Princess One Point Five is the brainchild of Melbourne based singer-songwriter Sarah-Jane Wentzki, in collaboration with partner Richard Andrew. With Wentzki’s gloriously fragile and emotionally charged vocals, not dissimilar to the Blaskos or New Buffalos of the Australian songstress circle, P1.5 (as she is affectionately known) creates a unique hybrid of achingly poetic underground avant-pop, gently sprinkled with the post-modern indie aesthetic. Lolita provides a unique cinematic experience, sampling the accordion-infused influence of The Dresden Dolls with the same panache, but far less flamboyance. With haunting string arrangements, masterful lyrics and polished melodies, it is no surprise that Sarah-Jane evokes comparisons to all the female artists who bravely explore their ‘pop-chanteuse’ persona.

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Inspiration can come from strange places. Singer-songwriter (and former pro-skateboarder) Matt Costa credits staring at his green wall for his second album, Unfamiliar Faces. The method to his madness involved placing his most treasured items on the wall’s shelves — and staring at them until the memories and inspiration flowed. Goodness knows how long he stared because this album is dynamite: a wonderfully balanced combination of happy pop and laidback melancholy, which is hardly surprising really when you consider he counts G Love and Jack Johnson as friends. [read also about Sydney-based singer-songwriter Lior]

I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I’ve never listened to The Eels before. Yup, blame it on all the other sweet stuff circling the globe right now. So how lucky am I then that The Eels have decided to release the aptly titled Meet The Eels, a compilation of their sweetest music from 1996 -2006. Fans and newcomers will be united in appreciation of Mark Everett’s tenacious honesty that rhythmically weaves its way through the highs and lows of an eventful if not melancholy life with wit, black tarred humour, quirky riffs and beats. The compilation features a mix of their greatest work, unreleased recordings, and a DVD containing the pick of the band’s music videos. [read also an interview with singer-songwriter Reed KD]

British singer-songwriter Richard Hawley has this to say about his new single, Valentine: ‘The chorus is one of the oldest pieces of music I’ve ever written. I could never get anything else to go with it. But I picked up the guitar in the studio and started singing the chorus and then I made up the verse on the spot. I don’t like being over prepared, I like to keep that Sun Studio vibe where the red light comes on and it’s like, C’mon son, what have you got?’ ‘It’s quite tragic that song, it’s like a kind of Yorkshire Shakespearian tragedy. It’s about somebody who’s made themselves really hard after heartbreak. I’ve been through that. I was there once in my early twenties before I met our lass, you make yourself into something you’re not. The song is about a tender moment where you face the truth’. [read about some of Richard Hawley's favourite cultural things right now]