When the Cave Comes Alive!!!---An Emerald City--Circa Scaria!

An Emerald City is an amazing New Zealand band that I have neglected to mention until now. I first heard about the group when I stumbled upon Graham Reid's site, Elsewhere, which I would definitely recommend taking a peek at. He definitely has interesting taste in music. I was quite fortunate to get a physical copy of their first album, Circa Scaria, since for at least the time being the item is hard to find. But the album is readily available in digital format, so no worries as to obtaining the music. But I must say the Cd artwork is quite gorgeous.

 

 





Circa Scaria came out in 2009 on  the label Banished By the Universe, which appears to be run by members of the band. The label seemed to be a bit of a mystery to me, but at the letter end of 2013 they have reorganized with a bona fide website and a new distributor. In addition to An Emerald City, there is an interesting and diverse roster of bands, including Mountaineater, James Duncan, Alizarin Lizard, Rackets, and Bond Street Bridge. Well worth checking out the site.

 

For me, An Emerald City is probably one of those odd circumstances where a band is actually playing a type of music that I always wanted to hear but to a great extent has been denied to me. A

mixture of improvisational world music based around Arabic, Indian, African sources combined with noise.

 

Musically they are simply astounding. Trance inducing percussion, at times dubby, capable of subtlety, fantastic use of dynamics. For all comparisons you could make to Kiwi antecedents like Bailter Space, The Clean, Dead C and Roy Montgomery, they have at certain moments that sinister sound of early era Live Skull, or Mission of Burma, or Sonic Youth. With improvisational chops like the Sun City Girls. Or Anne Dudley and Jaz Coleman's Songs from the Victorious City. But these name checks only semi-describe what is going on here.

 

Amazingly Circa Scaria was recorded in an unusual studio. Actually, not a studio at all, but within the Great Cave of Whatipu on the West Coast of Auckland! Per the liner notes, the album was recorded live over a two day period. So they are definitely trying some ambitious things. And succeeding.

 

Reuben Bonner: Guitars, Voices, Percussion

Rob Croft: Oud, Darabukka, Electronics, Sitar, Percussion

Ede Giesen: Persian Long Necked Lute, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Voices

Sam Handley: Organ, Guitars, Percussion

Reyahn Leng: Drums, Tabla, Percussion

Felix Lun: Violin, Percussion

 

I was absolutely floored by this album. This is definitely music that more people need to hear, music of the highest artistic calibre. I'm amazed how all the disparate elements here mesh together so well. I wound up getting their other releases (eponymous ep and their 2nd album, Fourth), and they are all great. Circa Scaria--one of the most revelatory recordings for me in 2013, though it came out 4 years earlier.





Farewell to Holidays--A Southern Christmas Song from The Long Ryders!

A little holiday sentimentality from Paisley Pop Alt-Country Superstars The Long Ryders.



Happy New Year to All!

In Sweden Where the Shadows Lie....Bo Hansson's The Lord of the Rings/Sagan om Ringen

Frodo and the Nine Finger Discount...

I first became aware of Middle Earth when I was in Middle School, I think. I had to read The Hobbit for English class. As a young dork, I was quite taken with Tolkien's book, opening up a whole new realm of imagination to me. Shortly thereafter, I tore through the three books comprising the Lord of the Rings, being careful to ignore the many pages of Elvish poetry. I've been a fan of these books ever since, though it has been a few years since I've re-read them. There are so many other great books to keep me busy. I was very gratified that movie/computer technology has advanced to where making Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit became feasible. But not so gratified as to appear at a movie theaters dressed up in a funny outfit.



Since the beginning of the 21st century, New Zealand has become the epicenter of all things Hobbit. A trend similar to Finland becoming Santa Claus land. Tourists descend on the remote islands to get a gander at the hobbit holes from Peter Jackson's movie sets. No doubt there are panhandlers roaming the tourist shopping areas dressed up like Ents. Of course, maybe better reasons to go would be for the excellent Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Noir, stunning scenery, and the cool music. And, yes we must never forget the glow worms.

But perhaps it didn't have to turn out this way. I mean, where the hell is Middle Earth, anyway? In the same way that the QWERTY keyboard defeated other more efficient keyboard prototypes, it seems there were also other worthy nations that eagerly grasped for the golden ring of Middle Earth. One such country was Sweden...............

I found a Swedish album being sold on the Parasol records website, when they were a gargantuan mail-order company. They were always selling cool Scandinavian albums there, so it wasn't too surprising they had this. I felt somehow drawn to this disc, though usually this was not the sort of music I purchased. For some reason, I simply had to have it.

Forged in the fires of a volcano on an island off of the coast of Sweden back in the old days before Ronald Reagan rose to power, this CD never fails to elicit admiration, nay extreme adulation from listeners. In truth, I have no conclusive evidence that there are in fact any copies exist of Sagan om Ringen, other than the one I am currently listening to.

Just recently I noticed that there were some fine calligraphy etched in a circular fashion across the top to the CD. With a flashlight and a magnifying glass I was able to make out some curious verse......

yes, I've been broken hearted
blue since the day we started
why, why did I ever let you go?

God only knows what that gibberish means. It's obviously some sort of dark Swedish incantation. Or maybe garden variety Death Metal. None the less, I find myself listening to this album more and more each day, and if somebody tells me to put some other music on, well, they had better watch out!

I suppose it would be fair to say that the album has become precious to me......

Okay, enough fun.

Lord of the Rings/Saga om Ringen was an album made in 1969 by Bo Hannson (organ, guitar, moog, bass) and Rune Carlsson (drums), along with Gunnar Bergsten (saxophone) and Sten Bergman (flute). Basically its an instrumental album featuring the organ, which was influenced by Tolkien's fantasy novels. If you had to guess by looking at the artwork you would say that this must be prog music, but to me it seems to be more jazzy in a moody introspective ECM records style.

The musicianship is good on this. According to the liner notes, these guys used to jam with Hendrix. So this isn't a schmaltzy endeavor by any means. Composing this music must have required a good deal of effort by Hansson. This is artistic stuff, not a mercantile attempt to cash in on the legacy of Tolkien. I mean that's what Bilbo Baggins hates, after all....

But again, this is an organ-based instrumental album set in Middle Earth! It makes for decent background music. It begins with the hobbit's flight from the Shire and ends with the Grey Havens basically. A lot of material to cover in one compact disc, as opposed to three lengthy movies. And yet.......




On this disc Tom Bombadil Lives!

Though in the official movies he has been erased in the same way Communist leaders disappeared from the public record in the 1930's, Hansson found room for him on his 75 minute recording. The second song is entitled The Old Forest and Tom Bombadil. Word is that New Zealand authorities managed to force a confession out of old Tom B., and he remains languishing in some Dunedin gulag....

Since the 2nd film in the Hobbit trilogy was released I thought it would be fun to talk about this album. I know I'm joking a little bit about this, but honestly the record is pretty good for what it is attempting to do, and if you love Tolkien, chances are you would be happy to have this on your playlist. It's definitely a one of a kind recording.

Here's my little attempt at some international diplomacy.......

Bailter Space's New Album Trinine---Now Back with More Vengeance

Bailter Space has released their 2nd album in the last year or so in October, Trinine. It's the sort of thing I've been waiting to hear from them. Strobosphere was a very good album, but the menace that I know and love is back in full force, again released on Fire records. They do not disappoint here.

People in Projects

Yeah, I'm not objective. I have been a fan of this band since before they moved to New York from New Zealand, and I've probably seen them half a dozen times here in the Big Apple. But I think that they are one original sounding band, creating some of the most beautifully menacing noise around. And with the perspective of seeing them live, believe me, they are a band that tears the roof off a club. Full force menacing assault. Originally they were called The Gordons, a legendary band that is getting its due in New Zealand these days. The testaments I've read of their live shows pretty much practically compare the gigs to military strikes. The Bailter sound is still loud but more textured.

So still my advice is that when you play Trinine, (as to old live album cliche goes) you need to play it LOUD.

Alister Parker: Guitar Vocals
John Halvorsen: Bass Vocals
Bret McLachlan: Drums

From the instant I listened to Trinine I was immediately impressed by the sonics! All that wobbly low end muddle. And the vocals are more buried in the mix this time around, and the effects used on them give the singing a hallucinogenic, almost conspiratorial vibe. It seems that these days, so many bands are inspired by bands like The Clean, or the Bats, or The Chills. Bailter Space is another band that people need to embrace also. New Zealand music isn't just about the jangle. People tend to think Bailter Space merely copied bands like Sonic Youth, or My Bloody Valentine, but while their music certainly did not get created in a vacuum, they were around to early to have these band be an influence to them.
No doubt they probably had listened to some Wire, and I did hear Halvorsen mention on a NZ radio show that he was influenced by Australian experimental group Severed Heads.




John Halvorsen, the bassist/guitarist, was not on Strobosphere, but he is very present on Trinine. It's probably why I like this better. Halvorsen was also a member of The Skeptics, another great New Zealand band that is in the spotlight lately, due to the Sheen of Gold documentary and the spate of reissues that just came out on Flying Nun within the last few months. Skeptics albums were fetching pretty high prices recently, so it is nice to see that Flying Nun is continuing to make their back catalog available.

But right now I am just glad that Bailter Space have just put out another terrific album. If you love noisy creative music, you need to hear Trinine and their back catalog. The Flying Nun Compilation is probably not the place to start though. Probably Thermos, Tanker, Vortura, or The Aim ep. Or that ep with Grader Spader on it.

The Forbidden Planet Survives!--Somewhere Beautiful--The Chills

I'm So Bloated up Happy.....

As I am an unabashed fan of Martin Phillips and The Chills, in my estimation the ultimate New Zealand band, I am very pleased to mention that the long drought is over. Somewhere Beautiful was recently released on Fire Records.

No, its not an album of new material. It is a live album, recorded in 2011 New Year's Eve at a private party. Nonetheless, my instincts told me that anything new by The Chills is a wonderful thing. And I'm enjoying the live disc immensely. You might find some of the vocals a little shouty, but overall Phillips and his bandmates are in great form throughout.

The album has 20 tracks from throughout The Chill's discography (even from his solo album Sketchbook), so it is a nice retrospective of the band. It also includes Canterbury Go!, which must be a recent song. Which seemingly is a portent of things to come.


Because a great sounding new Chills song, Molten Gold, has recently appeared on the Internet, and word is that a new studio album is in the works. But for now, Somewhere Beautiful is a suitable vehicle to tide us over until the rumors are converted to reality. I've always had the utmost regard for his songwriting abilities, but listening to the live album reminded me that the songs are also chock full of inventive creative guitar and keyboard passages.




But if you are unfamiliar with this band, my advice is to buy everything you can get your hands on. I'm still hoping that a remastered version of Brave Words is on the horizon. Though I've always been most partial to Submarine Bells, Brave Words is also a really great album. With a strange hummy mix sound. Some people like this actually, but I know that Martin does not. On the Flying Nun Chills retrospective Heavenly Pop Hits, there are modified versions of a few Brave Words songs. Upon reflection, should a cleaned up version of this album come about, it might very well be in consideration as the finest rock album ever released from New Zealand. I know it's all subjective--and if you have seen this blog before, you know that I have a lot of favorites from Aotearoa.



Just add the Kaleidescope World early singles compilation to the mix, and you have three excellent, excellent albums. Let's hope that Somewhere Beautiful is just the beginning of the resurrection of a rare talent.

Please note: none of the videos I've posted are represented on Somewhere Beautiful.

Trouble in Hawkes Bay---Devil's Elbow--Sand on Chrome

Alt-Country has been fairly negligible on this site, and not for any overriding reasons of personal taste. I've toyed with the idea of discussing "paisley pop" groups like The Long Ryders, or True West, or Jason Ringenberg and the Scorchers, or even the band that spawned the name of a whole movement (and a magazine, you know "No Depression"), Uncle Tupelo, to name a few. I did a post on the Waco Brothers quite a while back. But a post like this is long overdue.

Probably about 2 or 3 months ago, I saw a nice review of an album by a New Zealand band on the site Elsewhere, by NZ journalist Graham Reid. He has a lot of interviews and album reviews, and not exclusively New Zealand acts. His concise intelligent reviews remind me a little of Robert Christgau's old reviews in the Village Voice. Well worth seeking out.

As is Sand on Chrome. Based on the review I picked up a copy, and it is pretty great. A sleeper that you should not ignore, and for me I grow fonder of the album with each listen.

Devil's Elbow is a two piece outfit from Hawkes Bay. Alec Withers on guitars and vocals, Andrew Gladstone on drums and backing vocals.

Sand on Chrome, their first album on Hit Your Head music, is full of ballsy Replacements/Stonesy barroom swagger, but in all honesty they remind me of Social Distortion at their rootsiest. Withers has that raspy voice like Mike Ness. I think they would fit right in on the insurgent country roster of BloodShot Records. Like Chicago's Waco Brothers.

Chock full of choice songs, of particular note is the first song Brainstorm. In a more traditional vein, When You're On Top is a nifty duet with Sarah Wiig. Also impressive is the kick ass These Days, and the country punk KO. Great stuff!

The release of their second album, Absolute Domain, is immanent. All of their music is available at Bandcamp, and I know Sand on Chrome is on I-Tunes. This is a pretty excellent album that any fan of the Alt-Country genre would enjoy. I'm interested to see how they do on their follow-up.

Transistors Is This Anything? Punk Pop you Need to Know Now People

Finally got a hold of the Transistors is This Anything?, the Rangiora band's 2nd album, which was released this August on Arch Hill. I found an on-line retailer, Newzealandcds.com, which is actually a music store in New Zealand, and they have been very accommodating to me. Even when individual records advertised on the site are no longer in stock, are hard-to-find, and in many cases out of print, they have gone out of their way to locate them for me when possible. Nice people, very knowledgeable. I found them as a link on David Kilgour's webpage. Though Is This Anything? was not yet available on their site (they are in the process of updating their webpage), they got copies in stock after a request from me. It's why record stores can be so great.

Define anything....

I did a little blurb on the Transistors, when I heard Your Life Can Be So Easy on YouTube. I was so excited with the song that I could not wait to post something. Punk Pop Perfection, and a funny video to boot, with spoofs of advertising that hearkens back to the original wave of punks the 1970's and early 80's. They sound like a band that would be at home on the Dirtnap Records label.

Now that I have the entire record in my possession, I can say that this album is a beautiful thing. High energy punk pop. If you like things like, say Manchester's Buzzcocks (who they opened for on their New Zealand tour), Wire's Pink Flag, or The Clash's Green Album, or more recent bands like the sorely missed Exploding Hearts from Portland, you will find some infectious new music that you will not be able to stop playing. I even hear a little Mission of Burma in some of the music. I've listened to the album 3 times today already.

Is This Anything? is strong from beginning to end. Your Life Could Be So Easy is a marvel, but that is one great song alongside another 5 great songs. This is my favorite Punk Album of the year so far, though it does not appear to be getting the notice other New Zealand bands are receiving internationally, like Surf City, Naked and Famous. Sure they have not developed their own new unique sound, but the songs are all terrific, full of energy, but not samey sounding. The last song on the album, Dirty Diver,  has a real classic New Zealand Flying Nun sound to it--perhaps its just the reverb on the vocals. I've already listed the two aforementioned videos on my previous post so here are some more great songs!









So, all you punk rockers, check out the Transistors Is This Anything? and get on this seemingly nonexistant bandwagon that I am on. Arch Hill Records, BandCamp or the Flying Out consortioum webpage will gladly assist you, as will the aforementioned NewZealandRecords. com, i.e., a real record store.

As I said before this is one enjoyable album that has been in heavy rotation here at T-Funk since yesterday. Don't hesitate.

Ending the Summer with Novelty and Sadness

Here's a little fun music as Summer grinds to its 2013 conclusion.

Here's a little Boston Surf Comedy from the late 70's. One of my roommates had this single. I'm pretty sure there are a few future members of The Cars performing on this.







Here's Voyage of the Aquanauts by The Posies. It's their song "Flavor of the Month" with new lyrics from an episode of Bill Nye the Science guy, who recently appeared on Bill Maher's Real Time on
HBO.






On a more serious note---Martin Phillips with some string arrangements from Van Dyke Parks. From the excellent "Soft Bomb" album by The Chills. My favorite New Zealand group. Submarine Bells should be owned by everyone.

Transistors---Awesome Punk-Pop from New Zealand

Hi folks. It took a good band to get me out of my dotage. Definitely been a mixed bag of a year to say the least.

The Transistors are a band from Rangiora, New Zealand. They have just released their second album Is This Anything? on Arch Hill Records about a month ago. I don't even have their album....yet, but from what I have heard I can't wait to say something about them. They have opened for The Buzzcocks on tour in New Zealand recently, which would seem to be a good fit. They have an aggressive energetic sound combined with a good ear for a pop hook. The locals seem to be hyping the new Surf City and BailterSpace albums (justifiably so) with not quite so much attention being paid to these guys.

Enough jibber jabber..listen to this. No doubt you've heard this sort of thing before, but its still great!



I know I liked that...clever video, too.

If you liked that one, try Dirty Diver on for size.







In addition to Arch Hill Records or the Flyingout Webpage, you can download album at Bandcamp.

Cheers!

Mutton Birds--The Brown Paper Bag series available again!!!

Well, here we are once again in a New Year.

I guess I've been a little overwhelmed lately but I'm glad to get back to my other job, jibber-jabbering about music, and whatever else crawls into my consciousness.

I went on the fab web site for New Zealand's Mutton Birds, A Religion of  a Kind and found to my surprise that the self-released CDs that were sold on their defunct web site store are now available again.

The discs are Too Hard Basket, a collection of B-sides, unreleased and alternate tracks, Angle of Entry a live acoustic set, and Live in Manchester, a live electric set. If you go to the website there is a link to Discogs where they are being sold.

I had the first 2 discs, which I purchased directly from the Mutton Birds website.

Too Hard Basket, as I said, is an odds and sods compilation--completists will want it most definitely. Some of the material I could do without, but there is a lot of  great stuff. Notably, their version of Blue Oyster Cult's Don't Fear the Reaper, which appeared in Peter Jackson's movie The Frighteners. Less cowbell, but a lot more of Don McGlashan's harmonium. But there is a lot more. Inbetween Man is a great number--for a split second you might think you were listening to a Martin Phillips/Chills tune. There is the simmering Zombieish He Turned Around (with Time of Season "ahs") and the torchy country rockin' Ballad of Kelvin. Three minutes is essentially a perfect 60's pop tune with great harmonies. Hard to believe it didn't make any of their albums. Ash Wednesday is another brilliant song, maybe the best song on the record, a song that had not been released before. So Long is also a great, more uptempo number. Face in the Paper and Answerphone are also very good. So basically I am saying the good songs greatly outweigh the so-so tunes. So all in all a worthy addition to the Mutton Birds canon.

Angle of Entry is a corker, Live at the 12 Bar Club in London. An acoustic set circa the release of Envy of Angels, probably the first album for the uninitiated listener to pick up. Great, great album. So, while there is a lot of Envy of Angels represented on the set list, there are also the old classics for the Kiwi expatriates in the audience to sing along to, like White Valiant, Dominion Road, and the great nostalgic I wish I was in "Wellington". I think even with the old songs, you have a road tested band playing an intimate setting. The there is a warmth and ease to the set that shines a different light on the earlier numbers. Really great disc--I've played it to death over the years.

Live in Manchester was a tough one for me to get. I procrastinated and procrastinated, and during this period the band stopped being a band, and Mutton Birds store became a historical, inactive shop. I had trouble finding the disc for sale anywhere, much less actually being able to buy it. This past year I got lucky and won an Ebay auction. Live in Manchester is an electric set, recorded around the time of their also highly recommended Rain, Speed and Steam album. Very glad I was able to get this, and this particular disc was autographed by 3 band members. Another great set. It includes classics like Winning Numbers, which is one of my favorite song of theirs, Pulled Along By Love, and Small Mercies. It also includes tracks from their first two albums and Envy of Angels.

I have no idea whether they whipped up a new batch of discs, or they were stock that has been sitting around for years. If you are an interested party, I wouldn't wait around on these.





It came to my attention that the Mutton Birds reunited last year and did some touring. For those of us who didn't make the shows, the band released a live album Free Range, commemorating the tour,which is readily available. I would definitely recommend A Religion of A Kind, the aforementioned fan site, which has loads of live mp3's and info about the band. I remember actually pinching myself when I got to see Don McGlashan briefly perform in Brooklyn a few years back at Big Takeover Magazine's 30th anniversary show. Seeing him sing Anchor Me left an indelible imprint on me. Who knows? Maybe the Mutton Birds might someday come tour in the US and Canada. It would definitely make me pretty happy.

How to make a Sonic Kiwi Salad--Soundtrack: 118 New Zealand Albums by Grant Smithies

I was lucky enough to grab a copy of Grant Smithies' engaging book on New Zealand music. Turns out, the Flying Nun Records website had some for sale.

Basically its a list of 118 interesting and sometimes great albums by New Zealand musicians, covering a variety of genres, and covering the 1960's up to the late 2000's. Overall, most of the albums are from the 1980's forward. No doubt anyone who reads the book and follows the Kiwi music scene will have disagreements as to inclusions and omissions in the book. I would have preferred a book listing 218 albums. Overall, I think that he did a pretty fine job. If nothing else the book is gorgeous, with plenty of photos and album covers.

A labor of love.

I consider myself a bit of a enthusiast of music from New Zealand, but this book brought to light a lot of music I've never heard of, never listened to. So in one way, I got my ego deflated a bit (not the worst thing), but in another way the book got me excited about new artists and even new musical worlds I haven't ventured into yet.! I do the best I can considering I live on the complete opposite ends of the earth from New Zealand. I don't gush over every release that comes out from there. But I also find it pretty pretentious that artists doing terrific things don't get their due, and to a large extent because of their provenance. The reason for inclusion of artists, beyond being from New Zealand, is that they created something terrific, or at the very least very interesting or creative.

Smithies is a critic so the book is not a puff piece. And the author wisely includes contributions from numerous sources. There are pieces in the book by actors, musicians, jouralists, designers, poets, music industry executives, musicologists, describing albums that mean a lot to them. There are numerous anecdotes about bands, about seeing the groups perform in clubs.

There are some great pieces here on The Gordons, one of the loudest bands to ever walk the earth.
There are pieces on groups I am anxious to get albums of, like Fat Freddy's Drop, and Feelstyle. I just picked up a record by SJD who apparently is one of the most talented electronic artists in New Zealand. There is a lot on Shane Carter, Chris Knox, The 3D's, and other Flying Nun groups. There is a even a small section on Maori show bands and 60's garage groups, which was terribly interesting to me.




In the preface to the book, Smithies states that didn't really feel the need to include better known, popular artists, like Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga, Crowded House, Mutton Birds. And I can understand this because this book was no doubt intended for home consumption (and a few musical freaks like myself). The reality is that there probably is no great international market for a book like this, which is too bad. But another reality is that while bands like the Mutton Birds might be a little better known today, surprisingly, they have never had any of their studio albums, much less a greatest hits compilation released in the U.S. As he says in his preface, he made some difficult choices when he was creating this book. But when you think about it, even taking the New Zealand market having some of these popular groups included in the book might have been a trojan horse of sorts. Somebody might pick the book up for Dave Dobbyn and wind up being turned on to Tama Waipara, Edmund Cake, Upper Hutt Posse, Humphreys and Keene, HDU or Coco Solid. Its no wonder why magazines like Mojo seem to have The Beatles and the Stones on their covers seemingly every other month--it's not usually because the bands are extra busy.




But for my own selfish purposes, I'm glad that he didn't do the complete kitchen sink approach when he put this collection together. There is a certain coherent musical integrity here rather playing musical politics. It really is a collection of people who love music sharing their favorite albums and memories with the world. Warm, funny, intelligent, enlightening. I really enjoyed this book a lot--I think Smithies has made a great musical contribution here. So if you love music I strongly recommend that you pick this book up. It was being sold at an affordable price on the Flying Nun Label. Shipping a book across so many time zones is usually a pretty expensive proposition. There is such a variety of music here that I can almost guarantee you will soon discover a few great new bands you might never have heard of otherwise.

Keep the Bastards guessing....Peter Jefferies--Last Great Challenge in a Dull World

An abandoned flipper in a world of snow......

I still remember the letter I received in the mail from Bruce Russell of the Dead C... He said, "Alas, but Xpressway is no more"--it's just like me to get in on the tail end of something. I am of course referring to the New Zealand music label Xpressway, which had been run by Russell. He referred me to his new label Corpus Hermeticum (great name), which released for the most part more improvisational music. Flying Nun used to sell Xpressway cassettes in their mail order catalog--I think I may have a Peter Gutteridge cassette laying around someplace.....

So I am eternally thankful to Chicago's now defunct Ajax records for introducing me to another one of my many favorite albums, Peter Jefferies' The Last Great Challenge in a Dull World. Originally released on Xpressway in 1991, this has been a staple on the stereo ever since I heard it for the first time. One of the most subtly brutal records in my possession, a brilliant combination of experimental music and melodicism. As good a use of piano on a rock album that I know of. Like John Cale leading Joy Division maybe. Or maybe Ian Curtis fronting the Velvet Underground. Flip a coin. Actually this album is pretty singular, that has a coherence to it like an unintentional concept album.

High in Vitamin Zee

And as big a kiwi head as I am today, I don't know if I would have ever got my mitts on this without the intercession of Ajax, who licensed this bad boy from Xpressway. Additionally, Ajax released two super Cds by Jefferies' old band This Kind of Punishment, which included his brother Graeme, who later formed the Cakekitchen, another band worth investing in. The Jefferies brothers were also in Nocturnal Projections, a punkier band from the earlier 80's. With Shane Carter, Peter Jefferies created the song "Randolph's Coming Home", one of the greatest, most moving Kiwi Songs ever, a tribute to Wayne Elsey who died in a tragic train accident. And there is At Swim Two Birds, Jefferies' instrumental project with Jono Lonie, which I will also say a few things about one of these days.

 Sadly Ajax is no more, because it was a label of superb taste. Almost as bad for me, it was a retail store which sold lots of cool music at a reasonable price. It was my go-to mail order store for a number of years, and one that I never found an adequate replacement for.

First and foremost Jefferies has one of those recognizable voices, deep, dour, with an almost Mark E Smith tempered Shakespearean gravitas. He commands your attention, like a Mark Lanegan or Tom Waits would. But you pick up his accent and style, this is very much an album of New Zealand. Just a brilliantly odd album, with songs like Domesticia, which is like a modern folk song or maybe even a psalm, chanted over the sounds of making breakfast perhaps, and as a bonus probably one of the best uses of urination in a song.

But as much as anything else, there are the big songs here, like the follow up song, On an Unknown Beach, which simply a remarkable work of art. Absolutely moving, it's like he's painting an entire world with his sonic palette. As someone who plays the piano, I can fully appreciate what he's done on this record. Like the title of the album each song is a challenge in its own right. Furthermore, included on the Cd is the A and B sides of his single "The Fate of the Human Carbine". The aforementioned is song is brilliantly terse quietude, half madrigal, half murder ballad. Later covered by Cat Power. The B side to the single is Catapult, a joyously noisy number that could have found a place on a Dead C album.



Last Great Challenge....is simply one of those unique albums that sounds just as great as when I originally bought it. I mean, OK Computer took Radiohead 6 months in a studio and cost eleventy bazzillion pounds to make. And I think its a fantastic album that makes me so sad I can't listen to it so much. For me, its touches some a little too close to home abouth the end of the millenium times. But I know that Peter Jefferies probably spent a few hundred kiwibucks to make this and its not too far behind that album in quality, the difference being a handful of people listening to the latter, while the former becoming the biggest art-rock group in the world. No less creativity here either. It almost reminds me of the amazing advancements in studio technology made by people like Lee "Scratch" Perry in Jamaica. Sometimes people just find ways to do things outside the box.

For all the sinister balladry going on on the album like Neither Do I, there are also songs like Guided Tour of a Well Know Street, the aforementioned Catapult, and Cold View, which rock out like nobody's business. I'd be remiss not to mention the opening song Chain or Reaction, which is another highlight, an itchy, piano driven gem, building greater tension with each verse. Intelligent social commentary in the lyrics, with "everybody playing every body else's song."

This album is another one of the good ones. Maybe not for every person, but for me the music resonates deeply. I feel like a person who is on a secret when I listen to this. As far as I can tell, Peter Jefferies has not released a record since 2001, teaching music in New Zealand these days. Well, you never know what can happen in the music biz. If Bill Fay and The Distractions can put out new albums after all these years, maybe we'll hear something new from Peter Jefferies soon. Let's hope so.

Bailterspace Returns!!! Strobosphere Out Tomorrow!

Just found out that Bailterspace, the great New Zealand noise pop band is releasing their first new album in 13 years, Strobosphere,  on Fire Records. Very welcome overdue news. One of my favorite bands, they were one of the most unique sounding bands of their era, and as I've said in prior posts, I was fortunate enough to hear them live on numerous occasions.

It seems that this incarnation of the band is without John Halvorsen, the bassist, and an integral part of the band. But I am looking forward to hear what Alister Parker and Brent McLachlan have been up to. For those uninitiated, these three musicians were also in the legendary Gordons in the early 80's, arguably one of the loudest bands to ever walk the earth.

Now................



Then.............



Before Then........


This is a truly great band that is still criminally unappreciated. Go check them out.

You Want Me To Waltz but it Don't Feel Right---The Verlaines-Over The Moon

There was a time before New Zealand's, Flying Nun Records was sold to Mushroom records, when I would get occasional e-mails from the label. Prior to this, I would get their updated catalogs sent, where I could have purchased other NZ swag like Xpressway Cassettes. I remember getting a letter saying they found all this out-of-print stuff in some boxes, including Bill Direen albums on the South Sea Label. I didn't have a lot of money to buy very much of this. I should have known how scarce these things would be one day. I remember getting a tip from a music critic I met at the WFMU record fair about a Gordons album. I had no idea that they made a second album, but he told me to e-mail the label--they had a small stash of the second album apparently. Lucky me. He also happened to notice that a vendor there had a hand-painted copy of the Jono Lonie-Peter Jefferies album At Swim Two Birds, so it was a very lucky record show for me. Ultimately I bought a pile of cool records from him so I guess he did okay himself.

Take whatever bits of me Remain.....

But this post was about a pending album by one of my favorite bands at the time, The Verlaines. I was anticipating the new album, which was supposed to come out soon, on Sony/Columbia, after several albums on Slash. But then word was out that the label decided at the final hour not to release the album. I assumed that it was going to be released in some capacity, but I was wrong. Then I got a semi-miraculous e-mail from Flying Nun, stating that they had a few copies. The label had made thousands of copies, then decided to cut their losses, apparently. According to the folks at the Nunnery, the label was actually shredding copies of the recording. So I dug deep and paid the $30 and got myself a scarce copy of the Verlaines final album (until recently).

I was pretty dumbfounded as to why the label changed their mind about Over The Moon. No doubt there was some story behind it. Perhaps supporters of the band within the label were cut loose. I definitely know that at some point music industry insiders decided that Dunedin would not be the new Liverpool, or at least not the new lucrative scene that might penetrate the U.S. market. Other New Zealand bands were signed to American labels, and then were dropped. Such a short term relationship with the label must have been a bit of a shock to the band. When you see the song titles and the many references to falling on Over The Moon, you get an idea of the general mood at the time.

Sure, this album may not be the band's finest moment, but Over the Moon is pretty damned terrific. Perhaps a pretty dark even for Graeme Downes, but for a guy like me who has a deep appreciation for SadCore, and Big Star's Third, the album's tone is no obstacle for me. Certainly no one at the record label could have been too surprised with the recording. It is a Verlaines album through and through. Maybe like the Wilco Documentary, I am Trying to Break Your Heart, the media folk were looking for the big hit single with dance remix. From being a band moving up in the world with international recognition, they were suddenly shoved aside and dumped, as was Martin Phillips group, The Chills.


From the start of the first song, I knew there was some magic to be found in the album. Hanging By Strands is a gorgeous, fragile ballad, probably one of the better songs in the bands canon, which is saying something. It's one of the numbers included in the Flying Nun Verlaines retrospective, You're Just Too Obscure for Me. I would recommend looking into their early compilation Juvenilia, Bird Dog, and Hallelujah All the Way Home discs for starters, all now readily available.

The lineup for Over The Moon was:

Graeme Downes: guitar, vocals, keyboards, oboe, cheap shot cello ?
Darren Stedman: Drums
Russell Flemming: Bass
Paul Winders: Guitars, Backing Vocals

Another strong tune is the uptempo guitar pop 2nd track Bonfire, which sounds like an exhortation to burn out rather than fade away, as the old philosopher once said. I have a soft spot for happy sounding songs with lyrics that belie the tone. The third tune, Sky-Blue Window, however, combines downbeat with extremely dark lyrics.

Sun come up
Quite Vile and aimless
If a pilot in his cockpit over the earth
could wipe out all the refuse of the world
then he'd take my life cos nothing's all its worth...

But there are no shortage of strong tunes. Ballads like Dunderhead, When I Fall are absolutely sublime. You also have nice pop tunes like When I Fall, Dawdling at the Bridge, and in particular, Feather Fell. The album ends hugely with Coming Back to You, probably my favorite song here after the opener. Even though I deeply appreciate the song lyrics, Downes often finds really interesting song arrangements, using tempo changes and dynamics with great creativity. I always assumed somebody would put this record out eventually, but it certainly hasn't been the first time. The Hazy Janes have a similar problem with their 2nd album, and The Last also have a very great album that has never seen the light of day.....


It's going on 15 years now for Over The Moon. The album may not be Downes' Smile, but its a very good record. Maybe someday it will see the light of day. As far the Verlaines go, they have been very prolific lately, releasing three albums, Pot Boiler, Corporate Moronic and this year's Untimely Meditations, which there has been some positive buzz about. Haven't picked it up yet. Maybe next month. I like it when talented musicians persevere, making music despite lack of commercial success. Of course, a little commercial success would be a great thing. While Downes is a well known artist in New Zealand, its probably a good time for the rest of the world to get an earfull. Check out the videos and see if you agree with me.

Syd's Pink Wiring System--- A 2000 Tour Oddity from The Clean

Yesterday morning I took another listen to a live Cd by New Zealand's The Clean, Syd's Pink Wiring System, put out in 2003 to help support their US tour. I think that this was the tour that I saw them for the first time, at the Knitting Factory. I remember that it was a sunny day; that is, until I got within five blocks of the venue.....

You'll Know Fame When You Meet Her...

That was when the weather started getting rough, my 1998 Honda Civic XL was tossed (well, rained on a lot). I parked about three blocks from the venue, and by that time the rain was at monsoon levels, making it hard to even see. I actually ran past Leonard Street and had to double back. By the time I came inside I was as soaked as a human could possibly be. Adding insult to injury, the rain stopped about five minutes after I got inside. It felt like the whole place was staring at me collectively, like a giant drowned rat standing on his hind legs in their club. The good news was that I eventually did dry off, and the show was pretty much as magical as I hoped it would be. David Kilgour is simply a guitar mensch. It almost seems like he developed this style by tinkering around, with his guitar and the dials on his amp, almost like a form of folk art.

I think about the movie Spinal Tap and the amps with the volume knob with a custom 11, instead of the standard ten. And if you are at all familiar with the excellent magazine for recording music, TapeOp by Portland's own Larry Crane, owner of JackPot studios, maybe you have read the New Zealand issue, where the Clean was interviewed. Kilgour was asked about recording and how the sound of the early Clean was created, and I believe there was a similar answer as to Spinal Tap, except putting treble and reverb all the way up to maximum. And if you are at all interested in the process of making music, TapeOp is simply a  magazine you need to get your paws on. There are also two books out compiling old articles from the magazine.

But back to the Clean. Seeing them live, and also listening to Syd's Pink Wiring is like meeting up with old friends, even though I don't know these guys personally. The music is chameleon-like, mesmerizing, improvisational, combining elements of psychedelia, dub, surf rock, folk, pop, punk, kraut rock, though not always of course in the same song. And it's always exciting to see what David Kilgour will do next, and at times it seems he actually is thinking about it as he goes along. And of course, Robert Scott on bass and Hamish Kilgour provide a rock-steady palette for his sonic excursions. And Sir David definitely airs it out on several of the longer songs on this disc.

Right now I am listening to track 5, the epic Point That Thing Somewhere Else, arguably the Freebird of  Kiwi Rock, the difference being that PTTSE is an amazing song that I never tire of hearing. I guess what I'm saying is it's a long song. Nice anti-social quiet singing, in that way someone gives a speech who is too shy to orate. Shards of molten guitar on this. The second song on this live recording is I Wait Around, from their Vehicle album, long overdue for reissue. A different animal from their early music, Vehicle is probably my favorite summer album, light and melodic.


They do Hold On To The Rail here, a song sadly omitted from the Merge Clean compilation but present on the original comp of early material released on Flying Nun. It's a mellow version, but in any form the song is a treat. Another enjoyable moment is on the record is the joyful Do Your Thing, reminiscent of Anything Could Happen. And of course there is the hypnotic drive of Quickstep, which the Chill's Martin Phillips performs on. Kilgour and Phillips performing together is nothing new-- they put out a mini-ep of 60's covers as The Pop Art Toasters, and they covered Message To Pretty on We're All Normal and We Want Our Freedom, which was a Love Tribute album.

And as you may expect the album art, front and back, is by David Kilgour, lovely colorful abstract art, another one of his talents. I just saw recently that Original Music was selling a vinyl version of The Clean's Odditties now. These lofi recordings have been out of print for a long time. I have part one on Cd and I actually had Part 2 on cassette, but I'm not sure what I did with it. More Clean is always good I say. Music that will enrich your life, I say. And somebody please reissue Vehicle soon. You can hear some of it on the Merge compilation, but the whole thing would be a real boon to music fans.

Fifteenth and Final Round (Love Train Gone Askew on Treadle)----The Chills----New Zealand is a Tropical Loveland

Wet Blanket!
This is one of a multitude of great songs by Martin Phillips aka The Chills. Wet Blanket was originally from the Brave Words album. This is a remastered version, with new vocals that was included on the Heavenly Pop hits compilation. I love Brave Words, but if the whole album was remastered like this, it might very well be regarded as the best New Zealand album ever.

Pick up anything you can get your mitts on by Martin Phillips. He's one of the greats.

Big Town, Small Friends, Fast Food, Split Ends!! Street Chant---Means

Sometime it's hard to find.

Street Chant's Means album is the best new thing I've heard so far this year, and it's not really so new. This New Zealand trio has got to be one of the best groups today. I bought this a while ago, but never got around to hearing it until this morning. The white hot energy on this disc has me completely blown away! Beautifully noisy as hell, innovative, but enough hooks to satisfy an arena of power pop aficionados. Arch Hill Records has done it again, albeit in 2010. Just like me to be on top of things.....



And like labelmate Surf City, it's great to see the musical continuity from the great Kiwi bands of the past to today. Clearly musicians in New Zealand have spent time spinning the classics from their parents' old records. And although you can see the influences of NZ legendary groups like 3D's, Chills, Clean, Look Blue Turn Purple, there is a lot more at work here. So much talent in this group that I'm already looking forward to their next recordings. Emily Littler is on shredding guitar and lead vocals, and Billie Rogers is the bassist. At points the music is so intense that it seems like the songs are about to descend into chaos. Definitely some Sonic Youth/Live Skull/Sleater Kinney comparisons can be made. They should be getting the attention like The Joy Formidable is getting. Perhaps it is just the mix on this album, but I think the thing that sets this band apart is the remarkable drumming of Alex Taylor. The way he propels the music to another level makes the already exciting music flat out phenomenal.



I'm only listening to this record for the second time now and I am so completely hooked on this! Cloud Jumpers is simply terrific, which I'm listening to right now. But by the second song Scream Walk, I was already jumping for joy. It's like The Clean mainlining Red Bulls. Blister is an equally awesome tune--Littler's vocals make this one shine. And the lyrics! Blister on a wire...Shimmers like a sunbeam.......

Street Chant should be really proud of what they've done on Means. I could go on and on about this. There are probably 5 more songs here that are exceptional. They played  New York last year back when I had no idea what a glorious racket they raise. These guys are the real deal, believe me. The more I hear some of these New Kiwi groups I really start to think that there is some kind of renaissance going on in that country. I think the reality is that there were still good things going on---it's just that most of us on the other side of the world weren't hearing about it. But as your musical advisor I can't stress more strongly that this is a recording essential to your musical well being.

So I was a little late getting on the Street Chant bandwagon. I think the ride has just begun. Pick this one up yesterday, if not sooner.

Toy Love----Before there were Tall Dwarfs...The Loving Finger Points At....Cuts!

Who's At the bottom of your Swimming Pool?

Been listening to the wonderful Cuts anthology by New Zealand's Toy Love all weekend, released by Flying Nun back in 2005. Was always a huge fan of Tall Dwarfs, Chris Knox and Alec Bathgate's fantastic lo-fi DIY collaboration, and also Chris Knox's solo work and Bathgate's Gold Lame album. But I didn't really know much about Toy Love until I bought Cuts.

Knox is one of the legends of the New Zealand music scene, and in a just world, his legacy ought to straddle continents. One of the wildest, most charismatic, and uniquely talented performers. Sadly, in 2009, he suffered a debilitating stroke, at a relatively young age. Friends and admirers came together and put out the tribute album Stroke in order to help cover extensive medical costs. When people come together like this, it is a testament to his musical legacy, and also the high regard people have for him as a person. Like the Por Su Vida album for Alejandro Escovedo. Some of the performers on Stroke are AC Newman of the New Pornographers, the late Jay Reatard, Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel, Portastatic,Yo La Tengo, Will Oldham, Lou Barlow, and the Mountain Goats, plus a veritable who's who of New Zealand artists like Alec Bathgate, David Kilgour of the Clean, The Bats, Don McGlashan, The Chills, Verlaines, Jay Clarkson,  Hamish Kilgour, and Shayne Carter of Straitjacket Fits.

Tall Dwarfs I think are an essential part of a good music collection, but dip your toe into any part of Chris Knox's career and you will discover great music. Toy Love, the band he was in after the punkier band The Enemy is an equally good place to start. Cuts is a 40 track 2 Cd collection, with the first disc comprising their recorded output, their singles and sole album. The second disc has studio demos of many of these recordings plus a few more treats. I think the music is a little hard to categorize beyond say, punk or new wave. They sounded like a band that did what they wanted to do, in some ways like Tall Dwarfs performed with a full band. Serious at times, and at other times irreverent, experimental, crazy, sarcastic, lots of energetic fun. Fronted by the madness that is Chris Knox.

I feel I'm an extremely lucky person, because I did see Chris Knox perform in NYC quite a few years ago at the Mercury Lounge, at about the time his Songs of You & Me came out. It was one of the best shows I've ever been to. It wasn't Tall Dwarfs. Just Chris Knox's one man and a headset musical onslaught. I can't even remember so much of the specifics. It's like a Marx brothers movie, where things occurred so quickly that you are always onto the next gag, and forget what just happened because you have to try to keep up with the narrative. I don't know if I laughed more at a gig in my life. He had this manic look on his face while performing, and I remember that the opening act was Lida Husik, and he was completely taken by her name... he kept saying it over and over again. Lida Husik!!, Hu-sik, Husikk, Hoosik. He chewed up the scenery like Robert DeNiro. He had on a tank top and shorts,tribal tattoo on his arm, and played guitar and keyboards with his microphone headset on. He did so much improvisation, doing the poignant ballad about the love he has for his partner Barbara, but he changed all the words, making the song completely insane! I remember him squeezing in lyrics into the song about projectile vomiting!!! We also got to hear an improvised song that never made it to one of his albums, entitled "could somebody please buy me a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale"?

It was a memorable concert that I'll never forget. Even my buddy, the world's most interesting man enjoyed himself that night. He didn't know the music at all, but I know he was glad I dragged him to the show that night. I got to hear him sing Nothing's Going to Happen!Like the WMIM, I didn't know what hit me that night, but I enjoyed every minute of it. I couldn't help but scratch my head, because Mercury Lounge is a pretty small venue for an artist traveling from halfway around the world. I don't even know if they have a capacity of 200 people there, but even before a small crowd, he gave his manic all, and he seemed to enjoy putting on the show as much as we did watching him. There's nobody out there like him. Came that close to getting an armband tattoo.

And the Tall Dwarfs? Probably to Knox's cover artistry, I always described them to people as if Lennon and McCartney were resurrected as Zombies. It doesn't make sense, but in my own twisted mind it seems apt. Maybe it's also the horror/B-Movie references scattered through their tracks.

Hunks of Cold Cold Meat

But as far as Toy Love goes, this was just more great Chris Knox/Tall Dwarfs music that magically appeared to me in reissue form, like if an unknown Who album from the 60's was recovered from a vault. I'm talking about a treasure trove here. Punk rock, but also music reflected through the prism of rock and roll's past, like the Beatles and 50's music. I can also see the formative influence these guys must have had on better known groups like The Clean, and The Chills. In addition to Knox and Bathgate, Toy Love included Paul Kean on Bass, Jane Walker on Keyboards and Mike Dooley on Drums. Though together only about 2 years (1979-1980), their influence on the New Zealand scene must have been significant.



Probably the song that stands out for me on this collection is Sheep, a straight forward anthemic punk tune, for me one of the great New Zealand rock standards. On the other hand, you have a song like Swimming Pool, with great harmonies, sounding like the Soft Boys doing a garage rock tune. And all about dead rock stars!Rebel sounds like a punk rock version of a 60's girl group tune. Bride of Frankenstein is a Toy Love take on Country music, about basically what the title says, Frankenstein's monster in need of a mate. Pull Down the Shades is another one of my favorites, and this is why!



The Crunch is another great tune, kind of like Pointed Sticks, and sounds like The Clean's Getting Older was a response to this tune. I don't know for sure, but it sounds that way, with the "Getting Older" chorus. Squeeze is another classic, a new wavy pop song with a very catchy guitar riff. Equally winning is Don't Ask, which sounds like a punked out Beatles song. Another favorite is the high energy stuttery vocalled I Don't Mind, which has a fantastic bass line by Paul Kean. You also get the macabre Death Rehearsal, which according to the copious liner notes are character sketches of people they knew. I'd also be extremely remiss in not mentioning the unique song Frogs, which seems to go in a new direction every few seconds, with crazy improvisational lyrics, Mozart, acoustic guitars, noise. What a ride!



I can't recommend this any more highly. If you are one of the people unfamiliar with Chris Knox, it's high time you joined the party. I think he is one of the most singular, unique artists out there. If nothing else, he has certainly influenced a few generations of musicians beyond New Zealand that you probably love, like Pavement and Guided By Voices. And certainly anyone who picks up the Stroke tribute album is contributing to a worthy cause. Burning Sky Records has also has put out a Toy Love tribute collection All Stitched Up---and three bucks from every Cd goes directly to Chris Knox and his family. Not a lot of familiar names, but Burning Sky seems to do a fine job with tributes. There's Shayne Carter, Don McGlashan, Hamish Kilgour and Proud Scum. And its not too much of a contribution to give for someone who I consider one of the greats. Listen up and you'll love him as much as I do.

The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer!----Part 69!!--Mutton Birds!!

The Best Way to Spread Christmas CHEER is singing loud for all to HEAR!

Mutton Birds---Envy of Angels

Surf City--Kudos--A Big Hazy Beautiful Noise

I am listening right now to Kudos, the not so recently released album by the New Zealand act Surf City, released on Arch Hill Record and also Fire. If you are a partisan of the New Zealand indie music scene of the 80's and 90's, there is probably no way you won't love this album. If you don't know much about Flying Nun Records and Xpressway, after hearing Kudos you will probably want to investigate. Surf City's sound is a throwback to some of the greatest groups of the era, like The Clean and The Chills. Undoubtedly there have been other bands to be inspired by these great Kiwi bands of the past, but Surf City really do it with so much panache and ability. In addition to being inspired by the classic music of their homeland, their songs are also influenced by noisy experimental/shoe gaze groups, like Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Jesus and Mary Chain. Maybe its my broken eardrums, but I really can't understand a word of what they are singing. For me, what creates goosebumps are the big overdriven riffs so reminiscent of David Kilgour's guitar technique.

Kaleidoscope Swirled

Because noise can be beautiful. I probably realized this listening to groups like Sonic Youth and Live Skull.
Then there was My Bloody Valentine and the whole Shoegaze movement that followed, plus the dark majesty of noisy greats Bailter Space, who could fill up a room with an amplified low end racket as thick as syrup. It's quite clear that the members of Surf City understand what I'm talking about. The songs blend together in a hallucinatory fashion. They really sound great here. It's the first album out of New Zealand that I've heard in a while that really smacks me in the head. Even though they remind me of Kiwi bands and Shoegaze, in some ways their energy, vitality and inventiveness make them kindred spirits of Mission of Burma, who are pretty much one of a kind artists. Kudos is a truly excellent album, and the scary thing is that I think that these guys are just starting out. I think the sky is the limit with this band.



Davin Stoddard: Vocals, Guitar
Jamie Kennedy: Bass Vocals
Josh Kennedy: Guitar
Logan Collins: Drums

When I saw John Wesley Harding open for Ian Hunter recently, he explained his jokey title for his new album. He entitled it "The sound of his own voice", so that a reviewer would be compelled to say, for example, Robert Christgau loves "the sound of his own voice". I wonder if Surf City had the same idea, so that a reviewer would say Surf City---Kudos to Kudos. I always wanted to put out an album and call it "worst album ever", so some critic could say "the album fully lived up to the expectations of its title".



But all digressions aside, Kudos is an album well worth expending your filthy lucre on. I like the fact that they look to their own country's musical heritage for inspiration. Honestly, for a country that is, as they say "outnumbered by sheep", New Zealanders have a lot to be proud of. Listening to music, rather than listening to what people think you ought to like. And judging by Surf City the future is looking bright.

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