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[Album Review] Astrofuzz – Self Titled

I know I say this in nearly all my local album reviews, but I love finding new music, and this time, I found a whole new genre. Meet Astrofuzz, a heavy, shoegaze band from Bendigo, Victoria. I love to see what the Bendigo music scene churns out, and Astrofuzz brings a raw, atmospheric, heavy edge that makes you wonder what other gems are waiting to be found.

Astrofuzz’s self-titled album is a heavy-hitting blend of distorted guitars, fuzz-drenched bass, rhythmic drumbeats, and reverb-laden vocals. I wasn’t sure how to describe it at first. It felt like an audial journey, a wave of sound you could get lost in. Before this album, I hadn’t heard of “shoegaze” as a genre, but it perfectly captures what’s going on here. That layered, wall-of-sound effect takes you deep, and once this album was on, I didn’t want to turn it off.

The album begins with Azimuth, an open, wall-of-sound introduction that showcases exactly what the band is capable of. There’s plenty of vocal effects, fuzzy bass, and a rhythmic drumline that feels both spacious and dense, pulling you into their world.

By the second track, Hex, the tempo picks up and there’s a hypnotic, droning vibe. Its ebb and flow has an almost trance-like effect, the rhythm grounding you before it breaks into new momentum. Screen Gazer ups the rock factor even more with hazier vocals and straightforward guitar riffs. There’s a slow, melodic solo here that’s backed by a big, open chord riff, creating a massive, immersive moment that hits all the right notes.

About halfway through the album, there’s Crucifix, a track that starts with an anarchic wall of sound. I’m not sure if they’re using a drum machine or real drums, but the layering of sounds is so intricate that even after a few listens, I’m still picking out new details. It might sound chaotic, but somehow it fits perfectly with the album’s overall vibe.

Howl, a track that leans into a punk aesthetic. This was probably the favourite for me, it’s short, punchy, and direct, with this crazy distortion effect on the vocals, giving it an added grungy layer, giving the album an unapologetic, raw edge. It’s brilliant!

I have now had the chance to review a few local Bendigo bands, and I’m starting to hear that bands in the scene just have a certain similarity or essential essence to them. Whether it’s something in the water or the air, I’m not sure but the Bendigo scene has this DIY underground sense that adds an edge to the music. This self-titled album was engineered, produced and mastered by the band themselves and utilising a local gem of a space named Yeehaa Studios, knowing this, you can appreciate the music and the process even more. It is 100% Astrofuzz, no outside influence, just the band trusting in their own music and journey to unleash it upon the masses.

Astrofuzz’s self-titled album takes you on an audial journey from start to finish. The heavy distortion, the introspective depth, the rhythmic drive, it’s an album that pulls you in and doesn’t let go. It’s the perfect soundtrack for getting lost, whether in thought or in life. After listening to this, I’m going down the rabbit hole of shoegaze to find what other surprises this genre has in store. Go and check this band out! Go and check out your local scene!

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[Album Review] Abramelin – Sins of the Father

Australian death metal veterans Abramelin are back, showing their commitment to quality over quantity in a massive way with their fourth album, Sins of the Father. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the name, Abramelin have been pushing the unleashing brutal death metal since the mid-90s—and even longer if you include their earlier incarnation as Archeon in 1988. For a group that’s spent over 30 years in the game, releasing only four full-length albums speaks volumes about their dedication to crafting albums that are powerful, uncompromising, and completely pulverizing.

Sins of the Father is everything you could want in a death metal release: a relentless, neck-breaking masterpiece dripping with horror-fuelled intensity. It’s got the gore-drenched lyrics, spine-chilling atmosphere, and raw aggression that make up the genre’s lifeblood, and it all comes wrapped in wickedly tight production. Every track here feels like it’s where it should be for maximum effect, and it’s clear that Abramelin haven’t lost an ounce of their fury.

The title track, Sins of the Father, was my favourite and I think one of the standouts off the album, a blackened death metal whirlwind with a riff so catchy you can’t help but headbang along. The groove-laden verse riff has an infectious bounce, and I do love when a riff has that simple double kick rock beat behind it. I can’t wait to see this song played live, and I know this one will be a crowd favourite too. This track is Abramelin at their finest, with a perfect mix of groove, aggression, and atmosphere.

One of the more humorously titled tracks I’ve ever heard of, The Gory Hole, gives a nod to the band’s dark sense of humour, balancing the brutal assault with a touch of levity. It’s clear that these guys know how to have fun even while unleashing some of the most intense music you’ll hear this year. What a title!

Abramelin’s blend of horror-infused death metal is uniquely Australian, a sound as unhinged as a psycho killer’s soundtrack as he tears through the Outback. Tracks like Conflagration of the Dreamers and Man’s Best Friend deliver massive, neck-snapping riffs that make this album truly brutal. The guitar work is unreal, with precise tremolo riffs, groove-laden passages, and complex fretwork that showcase the band’s technical prowess.

Last Rite slows things down for a moment, offering a haunting, melodic introduction that stands out as one of the more atmospheric moments on the album. But it’s not long before the track returns to a blistering pace. Deceased Estate follows with a melodic opening and an intense tapping solo, while Meet the Meat closes with an irresistibly bouncy riff that caps off this assault in style.

The album’s finale, You Feed, I Bleed, is the longest and most ambitious track, clocking in just under six minutes. It’s an epic ender, encapsulating everything Abramelin excels at: intensity, horror, and high-caliber musicianship.

In Sins of the Father, Abramelin deliver a record that is raw, powerful, and unforgivingly heavy, a true testament to the raw power of Aussie death metal.

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[Album Review] Opeth – The Last Will & Testament

It’s been quite a while since I have been genuinely excited for a new Opeth album! Don’t get me wrong, Sorceress and In Cauda Venenum had their moments, but I’m an old school Opeth fan, I could put on Blackwater Park, Damnation or Deliverance any time! Well, get excited because the latest album The Last Will & Testament is here and it has that special something that the older fans have been wanting back in the mix for years, the death growl! That’s right, Mikael is screaming once again!

This album is a concept piece, about a gentleman from the post-World War I era, who’s last will and testament is being read to his children and an adopted orphan. I have only read a few of the track lyrics, what has been released so far, and Opeth tells a story well. I am eager to read the rest of the album, or I will just have it on repeat and figure it out as I go, you know, like the old days before The Google! Right from the opening note of Section 1 to the closing note of the epilogue titled, A Story Never Told, you know this is an Opeth album, you know this is a good Opeth album, it has the familiar production and album sound as well as that unbelievable atmosphere that you know they can create.

The biggest change for the band and this album is the addition of Walt Varynen, previously of Paradise Lost and Bodom After Midnight, which is a couple of incredible bands to have on your resume. This is his first album with Opeth and yet, it sounds like he has been writing with them for years, the change blends in seamlessly, it’s incredible.

The album kicks off with Section 1, which immediately sets the tone with some classic Opeth riffs, dark intricate and moody, reminiscent of the older albums. It’s the perfect way to ease the listener into the experience, blending nostalgia and a new perspective, which will hopefully bring some of the pre-Heritage fans back on board. Mikael Akerfeldt’s vocals are always a highlight for me, and he is in fine form, the death growl, which every fan has been crying for returning and having it sound as good as ever! This is what you want!

This is Opeth’s 14th album, and speaking earlier of a nostalgic feel, it has that Opeth sound of playing between the light and the dark. The transitions from growling, heavy sections to the delicate, acoustic driven sounds are flawless, it reminds me of Ghost Reveries. Section 2 has this riff that is a straight-up, four-to-the-floor, hard rock riff that feels like it could be played for days without ever getting old. It’s a masterclass in dynamic songwriting, something Opeth has always excelled at.

Listening to The Last Will & Testament is like reconnecting with an old friend, maybe not one from your distant past like Blackwater Park, but more like someone from the Ghost Reveries or Watershed era. The album has that same comfortable familiarity, full of twists and turns, but never predictable. Opeth has always been a band that rewards patience, and this album is no different. Each listen I found new layers and new intricacies to appreciate.

The Last Will & Testament is a remarkable return to form for Opeth. It has the perfect balance between their progressive edge and the heavier elements that defined their earlier work. It may not be Deliverance or Blackwater Park, but it will be interesting to see where fans put this album against the rest. For long-time fans, this album feels like the one we’ve been waiting for. For newer listeners, it offers an excellent entry point into the world of Opeth, a world filled with darkness, light, and everything in between.

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[Album Review] Orpheus Omega – Emberglow

I have been listening to Orpheus Omega for about 9 years now, since the release of Partum Vita Mortem back in 2015, and like a fine wine, this band just gets better with age! Meet Emberglow, the 5th album from Orpheus Omega and yet again, this is one that just gets better each time you hear it, each time I’ve put it on, I’ve found another reason to enjoy it!

From start to finish this album will have you headbanging and singing along, it is chocked full of killer riffs and catchy as hell chorus melodies, like we have come to expect anything less from this band. There are so many songs on this album that I can’t wait to hear live!

I could probably name all the tracks on the album as to which ones I would like to see played live but tracks like We Were Kings, Emberglow, which I think has been played live before the release of the album and Atomizer are going to be incredible. They have the energy and bounciness in the songs that will get a crowd going nuts, but for me, I would love to see the tracks Destiny Machine and Marionette live, they would probably be harder to pull off just for the vocal efforts required.

Which brings me to the most impressive feature of this album, Chris Themelco’s vocals. He has stepped up to the ring and come in swinging, hard! This album has so many different styles and voices on it that I wasn’t even sure if it was the one person! It is incredibly well done. If you have a listen to the tracks Destiny Machine and Marionette, he has some crisp clean vocals that then tear into his harsh melodeath style, which have only become better over each album recording, in my opinion, it sounds effortless to the listener, but I’m sure it’s not on the singer. Destiny Machine has a Matt Heafy vocal influence, not because of the sound of the vocals themselves but more for the experimentation of the vocals, Chris is showcasing what I’m guessing is his full range of his capabilities here. Throughout this album, you can hear how Orpheus Omega have been experimenting with their song arrangements. This is something that every band should do, it shows that you want to improve and become diverse in your overall sound as a band, in Emberglow’s case, Orpheus Omega have nailed it!

The title track of this album, Emberglow, definitely brings in the Children of Bodom influence, the riff and arrangement sound like it could slide into one of the later COB albums quite well. This track was very Children of Bodom meets Trivium, if Heafy featured on something that Alexi Laiho (RIP You legend) wrote the music to! Which I’m shattered now that I’m writing this, sounds absolute killer and not a real thing BUT we do have this album, which is pretty damn close!

Emberglow is everything we have come to know and expect from an Orpheus Omega album whilst also experimenting and evolving their song writing and sound. If the Gothenburg Scene Melodeath is your jam and if you haven’t caught them live, go and do yourself a favour, chuck this album on, and any of the past albums that matter, I still love Partum Vita Mortum then go and catch them live, this band does not disappoint.

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[Album Review] Munitions – Remote Death

Melbourne Death Metallers, Munitions are back to take heads with their second EP, Remote Death, bringing back their neck breaking riffs and showing us that they have what it takes to back up a solid first EP, Black Winds.

In the two years since Black Winds was released, Munitions have been busy getting in some incredible milestones, already nailing their first international support slots, tearing up the local metal scene, then somehow also finding the time to get a brand-new EP written and recorded.

Second releases can be a tricky thing, you need to be able to back up, improve or at the very least, keep the same level of creativity/intensity as your first. Some bands can’t pull it off but goddamn, Munitions improve on all aspects that Black Wind originally gave us. Building off those already solid foundations, the sound of this EP is probably the biggest change that hits your ears first. Once again using their local recording studio, Dangertones, in Melbourne, they have captured everything perfectly and its incredibly well mixed. Anyone who follows the local Melbourne scene would have heard some of Dangertones previous album works and should investigate working with them.

These new songs are like sharpening a blade, they already have the weapon, the skills to wield it, now they are just making it a more efficient killer and that’s what these songs are, killer! This time around with the release they have filmed a video clip for the song Trapped, check it out on YouTube. The standout track for me was Manufactured Demise, I had it on repeat, I couldn’t stop. This song has dynamics, well written guitar solos, an excellent tremolo riff that then drops into the slower chunk version of the riff and you just get that headbanging feeling with a stank face, you know that face you get when you hear a riff and you just know that you’ve heard something incredible, yeah, THAT face.

If you’re into film clips and visuals, Trapped is the first track here with a film clip of the gents blasting it out. Great track to pick for a film clip and seeing the guys do what they do best. The second single released here before the rest drop is …And This Is How You Die, this is everything you want in an introduction of the band, heavy, groovy, tasty and well played. If you haven’t listened to Munitions before, go and put this track on, listen, then get excited for Remote Death’s release!

This is another incredible effort from a band that has not been around the scene for very long, mind you, if you look at the line up from this band, they are all scene veterans. They know what they are doing and there is no stopping them now that they are on a roll. This is definitely a band to watch out for!

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[Album Review] Claire Anne Taylor – Giving It Away

What do you get when you mix the raw talent & raspiness of Janis Joplin, the melodic sweetness of Eva Cassidy, and the rock grit of Melissa Etheridge? Claire Anne Taylor, that’s what you get. Despite the many musicians that come to mind when listening to Claire, she still has her own uniquely distinct sound. The Tasmanian-born singer/songwriter released her third album Giving It Away on 16th February, and my god what an incredible piece of work it is. 

The opening track Swallowing Stones is a slow ballad with a warm accordion intro and lyrics that really hit hard, which is followed up by the tale of the child forced to grow up too fast in You Were Just a Kid. This particular song is a prime example of Claire’s exceptional storytelling talents. With it’s funky saloon-style piano intro, Dance With Death gets your toes tapping and really showcases Claire’s raw powerful vocals. 

For Old Times Sake picks up the pace and combined with its catchy chorus, you’ll be bopping along with a smile on your face. Stuck Around is a nostalgic tale of what could have been and the subtle organ under the track provides a joyful layer to fill the song. 

Claire’s opening vocals in Before evoke deep emotions, whilst If You Should See Sunshine is a gutsy rock track that packs a huge punch. Its thumping drum intro and meaty guitar sound completely encompass your whole body to move along as the song builds to its crescendo. 

Lay You Down in the Cold Hard Ground is my absolute favourite track on the album. It’s a brilliantly dirty, gritty, blues-rock track that just builds and builds, and transports you to the famous blues bars of the Deep South. I’ve found myself singing and/or humming this tune nearly every day since it first entered my radar. 

Keep On Truckin’ has an upbeat country feel and is the perfect road trip anthem with a dose of wise advice in its chorus for good measure. 

The highly emotive title track Giving It Away has Claire completely baring her soul, and sharing her deeply personal journey of grief. I managed to catch Claire’s Melbourne show recently, and seeing her perform this song live with just her piano was one of the most incredibly moving performances I’ve ever seen. The goosebumps still haven’t disappeared. 

Rounding out this brilliant album is The River Song that floats weightlessly around you before settling comfortably within your space. 

It’s one thing to be a talented singer, songwriter and musician, but Claire has the added superpower of being a gifted storyteller, whose stories have a special way of infiltrating your psyche and opening up every emotion laying dormant within you. If there is one homegrown artist you need to get around RIGHT NOW, it’s Claire Anne Taylor. 

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[Album Review] Nothing But Thieves – Dead Club City Deluxe

The release of their #1 UK charting fourth LP Dead Club City last June not only welcomed in the new financial year but a new era of Nothing But Thieves, marking their ten year anniversary.

Whilst it sits rather far removed from the prog styling of Broken Machine, and their titular debut, the Dead Club City Deluxe release further cements their transition, offering five more pieces to make up the concept album, tail-ended with three new tracks and two stripped back versions of Overcome and Tomorrow Is Closed. Set for release on 15th March via RCA/Sony, the additions extend the 80’s synth, crisp lines and heightened falsetto of Conor Mason that make up the Dead Club City landscape.

Dead Club City is positioned as an exclusive members-only club with each corner of the room a snapshot into a different character’s story as represented by each individual track, played by the fictional band Zzzeros. Each story is laced with a different theme including personal relationships, analysis of the current world climate, a dissection of the media and, naturally, the makeup of the music industry. From the bold Welcome to the DCC start, the Pop The Balloon full stop at the end of the original release felt like more of a comma with more story to tell. They complete it here.

The cinematic edge of the album is continued with the Deluxe versions lead single Oh No He : Said What. A galactic showering, Oh No He : Said What explodes with laser synths, rocketing riffs and a keyboard light show. It’s Mad Max meets Xanadu, Muse’s Drones meets Client Liaison’s Diplomatic Immunity in sonic stature with glimmers of nostalgia but as a fresh take. Mason flexes his falsetto, creating memorable hooks.  

Time : Fate : Karma : God is the biggest nod to the band’s history on the album, still littered with 80’s inspiration with the inclusion of synths, but the rock elements outweigh the disco, particularly notable in the chorus’ steady ascent and refrain. The title lyrics recited in the bridge are impactful, almost anthemic, made for the live setting.

Three new songs and three very different tones; Pure You is climactic, the end that the album originally deserved. A love song dripping with 60’s lust and romance heightened by the simplicity of keys, synths and soaring guitars. Mason’s vocals are electrifying and transcendent in the final crescendo. The final refrain “until my heart explodes” reflects the single title; pure, delicate and piercing. 

Stripped versions of Overcome and Tomorrow Is Closed balance the heightened production of the top of the album to offer a new perspective of the two fan favourite tracks, in a sense continuing and closing out the Pure You love story. 

The five tracks are welcome additions to Dead Club City and offer clarity to the album’s overall concept.  

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[Album Review] 10,000 Volts – Ace Frehley

10,000 Volts is launched into the stratosphere February 23 so mark your calendar you will not want to miss this!

The Spaceman is back, but for many he never left! As a dedicated follower of Ace Frehley I was beyond excited to wrap my listening gear around his latest release and give you my thoughts.

The opening track 10,000 Volts is instantly stuck in your head, that trademark Ace opening is right there from the get-go with riffs galore and a catchy chorus. Of course, Ace never strays far from his outer space roots and this album is not exception, with song two aptly named Walking On The Moon. While this one is a bit slower it still has lots to love, with the Frehley sound stamped heavily on it.

Cosmic Heart sees a mind-bending solo and Ace really showcases his shredding skills. Every song has a memorable moment that makes you instantly know this is Ace’s handiwork at play. Produced by Ace himself along with Steve Brown you can see the 50 plus years’ experience from Ace being poured into each and every song.

Cherry Medicine opens with another heavy riff and one synonymous with Ace, it is raw and rugged and I love it. While the album screams Ace Frehley from every pore, I still believe there has been a little bit of explorative work done to expand and change his sound to keep things interesting. Another stinging solo popped in the middle keeps you bopping along and singing ‘Cherry Medicine’ out loud by the song’s conclusion. Back Into My Arms Again slows down the pace and reminds us that Ace can write a little love ditty if he needs to. Then we are back to the punchier tracks with Fighting For Life. This song holds it place on the album with vigour, it instantly had my foot tapping with its catchy hooks and snappy lyrics.

I know there has been a lot of correlation to Ace’s solo Kiss album, and while I can see it reflected here it has its own feel and I would not be one to set them side by side. Blinded and Constantly Cute lift the second half of this album and keep you engaged to listen to the last few tracks. I know at times the second half of albums can lag but this is not the case with 10,000 Volts.  It seems to pick up the pace as the album comes to its conclusion with Life Of A Stranger pulling on the blues vibe which I really enjoy.  It isn’t often we see Ace experiment with these different genres and I like it.

Up In The Sky gives me instant New York Groove feels and I bloody love it, Kiss fans will eat this one up. Even his vocal tone brings out the nostalgic 70’s Kiss energy. It is placed well on the album sitting close to the finish line and ingraining on your memory as you take in the last song Stratosphere. Another theme fitting song, Stratosphere is an instrumental that ties everything on 10,000 Volts together. With some lovely guitar work it has a relaxed feel and is very easy to listen too. It showcases Ace’s skills and rounds the album out perfectly.

Fans of Ace will gobble this album up with wild abandon and it may even just swing those who are on the fence. All in all 10,000 Volts is a very solid delivery of new material and will recharge the batteries of those waiting for some new tunes.  It is clear that Ace is going nowhere and is still smashing out some cool material that rivals anything else that is flooding the market currently. I will be adding it to my playlist immediately and I recommend you do the same.

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[Album Review] Lord of the Lost – Weapons of Mass Seduction

For the uninitiated, Lord Of The Lost are a German band from Hamburg. Formed by frontman, Chris’s Harms in 2007 and initially meant as a solo project, but later evolved into a group. Their industrial / goth metal sound with fetish-adjacent imagery gets them a lot of attention, particularly in their homeland. They have earned themselves several top ten positions and even a number one chart placement over the years. While having a “cult following” Internationally, they have yet to break out of Europe in a big way, until now.

Barely one year after the release of their album, Blood and Glitter, Lord Of The Lost return with a new album released on December 29th, to close out a successful 2023.  

After representing Germany (and metal music in general) at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, England in May this year, and following that up with touring heavily during the Northern Hemisphere summer, Lord of the Lost surprise us with a new album made up entirely of cover songs.  

Weapons Of Mass Seduction opens with a 1993 Billy Idol rocker, Shock To The System, that powers along at a cracking pace and makes you want to get up and move. I made a mental note to add this to my “housework” playlist.  It’s a cracker of an opener! It’s followed up with the 2016 Sia hit song, Unstoppable, also a single from this album. It’s slightly darker than the original but Harms stays true to it.

Then Bronski Beat’s 1984 hit, Smalltown Boy, gets a darkwave makeover  where we hear Harms open up his harsh vocals for the first time. The next song starts and I am smiling as I recognise it as Judas Priest’s 1997 single,  Turbo Lover, a personal favourite of theirs, I sing along with Harms and by mid-way through I’m up and dancing. Harms honours Midge Ure’s vocal styling in the 1982 Ultravox song, Hymn. Next up is Give In To Me from the 1991 Michael Jackson album, Dangerous, sounding more goth than pop, followed by the 2018 single by Bishop Riggs, River which gets its bluesy roots styling eliminated and down tuned into more of a heavier rock ballad. The Keane 2004 banger Somewhere Only We Know gets a LotL style gothic revamp and then we get another 1980s hit with Cutting Crew’s 1986 number one hit,  (I Just) Died In Your Arms. LotL have made it into a duet with Berlin-based Independant Darkpop / Soft Rock singer Anica Russo. Russo is probably best known for her previous collaboration with Adam Lambert. Her sweet vocals harmonising with Harms’ gothic tones give the song a darkwave pop vibe. Next Lord Of The Lost tackle the 2015 Zella Day song, High, giving it a metal treatment with some harsh vocals. The album is rounded out with the 2014 Pretty Reckless song, House On The Hill with the original’s acoustic guitars being swapped for a piano intro that turns into a heavy rock ballad.

Weapons Of Mass Seduction is an eclectic mix of pop and rock tunes that comes off being surprisingly cohesive. However, I suspect that fans of Lord Of The Lost might find this album on the “lite” side of their usual sound. 

Vocalist, Chris Harms, has an approachable vocal style that has a nice measure of husk and grit.  Harm’s deep baritone gives dark, gothic vibes, especially when coupled with the heavily down-tuned guitars and darkwave-style keyboards. His use of harsh growls and screams are used (very) sparingly on this album, but fits perfectly when applied. I could have actually enjoyed more ‘grit and grunt’ had they been added. Overall, Weapons Of Mass Seduction is an accessible album, loaded with familiar tracks that are obviously aimed at a wider audience and I suspect that this was planned on the heels of their Eurovision appearance. 

A good one to dip your toe into the LotL discography.  

Weapons of Mass Seduction is released on December 29th 2023 and is available on all streaming services and in several different versions of CD and Vinyl through Napalm Records

Track list:— 

Shock To The System – Billy Idol cover

Unstoppable – Sia cover 

Smalltown boy – Bronski Beat cover

Turbo Lover – Judas Priest cover

Hymn – Ultravox cover

Give In To Me – Michael Jackson cover

River – Bishop Briggs cover

Somewhere Only We Know – Keane cover

(I Just) Died In Your Arms Tonight [ft Anica Russo] – Cutting Crew cover

High – Zella Day cover

House On A Hill – The Pretty Reckless cover

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