Tone Deaf and Amrap are back in 2025, bringing you the best Australian music finds from community radio music directors and presenters.
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This week, Georgia Scarlett, host of Brisbane’s 4ZZZ From the Roots, contributes with a list of acoustic Australian music from community radio you should be listening to right now.
4ZZZ’s Georgia Scarlett’s Amrap Picks
Meanjin/Brisbane-based artist Sammy Snide confronts the realities of homelessness in Australia in his latest release, “Jack” – a raw and honest slice of modern Australiana. Delivered in a distinct conversational-style vocal, Snide’s storytelling paints a vivid portrait of a long-lost friend. “You jumped upon the train of life, and rode it,” he recites, a line that lingers long after the track ends.
Musically, “Jack” blends familiar, deep walking bass lines with twangy acoustic guitars, evoking a nostalgic, old-school roots tone. The textured banjo adds a bright layer, its dancing lines lifting and shifting the energy throughout. There’s a natural ebb and flow in the arrangement, giving the track a living, breathing quality that mirrors the unpredictability that life brings. In this new track Snide invites the listener to walk alongside it.
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The Audreys – “I Remember Everything”
“I Remember Everything” is the most recent single release off of Kaurna/Adelaide-based group The Audreys’ Ruin & Repair album. They have leaned into their iconic sound lending bluesy roots melodies with a strong sense of movement and texture. A fresh energy comes through in the fast-paced fingerpicking, which drives the track forward, anchored by repetitive, addictive banjo lines that create a hypnotic pull.
Smooth vocal harmonies add a gentle, folky tone, while pedal steel, slide guitar, and organ round out the arrangement with their familiar country twang. It’s a layered and dynamic release that sits comfortably within the album’s roots-inspired palette.
Josh Rennie-Hynes – “Change a thing at all”
Raised on a small farm in Delaney Creek, Queensland, and now based in Nashville, Josh Rennie-Hynes delivers heartfelt storytelling in his latest single, “Change a thing at all”. A warm tone is set from the outset with kick drum and chordal harmonica, blending traditional folk sounds with a pop groove.
Strong, leading vocals carry the track, while a cinematic string synth uplifts and adds atmosphere. Relaxing and familiar, the song reflects on the beauty of life’s imperfections, a gentle meditation on comfort and self-acceptance.
Beefheart & McQuinn – “Hand in Hand”
There’s a brand-new artist on the block: Beefheart & McQuinn, a collaboration between UK musician Moby Beefheart (William Murray) and Naarm/Melbourne-based Winter McQuinn. Their debut track, “Hand in Hand”, introduces a fresh sound built on magical musical chemistry and a clear shared vision.
At its core, “Hand in Hand” [has] a distinctly old-school vocal tone reminiscent of early psychedelic folk-rock, expressing lyrical reflections on isolation and anxiety in the modern world. It feels almost like an echo from a time before, grounding contemporary themes in a vintage aesthetic. Atmospheric vocal harmonies lift and surround the track in a soft haze, creating a debut that feels intimate, expansive, and quietly transportive.
Ruby Gill – “Throw Your Lucky Coins on Me”
Naarm/Melbourne-based pianist, guitarist, and singer-songwriter Ruby Gill delivers a quietly commanding moment with “Throw Your Coins on Me”, a track from her new album Some Kind of Control. Stripped back, the song has a live performance feel with emotive, raw vocals, and the rolling river flow of fingerpicked guitar.
The song’s intimacy is amplified by the haunting refrain “throw your coins on me,” echoed in choral harmonies recorded with her backing choir and found family of queer, female, and gender-diverse artists: Annie-Rose Maloney, Hannah McKittrick, Hannah Cameron, Jess Ellwood, Angie McMahon, and Olivia Hally.
Written alone, yet filled with community and care, “Throw Your Coins on Me” is a small 2-minute package with a big message.
Kyle Lionhart – “Celebrate the Rain”
Byron Bay artist Kyle Lionhart delivers another emotionally rich track with “Celebrate the Rain”, written in the wake of losing a close friend. It’s a thoughtful and moving tribute, a song about cherishing every moment and embracing the people who show up every day.
Layered acoustic guitar lines, strummed and picked, pan wide across the mix, while close, warm vocals and soft harmonies create an intimate pull. A fierce kick drum drives the song forward, grounding the emotion in steady rhythm. Lyrical metaphors such as “It’s days like this you can’t outrun the rain” captures the heart of the track and brings emotional depth.
With its classic coastal Australian folk feel and a climactic final chorus of layered vocals that bring shivers down the spine, this is a song that feels like a big hug – gentle, powerful, and deeply human.
Haunting and atmospheric from the first note, “Cemetery” by Jo Davie offers a striking glimpse into the emotional scope of her EP Nothing Comes Free. The Meanjin/Brisbane-based artist crafts an immersive soundscape with ambient synths, soft emotional vocals, and chaotic high-pitched violin trills that echo the song’s reflections on processing old loss with a new sense of perspective.
Davie’s haunting harmonies and expansive melodic layers create a clear emotional arc, while her carefully constructed lyricism grounds the track in a sense of intimacy. Blending folk and pop with authenticity, “Cemetery” is delicate and deeply felt.
Leo Hooker – “Wait”
“Wait” by Leo Hooker is as comforting as biting into a warm sticky date pudding or pulling a blanket around your shoulders on a crisp afternoon. Taken from his EP Ring of Gold, the track captures the old soul warmth of the Meanjin/Brisbane-based artist with smooth, authentic Australian vocals that are understated and honest.
The song’s pedal steel and slide guitar swells, paired with charming organ tones, create an addictive blend of folk, soul, and vintage rock. Beneath the surface, the movement of textures is subtle and immersive, supporting lyrics that feel like a whisper from another decade.
Framed by a real and sentimental studio presence, “Wait” invites listeners into a space that’s tender and timeless.
