Trusty Chords

There's a very good chance that if you've listened to music lately, then you might have heard of Dexter And The Moonrocks.

Maybe theirs isn't a name you've particularly become familiar with, but on a statistical level, you've likely heard them thanks to their March single 'Freakin' Out'.

Hell, I'll admit I had no idea who they were until the track popped up on my Instagram feed. By that point, it had garnered millions of streams, and at the time of this recording, it boasts over 109 million streams on Spotify alone – just for that one song.

But this wasn't an overnight success, given that Dexter And The Moonrocks have been on the scene for about five years now. Again, as we speak, it's No. 48 on the Australian charts (having made it up to No. 30), and managed to hit the top 50 in the US, and the top ten on the Alternative and Rock charts – topping the former.

Needless to say, Dexter And The Moonrocks are hot property right now, and if you're not yet on board, you might need to do so.

Just under two months ago, I was lucky enough to have a chat with drummer Ryan Fox (otherwise simply known as Fox, since they have another Ryan in the band, too) about all this success. Since then, they've dropped another single called '12 Steps', and they've announced an Australian debut thanks to appearances on the Strummingbird lineup, and slots supporting Bailey Zimmerman.

Anyway, buy a ticket to Dexter And The Moonrocks' upcoming Australian tour, listen to their in-demand discography, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

For close to 25 years now, Canada's own The Flatliners have been bringing their unique brand of punk to the world.

Formed in 2002, the Ontario group are one of those rare bands who have managed to maintain the same line-up through the entirety of their career.

They've used this stability to craft numerous records over the years, including the likes of 'The Great Awake', 'Cavalcade', and 'Dead Language' on Fat Wreck Chords, and most recently, 'Cold World'. 

Their seventh studio album, 'Cold World' is exactly what you're after from a new album by The Flatliners. Sharp yet smooth, but maintaining that frenetic energy that has accompanied their decades of work, it's an album definitely worth your time.

Alongside his time in The Flatliners, guitarist and vocalist Chris Cresswell has spent almost a decade performing a similar role in Hot Water Music. 

You might have heard me mention Hot Water Music before, namely due to the fact that bassist Jason Black was the guest in our third-ever episode, and the fact that this very podcast is named after one of their songs.

Needless to say, it's nice to welcome another member of the Hot Water Music family onto the Trusty Chords podcast.

Anyway, have a listen to The Flatliners' 'Cold World', have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

There's a very good chance that if you've found yourself listening to music in recent years and noticing there seems to be a stylistic shift to the straightforward pop and rock of the '60s, you've likely found yourself listening to The Lemon Twigs.

Hailing from Long Island in New York, The Lemon Twigs is the musical project of brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario, who, after starting in the world of acting, found themselves focusing on music, forming their nascent band while in high school.

From there, it's the standard story every group dreams of: demos attract interest, and before long, you're signed to a record label, making plenty of albums, appearing on TV, touring the world, and cultivating a strong fanbase.

Just one month ago, however, the familial duo returned with their sixth album, the stellar 'Look For Your Mind!'. Tapping into the psychedelic power pop sound, it's a brilliant piece of work that underlines just how strong they are as songwriters and performers.

Needless to say, when the opportunity came up, I knew I had to take the chance to have a chat to Brian and Michael to talk about their latest record.

Anyway, have a listen to The Lemon Twigs' 'Look For Your Mind!' album, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

Last week saw the Trusty Chords podcast celebrate 100 episodes, so we here at TC HQ figured it was high time to offer up a few facts and stats from the past couple of years.

We're talking information about the theme song, info on the longest and shortest episodes, the most chosen artists, albums, and songs, and all that other sort of granular stuff you didn't even know you wanted until now.

For about 15 years now, the Australian music scene has been home to The Pretty Littles, arguably one of the best rock bands this country has produced in quite some time.

From humble beginnings with a batch of albums that largely flew under the radar, it was in 2016 or so that The Pretty Littles began to experience wider fame. 

Albums like 2016's 'Soft Rock For The Anxious' and 2018's 'Skeleton Run' helped cement them as staples of the independent rock scene, and there's a very good chance that 2020's 'Weekend Away' would have continued that trajectory, had it not arrived against the backdrop of COVID.

That album was very close to being the last for the band, with The Pretty Littles effectively ceasing to exist after its arrival. 

Thankfully, the story doesn't end there, and frontman Jack Parsons kept the group going, enough to release 2025's 'Force' album, which was my favourite Australian release of 2025, and third-favourite record of the year overall.

Given that Force took a while to arrive, one could have reasonably expected another few years to elapse before The Pretty Littles dropped a new record, but thankfully, we're celebrating today with the release of 'Mulga Wire', a fresh new album that shows that this is a band that don't just offer up some slick songs with stellar songwriting (try saying that five times fast), but commands your attention because of it.

This week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Parso, just days after he returned from the latest edition of Guts Touring up in the Northern Territory.

Thankfully, he was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed enough to take part in what would be this podcast's 100th episode celebration (or as I'm calling it, the 'Trusty Chords 100th Episode Extrava-Spec-Ganza-Tacular'. Catchy, right?)

Anyway, have a listen to The Pretty Littles' 'Mulga Wire', grab a ticket to their upcoming tour, listen back through that impressive discography, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping and some words about this podcast's 100-episode run.

If you're someone who has a penchant for music which is a little bit ferocious, a little bit honest, and a whole lot of impactful, then you might have come across Chasing Ghosts over the years.

Originally, Chasing Ghosts was formed as a solo act by Jimmy Kyle, a Thungutti man who also happens to be a musician, storyteller, and educator up there with the best of them. Following Chasing Ghosts' arrival, albums arrived in due course, and soon enough, it expanded into a full-band affair.

Records like 'Confessions From A Phone Booth' and 'I Am Jimmy Kyle' were followed by the 'Homelands' EP, and in 2025, we received the Therapy album. I'm going to editorialise a little bit when I say that 'Therapy' is a stunning record and one that is definitely worth your time.

Early this month, however, Chasing Ghosts revealed that they were going on an indefinite hiatus. Noting that "family has to come first," Jimmy reflected on the impact that the band has had on both him and the wider community, and revealed that they wouldn't be going out with a whimper, but with a bang.

Indeed, they announced one final show to take place at the Northcote Social Club this June, with the massive attention soon necessitating a second show. 

This week, Jimmy was kind enough to join me for a wonderful chat, discussing his musical history, the story of Chasing Ghosts, and the impending hiatus. As a bit of a peek behind the curtain, my band will actually be supporting Chasing Ghosts at their second Northcote Social Club show, but this hadn't been locked down while we were chatting.

Anyway, buy a ticket to Chasing Ghosts' upcoming farewell show, listen back through that impressive discography, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

I daresay that The Sheila Divine are one of those great examples of a band who deserve much more attention than they've received over their career.

Forming in Boston back in 1997, most casual fans of the group would've come on board around the release of 1999's 'New Parade' record, which spawned the likes of 'Hum', 'Like A Criminal', and more.

If you're a fan of music from the late '90s (and frankly, if you're listening to this podcast, I daresay you are), 'New Parade' should be required listening. Go ahead, take 46 minutes and give it a run. I'll wait right here. (That was great, wasn't it?)

But their story doesn't end there. Following another record a couple of years later, the group would split, with a pair of reunions eventually resulting in a constant stream of records since 2012 as an independent act.

An acclaimed group of musicians, songwriters, and performers, the band's fanbase is strongest in the US northeast, as well as Belgium. And with good reason, too, because they are a stellar band who are still operating at full capacity, decades down the line.

This week, they return with their latest album, the fantastic 'The Middle Ages.' If you're a fan of alternative rock with soaring choruses, frenetic energy, and a viscerally-earnest approach to the craft, you'd do well to check this one out.

Since The Sheila Divine's inception, Aaron Perrino has been up the front, serving as vocalist and guitarist. This week, he was kind enough to join us for a chat (well, we actually spoke back in March) to chat about the band's history, their new record, and his familial link to another friend of the show.

Anyway, have a listen to The Sheila Divine's 'The Middle Ages,' have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

Ruby Jones is one of those musicians whose whole life has largely been spent in the pursuit of music, with a calling to the craft as a youngster soon finding itself following her for the entirety of her life.

If her name isn't one that's familiar, there's a very good chance you might have seen her as part of Melbourne soul outfit Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes, which existed until 2015 and boasted Ruby as a member.

Since then though, she's been very active as a solo artist, having launched her career a few years later, and releasing the stellar 'The Woman Who Loves You' album in 2021. There was a bit of a gap between releases after that, however, and it's taken us a little while to receive her new record, 'Souvenir.'

Arriving last week, it's one of those records which definitely falls into the category of 'worth the wait', because Ruby has crafted an 11-track collection of tunes which showcase her stunning approach to folk and rock.

Touching upon myriad topics such as creativity, heartbreak, toxic relationships, a love of place, and even climate catastrophes, it's a record which is varied in its approach, though anyone would be consistent in their opinion that it's a wonderful release.

You might have guessed by now, but this week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Ruby about her musical career, and how it led to the release of her new record.

Anyway, have a listen to her 'Souvenir' album, buy a ticket to her upcoming launch show, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

Hello and welcome to Trusty Chords, the podcast which aims to celebrate music and those that create it.

Spend just a few minutes chatting to Nick Manuell, and it's pretty clear that he's one of the hardest-working folks in the Australian music scene.

Having been interested in music since his early years, a number of bands gave way to The Sinking Teeth, who were a staple of live stages for quite some time – close to a decade in fact.

However, Nick's current list of bands can be traced back to 2013, when The Sinking Teeth went out on tour with punk icons Bodyjar for their 'Role Model' tour. Performing alongside Luca Brasi as fellow supports, it was just six years later that he'd be asked to join Bodyjar as their bassist.

Since then, he's served as a member of the legendary rock group, starting another band – Raging Hormones – along the way.

Most recently, Nick went back to that 2013 tour, because in 2024, he also joined Luca Brasi, this time as their rhythm guitarist. Needless to say, if you're in a band right now, be careful chatting to Nick, or else he might just be coming for your job.

Alongside his stellar work in his numerous bands, Nick's work also extends to the worlds of photography, videography, recording, and so much more. I've been lucky enough to share stages with him, record in the studio with him, and have his camera pointed at my face, and he's a dedicated professional in every aspect.

Next week, Nick is hitting the road with Luca Brasi as they kick off their 'If This Is All We’re Going To Be' tenth anniversary tour, but before he does that, he was kind enough to join for a lengthy chat about his musical history.

Anyway, buy a ticket to Luca Brasi's upcoming Australian tour; listen through the discographies of The Sinking Teeth, Bodyjar, Raging Hormones, and Luca Brasi; and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

It's pretty hard to think about punk music over the past 50 years without paying mind to the great Greg Ginn.

Beginning his career with a radio equipment company before he was even a teenager, Ginn co-founded the band Panic with vocalist Keith Morris in 1976, with the group adopting the name Black Flag in 1978.

The ensuing decade has been studied, talked about, written about, and immortalised at great length, with Black Flag quickly becoming one of the most hard-working, prolific, and energetic punk bands on the scene. 

When someone talks about hardcore punk, laments the 'glory days' of the genre, or turns their attention to what a punk band 'should' be, they're probably talking about Black Flag.

Though Black Flag would split in 1986, a batch of reunions have taken place since, and just last year – in 2025 – Ginn announced the latest lineup of the band. This time around, it made headlines, largely due to the fact that the combined ages of his new bandmates don't equate to his own.

While some critics have derided the latest era of Black Flag for featuring a 'Gen Z' lineup, and others have exercised some misogyny with comments towards their newly-recruited vocalist – the first woman to hold down the role – recent footage has shown that the band are actually firing on all cylinders.

This May, Black Flag  are returning to Australia for a batch of shows, and to celebrate, the normally media-shy Ginn joined me for a brief chat about the band's latest happenings. We don't quite get to all of his favourite songs, but with such a hard question put to a great musical mind, who can blame him?

Anyway, buy a ticket to Black Flag's upcoming Australian tour, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.