STACK #217 November 2022

MUSIC FEATURE

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As die-hard devotees of homegrown music, we're ready to celebrate Aussie musos any day of the week – but we love giving them extra kudos across Australian Music Month. Here we swivel the spotlight onto a selection of the country's very best, from just-released diamonds (Slowly Slowly) to must-have classics (Olivia Newton-John)... and a couple of these babies might just take home a pointy statue at this year's ARIA Awards, held on the 24th of this month. Words Zoë Radas A PINCH OF THE BUNCH LEADING AUSMUSIC MONTH

Photo: Taylor Zannis

Slowly Slowly

A fter their cover of Tame Impala’s one in the annual Hottest 100 countdown), The Wiggles were primed to release ReWiggled . Along with a basket of classics covered by the beloved group (like AC/DC’s Thunderstruck and Rihanna’s Umbrella ) comes all our fave Wiggles tunes reinterpreted by a who’s who of Oz music royalty, such as Dami Im with Big Red Car , Stella Donnelly with Ba Ba Da Bicycle Ride , and We’re All Fruit Salad! by iconic collective Melbourne Ska Orchestra. In the ’hotter than a hot potato’ camp comes the new album from heart-slicing alt-rock foursome Slowly Slowly ; their record Daisy Chain ’s ”vibrant and vital” sound reminds us of the heyday of Aussie ’90s rock from treasures like Motor Ace. These unassuming but powerfully talented young musos are quietly amassing a heaving fanbase. Back in February, charismatic Sydney five piece Gang of Youths showed us what it means for a band to truly reach the potential of their promise with angel in realtime . A multi angled investigation of love and loss, we’re expecting this number one-debuting monolith of an album to clean up in the three categories in which it’s nominated at this year’s ARIAs. You know him as the Nicest Guy in Music, and maybe also as the man with too many Golden Guitars to count (okay – he has 40 of the things!): Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung musician Troy Cassar-Daley dropped his incredible live album 50 Songs 50 Towns in August, and it’s an incredible picture of the Elephant broke the internet into tiny little pieces (and then scored number

touring life – as well as a brilliant retrospective of this artist’s impeccable catalogue. Also impressing us in the country camp is the third iteration of Adam Harvey ’s The Great Country Songbook series – and, like its predecessor, Harvey recorded these gems nine-time Golden Guitar winner) Beccy Cole . On the new LP, these two icons and best buds gift us classics by Neil Young, Merle Haggard, John Prine and more. With some of the most stunningly astute and clever lyrics we’d heard in yonks, Midnight Oil ’s Resist arrived in February, thrilling and potent. Peter Garrett and his band’s with effervescent country talent (and

TheWiggles

Troy Cassar-Daley

Photo: Ed Cooke

Gang of Youths

Midnight Oil

messages have never been more critical to the national conversation than right now – and Resist ’s tracklist is the soundtrack for defiance. Uniquely stirring like no artist before or since, Gumatj man and self-taught singer-songwriter-musician Gurrumul captured hearts and minds throughout his time with Yothu Yindi, the Saltwater Band, and his own wildly successful solo career. On this year’s The Gurrumul Story , the artist’s

Beccy Cole and Adam Harvey

Gurrumul

Photo: Carlo Santone

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