Courtney Barnett – Things Take Time, Take Time: Album Review
Courtney Barnett brings us bright drone pop filled with melodic hooks in a distinctive spoken singing voice. These songs were worked up in the first phase of world Lockdown, when she returned home to Melbourne early in 2020. All the songs have a lift in spirit and sound light and buoyant rather than weighty. Something […]
Joan as Policewoman – The Solution Is Restless: Album Review
Joan as Policewoman / Tony Allen / Dave Okumu – The Solution is Restless is out on vinyl November 27th 2021. Multi-instrumentalists make the best collaborators. Even though they could walk down the Stevie Wonder or Prince path of the ‘self-saucing pudding’ and go it alone, they don’t. Instead, they enjoy the ‘chemmie’ that is […]
French for Rabbits – The Overflow: Album Review
French for Rabbits made an appearance at the Auckland Arts Festival back in March and band leader Brooke Singer made a comment that was at once humorous and insightful: “Excuse us being a bit awkward. We’re a band of introverts.” The Overflow, their third album, is a glorious celebration of that introvert disposition. Its tracks […]
ABBA – Voyage: Album Review
ABBA – Voyage: Album Review Expectations run high and the excitement could not be denied as we all waited for a brand-new ABBA model to makes its way out the door. Talked about for the last five years, delayed by virus madness just like the rest of the world. Equal to the drama that would […]
Le Ren – Leftovers: Album Review
Le Ren is a young Folk artist who sounds like an old spirit. Or she channels an old spirit. Raised on Bowen Island off the west coast of Canada, which sounds idyllic and a place of spectacular natural beauty. Then a move to Montreal and the gradual launch of her professional music career.
Lana Del Rey – Blue Banisters: Album Review
Lana Del Rey is all tangled up in blue on her latest album Blue Banisters. An expansive and soaring body of songs, literary and cinematic and riding along on an angelic voice.
The Courettes – Back In Mono (Damaged Goods)
The Courettes present a thoroughly retro and immersive dive back into the period of music when Rock’n’Roll defined itself as an Art Form. This is Brazilian Flavia Couri voice and guitar and Danish Martin Couri drums and percussion. As The Courettes, they are simultaneously a Tribute Band whilst presenting all original songs.
Hollie Smith – Coming In From The Dark: Album Review
Hollie Smith ’s distinctive powerful voice lays out an intensely emotional ride of an album. Themes of loss, grief and death but you can climb on board this Gospel train and sense salvation. There is some of the Spirit in the Dark of Aretha. A little choke and sob of Gladys Knight. The soaring songbird […]
The Beatles – Let It Be (Apple/Universal)
The Beatles have just reissued Let It Be, an album that, when originally released 51 years ago got mixed reviews. Many years and many remixes later, it’s time to reconsider Let It Be, the album.
Headless Chickens – Stunt Clown (Flying Nun)
Headless Chickens debut album, Stunt Clown, was no doubt quite a departure, possibly a risk, for Flying Nun Records when they released it in 1988. Now, 33 years later, it looks like quite the inspired move.
Amyl and the Sniffers – Comfort To Me: Album Review
Amyl and the Sniffers are a ferocious young Melbourne Punk quartet who can slice through your head and explode it whilst making you feel hot, sweaty and high. Amyl nitrate poppers are a fast surge and fade. So is Amy Taylor the singer and probably chief lyricist.
Alien Weaponry – Tangaroa: Album Review
Alien Weaponry – Tangaroa (Napalm Records) – Maori Haka and Metal makes for a thrilling warrior trio band from Northland New Zealand. Two brothers who combine their Northern European Dutch ancestry with a passionate and heart-felt activist expression of their Maori heritage.
Vera Ellen – It’s Your Birthday (Flying Nun): Album Review
Vera Ellen debuts on Flying Nun with It’s Your Birthday, but this far from her first release.
Voodoo Rhythm Label Compilation Vol 5: Album Review
Voodoo Rhythm Label Compilation Vol 5: Various Artists and Labels Beat Zeller is a Swiss Rock’n’Roll fanatic. The founder and manic driving force behind Voodoo Rhythm Records. Performs as one-man-band, Reverend Beat-Man as well as other group projects. His specialty is mutant Garage Psychobilly Gospel Blues, by his own admission.
Missy – Major Arcana (ARKH): Wormholes of mysticism, Album Review
Missy – Major Arcana (ARKH Records). Avante Garde Pop with a broad palette which opens out into graphic art, theatre and cinema. Wormholes of mysticism. An ambitious journey of an album for Abigail Knudson and her musical persona Missy.
Reb Fountain – Iris (Flying Nun), a dream state & rebirth
Reb Fountain takes us into the rivers of the Bardo with fifth album Iris. The after-life or the dream state between death and rebirth. The album cover has a wild-haired Reb shot from behind. Looking up at a white light. Could be a stage light or the direction the Soul heads toward for a better […]
Jesse Malin – Sad and Beautiful World (Wicked Cool)
Jesse Malin sounds as familiar as an old friend you shared your best times and your most difficult with. More into comfort these days than his wild former self. Pitching himself perfectly between Tom Petty and Boss Springsteen. A slightly less melancholic Ryan Adams.
Slothrust – Parallel Timeline, a veiled mystique that’s about to explode: Album Review
Slothrust – Parallel Timeline – (Dangerbird Records) Alt-rock band Slothrust’s fifth album Parallel Timeline is finally getting noticed beyond their Boston hometown. Bandleader and songwriter Leah Wellbaum explores themes of contradiction, mirrors – the intersection between science, the whimsical and the inexplicable spaces in between.
I’ll Be Your Mirror – A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico: Album Review
I’ll Be Your Mirror – A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico Various Artists (UMG Recordings, Inc). A defining moment in American music and art was the release of The Velvet Underground & Nico in 1967. Hated and ignored at the time when Flower Power and Hippie Good Vibes were ascendent. It went […]
Billy Strings Renewal – a long way from traditional bluegrass
Billy Strings also known as William Apostol shows his musical and songwriting prowess as he combines bluegrass, rock, psychedelia and more to produce an hour of outstanding music on his new album Renewal (Rounder Records).