and down the country - and with big brother no doubt supporting him every step of the way, who's to say his dream ride to the top can't start right here.

LIV SPREADS HER MAGIC

Olivia Newton-John's updated version of her 'Xanadu' hit 'Magic' hit the top 100 on its release back in late May. Olivia teamed up with Aussie DJ Dan Murphy and producer Steve Peach for the project, which was created to raise funds for Olivia's Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne.
But after only being available in Australia, now the superstar is taking it to the rest of the world, dedicating it to the gay community after New York became the sixth US state to legalise gay marriage.
"I have many gay friends that I love and care about, and I am so happy that they can now share their lives with their chosen loved ones and be afforded the same rights as other married couples," she said in a statement.
"I am so delighted that the new remix of Magic is doing so well, and raising magic-money for my Cancer & Wellness centre!"
She performed the track in New York on Saturday night as part of the city's Pride celebrations.

MOST ADDED

RADIO'S MOST ADDED
WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY JUNE 27, 2011

01. MICHAEL PAYNTER : HOW SWEET IT IS
02. PETE MURRAY : ALWAYS A WINNER
03. LMFAO FTG. NATALIA KILLS : CHAMPAGNE SHOWERS
04. SNOOP DOGG FTG. T-PAIN : BOOM
05. BAD MEETS EVIL FTG. BRUNO MARS : LIGHTERS
06. NICOLE SCHERZINGER FTG. 50 CENT : RIGHT THERE
07. ZOE BADWI : CARRY ME HOME
08. THESE KIDS WEAR CROWNS : JUMPSTART
09. JOSH PYKE : NO ONE WANTS A LOVER
10. AVALANCHE CITY : LOVE, LOVE, LOVE

Most added tracks to Australian radio courtesy of The Music Network.

VANESSA'S GOSSIP SPREADS

Vanessa Amorosi's record company Universal is going all out with the promotion of her forthcoming new single 'Gossip'. Our mailbox has been attacked by two letters within the past week, one giving us an idea of the dictionary definition of the word 'gossip' and the latter, arriving today, giving us a taste of the lyrics of the song.
The song is set to premiere this Friday, with Vanessa's Gossip Bomb currently attracting its share of attention HERE.
Fans who sign up to detonate the 'Gossip Bomb' will not only get to hear the song 24 hours before media, but they'll also receive a remix of the track as a free download.
Her management company Ralph Carr uploaded a video over the weekend showing Vanessa on the set of the video clip. In it she tells fans that she'll be hitting the road for live shows throughout October and November.

IL VOLO STA VISITANDO

They've taken their homeland by storm, notching up platinum sales, and have even clocked up a recent top ten debut on the Billboard album chart.
But now the teenage boys from Il Volo have their sights set firmly on Australia, with Universal Music this morning announcing that they'll head to Australia in August for a promotional tour to coincide with the album's local release.
Il Volo is 17 year old Piero Barone and 16 year olds Ignazio Boschetto and Gianluca Ginoble. The trio was formed two years ago after they met through the Italian TV singing contest Ti Lascio Una Canzone and their music combines pop with opera.
According to Universal, they'll only be on Aussie soil for three days - August 10-12.
Their self-titled debut is released on Friday August 05.

Q&A : Steven Rossitto

Melbourne singer Steven Rossitto has just released his debut EP 'My One And Only Love' with EMI here in Australia. The three tracker sees him tackle some pretty big songs for a young man who's not yet out of his teens.
With a high-profile record deal and an album on the way, we ask Steven how his signing came about, his love of music and, with his chosen style, whether he's just an old soul.

Q : It's hard to believe you're just seventeen years old - where did this massive voice come from?
Well I don’t come from a very musical family, nobody sings or plays a musical instrument. Instead I come from a long line of butchers. I do however have relatives a few generations back who were opera singers and musicians, so I suppose that is where it all comes from.

Q : How did you discover your love of music?
I suppose that even though my parents never played much music at home, I have always had a natural love for it. I would always be singing around the house and it would be quite hard to get me to be quiet. Even though I have always sung, I had never really taken it too seriously, however with a lot of encouragement from my parents and other family, I eventually agreed to have lessons. I think the moment when I realized I wanted to be a singer was when I saw one of my idols, Luciano Pavarotti, in concert, which as you can imagine was very inspiring.

Q : What drew you to this particular genre? Or are you just an old soul?
Well people have always told me that I am a bit of an old soul and I do tend to have a fascination with things of the past, so perhaps I should have been born 100 years ago. When I first began singing I was drawn more to the music of Andrea Bocelli and Pavarotti. I loved classical music and still do, however to be an opera singer at the age of 11 is very difficult and requires a lot more development and study. Whilst I was not afraid of the hard work and still wanted to be an opera singer, I also loved Jazz. Jazz still has its difficulties, but I felt that I was more ready to sing it.

Q : What's been the defining moment for you along this journey?
It's hard to pick just one defining moment, however over the past 6 and half years there have been a couple of moments which have really paved the way to this time in my life. One would have to be when I went for my first singing lesson with Cosimo Ciccone. This was really the beginning of this entire journey and much of what has happened over the past 6 and half years can be attributed to my relationship with Cosimo. As a result of this I was introduced to Barb and Adrian Hannan, who in turn offered me my first recording deal, which really defined the way the rest of my life was to go.

Q : How did the signing to EMI worldwide come about? You must be pretty chuffed with that?
It has been a dream come true and an honor to be signed under the same label as some of my idols such as Enrico Caruso, Frank Sinatra, Maria Callas and so many more. I was very fortunate, when I was 14 to have been signed by Barb and Adrian Hannan to their label called The Songstore. I was actually their first signing. Together, we began recording demos, writing music and pretty much planning my debut album. The intention was however to get a larger label on board to support the release internationally, and with this in mind we approached EMI who signed me in December 2010. Now, as there has been so much interest overseas from Capitol Records and Blue Note, we're planning a trip to America in late July to do some showcases.

Q : Tell us about your debut EP 'My One And Only Love’.
The EP is made up of three tracks, one is of course ‘My One and Only Love’ which really was a no brainer because of the immense success it has had online. ‘Saturday Night’ is the next track which is a song I have been singing for a while, and one we felt really showcased what you can expect to hear on the album and the EP finishes with an original track which I wrote with Barb and Adrian called ‘Man and Strife’. We all love the great jazz song writers of the 20th century and really wanted to employ a lot of the tongue–in-cheek humor they used to use.

Q : Why did you choose the songs you have?
Firstly they are all songs that I love and have always wanted to sing. They are also songs I feel suit me and my personality, and will show something unique about my voice, which will hopefully set me apart from other singers. We also wanted to put songs on the album that people are going to love and are going to want to buy. That's why we've opted for great songs such as ‘My Funny Valentine’ and ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ because we know that whether you are a fan of this kind of music or not, the chances are you will know these songs.

Q : What are the plans for your debut album? And has it got a name yet?
The title of the album is the name of a Cole Porter song called ‘Night and Day’. We have not yet decided upon a release date, but the aim is to get it out before Christmas.

Q : Will people be able to see you perform live soon? If so, where?
At the moment I’m focusing on heading over to America in late July, however when I get back we will definitely be organizing some shows. People can keep up to date with any of my upcoming gigs via my website www.stevenrossitto.com or my Facebook page.

Steven's debut EP 'My One And Only Love' is available digitally now.
As he mentions, his debut album 'Night And Day' will hopefully be out before Christmas.

ZOË TRACKLIST REVEALED

Hot on the heels of us revealing the cover image (pictured) for the forthcoming Zoë Badwi album 'Zoë' late last week, we're here today to reveal to you the official tracklisting for the LP, which is slated for release in early August.
A six track sampler was serviced to media last week, including a tender stripped-back piano ballad called 'Believe You' and an uptempo track called 'Until You're Over Me' which is sure to have fans of 'Freefallin' moist with delight.
Naturally the album also features the top ten smash 'Freefallin', the club anthem 'Release Me', the pop gem 'Accidents Happen' and the current single 'Carry Me Home'.
Here are the 12 tracks punters should expect when the LP finally drops on Friday August 05.

01. Freefallin'
02. Until You're Over Me
03. Release Me
04. Carry Me Home
05. Accidents Happen
06. Never Let You Go
07. Reckless
08. One Step Behind
09. In The Moment
10. Believe You
11. Relapse
12. The Other Side

NEW VIGO GO

We've got a lot of time for Melbourne singer songwriter Kate Vigo - we were completely spellbound by her 2009 single 'The Way You Are' which was flogged on Triple J at the time and the video for which picked up a gong at the Music Oz Awards last year.
Now the singer's back with a brand new tune called 'You're Haunting Me' and to say it's like chalk and cheese with 'The Way You Are' would be a complete understatement.
It seems that 'You're Haunting Me' is aimed squarely at commercial radio playlists - an uptempo stomper that no doubt her team hopes will crossover to mainstream success in much the same way as 'Clap Your Hands' did for Sia. Fingers crossed.

GUERILLA GIG ALL FAKER

Guess we should have seen this one coming. The boys from Faker seem to be having a little love affair with the apple isle at the moment. They played a couple of headline shows on Friday and yesterday in Hobart and Launceston respectively to launch their new single 'Dangerous' (they also play in Sydney this Saturday night), but unsuspecting shoppers in Launceston's Brisbane Street Mall were caught unawares this afternoon when the band took to the stage to perform the latest in a long line of Channel [V] Guerilla Gigs.
Of course, they played their new single 'Dangerous', but they also delved into the back catalogue to play their smash 'This Heart Attack'.
Channel [V] is warning of more Guerilla Gigs to come, to head over to www.vmusic.com.au and keep your eyes peeled for the next one!

TOURING : Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks will return to Australia later this year for a series of live shows, bringing along Eurythmics stalwart Dave Stewart for the ride.
Andrew McManus announced the dates this morning, confirming that the Fleetwood Mac lead singer would perform nine shows on Aussie soil, kicking off at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday November 19.
Both Stevie and Dave will be playing hits from both their solo careers and their time with their respective bands.
Tickets for all are on sale on Wednesday July 06.

November 19 : Melbourne (Sidney Myer Music Bowl)
November 20 : Mornington (Mornington Racecourse)
November 23 : Adelaide (Entertainment Centre)
November 26 : Perth (NIB Stadium)
November 29 : Sydney (Entertainment Centre)
November 30 : Newcastle (Entertainment Centre)
December 03 : Brisbane (Riverstage)
December 05 : Wollongong (WIN Entertainment Centre)
December 07 : Canberra (AIS Arena)

LOOKBACK

LEANN RIMES : Can't Fight The Moonlight

Country singer Leann Rimes first announced her arrival to Australian audiences via her 1996 top ten hit 'Blue'. But it would be five years later with the lead song from a soundtrack to a movie that we can't quite remember that she'd really hit the big time down under. 'Can't Fight The Moonlight', penned by serial hit writer Diane Warren made it all the way to the top of the Australian singles chart ten years ago, bagging more than 200,000 sales locally and more than two million worldwide. The song was so big down under that year that it also ended up in the No.1 position for the biggest tracks of 2001.
The clip? Well essentially it features Leann singing atop the bar called 'Coyote Ugly' and it's got clips from the movie itself all interwoven through. Hardly groundbreaking stuff, but the song's an early noughties classic.

GUETTA NEW SINGLE

EMI has this morning serviced the new David Guetta single 'Little Bad Girl' (official cover left) to Australian media.
The track, featuring guest vocals from Taio Cruz and Ludacris, is the second to be lifted from the French DJ's forthcoming album 'Nothing But The Beat', which is slated for release in Australia on Friday August 26. As mentioned in our piece on Friday, the new LP will also feature collaborations with will.i.am, Snoop Dogg, Sia and Jennifer Hudson.
Full details on the new album are expected soon.

TOURING : Roger Waters

Michael Coppel has this morning announced that following sell-out shows across Europe and the United States, Roger Water's critically acclaimed 'The Wall : Live' tour will make its way to Australia early next year.
With shows set down for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, the show will see Pink Floyd's classic 1979 album 'The Wall' performed in its entirety.
The album, universally recognised as one of the greatest of all time, spawned the mega-hit 'Another Brick In The Wall' and featured 'Comfortably Numb' (covered by the Scissor Sisters on their 2004 debut).
'The Wall : Live' will feature "the original Gerald Scarfe imagery, the crashing aeroplane, quadraphonic sound, pyrotechnics, gigantic inflatable puppets and flying pig, and adds the latest projection technology and video mapping."
Tickets to the general public are on sale on Monday July 11.

January 27 : Perth (Burswood Dome)
February 01 : Brisbane (Entertainment Centre)
February 07 : Melbourne (Rod Laver Arena)
February 14 : Sydney (Acer Arena)

TOURING : Meat Loaf

Legendary singer Meat Loaf was last on our shores in March last year for a whirlwind promotional visit for his album 'Hang Cool Teddy Bear', but Frontier Touring has this morning announced that come October, we'll be seeing a whole lot more of the singer on his 'Guilty Pleasure' tour.
The star will be performing his biggest hits including his Aussie No.1 'I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)' and no doubt a selection of tracks from his forthcoming LP 'Hell In A Handbasket' (due October) across a series of eight shows that will encapsulate two A Day On The Green shows.
Tickets to the general public are on sale on Monday July 04.

October 04 : Wollongong (WIN Entertainment Centre)
October 06 : Brisbane (Entertainment Centre)
October 08 : Hunter Valley (Bimbadgen Estate) ADOTG
October 12 : Sydney (Entertainment Centre)
October 14 : Melbourne (Rod Laver Arena)
October 15 : Yarra Valley (Rochford Wines) ADOTG
October 19 : Adelaide (Entertainment Centre)
October 22 : Perth (NIB Stadium)

THE auspOp DIARY

WEEK COMMENCING JUNE 27, 2011

TICKETS ON SALE
Monday : Architecture In Helsinki (Nationally)
Monday : Chris Cornell (Perth)
Wednesday : Bryan Adams (Nationally)
Thursday : Parklife (Nationally)

Jun 27 : SYDNEY – Miley Cyrus (Acer Arena)
Jun 29 : ADELAIDE – Miley Cyrus (Entertainment Centre)
Jun 29 : ADELAIDE – Sneaky Sound System (Rocket Bar)
Jun 29 : BALLARAT – Miami Horror (Karova Lounge)
Jun 29 : NEWCASTLE – Clare Bowditch (Lizotte’s)
Jun 29 : SYDNEY – Gossling (Good God Small Club)
Jun 30 : ADELAIDE – Natalie Gauci (The Promethean)
Jun 30 : ADELAIDE – Josh Pyke (Grace Emily)
Jun 30 : BONDI – Gossling (Beach Road Hotel)
Jun 30 : BRISBANE – The Black Angels (The HiFi)
Jun 30 : BYRON BAY – Little Red (The Northern)
Jun 30 : FRANKSTON – Katchafire (Pier Live)
Jun 30 : GOLD COAST – Jebediah (Surfers Paradise Beer Garden)
Jun 30 : GOLD COAST – Miami Horror (Runaway Bay Tavern)
Jun 30 : KINCUMBER – Clare Bowditch (Lizotte’s)
Jun 30 : MELBOURNE – The Genie (Northcote Social Club)
Jun 30 : MELBOURNE – Kisschasy (Colonial Hotel)
Jun 30 : PERTH – Art vs Science (Metro City)
Jun 30 : PROSERPINE – Leo Sayer (Cultural Centre)
Jun 30 : SYDNEY – Syndicate (Gaelic Hotel)
Jul 01 : ADELAIDE – Art vs Science (HQ)
Jul 01 : BRISBANE – Busby Marou (Old Museum)
Jul 01 : BRISBANE – Michael Feinstein (Concert Hall)
Jul 01 : BRISBANE – The Grates (The HiFi)
Jul 01 : BRISBANE – Miami Horror (The Zoo)
Jul 01 : BRISBANE – Papa vs Pretty (X&Y Bar)
Jul 01 : CAIRNS – Jebediah (Tanks Arts Centre)
Jul 01 : CANBERRA – Syndicate (ANU Bar)
Jul 01 : DARWIN – Illy (Discovery)
Jul 01 : GOLD COAST – Little Red (Coolangatta Hotel)
Jul 01 : MACKAY – Leo Sayer (Entertainment Centre)
Jul 01 : MELBOURNE – Katchafire (Prince Bandroom)
Jul 01 : MELBOURNE – Josh Pyke (Grace Darling)
Jul 01 : MELBOURNE – Sneaky Sound System (Corner Hotel)
Jul 01 : CANBERRA – The Potbelleez (Southern Cross Club)
Jul 01 : SYDNEY – The Black Angels (Metro Theatre)
Jul 01 : SYDNEY – Clare Bowditch (Factory Theatre)
Jul 01 : SYDNEY – Short Stack (Enmore Theatre)
Jul 01 : WOLLONGONG – Gossling (Otis Bar)
Jul 02 : ADELAIDE – The Panics (Adelaide Uni Bar)
Jul 02 : COFFS HARBOUR – Bliss N Eso (Showgrounds)
Jul 02 : GOLD COAST – Katchafire (Southport RSL)
Jul 02 : MACKAY – Jebediah (River Sessions)
Jul 02 : MELBOURNE – Art vs Science (Forum Theatre)
Jul 02 : MELBOURNE – The Black Angels (The HiFi)
Jul 02 : MELBOURNE – The Potbelleez (Fusion Nightclub)
Jul 02 : MELBOURNE – Short Stack (Festival Hall)
Jul 02 : MILDURA – Lowrider (Sandbar)
Jul 02 : NEWCASTLE – Gossling (Northern Star)
Jul 02 : NOWRA – Clare Bowditch (Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre)
Jul 02 : PERTH – Miley Cyrus (Burswood Dome)
Jul 02 : ROCKHAMPTON – Leo Sayer (Pilbeam Theatre)
Jul 02 : SYDNEY – Faker (Factory Theatre)
Jul 02 : SYDNEY – Sneaky Sound System (Metro Theatre)
Jul 02 : WOLLONGONG – Syndicate (Dicey Rileys)
Jul 03 : CALOUNDRA – Katchafire (Kings Tavern)
Jul 03 : DEE WHY – Clare Bowditch (Lizotte’s)
Jul 03 : MELBOURNE – Natalie Gauci (Bennett’s Lane)

RUNNING TRAX WINNERS

Yes, once again it's approaching witching hour and here we are to reveal the winners of our latest competition.
The fab team at Ministry Of Sound was indeed generous in granting us five copies of the winter edition of their popular 'Running Trax' compilation series. And as we made mention on our original giveaway post, it contains three CDs packed full of hits to get you into shape in time for spring including tracks from the likes of Wynter Gordon, Calvin Harris, Alex Gaudino, Dirty South, Shapeshifters, Afrojack, Tim Berg and The Potbelleez.
So who are our lucky winners who'll be shaping up for spring?

That would be; Erin from Glebe in New South Wales, Shannon from Conder in the ACT, Julie from Surf Beach in New South Wales, Nathan from Cranbourne in Victoria and Joanna from Mount Waverley in Victoria.

Congratulations fine auspOp peeps! A copy of 'Running Trax' will be making its way to your place within days. And as always, big thanks to everyone who entered this competition and a quick reminder that we've now got five copies of the new Beyonce album '4' to give away with thanks to Sony Music. Click the giveaway link in the sidebar to find out how to enter.

SATURDAY NEWS WRAP #57

• Organisers of Brisbane's 'Big Sound' have revealed some of the acts who'll be taking to the stage as part of the live performance component of this year's program. Added to the bill thus far are the likes of The Getaway Plan, Calling All Cars, Busby Marou, Adalita, Eagle & The Worm, Jonathan Boulet and many more. Tickets for the live shows are on sale on Monday. All the guff HERE. Big Sound hits Brisbane's Fortitude Valley from September 07-09.
• Poor Miley Cyrus got a little more than she bargained for at her concert last night in Melbourne. The star was confronted by a stage-jumper just after she'd performed her top ten hit 'The Climb'. Visibly shocked by the incident, Miley was hastily shuffled off the stage by security. Watch HERE.
• Universal Music has announced a 20th Anniversary edition of Nirvana's classic album 'Nevermind' will be released in Australia this September. The super-deluxe 4CD/DVD edition is sure to be a fan favourite, featuring previously unreleased tracks, rarities, b-sides, alternative mixes, rare live recordings and a previously unreleased concert on the DVD. 'Nevermind (Super Deluxe Edition)' will be released on Friday September 16.
• Speaking of September, Shock Records will release the new Howling Bells album in Australia on September 09. Entitled 'The Loudest Engine', the LP, the band's third, was recorded in Las Vegas and has been produced by The Killers' Mark Stoermer
• The TV Rock boys must be doing something very right - their latest track 'Diamonds In The Sky' has already been shuffling around the No.2 position on the ARIA club chart thanks to their own version, but now the boys are adding remixes by the likes of Disco Boys, Jack Sword & Sebastian Bennett into the pot, expect it to stay around for a little while longer yet.
• Acclaimed Aussie music producer Paul Mac this week became a mentor in the American Express Room for Thought program. He's looking for people with fantastic music ideas that have never been conceived before that he can hopefully turn into reality. Of the program, Paul said, "I’m really hoping to receive entries that will blow me away with their originality and creativity, something which I haven’t thought of, but that I can help to build." Find out more HERE.
• Laura Marling will release her new album in September. It's called 'A Creature I Don't Know' and is the follow-up to 2010's 'I Speak Because I Can', a release that helped her bag the 'Best British Female' gong at this year's Brit Awards. 'A Creature I Don't Know' is set for release on September 09.
• Adele keeps rolling at the top of the US singles chart for a seventh week with her hit single 'Rolling In The Deep'. Katy Perry's the one to watch out for here, however, with her latest single 'Last Friday Night (TGIF)' bulleting into the top ten at No.4 (up 27 spots).
• And on the Billboard album chart this week, Bad Meets Evil's EP 'Hell : The Sequel' (it's Eminem vs Royce da 5’9”) slams into the No.1 position, displacing Adele from No.1. In fact, Adele was relegated to No.3 this week; Jackie Evancho claiming No.2 with 'Dream With Me'. Owl City's album 'All Things Bright And Beautiful' manages a respectable No.6, crooner Barry Manilow's '15 Minutes' is in at No.7 and Ledisi's fifth album 'Pieces Of Me' pops in at No.8.

NEW MAROON

There's a massive buzz surrounding this track over in the United States, after the band's performance on hit TV show 'The Voice'. So much so that 'Move Like Jagger' rocketed into the No.1 position on the US iTunes store on its release there earlier this week.
The non-album single features the powerhouse vocals of Christina Aguilera, who sits on the judging panel for the show alongside Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine.
The track has also been released to digital retailers locally.

WYNTER WINNERS

Well here we are approaching the witching hour with good news for five of our lucky readers, who are all about to receive not just a copy of Wynter Gordon's fab debut album 'With The Music I Die' (pictured), but a SIGNED copy of Wynter Gordon's fab debut album 'With The Music I Die'.
Yes indeed kids, thanks to the wonderful folk at Warner Music, we had five copies of Wynter's album to give away and after meeting up with the US dance songstress this week, we got them signed just for you.
So... Who'd ben picked out of our stayfresh tub tonight?

Congratulations go to;
Trent from Forest Lodge in New South Wales, Zen from Yagoona in New South Wales, David from Campsie in New South Wales, Cyndie from Mosman in New South Wales and Kale from Adamstown, also in New South Wales! (What's with all the New South Welshpeeps this week!!?

Thanks to everyone who entered as always. Congratulations to our winners and if you missed out this time around, don't forget there's another giveaway now live on the site - five copies of Beyonce's album '4' to go with thanks to Sony! Hit the right hand sidebar for the guff.

INTERVIEW : Wynter Gordon

It's official - Australia has fallen in love with US songstress Wynter Gordon. We gifted her her first global mainstream No.1 single with 'Dirty Talk' and it seems we've also been rather fond of her second tune 'Til Death'. She's been in the country over the past week for her second ever live TV performance and a swag of interviews. We were among the lucky ones to bag a chat with the feisty singer who tells us that despite plenty of dark times in her younger years, she never doubted her ability to rise above and succeed.

"There was never a doubt, not coming into it at least," she says with refreshing honesty. "It was not happening fast enough, but I’ve been doing this since I was 15 and I’m 25 now. Sweat, blood and tears have gone into this business.

"There’s always a glimmer of light. I feel like I’ve been one of the lucky ones because I constantly get work writing for other people. I feel like I could put a greatest hits album out now. ‘With The Music I Die’ is my first album obviously, but with all the stuff I’ve written, I could put out a greatest hits. I’ve worked with so many people."

Songwriting is what gave Wynter her first big break. She's worked with the likes of Flo Rida and David Guetta and has also penned tracks on Jennifer Lopez' new LP 'Love?'. But it was perhaps ironically the title track for Mary J Blige's 2005 album 'The Breakthrough' that provided hers.

"She was my first," Wynter says. "The album was huge. She sold more than five million copies, which was the most she’d sold in a long time and it was very much a case of ‘praise the Lord!!’

"I was very surprised that she chose that song. That was luck. That was the angels smiling down upon me. But I thought that I had to try harder and to be honest, I have yet to celebrate any moment after everything I've done."

We can tell from very early on in our chat that the singer is incredibly self-critical and that she's always striving for perfection. But more on that later, because Wynter also reveals that she's also been working on new material alongside some of our local chart stars.

"I just did something with Marvin Priest, we’re just shooting a video next week. I worked with Guy Sebastian – we’re going to do some music together.

"There’s this girl group from Korea," she continues excitedly. "K-Pop is becoming really big in the US. I just started worked with the Wonder Girls camp, met with them and we did our first song just two weeks ago. I don’t go as hard with the writing anymore just because I’ve been busy with touring my own music, but when it happens, I’m always up for it."

Speaking of her own music, it's been doing particularly well across the globe. Her debut single 'Dirty Talk' hit No.1 on the US dance/club chart, the top ten in Ireland and top 30 in the UK. Here in Australia however, we couldn't get enough of it - sending it all the way to No.1 on the ARIA singles chart and delivering Wynter a triple platinum sales accreditation.
We ask her how she reacted when she first heard she'd hit No.1 down under and her response wasn't quite what we were expecting.

"I was surprised," she said. "I was saying, ‘Really? They play it on daytimes!? With children in the car!?’ I have a ten year old niece and a six month old nephew and because I’m a woman first and foremost, I believe there’s a time and a place. As adults, we do what we do and we can have as much fun as we want, but I was surprised that kids were listening to it.

"I actually just did a huge arena and the lights were off and I didn’t know who the audience was. Then the lights came on and it was all seven year olds. I was so mortified. Thank God I didn’t do a full routine. I was grinding the floor and everything," she laughs.



What does she think it was about 'Dirty Talk' that connected with audiences around the world the way it did?

"In the US, they were afraid to put it on the radio because of the lyrics, but I could sing that song in every club. I sang it at Coachella in front of 20, 30 thousand people and they all knew it. I think that the hook has such a classic ‘80s melody – that’s what I love – I love ‘80s, ‘90s pop. A lot of music these days doesn’t have the melody – the pop melodies back then were just so different.

"I feel like a lot of artists fall into the category where the song is not for them. It’s a song they’re singing but it’s not their song. That’s why I think Rihanna’s winning, I think Katy Perry’s winning, because they sing music that fits them. And it’s not this one song that you could pass around to everybody."

But despite all the success across the globe, she does admit that us Aussies were the first to really gave her a chance.

"When I’m home, I have lots of fans. My shows get packed out. But in America, they don’t play as many styles of music as they do here – they’re not as open to new things. I just think that you guys embraced me. I don’t know. I’m happy about it, I know that and I’m grateful. I just think you guys are more open to new things and new people and giving them a chance," she says.

While dance music wasn't always her chosen genre, Wynter swam to that side of the music pool after a visit to Europe, where she discovered different sounds and music from the likes of MGMT and Empire Of The Sun. But she reveals that it wasn't her new-found love of the Empire Of The Sun material that brought about Nick Littlemore's co-writing credit on the LP.

"I had no idea I was working with him," she says. "I’d heard the song and loved the music, but I had no idea he was the guy who was in the group. I would just show up on their doorstep and say ‘hey, we’re going to be working to do some music today’. He was so crazy when he opened the door."

Nick and producer Peter Mayes aren't the only Australians who feature on Wynter's new album. Melbourne's NERVO have also contributed a track to the new LP.

"When I heard ‘Drunk On Your Love’," she says, "I was adamant – that has to go on my album. I love those girls."

As mentioned earlier, chatting to the 25 year old, she's incredibly self-critical, always seeking for improvement wherever possible, whether that be in her songwriting, or her live performances. She dismisses only her second ever TV performance (on Dancing With The Stars last weekend) as "okay", saying "I didn’t do what I know I can do" and seems intent on personal betterment and moreover, global domination.

"I want to be able to be on every radio station. Not every radio station – forget radio. I want to be on everybody’s iPods," she says. "I want to use music to open doors and do things for other people. I believe that the only thing worth doing in this life is doing stuff for others. Music, singing – all that’s for nothing if I’m not helping somebody.

But there's one big achievement that she's still hoping to cross off her list.

"My own personal Grammy. Mary J Blige won Best Album (for 'The Breakthrough'), so everybody gets one from that, but I want to have a Grammy for my own music. If I die today, everybody would remember me as “that girl who sang ‘Dirty Talk’”, so hopefully I get past that because I wouldn’t want that on my obituary," she says.

There's plenty more to 'With The Music I Die' than just 'Dirty Talk'. We've already gifted her a second top 20 hit with its follow-up 'Til Death' and there's more where they came from. Wynter summarises the album thusly;

"A lot of the young kids today don’t know the ‘90s goodness. It’s heart-felt, good music. Classic melodies, it’s fun and it’s ‘music’ again. It’s good pop."

Fun? Good pop? Looks like ours and Australia's love affair with Ms Gordon is going to last a fair while longer yet.

Wynter's album 'With The Music I Die' is available physically and digitally now.
Wynter's singles 'Dirty Talk' and 'Til Death' are also available digitally.

BETTER GUETTA NEW ALBUM

David Guetta will release his new album in Australia in late August.
Featuring the gold selling ARIA top ten hit 'Where Them Girls At' (featuring Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj) and the yet-to-be-serviced 'Little Bad Girl' (with Taio Cruz & Ludacris), the producer's new album is called 'Nothing But The Beat'.
The new LP will also reportedly feature collaborations with will.i.am, Snoop Dogg, local girl Sia and look out - Jennifer Hudson!
'Nothing But The Beat' is slated for an Australian release on Friday August 26.

BADWI BREAKS COVER

Warner Music has a short time ago revealed the cover image for the new Zoe Badwi album 'Zoe'.
They've also serviced selected media with six tracks from the Aussie pop diva's forthcoming debut.
Of course, four of the tracks are the singles which have already seen the light of day (including her top ten APRA Award winning smash 'Freefallin', the monster club anthem 'Release Me' and the latest single 'Carry Me Home'.
But the sampler also features two tracks that have never before seen the light of day - 'Until You're Over Me' and 'Believe You'.
The album 'Zoe' is currently set for release on Friday August 05.

01. Freefallin'
02. Release Me (TV ROCK Edit)
03. Until You're Over Me
04. Carry Me Home (Grant Smillie Edit)
05. Accidents Happen
06. Believe You

HAYES DROPS ANCHOR

It's all go on the Darren Hayes front today. His new single 'Talk Talk Talk' has been serviced to radio, the track has been released digitally and the official video has also premiered.
Beyond that, Universal Music has this morning officially announced the title of his new album.
Expected in October, it's called 'Secret Codes And Battleships' and according to this morning's press release, we should expect something that is "undeniably pop but beautifully bruised and wonderfully dented with a maturity, delicate reflection, and an emotional substance".
The clip below is a kaleidoscopic assault on the senses. A non-stop cascade of stunning visual effects, dotted with to-camera pieces from our princely pop subject.
A warm welcome back, Mister Hayes.

AT RETAIL ON FRIDAY JUNE 24, 2011

Beyonce – 4 (Deluxe Edition)
The Black Lips – Arabia Mountain
Michael Bolton – Gems : The Duets Collection
Busby Marou – Busby Marou
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On (40th Anniversary Edition)
Givers – In Light
Eilen Jewell – Queen Of The Minor Key
Joy Division & New Order – Ultimate : Best Of
LMFAO – Sorry For Party Rocking
OST – Cars 2
OST – Treme
Planningtorock – W
Queen – Deep Cuts Vol.2
Queen – Flash Gordon (Deluxe Edition)
Queen – The Game (Deluxe Edition)
Queen – Hot Space (Deluxe Edition)
Queen – Jazz (Deluxe Edition)
Queen – News Of The World (Deluxe Edition)
Queen – The Platinum Collection
Shaun William Ryder – 30 Years Of Bellyaching
Jill Scott – The Light Of The Sun
Suede – Best Of
Taking Back Sunday – Taking Back Sunday
Randy Travis – Anniversary Celebration
Various – 101 ‘60s Hits
Various – 101 ‘70s Hits
Various – Kitsune Maison 11
Various – NOW : The Hits Of Winter 2011
Weird Al Yankovic – Alpocalypse

Q&A : Kate Alexa

Aussie singer Kate Alexa has achieved two top 20 singles thus far (with her debut 'Always There' and with the 2006 single 'All I Hear'), but now she's hoping to tickle the 20 again with her brand new single 'X Rated'. It's the second single from a forthcoming album that she's just completed recording over in the UK.
In our third auspOp Q@A, we ask Kate about the sound of her new album, the most 'X Rated' thing she's ever done and the pros and pitfalls of having the most famous dad in the Aussie Music industry.

Q : Miss Kate, tell us all about your spanking (no pun intended) new single 'X Rated'.
X rated is just a fun song, it’s really just about sex! It’s also one of my favorite ones to do live as its ones of those songs where you really can just let loose and rock out!

Q : We've always pictured you as quite a clean living kinda gal. What's the most X Rated thing you've ever done in your life?
I don’t kiss and tell.

Q : You've spent quite a bit of time in the UK working on your forthcoming album. Who have you worked with on the project?
When I first started writing for my new album, I wasn't quite sure of the direction I wanted to take musically. So I travelled to Sweden, London and New York and ended up writing with lots of different writers and producers. We experimented with all different styles, but then I worked with Tom Nichols who is an amazing producer/writer from the UK and we actually ended up writing the whole album together and he also produced the album.

Q : What can we expect from the new album musically?
The album is very pop, but some of the songs have a ska thread to them and there is also some electro thrown in there too. I like to call it an eclectic mix of sounds! But I’m so happy with the final result and I think there’s something in there for everyone.

Q : Have you got a name for it yet? And can you tell us or is it still tippety-top secret?
Well I do have a name for it, but it is still a secret! You will have to stay tuned.

Q : Having someone so famous for a dad - is it a help or hindrance within the Aussie Music industry? Why?
Well it depends which way you look at it, but he definitely inspires me so much and he knows so much about this industry. He can give me better advice than anyone else I know!

Q : Do you have any plans for some live performances?
Yes, absolutely. I have recently done a bunch of live shows at a range of venues in Melbourne which is my home town, and we are going to lock in some more live shows in very soon. Hopefully I will do some live shows all around Australia.

Q : Do you have a message for your fans?
I’m so excited for you all to be finally hearing my new music!

Kate's single 'X Rated' is out now.
Her new (top secret) album is due later this year.

RISE AGAINST BULLYING

Credit where it's due. It takes balls for a punk/rock outfit to release a video for their latest single which deals with the subject of bullying. It takes big hairy balls for a punk/rock outfit to support the 'It Gets Better' campaign, aimed at supporting GLBTI youth.
The band's lead singer explains the reasons for the band getting behind the cause.
"A number of events were the catalyst for the creation of 'Make It Stop', everything from the suicides in September 2010, to our own fans voicing their fears and insecurities from time to time,” he said. “I decided to create the song as a response, and when I discovered the It Gets Better campaign and (It Gets Better Project co-founder) Dan Savage's commitment to such an important and concise message, I was moved. I immediately felt that if our song is the road, then the It Gets Better campaign is the destination. I hope the synergy between the two can reach people and make a difference."
The clip features the band performing in a school gymnasium while around them, GLBTI kids are being harassed and bullied. It's a touching piece of film and the band needs to be universally applauded by making such a bold move and taking such a positive step.
Find out more about the 'It Gets Better' Project by visiting www.itgetsbetter.org

GIVEAWAY

Who runs the world? Well Beyoncé's been giving it a fair crack with the first couple of songs from her brand new album '4'. Though 'Run The World (Girls)' might not have set the charts on fire originally, with a couple of live performances under her designer belt, the song began to click and ultimately hit the top ten here in Australia, one of its highest positions in the world.
Now with '1+1' and 'Best Thing I Never Had' also out for all the world to hear, Ms Knowles finally unleashes her new album '4' upon the world today.
Australian fans will get their money's worth too, with the physical edition housing a second disc which contains remixes of 'Run The World (Girls)' and three other new tunes; 'Lay Up Under Me', 'Schoolin Life' and 'Dance For You'.
But for you, our lucky auspOp reader, YOU have the chance to win of five copies with thanks to the ace in space Sony Music!

Shoot through an email containing your name and postal address to our email address (above, right sidebar) with the subject line "Busting 4 Beyonce" and we'll whack you into the draw!

Competition closes at 11:59pm AET on Thursday June 30, 2011. One entry per household. Winners (as always) are drawn entirely at random. Five auspOp readers will each receive a copy of the Beyonce album '4' with big thanks to Sony Music. Winners' first names, suburbs/towns and states will be published on the site on Friday July 01, 2011. And as you know by now, we take your privacy really seriously. So your details are safe with us.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.

GODDESS LOTUS BLOOMS

Further evidence today that the production of the Australian exclusive Kylie 'Goddess Edition' is nearing completion in China, with the book's creators beaming out this rather spectacular image of its pop-up lotus flower.
Fans have been following the creation of the Goddess Edition via THIS BLOG, from concept to mock-ups, sewing to glass blowing and much more besides.
As mentioned previously on the site, the first copy of the book is expected to hit Kylie's paws tomorrow week, with a release date proper of Friday July 08.
At last report, the edition was all but sold out.

SHOT OF ELIXIR

Universal Music has moments ago service the first two light tracks from the forthcoming Elixir album 'First Seed Ripening' (cover art pictured). Inspired by the words of Aussie poet Thomas Shapcott, the new LP is only the band's second (and their first in eight years) and once again features the soaring vocals of song goddess Katie Noonan, along with a string quartet from the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Among the album's 14 tracks (listing below) are cover versions - once of the Split Enz classic 'I Hope I Never' and one of Joni Mitchell's 'My Old Man' - one of two tracks serviced today (the other being 'Snapshot'.
'First Seed Ripening' will be released on Friday August 05.

01. First Seed Ripening
02. My Skin Is A Glove
03. Stuff Of Myths
04. Pierrot
05. Traditional Song
06. Last Flowers To The Hospital
07. Circle Of Moonlight
08. My Old Man
09. Sleep Soundly, Peacefully
10. Hemispheres
11. Nocturne
12. Last Night’s Comfort
13. Snapshot
14. I Hope I Never

TOURING : Josh Pyke

He kicks off a four date tour of the country to give his bestest fans the first chance to hear songs from his forthcoming album 'Only Sparrows' tonight in Sydney, but Josh Pyke has revealed this afternoon that the wider population won't miss out when he hits the road for the 'Only Sparrows' album tour in September. The Sydney-based singer songwriter will kick off the concert series at Newcastle's Cambridge Hotel on September 08 before visiting Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia for the 11 date tour.
Support for all shows will be provided by Emma Louise and The Paper Kites, with tickets for all dates on sale to the general public on Thursday July 07.

June 23 : Sydney (Good God Small Club) FAN SHOW
June 24 : Brisbane (Beetle Bar) FAN SHOW
June 30 : Adelaide (Grace Emily) FAN SHOW
July 01 : Melbourne (Grace Darling) FAN SHOW
September 08 : Newcastle (Cambridge Hotel)
September 09 : Wollongong (Wollongong Uni)
September 10 : Sydney (Metro Theatre)
September 16 : Melbourne (Corner Hotel)
September 17 : Geelong (Bended Elbow)
September 22 : Byron Bay (The Northern)
September 23 : Gold Coast (Coolangatta Hotel)
September 24 : Brisbane (The HiFi)
September 29 : Adelaide (Governor Hindmarsh)
September 30 : Fremantle (Fly By Night)
October 01 : Perth (Astor Theatre)

JORDIN TO SPARK TOMORROW

Here's one a little out of the box. The team at Sony Music will tomorrow digitally release Jordin Sparks' latest single in Australia. It's called 'I Am Woman' (not a cover of the Helen Reddy track) and it's the first track to be lifted from Jordin's forthcoming third album, due for release later in the year.
'I Am Woman', co-penned by Ryan Tedder (who also produced the track) was released throughout much of Europe as well as New Zealand and the United States early last month.

THE AUSTRALIAN CD NEW RELEASE SCHEDULE

July 01
2Cellos – 2Cellos
Clare Bowditch – Are You Ready Yet EP
Clare Bowditch – Modern Day Addiction (Tour Edition)
Billy Ray Cyrus – I’m American
Diesel – Under The Influence
Digitalism – I Love You, Dude
Fatty Gets A Stylist – Fatty Gets A Stylist
Selena Gomez & The Scene – When The Sun Goes Down
Hellogoodbye – Would It Kill You?
Sierra Hull – Day Break
Kaiser Chiefs – The Future Is Medieval
Alicia Keys – Songs In A Minor (Deluxe Edition)
Alicia Keys – Songs In A Minor (Collectors Edition)
Limp Bizkit – Gold Cobra
Owl Eyes – Raiders EP
Sierra Hull – Day Break
Syndicate – Syndicate
Various – CMC Rocks The Hunter (DVD)
Various – Cycling Tracks
Various – Rave On Buddy Holly

July 08
Avalanche City – Our New Life Above The Ground
Cascada – Original Me (Deluxe Edition)
Fitz & The Tantrums – Pickin’ Up The Pieces
Ford & Lopatin – Channel Pressure
Adam Harvey – Falling Into Place
Jump Jump Dance Dance – Jump Jump Dance Dance
Junior Boys – It’s All True
Megadeth – Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying
Kylie Minogue – Aphrodite (Goddess Edition)
Randy Newman – Songbook Vol.1
Noah & The Whale – Last Night On Earth
Dolly Parton – The Collection
Christina Perri – Lovestrong
Rod Stewart – Best Of The Great American Songbook
George Thorogood & The Destroyers – 2120 South Michigan Avenue
Tiny Ruins – Some Were Meant For Sea
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Various – Eurovision Song Contest (DVD)
Various – Ministry Of Sound : The Annual – 10 Years

July 15
Alkaline Trio – Damnesia
Thomas Dybdahl – Songs
Jackie Evancho – Dream With Me
Incubus – If Not Now, When?
The Joy Formidable – The Big Roar
Leader Cheetah – Lotus Skies
Theophilus London – Timez Are Weird These Days
OST – Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure
James Rhodes – Bullets & Lullabies
The Ten Tenors – Double Platinum
Various – Skitz Mix 38
Yacht – Shangri-La

July 22
Biffy Clyro – Live At Wembley
The Black Ghosts – When Animals Star
The Dead Leaves – Cities On The Sea
Emerson Drive – Decade Of Drive : Greatest Hits
Enter Shikari – Live From Planet Earth
French Horn Rebellion – The Infinite Music Of French Horn Rebellion
The Living End – The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating
Steve Mason & Dennis Bovell – Ghosts Outside
Pnau – Soft Universe
R.E.M. – Life’s Rich Pageant (Deluxe Edition)
Rodrigo Y Gabriela – Live In France
Various – The Dinner Party
Various – Major Flavours 6
Various – Ministry Of Sound : In The Club Vol.3
Various – Rage : Let’s Dance (CD/DVD)
Various – School Of Rock
Rufus Wainwright – House Of Rufus (Super Deluxe Box)
We The Kings – Sunshine State Of Mind

July 29
Azari & III – Azari & III
The Count & Sinden – Mega Mega Remix
The Idea Of North – Extraordinary Tale
Katherine Jenkins – From The Heart
McAlister Kemp – All Kinds Of Tough (Deluxe Edition)
OST – Captain America : The First Avenger
The Panics – Rain On The Humming Wire
Portugal The Man – In The Mountain In The Cold
Redcoats – Redcoats EP
The Reels – Quasimodos Dream
Sick Puppies – Tri Polar (Deluxe Edition)
Joss Stone – LP1
Sunny Sweeney – Concrete
Various – Guilty Pleasures
Various – Kickin’ Hard 11
Various – Songbird

August 05
Zoë Badwi – Zoë
Boy & Bear – Moonfire
Designer Drugs – Hardcore Softcore
Dream On Dreamer – Heartbound
Il Volo – Il Volo
Alfredo Malabello – The Two Of Us
Nero – Welcome Reality

August 12
Eskimo Joe – Ghosts Of The Past
Phrase – Babylon
Nicole Scherzinger – Killer Love
These Kids Wear Crowns - Jumpstart
Various – Ministry Of Sound : Uncovered 3

August 19
Blood Orange – Coastal Grooves
Gotye – Making Mirrors
Josh Pyke – Only Sparrows
Joss Stone – Super Duper Hits
James Taylor & Carole King – Troubadours

August 26
Johnny Clegg – Human
Dead Letter Chorus – Yearlings
Tim Finn – The View Is Worth The Climb
Game – The R.E.D. Album
OST – Legally Blonde : Original London Cast Recording
Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You
Sneaky Sound System – From Here To Anywhere

September 02
Grouplove – Never Trust A Happy Song
The Rapture – In The Grace Of Your Love

September 09
Howling Bells – The Loudest Engine
The Kooks – Junk Of The Heart

September 23
Twin Sister – In Heaven

All release dates subject to change & list is updated weekly.

ENRIQUE IGLESIAS & USHER FTG. LIL WAYNE : Dirty Dancer

After teasing us for the past few weeks with snippets of his new video (and we do mean snippets), heartthrob Enrique Iglesias has finally revealed the official video for his new single 'Dirty Dancer'.
To be honest, we're not fans of the track - its chorus is waaay too repetitive for us, and to be even more honest, given all the hype and build-up surrounding this new clip, we were expecting a lot, LOT more.
Yes, the ornithological video cameras are there (albeit briefly), but save for some great post-production wizardry, all we're really getting here essentially is Enrique watching a pole dancer where it could have been so much more.

GUERILLAS TO HIT TASSIE

Look out Tasmania! Those Channel [V] Guerillas have you firmly in their sights!
After wowing audiences across the mainland throughout the past 12 months, the team from Channel [V] is about to head across Bass Strait to unleash their first ever Guerilla Gig on Tasmanian soil.
What we can tell you is that it's all going to go down in Launceston and it's all happening this Sunday? But where? And with whom?
Best keep your eyes peeled on the Channel [V] FACEBOOK PAGE for clues in the days ahead.