feb roundup

MUSIC

THUM & Applefish double single - Violet Grohl

Not sure if I'm biased about this one as Foo Fighters have been my comfort band for the longest time, but Violet is so genuinely talented in a way that doesn't necessarily show a direct link to her dad. I love the 90s vibe of both of these songs and you can tell she's a fan of Cocteau Twins, Mazzy Star, PJ Harvey etc. Her voice lends itself towards the style of music she's making and I am SO excited to hear more!

Bandits - Teenage Joans

Perhaps also biased because they're friends of mine but I need this song injected into my bloodstream. Pop punk meets country is not something I ever thought would work but this song absolutely goes off and I cannot stop listening.

COLD 2 THE TOUCH - Angel Du$t

This is my first encounter with Angel Du$t, but after recommendations from friends & Yasi Salek, I felt like I should give the album a listen. Absolutely loved it. Favourites so far are Jesus Head & DU$T.

There is Nothing Left to Lose - Foo Fighters

For me, Foo Fighters are never far away and always there when I need them. The thing that inspired me to give the album a relisten was hearing Generator on the radio and being hit by such a specfic wave of nostalgia that's hard to put into words. This album, whilst it doesn't have my favourite foo songs on there, feels like a warm hug and I absolutely adore what it stands for and how it fits into their story.

Goodbye (If You Call That Gone) - MAY-A

MAY-A's debut album absolutely does not miss. She endured so much bullshit in the industry even before her debut album dropped and a lot of this is her trying to reckon with that and telling her story. It's such a defiant and important body of work and I am simply a sucker for whenever a pop girly unleashes her rock sensibilities. it's like absolute crack to me.

MAY-A - Goodbye (If You Call That Gone) - triple j

Balancing the bombastic and the beautiful, it's an album that showcases MAY-A's vulnerable lyricism and excellent pop instincts.

BOOKS

Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty First Centry - W. David Marx

Now this book was simply incredible. It summed up this century (so far) in such a concise but also detailed manner that not only made me nostalgic (the early part of the book) but also made me feel a massive sense of dread and embarrassment about what society has become. As the book went on and we got closer to the present day, I could feel my sense of dread rising. Fantastic cultural history, well worth the read!

Blank Space: A Cultural History of the Twenty-First Cen…

A revealing exploration of a quarter century of cultura…

EVENTS

Blondshell - Live in Melbourne 9/2/2026

I have been waiting for Blondshell to play ever since I discovered her music just after her debut album dropped in 2023 and it as truly as amazing as I had hoped. It was at a pretty small venue which seems to have it's GA situation figured OUT because it meant that everyone in the crowd, regardless of height had a really good view. Her set was absolutely flawless and I physically felt every single lyric sung. She also brought out Folk Bitch Trio for my fave song (Change). 10/10

St. Jerome's Laneway Festival 14/2/2026

Each year I go to these and I do feel old but still end up having a lot of fun. This years Laneway was outrageously hot but it seems like it was way more organised than last year (thank you venue change). Specifically loved Chappell Roan, Alex G, Cavetown, Role Model, Wolf Alice & Wet Leg (this is pretty much everyone I saw throughout the day lol)

PULP

This was a free concert in my city that I was so fortunate to see but if things were different I definitely would’ve paid my way there. They were SO amazing live, Jarvis has this way of connecting with the audience and being such a charismatic frontman but in a way that is very disarming. It was so nice to see everyone there, all ages and backgrounds letting their guard down and just having a fun time. Their stage show is absolutely incredible and I’m so glad I got to witness it.

PODCASTS

Bandsplain Live - Emo Draft

I love Bandsplain's draft episodes, but when I saw they had done one about emo, it felt specifically tailored, especially given I have literally just finished a book about the emo scenes stemming from the 80s/90s and into the 2000s.

Emo Draft With Patrick Flynn and Chris Ryan - The Ringer

In front of a Boston crowd, Yasi, Patrick Flynn, and Chris Ryan draft their picks for emo bands across the decades (yes, the ’90s get two picks), reveal emo origin stories, and get into the eternal question: Which bands are actually emo?