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.
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.
There was a time when The Chills were critically on top of the music world. Music fans were delighted by the excellent singles anthology Kaleidoscope World and Brave Words, their first album. Then came the polished masterwork Submarine Bells, released to a worldwide audience on Slash Records, which catapulted Martin Phillips to the status of a potential next big thing. The New Zealand music scene appeared to be the next flavor of the month. So what happened?
Soft Bomb, the followup to Submarine Bells is a fine fine album. Its major problem is that it came after Submarine Bells. That album would be tough for anyone to top and it does fall a bit short. An A- to the prior A+. But critics voiced their disappointment. Nobody really said it was terrible--they said it was weaker, that the songs were not so good. I listen to the album and I get a different impression. The songs are mostly strong. In fact, some of his best songs are contained here. Soft Bomb appears to be loosely constructed as a concept album, with some short tracks attempting to create some continuity. Probably not successful on that front. I presume one of the main themes had to do with environmental destruction due to pollution, judging by the album title and cover art. The album is in turn joyous, bitter, cynical, and even whimsical.
Perhaps Martin Phillips did have some prescience as to the way things were going. On the piano pop anthem Song For Randy Newman etc., he gives a shout out to Wilson, Barrett, Walker, Drake. No, not the malevolent law firm from the TV series 24. That was McLennan-Forster. They were the misunderstood songwriters that preceded and were influential to Phillips musical growth. Maybe he had an inkling that history was about to repeat itself with his career and was reflected in this song. Throughout the album there are examples of bitterness, growing cynicism, frustration and the toll the music world can take on the creative psyche.
Certainly he had big ambitions on Soft Bomb. I think he tried to reach the heights of his idols and fell a little short on a whole. But he comes close. He has some magnificent moments here. But that is a huge accomplishment in itself, and certainly merited more major label releases. This album was not qualitatively a deal-breaker. Perhaps quantitatively it fell short. I don't find a duff track here at all.
Life Never Tires Of Great Surprises
Male Monster From The Id is a strong first track, with Phillips' typically eloquent delivery. Ditto for the evocative lyrics of Ocean Ocean, continuing the recurrent water imagery in his music. The first Soft Bomb is shuffling and melodic and upbeat yet bitter, a song more resembling an earlier phase of this band. I wonder whether critics were disappointed in the big budget production and use of mostly non-Kiwi personnel in Martin's last band incarnation. Peter Holsapple of the dB's was on this. People were entranced with the lo fi charm of the Kaleidoscope World singles, and the oddly muted pop gems of Brave Words.
This was a big budget album, and the Kiwi terroir was missing from this. The early albums have a sense of place--you knew this was Flying Nun New Zealand. Soft Bomb sounds like it could have come from anywhere, Hollywood, Perth, Liverpool. He was also no doubt under pressure to sell mass quantities. Despite all that, taking the album on face value, you have a terrific pop album by an inspired songwriter. Any other view is completely unmerited in my estimation.
My favorite song on this album is Halo Fading, and it is one of my favorite ballads of all time. Very well constructed, changing gears throughout... Pop brilliance.
Halo, fading in Silence
I know you hear me-- I know you're there being quiet
Someday a song I'll sing for you, that finally says goodbye,
Right now that the words won't come to me--
I'm torn apart trying...
Another great moment is the epic Water Wolves, where he recruited Brian Wilson collaborator Van Dyke Parks to write the string arrangements. Despite what some people think I really like how this one turned out.
I know he also did a version without the strings which is also good on a concurrent Cd single. The Entertainer is a cleverly written sarcastic lounge song, Phillips' own version of Piano Man. Equally affecting is the creepy spousal abuse tale of Sanctuary. The mandolin driven pop of So Long is another highlight on Soft Bomb. "I've heard all the brilliance advice, I learned that everything comes at a price."
One of the singles off this album Double Summer is another pleasant with imagery somewhat of the Beach Boys Southern California, if not similar stylistically. Tremendously melodious, upbeat happy lyrics, expressions of wonder. Great keyboards here played, with verve by Lisa Mednick. Similar in tone is Sleeping Giants, a jaunty high speed pop number that name checks Gigantor the Robot.
Unfortunately Martin Phillips has suffered a number of misfortunes in subsequent years, including serious health issues. After Soft Bomb, The Chills released Sunburnt on Flying Nun, and Sketchbook Vol. 1 under his own name. There was also the 3 Cd limited edition Secret Box, full of unreleased songs, b-sides and rarities. The Chills in different forms have continued to exist, with an ep Stand By released a few years ago. I had the good fortune to see The Chills live twice, during the Submarine Bells tour, and again in support of Soft Bomb. I loved both shows, but preferred the original lineup. I definitely appreciated the stellar keyboard work of Lisa Mednick on the latter tour. Keyboards have always been a big component to The Chills' sound, as was the case with Andrew Todd.
In any event, if you are new to The Chills, I would start with Submarine Bells, but you can't go wrong with albums Soft Bomb, Kaleidoscope World, or Brave Words (long out of print). The Chills are one of the top New Zealand bands ever, so they are a group that you probably need in your life.
