The year that was is so often the perfect vantage point, from which to name check the most liked locals from our insatiable app-etite for all things digital. From the countless dozens of ditties streamed around our islands to the decent downpour of downloads snapped on to our many devices, Kiwi culture shone bright in 2015, for all to see and hear.Following in the well- travelled footsteps of the Kiwi road-trip came the ‘oh so’ photographable Marlon Williams. Proving that simply getting out there and performing is still the best way to engage with the people, Marlon toured the country, garnering all the cool kids and hipster parents with his sultry slant on bluesy acoustic surfside soul.
He also wooed the industry by taking out both the ‘best male solo artist’ and ‘breakthrough artist of the year’.
Also, nurturing a nostalgic nod to sixties retro rock, Tami Neilson built on her loyal fan-base with a simply irresistible second release entitled ‘Don’t be Afraid’. Sitting somewhere between the smoky late night jazz of Amy Winehouse and jangly jailhouse rock, Tami touches bad guy ballads with a tattooed heart. Again, a must see live, up close and personal with your besties at the Tuning Fork.
Other notable mentions that caught my own attention were the super successful hit machine that is Six60, with more hits than Brendan Mccullum, they got snapped up by an international label whilst popping up everywhere from the big gigs to the All Blacks dressing room.Ones to watch in the New Year include the lyrically blessed dirty ole Diaz Grimm, Rei and Sneakers. In a digitally connected sound sharing universe, NZ beats are banging the bass bins of international head-nodders, enjoying the same stage with two island seasoned sounds. Oh my Lorde, what a perfect pacific place to be!
I discovered the existence of the Albert Ayler album 'Nuits De La Foundation Maeght 1970 ' when I saw a Youtube link with no accompanying text turn up on my twitter feed, as posted by John Darnielle of indie folk band 'The Mountain Goats' (whose presence on the internet is often as compelling as the music he makes). I clicked on the mystery link and was taken to an Albert Ayler song called “Music is the Healing Force of the Universe.” Noting the title, it seemed no coincidence this song had been shared only a few days after the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, especially given it turned out to be a live performance recorded in France. As I listened to Ayler’s playing, his horn so full of yearning and love at the same time, so full of agitation and pro-active energy, the song did indeed seem to perfectly embody its title. It’s a transporting psychedelic pill which, as its lyrics spell out with unabashed frankness, aims to lead the listener towards an internal sea change for the better.
Given that it's almost the end of the year, it seems like a good time to have a quick scan over the various award winners of the year and pick out some of the best.
Front of mind is the New Zealand Music Awards which took place recently. The Stuff website has a full list of winners, but rather than give more breath to the big winners (e.g., Broods), let's dig a bit further down the list.
First up, the Critic's Award winners, Bespin. The band are named after the cloud city on 'The Empire Strikes Back' and the group's dreamlike, psychedelic sound fits the name perfectly...
Marlon Williams was the winner of Best Male Solo Artist and Breakthrough Artist of the Year, as well as being in the shortlist for the Silver Scroll Awards (as well as being a nominee for "Best Blues and Roots Album" at the ARIA awards in Australia). His self-titled debut album is firmly based in the folk music, but the songwriting is strong enough to breath some new life into this tradition and the album was recorded by Lyttelton music scene stalwart, Ben Edwards.
Here's a creepy little tune he wrote about a man living in a house that seems to be filled with ghosts ever since his wife died. The video also features Williams's girlfriend, Aldous Harding, and they seem to just be a pair of hobos fooling around until the final twist...
The act that beat Williams at the Silver Scroll Awards was Unknown Mortal Orchestra, who recently released their third album. The outfit is led by Reuben Neilson from the Mint Chicks, though the recording also features his brother (Kody, who now plays as Silicon). The awards was given to UMO's tune, "Multi-Love", but I have to admit a preference for their tune "Keep Checking My Phone" and this live version (on Conan O'Brien) sounds great and shows Reuben dropping a nice dance move at the end...
Casting an eye across the Tasman, also shows a few worthy winners emerging from the Australia's ARIA awards. The psychedelic music revival is just as strong over there and Tame Impala has showed he is still ahead of the pack on his second album, Currents, which saw him win "Best Rock Album" and "Album of the Year." Equally deserving was Courtney Barnett who won "Best Breakthrough Artist" for her critically adored album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit. This tune about the unaffordability of local real estate should strike a chord with a lot of Aucklanders!
And last but not least, let's look even further northward and check out the winner of the UK's prestigious Mercury Prize, which has the occasional ability to shine a light on a upcoming talent that most of the country hasn't heard of. This year's winner was Benjamin Clementine, who grew up in London but was discovered by a French music label while busking on the streets of Paris. This led to his debut album, At Least For Now, being released back in the UK, though his real breakthrough wasn't until he scored a surprise slot on Later ... with Jools Holland.
Emerging from the shaggy sixties Kiwi music scene, the Loxene Gold Disc Awards were the groovy great grandparent of today’s New Zealand Music Awards.
To give a shout out to these often contentious awards, celebrated at Vector Arena in Auckland next week, I delve back in time, rewinding to the local tunes of 1995.
Twenty years ago, Grandmaster Jim Bolger turned up the national sound system, whilst the country swaggered and saluted a tangy tub of local treats. Running up the charts with her headless chooks, Fiona MacDonald tapped the bottle of pop recognition, severing the ties to their alternative cohorts with the ultra-digestible ‘Body Blow’. Also set for cruise control, brat-brass funky fellows Supergroove spun some major “Traction’ with their debut album sounding like a greatest hits of our summer antics.
South Auckland street-sounds blasted the skateboard ramps from Ranui to Raglan, with 3 the Hard Way’s heaving Holden anthem, “Hip Hop Holiday”, sparking many a tinny road trip over the summer months. Rollin ‘In the neighbourhood’, took the Sisters Underground from the Otara markets to the café stretches of Ponsonby proudness, crossing over our separated soundtracks.
Be it rhythm and booze or patriotic Dobbyn loyalty, we Kiwis punch way above our beat belts. We love our music, both local and otherwise. To stand beside our mates, on a girl’s night out or cruising down Dominion Road, we have and have always had a lot to celebrate. Not a lot has changed in that regard, even now, twenty years since 1995.
The latest Sufjan Stevens album Carrie & Lowellis named after his parents. Well, sort of. To be specific, it’s named after his mother, who left the family when Stevens was 1 year old, and the man she ended up with. Stevens wrote the album after her death, as he struggled to process both her passing, and the internal contradiction of feeling such immense grief at losing someone with whom he’d created so few memories, shared so little time. As he sings on the song All of Me and All of You: “Should we beat this or celebrate it?”
It’s my favourite Sufjan album. Those same delicate, cyclical guitar arpeggios which have been the foundation for so many of his songs are intact, but they’re both darker and, for me at least, more beautiful. Where previous records adorned this foundation with cheerful orchestral arrangements or abrasive electronica, Carrie & Lowell fills out the stereo spectrum with little more than a second acoustic guitar matching the first, as if to keep it company, and obsessively double tracked lead vocals. One feels that Stevens is singing and strumming along with himself because everything would just be too sad, too raw, without the extra ambience of a companion, even if the companion must be his own ghost vocal. The lyrics blend wisps of happy memory with jarring references to emotional dysfunction, self-destruction, and a deep sadness, all rendered beautiful by yearning melodies that never stoop to maudlin.
The first single No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross exemplifies the emotional complexity that can result from relatively unsubtle constituent parts. The singer castigates himself with sarcasm, (“Like a champion, get drunk to get laid,”) implores fate to connect him with his mother in any way possible, (“Drag me to hell in the valley of the damned, like my mother. . .”), imagines some invisible presence conspiring against him (“my assassin like Casper the ghost”), before concluding in the songs title that there is no grace to be found in the struggle to bare life’s burden.
Yet as he passes through these lyrical stations of pain Stevens sings along with himself as sweetly, as angelically, as he ever has, leaving us with the impression that maybe it’s okay to celebrate what you can’t beat. It’s a nice feeling to get from a record.
Not so long ago Wellington's The Phoenix Foundation released the video for the titular anti-ambition anthem of their 6th album Give Up Your Dreams. Featuring a dirty and desperate Bret McKenzie (one half of The Flight of the Conchords and Oscar and Grammy award winner) digging an endless hole somewhere in the Wellington hills, the video is an Andrei Tarkovsky-inspired existential trip directed by fellow Wellingtonian Loren Taylor. The video is a perfect accompaniment to the meditative mood that we find the Foundation in; reflecting on their existence as a band and their place in the musical landscape as they age.
The track itself is peak Phoenix Foundation, with its wryly observed lyrics, driving rhythms and strong synth-led melodies. Despite a droll voice over intoning maxims such as: "Don't let anyone tell you that you're special" and "Don't anyone say that the world is your oyster" in the bridge, this is a joyous and ultimately uplifting affair. Plus, it never hurts to be reminded that "all that we can do about it is be alright about things and get on with stuff".
The Partnership is a non-fiction exploration of the creation of The Three-Penny Opera and the tangled personal and professional relationships of Bertolt Brecht, Karl Weill, Lotte Lenya, Helene Weigel and Elisabeth Hauptmann.
"Mack The Knife" from the movie "The Threepenny Opera"
Katz does not seem interested in casting the complicated personalities as heroes or villains but as people with multi-faceted and at times conflicting agendas. It’s a human, considered approach to individuals who are all too easy to damn in retrospect with a contemporary perspective.The final third of the book, which see the disintergration of Brecht and Weills creative relationship against the backdrop of the rise of the Nazis, is particuarly compelling and absorbing.
"Mack The Knife" performed by Dean Martin
For someone not familiar with Brecht and Weills' influence over culture, both past and contemporary, the book opens your eyes to their presence. Sometimes it's the familiar songs that turn out to be derived from their song book, on other occassions it is their effect on other artists sensibilities.
"Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)" performed by The Doors
Tom Waits springs to mind. Waits maintains he was not aware of Kurt Weill until other people started to compare his sound to the composer: "Well, the weird thing about Kurt Weill is that after I made a few records in the '80s, people started to tell me that I was sounding like this guy, or that I must be listening to this guy. So I figured I should probably go out and listen to him, because I'd never heard of him before. I did listen, and then I thought, 'Oh, I hear that.' " There is no reason to doubt Waits but it does make you consider that perhaps Weills' sound is so pervasive that Waits had absorbed it whether he knew it or not.
"What Keeps Mankind Alive" performed by Tom Waits
Weill and Burchts influence is not limited to the world of music. Comics writer and novelist Alan Moore has drawn on The Three Penny Opera for inspirationa number of times over the course of his career and early on produced a newspaper strip under the psdoneum Curt Vile. Anyone who is familiar with Moores career and particuarly his reponse to the overwhelming success of his comic Watchmen will be amused by Brechts similarly mixed feelings about The Three Penny Opera.
"Pirate Jenny" performed by Nina Simone
If The Partnership fails to deliver in any way it is the citical anaylsis of the works, which seems perfunctoary and obvious, and to the attention paid to Hauptmann, Lenya and Weigel. It is not that Katz fails to address their contributions it is that everythings seems to be purely inspired or motivated by Brecht or Weill. While this was underdoubatbly an important part of the interpersonal dynamics it's hard to see three such forceful and determined individuals purely motivated by their devotion to one man. To contrast that aspect to the rest of the book which deal with the complex, symbiotic relationship between Brecht and Weill, two men with very definite personal agendas, the observation seems a little thin.
"Ballard of the Soliders Wife" performed by PJ Harvey
The Auckland Libraries eBook and eAudiobook collection has grown massively over the last couple of years, so I thought it'd be a great time to collect together some of the best titles to read or listen to on your device. I've tried to be as wide-ranging as possible so hopefully there's something to suit all tastes.If you need more information on how to access these titles, see our eBooks and eAudiobooks section.
Top 10 Music e-Books
Blue Smoke: The lost dawn of New Zealand popular music 1918-1964 by Chris Bourke This book is filled with wonderful photographs and tales from the early years of local music. The richness of its coverage saw it win the NZ Post Book of the Year Award in 2011.
Nirvana by Everett True A biography of Nirvana written by the music journalist who introduced Kurt to Courtney. Prior to this, True had already written for NME, Melody Maker, and Vox so he brings some writing power to the piece as well. As a result, this book provides a unique insight into the band and it's sudden end.
How to listen to pop music by Nick Bollinger Listener readers will already know Bollinger as their long-standing music critic. He's also been a gigging musician since the early 70s and hence has a love of music that comes through on every page of this book. It's part memoir and part meditation on how to get the most out of popular music.
Everyone loves you when you’re dead by Neil Strauss This is a wild set of tales from experienced music journalist, Neil Strauss. Over the course of the book, he makes Lady Gaga cry, is kidnapped by Courtney Love, and has a long drinking session with Bruce Springsteen. Strauss takes a high octane approach to his writing, as readers of his Motley Crue biography (The Dirt) will already know.
(Also available in a print version).
The Fallen by Dave Simpson Even if you only have a passing interest in The Fall, then you'll probably find this book entertaining. The author tracks down over forty different musicians (and non-musicians!) who've been in-and-out of the band since their inception in the late seventies. Even the most minor members seem to have surprising tale to tell - such as the manager of the Chemical Brothers who was convinced backstage at the Reading Festival to take the place of the band's missing drummer for their set!
How The Beatles rocked the Kremlin by Leslie Woodhead The Beatles music slipped into the USSR in the midst of the cold war and proved that there was an exciting culture to be discovered on the other side of the Iron Curtain. This book provides an interesting angle on why The Beatles were important and adds another aspect to their legacy.
How music works by David Byrne Byrne was the lead singer of quirky rock group, Talking Heads. Yet he's spent the last decade exploring more experimental territory with production guru, Brian Eno, and young indie starlet, St Vincent. His unusual explorations give him a great perspective to write about why humans are so attracted to melody and rhythm. An intriguing read for musicians and music lovers alike.
The importance of music to girls by Lavinia Greenlaw This book focuses more on Greenlaw's private journey, rather than making any attempt at music criticism or provide comment on the wider scene. However, her gradual drift from 60s rock to disco to punk does provide a window on how music can influence a person's life and her poetic style of writing adds some heft to the narrative.
Dylan goes electric by Elijah Wald The moment that Dylan broke from being simply a folk hero and began experimenting with rock influences is always portrayed as a turning point in his career. This focuses in on this crucial change and brings to life the shock and outrage that it invoked at the time. If the copy linked above happens to be unavailable, then another copy is available from our other eBook service.
by Nick Hornby Nick Hornby is known for his 'lad-lit' novels about guys coming to terms with the pressures of adulthood, with his most famous novels being About a boy and High Fidelity. However, Hornby is also a music critic for the New Yorker and here he uses as discussion of his favourite songs to wax lyrical on the meaning of music and why some songs retain an important place in our lives, even after we've long since quit listening to them.
As we find ourselves in the midst of a chilly, wet Auckland winter we feel grateful that there is an abundance of great music being released at the moment to keep us buoyant while we wait for warm days ahead.
Here are some songs that are on high-rotate in the All Things Musical office right now-
'Flirt' - Boycrush featuring Yumi Zouma/Madeira
Alistair Deverick aka Auckland producer/singer Boycrush released this gorgeous piece of dance-pop confection a few months ago to international and local acclaim. Featuring vocalist Kim Pflaum - best known for her work in Yum Zouma and now known as Madeira - Flirt is warm and breezy but also thoughtfully constructed under its effortless sheen. Flirt is from Boycrush's 2nd EP 'Girls on Top', available through Bandcamp. Find more on Boycrush here.
'Slow' - Jessie Cassin
Slow is the first offering from Auckland's Jessie Cassin and what a debut release it is! Seductive, sensual and sensitive, Jessie's achingly beautiful voice is paired with woozy beats, swaying strings and thoughtful lyrics. We are looking forward to hearing more from this exciting new talent! Find more on Jessie Cassin here.
'Low Brow' - Chelsea Jade
We have long been fans of Chelsea Jade (formerly known as Watercolours) and her latest single Low Brow only further deepens our love for her. Chelsea is at the height of her vocal power on this track with a compellingly intimate performance, making the listener privy to every quickly drawn breath and sigh. Co-produced with LA-based NZ musician/producer Sam McCarthy (of Strange Babes), this is probably the most pop-oriented offering we've heard from Chelsea and we love it! Find more on Chelsea here.
Goon is the album I didn’t realise I needed until I heard it.
After a few weeks binging on the latest dark glitchy hip-hop releases, and another few delving into the #NWOBHM (for the uninitiated that’s “New Wave of British Heavy Metal”) to appease a metal friend, I felt-super burnt out as a listener. This album of simple, humble piano driven ballads was a breath of fresh air that asked so little of me but gave so much. Goon offers little more than blocky piano chords (think Lennon’s “Imagine”), unabashed love-stricken sentiments set to well-worn rhyming partners, and a warm, decidedly un-2K15 production aesthetic. Yet such is the effortlessness and consistency of this batch of songs (it must have been hard to pick a single because so many are home runs) that I found myself asking nothing more of it.
The self-deprecatingly titled Goon is a welcome reminder that sometimes a song from the heart is all you need to keep you afloat.
As an eager new-ish migrant to New Zealand, I wanted to explore and absorb the musical cultures of my new home. Having grown up though the '80s & '90s in the UK, I have quite eclectic music tastes swinging wildly from electronica to jazz to grunge to underground house. But when it came to my knowledge of New Zealand music it pretty much began with Crowded House and Split Enz, and ended with Ladyhawke and Fat Freddy’s Drop.
Thus began my quest for enlightenment, through which I discovered the many varied and talented New Zealand musicians that never made it across the airwaves to my UK ears. My journey was one of the naive and admittedly ill-informed; it was not influenced by the social bias and peer group opinion that one’s musical conscious is usually molded by. What emerged was a list of music which reflected what I liked, what moved me, and what made me want to explore the artist more.
This Spotify list contains some of the highlights of that journey….I hope you enjoy!
Want to hear more....? Follow the links below to view each of the albums and their tracklistings on the Auckland Libraries catalogue:
If you're an Alt-J fan, you might be surprised that I find their new album "This is all yours" to be their best album yet. In fact, i'd go as far to say that it was my top album pick for 2014, if not one of my favourites of all time. Maybe this is because it is not conventional Alt-J, but something completely different, a huge step up from their first album "An awesome wave" whilst maintaining elements of their traditional, quirky style.
It may take a few listens to get to grasps with the album, but once you do it is one that will be on repeat throughout the house. The intro alone is perfection, combining elements from Indian, Japanese and British music cultures to create a flawless track with inspiring drumming, harmonies and riffs before any lyrics have even been sung.
To be honest, upon first listening I thought the album to be a bit of a dud. The first 10 minutes of the album passes without so much of a pulse; There's the introduction and then "Arrival at Nara", which is essentially a secondary introduction and a very deflating post-hype entree. But how wrong could I have been? Each listening offers another dimension to the album and you begin to pick up on minor subtleties, such as emotions, lyrics and images that weren't originally triggered. Indeed, you realise that it is not at all a load of 'nothing' tracks, but rather Alt-J successfully taking the listener on an emotional journey with them through the landscape of Japan and the personal struggles the band have faced over their 2014 hiatus.
We've just passed the middle of NZ Music Month and so it seems like a good time to share some new local rock tracks that have come out over the last year. I've made the list on spotify, but there's a couple of videos embedded at the bottom of this post if you'd rather check out the music via youtube.
The list includes new songs from long-time favourites like Don McGlashan, Liam Finn, and Sam Flynn Scott (from Phoenix Foundation, but here playing with Bunnies on Ponies). However there's plenty of upcoming acts too - whether it's the catchy rock of Clap Clap Riot, the electro infused sound of She's So Rad, the sixties influenced music of The Eversons or the bluesy approach taken by Streets of Laredo. I did want to put "365" off the latest Dictaphone Blues album on the list, but it's not on Spotify yet so I've chosen an older tune that it's equally great (though the library does have their new album if you want to check out my original pick).
And do have a look at all the events that Auckland Libraries are holding for NZ Music Month - there's something for all ages.
There are few pieces of what could be considered classic New Zealand rock writing. For the most part it’s perfunctory, concerned with dates and track listings and band members than feeling and passion. It’s all so dry. The exception to that rule is often found in the world of music reviews. Here you can feel the blood start to pump, the temperature begins to rise, the temper to fray.
Back in the ‘good old days’ of 'Rip It Up' the review and letters pages were a battleground. You often felt the blood being spilt might move from proverbial to literal should the wrong parties meet outside the Gluepot at closing. Since then it has all too often seemed a bit polite. Better to say nothing at all than anything that might be considered offensive.
Grant Smithies is a case in point, his music of choice is all a bit 'dad rock' in the immortal words of fellow reviewer Kiran Dass. And yet his book Soundtrack: 118 great New Zealand albums is gold. Apart from anything else it offers a good survey of the local scene. If it is a little light on the postwar years and the 60s and 70s that perhaps reflects the availability of recordings from those periods (and, lets face it, that era has been well and truly covered by Chris Bourke in his exhaustive Blue Smoke).
Our first Music Month playlist dives straight into NZ Pop, past and present. For now we'll forgive the '80s their frizzy perms and 'seated dancing' (see above) and thank them for some well-loved classic hits instead. Moving on, we bring you a short selection of our finest singer/songwriters and bands. It's not exhaustive by any measure, but hopefully enough to help you explore the genre. Enjoy..
"No matter where you are, music will always have some meaning. When you have music in your heart, it stays with you. Music will always live on" - Pixie Costello (nee Williams), January 2010. Williams is probably best known for her recording of Ruru Karaitiana's song 'Blue Smoke' in 1948, arguably New Zealand's first pop song.
With that little piece of history we welcome you to NZ Music Month, 31 days that celebrate the talents and diversity of our unique musical culture. As well as a wide range of events across the region, we at blog central will be sharing our own musical discoveries and favourites, with playlists to suit all tastes. Check back regularly for more.
Hidden in Gillian Welch's Time(the revelator) is a deeply weird album. Listening for the first time it is
Welch's voice that seduces. Possessing a honey melancholy she weaves a spell,
drawing you into a place of great intimacy. The sparse production which
underlies the vocals adds warmth, relying on the most basic of instruments, just
guitar and banjo, to enhance Welshes magic.
After listening a while however, it’s the words that begin to haunt. Lyrics wind their way through time, place and space, through autobiography and American history and folklore. The
songs call back and forward between one another and slyly quote from a country
and folk standards and favourites.
Slowly it dawns what an epic quality this
recording has. The songs twist together the now and the then. They encompass
the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the sinking of the Titanic, the
strangeness of Elvis’ early years, Johnny’s fall from grace at the Grand Ole
Opry and the tragic romance of Emmy Lou
and Gram. It’s Grail Marcus’ old weird America updated for the 21st
Century. It’s a mystic vision of monumental events and personalities, and their
place in our lives and myths.
Time and distance matter not, these things are woven
into our being.
A few years ago I saw Robert Fisher play an acoustic show on K Road. I went with a good friend of mine who is a Poet, a proper Poet with ink stains on his fingers and holes in his shoes and a heart so big that it's liable to burst at any moment. We got drunk on expensive whiskey and turned up at the venue with our dignity barely intact.
About half way through the show the Poet disappeared - I think he was called elsewhere by his muse, or perhaps a woman in the crowd, I can't quite remember and it's much the same thing anyway. I was left alone, swaying to the music, or maybe just swaying to keep from falling over, loudly applauding every song Robert played. Because I had loved Willard Grant Conspiracy since I was eighteen when I'd first heard Robert's ragged vocal sing about working menial jobs & sitting on the front porch of a house staring at the moon and thinking about past lovers and marveling at how he could turn these regular, seemingly banal events into almost mythical occurrences worthy of a shot at eternity through song.
From the stage he noticed my inebriated enthusiasm and shot a gentle barb in my direction, which stung a little, mainly because I couldn't fire one back but also because I'd never had a room full of people laugh at my expense before and I shrunk back into the safety of a dark corner.
After the final song Robert walked straight off stage and over to where I was standing, put his arm on my shoulder and apologized profusely with a shy and gentle southern Californian twang. We talked for the next fifteen minutes - or was it half the night? - about folk music and mythology and the pros and cons of getting a positive pitchfork review before I faded back into my self wrought oblivion and stumbled out into the street. A heavy mist had shrouded every street light in a ghostly, luminous glow and when I got back to my apartment I lay down on the couch, lit a cigarette, and played this song over and over until the sun came up.
In what is sure to enter into New Zealand music legend, last Thursday night John Campbell - of Campbell Live fame - was brought to tears on his evening show by the presence of American musician Sharon Van Etten. Campbell had been unable to attend Van Etten's Auckland show due to other commitments so his team had organised for her to make an unscheduled live appearance during a live cross on his show, completely unbeknownst to him. The rest is an utterly adorable Campbell gushing about loving Van Etten a "stupidly large amount" and being reduced to grateful tears as Van Etten played her song 'Tarifa'.
It's not often that the world gets treated to a release from Cool Rainbows, brainchild of Auckland musician and producer Djeisan Suskov, so we were excited and delighted when this video emerged last week. 'Universe' is the first single from the upcoming album 'Days', released on Indie stalwart Lil' Chief Records. The hazy, dreamy video (directed by Georgie Craw) perfectly accompanies Suskov's signature sunny, psych-pop sound, displayed beautifully here on 'Universe'.
Anthonie Tonnon, one of Mosgiel's brightest sons, made the trans-island move to Auckland several years ago and based himself in the leafy, lofty suburb of Grey Lynn. Inspired by his new locale and the issues faced when flatting in one of Auckland's most desirable suburbs, Tonnon wrote Marion Bates Realty - decrying the ills of gentrification and greed. The album featuring this song - Up Here For Dancing (released as Tono and The Finance Company) - was critically well-received and cemented Tonnon's reputation as a gifted songwriter with a whole bunch of smarts and heart.
Since ditching his previous moniker and embracing his legal name, Tonnon has turned his attention back to his hometown with Water Underground - the lead single from his upcoming album Successor. Carrying on in the protest tradition of Marion Bates, 'Water Underground' is a tale of political corruption in Canterbury, specifically concerning water rights allocation and the National Government sacking a democratically elected regional council body. This is far too complex to delve into further detail but has been written about excellently here.
Anthonie Tonnon is joined by the veritable super-band lineup of Edward Castelow (Dictaphone Blues), Jonathan Pearce (Sal Valentine & The Babyshakes) and Stu Harwood (Paquin).
Successor is released on March 6 with the band touring the country from March 5.
This year’s WOMAD festival is coming up in mid-March and given that a lot of Aucklanders head down to New Plymouth for this special event, we thought we’d
give you a heads up about the acts we are most excited to see.
BOMBINO
The main reason why you've possibly heard Bombino's name before is
that his latest album was produced by Dan Auerbach from The Black Keys
(who also produced albums for Lana Del Rey and Dr John). Bombino himself is a Tuareg
guitarist, who combines a gritty rock sound with the ever-spiraling
riffs that Tuareg music has become known for (Tinariwen are another famous proponent
of this sound).
The library has both of Bombino’s CDs if you want to check
them out: Agadez (2011) and Nomad (2013). Here's the current single from his latest album:
Indie/Alternative band Forleigh arrive in New Zealand next week for the latest leg of their yearlong tour, playing 16 shows over 30 days across the country and featuring 5 local acts in a special ‘Top 5’ event @ Auckland’s King’s Arms on March 5th. See their website for details of how to take part (and win $500!).
We caught up with them in the UK as they prepare to journey down under-
ATM - How would you describe Forleigh’s sound? - you cover a lot of different styles, do you find this broadens your appeal?
F - The different genres do make Forleigh flexible and digestible in almost every live music setting, but to fit in was never the plan, the plan for (song writer) Forleigh X has and continues to be writing timeless music for film, television, video games and other mediums, and share that music on innovative tours around the world, connecting the band with other musicians and creatives. Really it’s more about atmosphere and feeling than genre.
ATM - What kind of audiences have you been getting?
F - The audience we have seen on tour so far has been much like the music; we have had a bit of everything really. We have played at big venues, smaller venues, art galleries, critically acclaimed venues, music festivals, recording studios, fashion shows, gardens, living rooms, and have seen people of every race and legal age, the turn out itself has been mind blowing, 3 thousand new followers on twitter in just over 3 months was crazy to us, specially since the guys did that all by playing their music live, face to face to real people.
Last week Portland-based band Unknown Mortal Orchestra released the titular lead single and release date of their forthcoming album 'Multi-Love'. This will be the third album for the trio lead by New Zealander Ruban Nielson, formerly of cult-favourite band The Mint Chicks.
UMO's previous albums 'Unknown Mortal Orchestra' and 'II' were awarded the Taite Music Prize and VNZMA Best Alternative Album award, respectively, whilst receiving widespread critical acclaim.
The single 'Multi-Love' is a fine display of UMO's signature sound: baroque influenced keys, propulsive break-beat drum patterns and soulful, processed vocals while eschewing the lo-fi production of their first two albums. Nielsen's pop-sensibilities and strong instinct for melody are used to full effect here while brother, and former Mint Chicks partner, Kody makes his presence felt with a furiously energetic drum performance,
A little somewhat unknown band from Auckland, who describe themselves as having an 'ambivalent' sound. They have a hazy, groove-based shoegaze sound.
Connan Mockasin
A psychedelic pop artist from Te Awan. Produces some very quirky and tasteful music videos and has a quiet, yet toned vocal style. Connan is an introverted and unique artist who will likely prove one to watch at Laneway 2015.
Well, Sara is the crowning queen of all things 80s in the UK. She presents a weekly Saturday night show-off on BBC2, twisting the corroded cap off a fun and fizzy selection of forever unforgotten mid-eighties floor fillers.
Every week, leg warmers are dropped to reveal stone washed songs, bedazzled beats, alongside a good grab bag of guilty pleasure. To celebrate the endless cash cow that is the good ship ‘80s’, Warner Music has brought together a modern mash-up of the decades worst and wonderful, re-visited by today’s biggest pop performers.
At first, this double dose of eighties excess sparked curiosity and sentimental condemnation, I mean, how dare anyone alter my images or play wicked games with my high school hits? However, there are some very cool cuts in amongst the questionable re-jigs, with many making it onto my elusive and exclusive playlists.
Sultry songstress Lisa Stansfield dims the ever changing mood with a sleepy version of Style Council’s sizzling “You’re the best thing”, whilst Sam Smith’s broody boyish bash on Whitney’s “How will I Know” sniffs a soulful line towards cabaret coolness. My choice cut would have to be the Manic Street Preachers re-launching of the Stones “Start me up”, with Birdy’s quaint take on Madonna’s “Lucky Star”, a cute close second.
Even as an alcohol charged pre-pub quiz squabble, this crafty compilation is sure to feature highly on the lacquered lips of gleeful game players at the next open mike office party. Relax, just do it, you know you want to.
We at the All Things Musical blog are pretty excited about the upcoming St Jerome's Laneway Festival here in Auckland on January 26. Now in its fifth year of visiting Auckland the 2015 line-up is perhaps its finest yet, boasting some of the brightest names in music worldwide as well as some of our own excellent, homegrown talent. Over the next couple of posts we will give a run-down of the acts that we are most pumped about seeing (in no particular order).
Angel Olsen
St. Louis native Angel Olsen garnered much critical praise for her 2014 outstanding sophomore album 'Burn Your Fire For No Witness'. Think Cat Power possessed by Roy Orbison by way of Leonard Cohen.
January is traditionally a quiet time for classical music lovers, so it’s good to hear that over in Epsom the 21st Auckland String Quartet summer school is in full swing (and making great use of Auckland Libraries’ sheet music collection!)
Amateur string players of all ages from around the country have gathered for a week of intensive study under the expert guidance of some of Australasia’s finest professionals. This year local tutors from the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra are joined by members of the acclaimed Tinalley Quartet, winners of the 2007 Banff Competition.
The week rounds off on Friday with a programme of Schubert, Shostakovich and Dvorak, music guaranteed to beat those ‘back to work’ blues..
Details-
The Tutor’s Concert
Friday 9th January 8pm
St. Cuthbert’s College Auditorium (enter from Market Rd)
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