Trusty Chords

There's a very good chance that if you've listened to music lately, then you might have heard of Dexter And The Moonrocks. Maybe theirs isn't a name you've particularly become familiar with, but on a statistical level, you've likely heard them thanks to their March single 'Freakin' Out'.Hell, I'll admit I had no idea who they were until the track popped up on my Instagram feed. By that point, it had garnered millions of streams, and at the time of this recording, it boasts over 109 million streams on Spotify alone – just for that one song.But this wasn't an overnight success, given that Dexter And The Moonrocks have been on the scene for about five years now. Again, as we speak, it's No. 48 on the Australian charts (having made it up to No. 30), and managed to hit the top 50 in the US, and the top ten on the Alternative and Rock charts – topping the former.Needless to say, Dexter And The Moonrocks are hot property right now, and if you're not yet on board, you might need to do so.Just under two months ago, I was lucky enough to have a chat with drummer Ryan Fox (otherwise simply known as Fox, since they have another Ryan in the band, too) about all this success. Since then, they've dropped another single called '12 Steps', and they've announced an Australian debut thanks to appearances on the Strummingbird lineup, and slots supporting Bailey Zimmerman.Anyway, buy a ticket to Dexter And The Moonrocks' upcoming Australian tour, listen to their in-demand discography, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

For about 15 years now, the Australian music scene has been home to The Pretty Littles, arguably one of the best rock bands this country has produced in quite some time.From humble beginnings with a batch of albums that largely flew under the radar, it was in 2016 or so that The Pretty Littles began to experience wider fame. Albums like 2016's 'Soft Rock For The Anxious' and 2018's 'Skeleton Run' helped cement them as staples of the independent rock scene, and there's a very good chance that 2020's 'Weekend Away' would have continued that trajectory, had it not arrived against the backdrop of COVID.That album was very close to being the last for the band, with The Pretty Littles effectively ceasing to exist after its arrival. Thankfully, the story doesn't end there, and frontman Jack Parsons kept the group going, enough to release 2025's 'Force' album, which was my favourite Australian release of 2025, and third-favourite record of the year overall.Given that Force took a while to arrive, one could have reasonably expected another few years to elapse before The Pretty Littles dropped a new record, but thankfully, we're celebrating today with the release of 'Mulga Wire', a fresh new album that shows that this is a band that don't just offer up some slick songs with stellar songwriting (try saying that five times fast), but commands your attention because of it.This week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Parso, just days after he returned from the latest edition of Guts Touring up in the Northern Territory.Thankfully, he was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed enough to take part in what would be this podcast's 100th episode celebration (or as I'm calling it, the 'Trusty Chords 100th Episode Extrava-Spec-Ganza-Tacular'. Catchy, right?)Anyway, have a listen to The Pretty Littles' 'Mulga Wire', grab a ticket to their upcoming tour, listen back through that impressive discography, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping and some words about this podcast's 100-episode run.

Ruby Jones is one of those musicians whose whole life has largely been spent in the pursuit of music, with a calling to the craft as a youngster soon finding itself following her for the entirety of her life.If her name isn't one that's familiar, there's a very good chance you might have seen her as part of Melbourne soul outfit Clairy Browne & The Bangin' Rackettes, which existed until 2015 and boasted Ruby as a member.Since then though, she's been very active as a solo artist, having launched her career a few years later, and releasing the stellar 'The Woman Who Loves You' album in 2021. There was a bit of a gap between releases after that, however, and it's taken us a little while to receive her new record, 'Souvenir.'Arriving last week, it's one of those records which definitely falls into the category of 'worth the wait', because Ruby has crafted an 11-track collection of tunes which showcase her stunning approach to folk and rock. Touching upon myriad topics such as creativity, heartbreak, toxic relationships, a love of place, and even climate catastrophes, it's a record which is varied in its approach, though anyone would be consistent in their opinion that it's a wonderful release.You might have guessed by now, but this week, I was lucky enough to have a chat with Ruby about her musical career, and how it led to the release of her new record.Anyway, have a listen to her 'Souvenir' album, buy a ticket to her upcoming launch show, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

For the Australian music fans among us (and I've looked at the podcast demographics – that's most of you), the name Dean Hanson might not be to the level of household recognition, though his work is certainly on the way.For close to two decades now, Dean has served as the guitarist of Ball Park Music, a group who are – in my opinion – one of the country's most consistently good groups. Sure, they might not have won an ARIA (yet), and they might have only received their first local chart-topper (so far) last year, their work is stellar, their live experience immense, and their reputation as solid performers established.But for fans of Dean (and there are plenty), there's good news in the pipeline, because he has today released his debut album under his solo moniker, Zeano.Dubbed 'Window Seat, Always,' Dean figured it was time to put all those ideas he had bubbling away under the surface to good use and to finally make a record which showcases them all. Working with Tim Hart of Boy & Bear, a ten-day recording period gave way to an album which is truly exceptional.Some records get unfairly overlooked when described as a 'solo project', but don't let that fool you, Dean has crafted a record which could easily stand tall on its lonesome if he had no prior brand recognition.That is to say, this is a record you should give your time to. Come for the outgoing pop rock near the start, and stay for the introspective work that populates the back end – you won't regret it.As you might be able to assume, I was lucky enough this week to have a chat with Dean for the podcast, where we talked about solo projects, supporting big name acts, and creating music solely for the love of it.Anyway, have a listen to Zeano's 'Window Seat, Always,' buy a ticket to his album launch show, have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.