May 27, 2012

Talkin’ With Temper Trap (Interview)

Australian band The Temper Trap has just released the follow-up to their very successful 2009 debut album Conditions. Between then and now the band has added a new member, keyboard player Joseph Greer, who hails from Auckland. Joseph is not completely new to Temper Trap fans, he played on the first album and has been touring with them over the past three years. Now, with the release of their self-titled second album, Greer is a full-fledged member of the band. The 13th Floor caught up with Joseph Greer just as the new album was about to be released.

Click here to listen to Joseph Greer of The Temper Trap here: 

Click here to listen to This Isn’t Happiness from The Temper Trap: 

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May 27, 2012

Ladyhawke – Anxiety (Album Review)

Ladyhawke’s award-winning debut album landed in 2008, and Anxiety is her first follow-up. This diverse album, which resonates with the themes of isolation, lost love, losing control and living in your head, retains Ladyhawke’s trademark 80s pop appeal but also edges into the sunnier, grungier 90s.

Click here to read the entire review and listen to a track from the new album.

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May 25, 2012

Carole King – The Legendary Demos (Album review)

This can be looked at as something of a companion piece to the recent Early Takes release by George Harrison in which stripped down demo versions of songs that were never meant to be released have been compiled to give a unique, behind the scenes look (or listen) into some of the rock era’s most enduring tunes.

Click here to read the entire review and listen to a track from the album.

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May 25, 2012

Jennifer Zea’s Album Release Party

Jennifer Zea celebrated the release of her album, The Latin Soul, with a performance at Auckland’s Nathan Club. On hand to help with the festivities were percussionist Miguel Fuentes, pianist and co-composer Kevin Field and producer Nathan Haines. Jennifer and the band really raised the temperature in the club with their sizzling performance. Click here to watch Jennifer Zea and The Antipodean Collective rock the house: 

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May 24, 2012

Cory Branan – Mutt (Album review)

Who is Cory Branan, you may ask? He’s a native of Mississippi, a former participant in the Memphis underground music scene who is now a resident of Nashville. Although he once fronted a death-metal band, Branan’s 2002’s debut, The Hell You Say, drew comparisons to Ryan Adams and John Prine. He’s a storyteller who claims to “never play a song the same way twice”. Newly signed to the Bloodshot label, he describes his music as “American Gumbo”.

Click here to read the entire review and listen to a track from the new album.

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May 24, 2012

Gossip – A Joyful Noise (Album Review)

Singer Beth Ditto has entered her dirty thirties, and she seems to have shed the squirrel-eating, deodorant-eschewing, spunk-punk persona she cultivated during her 20s. Rather surprisingly, she has emerged from her chrysalis as sleek, coiffed dance princess. From the opening of first track Melody Emergency, which grooves along to the purr of distortion and a slinky beat, this album sounds different from previous Gossip releases. The punk edges have been smoothed off by emery-board wielding producer Brian Higgins (Sugarbabes, Kylie Minogue).

Click here to read the entire review and listen to a track from the new album.

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May 22, 2012

Check Out Cairo Knife Fight’s Top 5 Tracks

Cairo Knife Fight have been busy rehearsing in preparation for their show with Heavy Metal Ninjas at The Powerstation on Friday, May 25th. But the band’s Nick Gaffaney wasn’t too busy to quickly drop a line to The 13th Floor and let us in on what he’s been listening to lately.

Click here to check out Nick Gaffaney’s Top 5 tracks.

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May 22, 2012

The Latin Soul of Jennifer Zea (Interview)

Jennifer Zea has just released her debut album,The Latin Soul. It was produced by Nathan Haines and co-written by Kevin Field. Jennifer is a native of Venezuela who has brought her style of Latin Soul to the Auckland music scene. The 13th Floor spoke to Jennifer Zea just as her album is about to be released. Jennifer Zea performs live this Thursday, May 24th at The Nathan Club in Auckland’s CBD.

Listen to the Jennifer Zea interview here. 

Listen to Vacila fropm The Latin Soul here: 

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May 21, 2012

The Whiskey Announces Final NZ Month Shows

THE WHISKEY bar owner, Andrew Bruce is excited to reveal the final roster of artists that complete the NZ Music Month celebrations:

“Our final two weeks line-up is absolutely mind blowing and with at least four acts on each night there is something for everyone.” says Bruce, “There is no excuse to not come down, check out the Vodafone Red Room where fans can mix and mingle with the bands and be a part of THE WHISKEY LIVE 2012 magic!”

Artists include: Ruby Frost, Che Fu, Cairo Knife Fight, Greg Johnson and Gin Wigmore

Tickets are on-sale at 6pm today via Ticketmaster – www.ticketmaster.co.nz  or phone 0800 111 999.  Full show info is available at www.whiskeybars.com and www.facebook.com/WHISKEYLIVE.

Click here to read the entire press release for a full listing of artists and dates.

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May 21, 2012

Richard Hawley – Standing At The Sky’s Edge (Album Review)

Sheffield’s favourite son has abandoned the lush strings and twangy rockabilly of his previous work replacing them with wah wah pedals, Indian drones and psychedelic guitar freak-outs. It’s new musical ground for Hawley, but ground that has been walked on before by everyone from The Beatles and The Stones to Led Zeppelin and The Verve. Long-time fans should brace themselves.

Click here to read the entire review and listen to a track from the new album.

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