The Weekly Wrap | 05/07/2024
The Weekly Wrap is a look at the biggest stories in music collected in one place for your reading ease.
Ruel Covers Sixpence None the Richer for New EP
Sydney crooner Ruel has dropped a fab cover of Sixpence None the Richer’s massive 90s hit, ‘Kiss Me’. The track comes as Ruel preps the release of his new covers EP, Adaptations.
Ruel’s take on the old school favourite is pretty similar to the original, albeit more stripped back, with the ‘Painkiller’ and ‘Dazed & Confused’ singer performing the song backed by just a keyboard, which he also happens to be playing.
“I’ve always found covers a hard task to tackle, it’s a tricky balance to make sure you do justice to the original and put your own spin on it,” Ruel said when talking about his version of ‘Kiss Me’. “For this 90s classic I thought stripping it right back and keeping it simple was the best way to go.”
Adaptations is set for release on August 1. You can listen to Ruel’s cover of ‘Kiss Me’ above.
NYE on the Hill Drops 2024 Lineup
NYE on the Hill has come through with the goods for its 2024 lineup. The all-Aussie bill is headlined by singer-songwriter and occasionally rapper Mallrat, Sunshine Coast folksters The Dreggs and rising rockers Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers.
Also on the lineup are Kenyan-born Adelaide-based rapper and singer Elsy Wameyo, bogan funksters Playlunch, indie favourites Rum Jungle and more. As always, the winner of triple j Unearthed will grace the stage during the festival.
The boutique Victorian camping event is celebrating its 11th edition and will run from December 30 2024 to January 1 2025.
For full ticketing and lineup details visit nyeonthehill.com.au.
ARIA Awards Reveals Event Details
The 38th ARIA Awards will once again be held at Sydney’s Horden Pavilion later this year, making it the third year in a row the celebration of Australian music has taken place at the venue.
The ceremony has been locked in for Wednesday, November 20 and will be televised by Channel 9 for those unable to attend.
“Since 1987, the ARIA Awards have represented the pinnacle of achievement in Australian music,” ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd said in a press statement. “The past year has seen a huge number of homegrown Aussie talent making their mark locally and globally and we’re very excited to celebrate these achievements on 20 November at the Hordern Pavillion. We’re also tremendously grateful to all our partners and everyone involved in helping us give Australian music a global platform.”
While the nominees for the 2024 ceremony have yet to be announced, last year’s big winners included Genesis Owusu taking out Album of the Year, Best Independent Release and Best Hip Hop / Rap, DMA’s winning Best Group and Troye Sivan collecting four statues, including one for Best Solo Artist.
The 38th ARIA Awards take place on Wednesday, November 20. For more details visit aria.com.au.
Mercury Rev Drop New Single Ahead of Aussie Tour
Ahead of their upcoming Australian tour alongside Ride, Mercury Rev has dropped the second single from their forthcoming album, Born Horses.
‘Ancient Love’ is an intriguing six-minute train of thought featuring horns, piano, guitars and spoken word poetry from Mercury Rev vocalist Jonathan Donahue. It’s quite a departure from their usual sound, with the band citing the likes of Tony Conrad and Robert Creeley as influences.
“What we are today comes from our thoughts and perceptions of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life for tomorrow,” the band in a statement about the song. “Our life is the creation of our mind which originates from ancient love.”
Born Horses is set for release on September 6, with Mercury Rev touring with Ride this August before the album drops.
Pre-order/pre-save Born Horses here. Tickets for Ride and Mercury Rev’s Adelaide show at Hindley St Music Hall are on sale now via Moshtix.
Sick Of It All Lead Vocalist Lou Koller Announces Cancer Diagnosis
In news that’s shocked the metal community, Sick Of It All's lead vocalist Lou Koller has announced he is undergoing treatment for cancer, forcing the band to cancel their upcoming European tour.
Koller took to Instagram to share the news after fans began to speculate why the tour was canned. He explained a tumour was found in his throat and that he needed immediate medical attention. “We’re not happy about it, seriously,” he says in the video.
“So, that’s the reason. No other reason you heard is the truth. This is the truth,” he concludes. “So yeah, just thanks for all your support. Hopefully, we beat this thing, and see you at the end of the summer or maybe the winter. Take care.”
After the news broke, Pete Koller, Lou’s brother, launched a GoFundMe fundraising campaign to raise funds to help pay for medical bills, as they discovered Lou’s insurance doesn't cover all treatments.
So far fans have raised over $240,000 to help Lou Koller with his cancer battle.
You can donate to Lou Koller’s GoFundMe page here.
Tourist Announces Headline Australian Tour, SKips Adelaide
London producer Tourist is heading our way this October in celebration of his fifth album, Memory Morning.
Tourist, who was born William Phillips, has announced four shows in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, with Adelaide once again missing out.
Memory Morning was released in April of this year to much acclaim. The ten-track record is unique in that Tourist recorded it using just a laptop, a smartphone, and an OP1 synthesizer.
In a press release about the record, Tourist said, “I want this album to be a place you go and visit often, and where you find new, little things in it every time you go.
Tickets for Tourist’s Australian tour are on sale now via Live Nation.
Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) Arrives Next Week
Eminem’s much-hyped 12th studio album now has an official release date. The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), featuring the #1 single ‘Houdini’, is dropping Friday, July 12.
To celebrate the announcement, Em released new single ‘Tobey’, featuring fellow Michiganders Big Sean and BabyTron.
The album rollout has included a fake obituary in the Detroit Free Press, the throwback music video for ‘Houdini’ and several short videos, including one of a woman giving birth to a devil.
The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) is the rapper’s first studio album since 2020’s Music To Be Murdered To, an album that topped the charts around the globe but failed to win the critics over.
The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) is released on Friday, July 12. You can watch the music video for ‘Tobey’ below.
Friday Five
You love music. We love music. Here are five songs we can’t get enough of this week.
1. Jessie Ware & Romy – ‘Lift You Up’
2. SBTRKT – ‘BACK ON’
3. Bjéar – ‘I’m sorry, the fire doesn’t fall anymore’
4. Jake Bugg – ‘All Kinds of People’
5. Emily Wurramara – ‘Lordy Lordy’
