Sarah Downs

New Zealand

Contributing Writer at Freelance

Contributing News and Features Writer at The BRAG

Contributing Writer at Rolling Stone Australia

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Articles

The Teskey Brothers Drop Live Track 'Forever You and Me'

3 weeks ago | tonedeaf.thebrag.com | Sarah Downs

The Teskey Brothers have dropped a long-awaited live version of fan favourite “Forever You and Me”. Frontman Josh Teskey explains, “’Forever You and Me’ is really a love song to my friends. We wrote the chorus to sound like a romantic song, but it’s actually about friendship and being grateful for the people in my life.”This new version appears on their upcoming live album Live At The Hammersmith Apollo, out Friday, July 11th.
Bean Magazine Drop New EP 'FOLLY'

3 weeks ago | tonedeaf.thebrag.com | Sarah Downs

Brisbane indie rock trio Bean Magazine are back with their new EP, FOLLY. Produced by Sam Cromack of Ball Park Music, the EP balances punchy, energetic guitars and catchy sing-alongs with some softer, more thoughtful moments. At its core, FOLLY is all about embracing your flaws and having a laugh at yourself.
Jimmy Barnes Releases New Album 'DEFIANT'

3 weeks ago | tonedeaf.thebrag.com | Sarah Downs

He’s the man with more ARIA #1 albums than anyone in history. Now, 40 years and 21 solo albums later, including 15 #1s, Barnes is still swinging. His new album? It’s called DEFIANT. Over the past few years, the Cold Chisel frontman has endured several major surgeries, including a life-threatening heart operation. But quitting has never been his style. “Nobody lives this long without copping some knocks and I’ve taken my fair share, particularly lately,” Barnes says.
Red Hot Summer Tour Adds New Shows

3 weeks ago | tonedeaf.thebrag.com | Sarah Downs

The Red Hot Summer Tour has sold out two shows and added a second and final date for Sandstone Point Hotel on Sunday, 19th October, and Mornington Racecourse on Sunday, 30th November (see all dates below). Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster. An all-Australian lineup headlined by Crowded House will light up rural Australia as part of the Red Hot Summer Tour. Pop-rock icons Crowded House will lead the tour, following a string of cross-Tasman shows late last year.
ABC to Launch First-Ever First Nations Variety Show

3 weeks ago | tonedeaf.thebrag.com | Sarah Downs

The ABC will break new ground in July with the premiere of That Blackfella Show, billed as Australia’s first national First Nations variety program. Rolling Stone AU/NZ reports the show will air its debut episode on Saturday, July 5, during NAIDOC Week, with Ernie Dingo, ABC News Breakfast’s Bridget Brennan, and media personality Isaac Compton sharing hosting duties.
Fanny Lumsden Covers Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’

3 weeks ago | tonedeaf.thebrag.com | Sarah Downs

Fanny Lumsden has released her first new music since 2023’s award-winning Hey Dawn, and it’s a fresh take on a beloved hit. She’s shared a cover of Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know”, featuring Kimbra. The track was recorded with her live band The Prawn Stars, and produced by Matt Fell, Dan Freeman and Lumsden. It was mixed by Fell and mastered by William Bowden, who also mastered the original Gotye version.
Gordi and Anaïs Mitchell Team Up on 'PVC Divide'

3 weeks ago | tonedeaf.thebrag.com | Sarah Downs

Gordi, aka Sophie Payten, has dropped a new song from her upcoming album Like Plasticine. “PVC Divide” is an emotional ballad, written, recorded, and produced by Gordi herself, featuring US singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell. The track draws from Sophie’s time working as a doctor during the COVID pandemic. “I spent the pandemic working as a doctor,” Payten explains. “These tiny planes at empty airports would take us to remote towns, to restaff hospitals that had been hit by covid.
Bret McKenzie Announces Second Album, Drops New Single

3 weeks ago | tonedeaf.thebrag.com | Sarah Downs

Flight of the Conchords’ Bret McKenzie is releasing his second solo album this August. The Kiwi comedian-musician drops Freak Out City on the 15th, the follow-up to his 2022 debut Songs Without Jokes on Sub Pop. He wrote the new tracks while touring New Zealand and the US with his eight-piece band, The State Highway Wonders. Freak Out City was recorded in both Los Angeles and New Zealand, co-produced by McKenzie and longtime collaborator Mickey Petralia.
James Vincent McMorrow Loves Australia and Angie McMahon

3 weeks ago | tonedeaf.thebrag.com | Sarah Downs

James Vincent McMorrow has landed back in Australia, guitar in hand, head full of memories, and he’s feeling the love for the country that first embraced his music. Ahead of his solo anniversary tour celebrating Early in the Morning, the Irish singer-songwriter caught up with Rolling Stone AU/NZ to talk nostalgia, fan connection, and why Aussie audiences still hold a special place in his heart. And he didn’t waste time shouting out one of his favourite local acts.
Joel Madden Shouts Out Ben Lee on Podcast

1 month ago | tonedeaf.thebrag.com | Sarah Downs

Joel Madden has given some serious props to Ben Lee on his Artist Friendly podcast. “I don’t know if Good Charlotte would have existed if it weren’t for Ben Lee,” Madden told fellow musician Ben Kweller during the chat. Madden recalled discovering the Sydney singer-songwriters’s early work, specifically the albums Grandpaw Would and Breathing Tornados, calling them formative. “Those records informed my idea of songwriting,” he said.