New Music Friday: 13th Floor New Album Picks: September 22, 2023

It’s New Music Friday once more and once more we’ve got plenty of good stuff to choose from including three new Kiwi releases for your audio edification.

The 13th Floor’s Marty Marty has selected these 5 new releases that he thinks demand your attention:

1. King Ketchup – Hot Delicious. The Auckland band’s second album sounds like a winner. Here’s what they have to say about it: Packed with chaotic garage rock numbers including the fuzzy single Gunmetal Grey, released earlier this year. Catch them this Saturday at Tone Fest – an awesome lineup of 9 acts featuring Oksun Ox, Hallelujah Picassos, Du trios, Pumice, Scran, Nuggiez, Loud Ghost & Ripship! At Whammy & Whammy Backroom.

2. ISLA – Low EP number two from this Aucklander. ISLA is a sleepy singer-songwriter based in the vibrant Tamaki Makaurau. She found her feet as a performer when she attended an open mic hosted in a sea cave. “Low” explores seasonal depression, and the memories that drift by in winter. Some days getting out of bed is too much to ask; Isla’s EP is your permission not to. Watch for an ISLA 13th Floor Single Session very soon.

3. Brother Sister – On A Roll More cool new sounds from Auckland. Actually, Brother Sister have quite the retro 80s sounds, but their own tunes stand up to scrutiny. “We hope the listeners will be reminded of that feeling they had when they watched a PG rated 80s movie for the first time in their youth” says Brother Sister. Click here to read the 13th Floor review of the EP. And click here to watch Brother Sister perform live at The 13th Floor.

4. Hannah Cameron – Holding Pattern Across the ditch we go to Melbourne where Hannah Cameron has just released Holding Pattern. Hannah’s third album is a sonic departure from her previous work, the album was written largely on Cameron’s beloved baritone guitar and the bulk of the record was tracked live with longtime bandmates Leigh Fisher (drums) and Luke Hodgson (bass). Many of the songs were born from limitation – imposing restrictions around the lyrical, rhythmic and harmonic content as a means of accessing greater creative freedom within those set parameters. It might sound counterintuitive, but it was these guardrails that created the space for Holding Pattern to become Hannah Cameron’s richest, most expansive body of work yet. Click here to watch the 13th Floor MusicTalk interview with Hannah Cameron. 

5. Buddy & Julie Miller – In The Throes (New West) Including a co-write with a certain Mr. Dylan! Julie wrote every song on the album with the exception of ‘Don’t Make Her Cry,’ which is a rare co-write between Bob Dylan, Regina McCrary, and Julie. McCrary started the song several years ago, then met with Dylan, who wrote, and rewrote more lyrics. When it came time to write the music, Bob said to Regina to “give it to Buddy Miller.” Buddy then passed it to Julie, who added more lyrics, moved others around, and set it to music. Album also features Emmylou Harris, Regina McCrary, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams, Gurf Morlix, and Matt Slocum of Sixpence None the Richer.