Trusty Chords

For close to 25 years now, Canada's own The Flatliners have been bringing their unique brand of punk to the world.

Formed in 2002, the Ontario group are one of those rare bands who have managed to maintain the same line-up through the entirety of their career.

They've used this stability to craft numerous records over the years, including the likes of 'The Great Awake', 'Cavalcade', and 'Dead Language' on Fat Wreck Chords, and most recently, 'Cold World'. 

Their seventh studio album, 'Cold World' is exactly what you're after from a new album by The Flatliners. Sharp yet smooth, but maintaining that frenetic energy that has accompanied their decades of work, it's an album definitely worth your time.

Alongside his time in The Flatliners, guitarist and vocalist Chris Cresswell has spent almost a decade performing a similar role in Hot Water Music. 

You might have heard me mention Hot Water Music before, namely due to the fact that bassist Jason Black was the guest in our third-ever episode, and the fact that this very podcast is named after one of their songs.

Needless to say, it's nice to welcome another member of the Hot Water Music family onto the Trusty Chords podcast.

Anyway, have a listen to The Flatliners' 'Cold World', have a listen to our chat, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

There's a very good chance that if you've found yourself listening to music in recent years and noticing there seems to be a stylistic shift to the straightforward pop and rock of the '60s, you've likely found yourself listening to The Lemon Twigs.

Hailing from Long Island in New York, The Lemon Twigs is the musical project of brothers Brian and Michael D'Addario, who, after starting in the world of acting, found themselves focusing on music, forming their nascent band while in high school.

From there, it's the standard story every group dreams of: demos attract interest, and before long, you're signed to a record label, making plenty of albums, appearing on TV, touring the world, and cultivating a strong fanbase.

Just one month ago, however, the familial duo returned with their sixth album, the stellar 'Look For Your Mind!'. Tapping into the psychedelic power pop sound, it's a brilliant piece of work that underlines just how strong they are as songwriters and performers.

Needless to say, when the opportunity came up, I knew I had to take the chance to have a chat to Brian and Michael to talk about their latest record.

Anyway, have a listen to The Lemon Twigs' 'Look For Your Mind!' album, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.

Last week saw the Trusty Chords podcast celebrate 100 episodes, so we here at TC HQ figured it was high time to offer up a few facts and stats from the past couple of years.

We're talking information about the theme song, info on the longest and shortest episodes, the most chosen artists, albums, and songs, and all that other sort of granular stuff you didn't even know you wanted until now.

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.

If you're someone who has a penchant for music which is a little bit ferocious, a little bit honest, and a whole lot of impactful, then you might have come across Chasing Ghosts over the years.

Originally, Chasing Ghosts was formed as a solo act by Jimmy Kyle, a Thungutti man who also happens to be a musician, storyteller, and educator up there with the best of them. Following Chasing Ghosts' arrival, albums arrived in due course, and soon enough, it expanded into a full-band affair.

Records like 'Confessions From A Phone Booth' and 'I Am Jimmy Kyle' were followed by the 'Homelands' EP, and in 2025, we received the Therapy album. I'm going to editorialise a little bit when I say that 'Therapy' is a stunning record and one that is definitely worth your time.

Early this month, however, Chasing Ghosts revealed that they were going on an indefinite hiatus. Noting that "family has to come first," Jimmy reflected on the impact that the band has had on both him and the wider community, and revealed that they wouldn't be going out with a whimper, but with a bang.

Indeed, they announced one final show to take place at the Northcote Social Club this June, with the massive attention soon necessitating a second show. 

This week, Jimmy was kind enough to join me for a wonderful chat, discussing his musical history, the story of Chasing Ghosts, and the impending hiatus. As a bit of a peek behind the curtain, my band will actually be supporting Chasing Ghosts at their second Northcote Social Club show, but this hadn't been locked down while we were chatting.

Anyway, buy a ticket to Chasing Ghosts' upcoming farewell show, listen back through that impressive discography, and I’ll see you at the end of the episode for some general housekeeping.