Supporting Japanese punk legends Shonen Knife at Auckland's Whammy Bar on
8th November.
1 day ago
REVIEW - TOBIAS JESSO JR. - GOON
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.
Recommended by Simon C, Central City Library
Listen - New Adventures in NZ Music
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:
Elemeno P - Takes a Radical
Breaks Co-op – Duet
Iva Lamkum – Kung Fu Grip
Gin Wigmore – Kill of the Night
Brooke Fraser – Hosea’s wife
The Naked and Famous – Girls Like You
Ladi6 – Like Water
Tahuna Breaks – Listen
Che Fu – Fade Away
Good Shirt – Sophie
Written by Jo C
Review: Alt-J- This is all yours
Written by Richard Giles
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.
NZ Music Month 2015 - Listen - Great New NZ Rock
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.
NZ Music Month 2015 - Review - 'Soundtrack : 118 Great New Zealand Albums'
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).
NZ Music Month 2015 - Listen
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..
Tracklist
A Minute of One Day - TrueBliss
Don't Dream It's Over - Crowded House
Love Me Anyway - Ginny Blackmore
Waste Another Day - Brooke Fraser
Melting Pot - When The Cat's Away
Run Run Run - Goldenhorse
Listening for the Weather - Bic Runga
Special - Six60
Picture Me in The 70's - Anika Moa
Persuasion - stellar*
NZ Music Month 2015
"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.
Review: Gillian Welch - Time (the revelator)
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.
Watch: Willard Grant Conspiracy
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.
Watch: "sometimes music just keeps you afloat"
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'.
Watch the full video here.
Watch 'Taking Chances' by Sharon Van Etten
Find Sharon Van Etten on the Auckland Libraries Catalogue.
watch: Cool rainbows - universe
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'.
More on Cool Rainbows here.
Find Cool Rainbows on the Auckland Libraries catalogue.
Listen: Anthonie Tonnon - Water Underground
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.
For more on Anthonie Tonnon: anthonietonnon.com.
Find Anthonie Tonnon on the Auckland Libraries online catalogue.
Written by Anna C
LISTEN: WOMAD 2015 ARTISTS
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:
Interview - 'Forleigh' wants YOU!
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.
Listen: Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi-Love
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,
Find Unknown Mortal Orchestra on the Auckland Libraries online catalogue.
Written by Anna C.
