Blues veteran Russell Morris tops Amrap’s Regional Chart

Community radio shows a huge amount of support for Australian music, with almost 40% of music played coming from local artists. Taste-making presenters excel at giving airtime to an incredible spread of what Aussie artists have to offer. The Amrap Metro and Amrap Regional Charts provide insight into what’s getting airplay and attention on community radio each week. Here’s the lowdown on some tunes charting this week.

Low Life – #7 Amrap Metro

Here come Low Life to shatter the boundaries of noise-punk with their latest tour de force, ‘Lust Forevermore’. The Sydney trio expanded their ranks to a five-piece for their second album, ‘Downer Edn’ out this year resulting in a reinforced, thick wall of guitars and a more cohesive sound. ‘Lust Forevermore’ is a fully realised and confident outing for the band – a dark blast of reverb and deadpan songwriting. It’s expansive yet tangible, shimmering yet sharp as though The Cure and Joy Division got into a knife fight at a drive-in movie theatre. Community stations know what’s up with Low Life getting plenty of airplay on Sydney’s FBi Radio, Brisbane’s 4ZZZ and RTR FM in Perth.

Russell Morris – #1 Amrap Regional (pictured)

After six decades on the road, an album can almost write itself. But it takes a rare combination of talent and circumstance to realise that vision as vividly as Russell Morris does on ‘Black And Blue Heart’. Following on from the success of his platinum-selling blues trilogy, Morris showcases his prolific songwriting ability with a tender, warm and weary track that Bernard Fanning – who produced the forthcoming album – has described as ‘a song for the ages’. Morris has always been an empathetic and skilled lyricist but there is an unwavering authenticity on his latest single that shines through the stripped back melody like a homecoming anthem. Byron Bay’s Bay FM in NSW, Fraser Coast FM in QLD and Sydney suburban station Radio Skid Row are all on board for Russel’s return.

Close Counters – #4 Amrap Metro

Emerging from the wilds of Tasmania, Allan McConnell and Finn Reeds bring their unique flavour of hip hop and soul to the mainland under the moniker Close Counters. Coming from a background in Jazz, the duo have moulded their sound into a contemporary groove with driving basslines and dense synths. ‘Tip Of My Tongue’ sees McConnell and Reeds team up with fellow scene local Laneous on vocals to deliver a layered and intricate tune brimming with tight electronic percussion and funky synths that will have you moving from the get go. Paul Bender of Hiatus Kaiyote ties the tune together with some slick bass allowing room for cruisy vocals which elevate ‘Tip Of My Tongue’ to boiler room status. Hobart’s Edge Radio, Melbourne’s Triple R and Tyga FM in Tassie are all ahead of the game on this one.

Gretta Ziller – #8 Amrap Regional

Gretta Ziller has had a huge year since the release of her highly acclaimed debut album, ‘Queen Of Boomtown’ which gained plenty of attention from industry tastemakers. ‘Go On’ is the fifth single from said release and sees the Melbourne based singer showcase her songwriting ability and huge sound. The track itself is bold and bittersweet – blending stadium drums and steely, electric guitar with Ziller’s understated yet gorgeous vocals exploring the tangle of emotions that arrive when saying goodbye. Ziller seems caught somewhere between the sadness of letting go and the acceptance of change. ‘Go On’ is bluesy, country rock as perfectly suited for the festival stage as it would be for a backwater bar littered with straw. With support from Melbourne’s PBS and The Pulse along with BBB FM in SA we’ll likely be hearing plenty more from Gretta Ziller.

Odd Mob – #6 Amrap Regional

Odd Mob sees frontman Harry Hope continue to develop his knack for combining unique sounds through Brisbane’s local club scene and venturing forth as a solo act. ‘All Of You Heart’ is an upbeat twist on the usual club banger that builds and drops through modified vocal samples as opposed to relying entirely on big bass synths – although there’s plenty of that good stuff too. Mesmerising in both charisma and production, the single is a testament to Harry’s creative vision, and his continued ability to create dynamic productions whilst forging his own path stylistically. Along with Radio Adelaide in SA, Sydney’s FBi Radio and Noosa FM in QLD we’re looking forward to hearing what Odd Mob come up with next.

See the full Amrap Charts at www.airit.org.au