Trusty Chords

By his own admission, you probably haven’t heard of Kevin Devine, but for almost 30 years now, he’s been a prolific musician who treats making music in much the same way the rest of us treat the need to breathe. That is to say, he deems it to be pretty bloody important.

In fact, in addition to a solo career, Kevin’s been a member of bands like Infind, Delusion (who later renamed themselves Miracle Of 86), and Bad Books (which features members of Manchester Orchestra), plus he’s also got a pretty fruitful solo career, both under his own name and with his backing band, The Goddamn Band

Needless to say, if you’ve not yet heard of Kevin Devine, well, now’s the time to get on board – you certainly won’t be left wanting when it comes to content.

However, he is going to have to take a bit of time off making music when he heads to Australia this week for his first tour in ten years.

Ahead of his trip down south, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Kevin for the podcast, where you’ll hear him chatting about his underdog status, his love of Elliott Smith, and more.

If you’re someone who has your finger on the pulse of the world of jazz, then Audrey Powne is a name that you might be aware of. If hers isn’t a name you know, well, then you definitely need to listen to today’s podcast.

Based in the UK, but originally from Melbourne, Audrey is an artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist who has been aptly described as a creative force carving out a distinctive path in the worlds of future jazz and soul. 

Having been drawn to jazz at a young age, Audrey honed her craft in the vibrant Melbourne music scene amongst the likes of Hiatus Kaiyote and 30/70, and can now be found performing in some of the most visionary musical circles globally.

A prolific artist, and a stalwart of the Melbourne jazz and soul scenes (which has seen her leading various pop projects including synth pop duo Au Dré, and sweet soul band Leisure Centre as both a vocalist and trumpeter), Audrey released debut solo album, ‘From The Fire’, on April 26th. 

Ahead of the album’s release, Audrey took some time out of her day to have a chat for the latest episode of the Trusty Chords podcast, where she discussed her love of jazz, her journey into the world of music, and the exciting process of her debut album.

For close to a decade now, Ben Gumbleton has been the driving force between the masterful Boo Seeka.

From albums like ‘Never Too Soon’ in 2017, which hit number eight on the Aussie charts, 2022’s ‘Between The Head & The Heart’, and this year’s ‘Midnight Highlight’, he’s become renowned as a wonderful musician you need to hear.

This week, Ben joins the podcast as he talks through the Boo Seeka story and opens up about his musical process.

After almost 30 years, iconic rockers Grinspoon are still going strong, and following a 12-year gap between records, they’re back with new material. Yesterday saw the announcement of new single ‘Unknown Pretenders’, which will appear on the forthcoming ‘whatever, whatever’, and will be supported by a 45-date tour.

Needless to say, these blokes don’t do things by halves.

Fresh off the back of this announcement, Phil Jamieson and Pat Davern joined the podcast this week for the inaugural bonus episode, which just sees us mainly delving into their own Trusty Chords.

If I had to put it simply, Human Noise are a band you need to know. Based between Sydney and Melbourne, the four-piece outfit craft a truly unique sound that gets inside your head and takes you over.

Last month, they released their latest album, ‘Glitching Colour’, and it’s a truly stellar release.

This week, the wonderful Eddie Boyd joins the podcast for an informative chat about the band’s history, their sound, and their newest album.

Since the late ‘90s, Western Australian alt-rockers Eskimo Joe have been tearing up the charts with their iconic tracks. I’m talking albums like ‘Girl’, ‘A Song Is A City’, and ‘Black Fingernails, Red Wine’, and songs like ‘Sweater’, ‘Who Sold Her Out’, and… ‘Black Fingernails, Red Wine’.

Needless to say, if you’re looking for an accomplished, celebrated, talented band, look no further than Eskimo Joe.

Following on from the release of their latest single, ‘The First Time’, earlier this year, and a head of a run of regional tour dates, bassist and vocalist Kav Temperley joins me on the podcast to reflect on a storied career.

Sunshine Coast duo The Dreggs have been making some of the smoothest music you’ve ever heard for about seven years now, and most recently, the group have just released their debut 'album, Caught In A Reverie'.

As you might expect, it’s a corker of an album, packed full of that breezy, folky, pop-influenced sound upon which they carved out a niche for themselves.

If you’re someone who likes those summer vibes presented to you on-demand, then you’d do quite well to check out The Dreggs.

With the album out in the world as of last week, and a national run of tour dates kicking off next month, Paddy Macrae was lovely enough to join me for a chat this week.

It’s hard to imagine an Australian music scene without Regurgitator. For over three decades now, the trio have been dishing out highly-regarded albums packed full of songs that are as catchy as they are fun; and backing it up with undeniably stellar live shows along the way. Their discography includes the likes of their classic debut ‘Tu-Plang’, the highly-decorated ‘Unit’, and other brilliant records like ‘…art’, ‘Mish Mash’, and more.

After a brief hiatus around 2013, The Gurge have since been hard at it ever since, even going as far as to release a children’s album in 2019. Now, in between their relentless touring schedule, they’ve found the time to write and record their newest album, ‘Invader’. It’s classic Regurgitator, packed full of that undeniably catchy pop sheen, that tongue-in-cheek sense of humour, and a few stylistic and lyrical focuses that we’ve not really seen before. Add in a few guest appearances by the likes of Peaches and JK-47, and you’ve got a record that is easily among their best work.

This week, I was lucky enough to be joined by the fabulous Quan Yeomans. I can’t tell you how grateful I was to have someone like Quan on this podcast. From his thoughtful answers to his wonderful broadcasting voice, this was a chat I wish could have lasted for hours on end. Luckily, most podcast players have a repeat function, so pop this one, press the repeat button, and you too can listen to Quan chat for hours on end.

If you’re a fan of punk rock, then I think you would do very well to listen to Hot Water Music. Ever since they formed back in 1994, they’ve spent much of that time writing amazing songs, touring relentlessly, and carving out their own unique niche which has equally seen them considered an enduring pillar of American punk, incredibly influential, and – in the very same breath – wholly underrated.

Across 30 years, two breakups, and ten albums, the group have gone from hit new and exciting heights with each and every move they make. This year, they release their tenth album, Vows, which is arguably their most ambitious and most collaborative record to date.

For the latest episode of Trusty Chords, I was joined by founding bassist, Jason Black, to have a chat about the group’s history and their latest album. I even had a chance to ask Jason if it’s alright that I’m using the name to one of their most beloved songs as the title to this podcast. Thankfully, no cease and desists are forthcoming, so after you check out this episode, you can eagerly await next week’s, which won’t see me forced to rename.

Ever since they first formed as teenagers almost 30 years ago, Jebediah have been synonymous with Australian music. Hailing from Perth and harnessing a penchant for whipping up catchy pieces of alt-rock, they released four albums between 1997 and 2004, with another arriving in 2011 following some time off.

Across their career though, they’ve scored numerous top ten records, received five ARIA Award nominations, taken home eight West Australian Music Industry Awards, and even been inducted into the latter’s Hall Of Fame. Plus, with songs like ‘Leaving Home’, ‘Harpoon’, ‘Animal’, ‘Jerks Of Attention’, and countless others, you can see why they’re highly regarded.

Alongside Jebediah, frontman Kevin Mitchell also performs as Bob Evans, a project that has nabbed him an ARIA Award and resulted in six albums. He’s a little bit of a musical genius, to be honest.

Now, after 13 years between drinks, Jebediah are back with their latest album, ‘Oiks’. It’s powerful, punchy, and packed full of that youthful energy that’s forever been synonymous with their name.

For the latest episode of Trusty Chords, Kevin Mitchell was kind enough to spend some time to discuss how Jebediah came to be, how they’re finally growing up, and his affinity for Archers Of Load and adult contemporary music.