last updated September 27th 2007
Daisies of the Galaxy
- Eels (September 2000)
They sound somewhat twee, but their music
insinuates itself. The Eels' third album mines the gentle end of folkie-tinged
pop-rock. Mainly acoustic instruments, though tracks like "The sound of
fear" add a bit of a beat and remind me strongly of Babybird, or Beck's
Odelay.
Intelligence and sacrifice - Alec
Empire (March 2003)
From one extreme to the other on
this double album — disc one is decidedly NOT for the faint hearted. Alec
Empire is loud and angry. Louder than my ex would like. Louder than her
metalhead brother would like. Alec Empire sounds like a cross between Nine
Inch Nails and Rage Against the Machine and comes on in a 100 m.p.h. aural
assault that leaves you numb. In his quieter moments he sounds like Iggy
Pop on speed, but most of the time he just goes for it in thrash/death/industrial
hardcore. Then comes disc two, with its unadulterated weird synth noodlings...
Did I enjoy it? Enjoy is not a word you can easily use with Alec Empire's
music. I was exhausted by te first disc (which is I think more Empire's
aim than enjoyment), but I have to wonder whether the second disc was just
his idea of a joke.
Songs yet to be sung
- Perry Farrell (October 2001)
Darling of the indie music scene, Perry
Farrell was a member of Jane's Addiction from 1986 to 1991, when he left
to form Porno for Pyros. Between times, he was one of the brainchilds behind
the Lollapalooza music festivals. And now, 15 years into his career, comes
his first solo album. The rhythms are the first revelation: cut-up beats
and shuffling ethnic sounds (the title track sounds more like vintage Peter
Gabriel or Johnny Clegg than PfP). Not that rhythms dominate totally; songs
like "Shekina" display a tender side rarely seen previously in Farrell's
music. The second revelation is the maturity of the lyrics - a welcome
surprise after Porno for Pyros. Unlike that band's frat-rock fast-food
nerdism, here are wordscapes and soundfields worthy of repeated listening.
You've come a long way, baby - Fatboy
Slim (May 1999)
Check it out now, Fatboy Slim is, if you
believe the hype, the best thing since sliced toes and the biggest thing
since that movie with the iceberg. Truth is, this is an enjoyable album
of remixed drum, bass and sample, definitely better than average, without
doing too much to advance or redefine the genre. But its sheer catchiness
makes the tracks on this album stay as separate hooks in your brain, rather
than blending into one dancey mish-mash, which is where this CD is clearly
a cut above most of its genre.
Rockin' the suburbs - Ben
Folds (October 2001)
Much lighter and more commercial than
many of the albums I review, but proof positive that something can be commercial
and intelligent at the same time. Songs like "Still fighting it" would
easily fit into the most mainstream of radio formats, but in all probability
commercial stations wouldn't touch his music. Ben is best known (if known
at all) for his work with the band Ben Folds Five, which to be honest I
never had much time for. The sound is still in the gentle 'singer/songwriter'
mould, heavy on the singer and piano and comparable to the likes of Ron
Sexsmith, but here the songs seem to have a bit more emotional bite. Pleasant
enough to be worth a listen - especially the title track's hilarious description
of the singer/songwriter's art!
There is nothing left to lose -
Foo Fighters (July 2000)
With the demise of Kurt Cobain, everyone
expected the remaining two members of grunge juggernaut Nirvana to disappear
off the face of the recording map. Dave Grohl, however, proved to be more
than just Kurt's sideman, although he (along with his new band, Foo Fighters)
took some time to struggle out from under the shadow of Nirvana. That Foo
Fighters have done so is quite an achievement in itself, but they seem
to get better with every new album.
There is nothing left to lose
is no exception to this trend - powerful, possibly a little nearer commercial
than their fans would like (although it's probably as much a case of commercial
catching up with the remnants of grunge as the other way round), very catchy
at times, and at other times surprisingly tender.
Pesky Digits -Gitbox
Rebellion (September 1997)
Gitbox Rebellion are a New Zealand group
of about seven acoustic guitarists, some classically trained, some trained
using the Crafty Guitar school of playing (popularised by Robert Fripp).
They are led by Nigel Gavin, who is also part of the Nairobi Trio, but
unlike that group GR concentrate more on original compositions than jazz
standards. Pleasant, occasionally bouncy - good Sunday morning music. And
I guarantee that once you hear "Two Iguanas", you won't be able to stop
humming it.
Liquid Skin - Gomez (May
2000)
Gomez do that ramblin' down the road dirty
bluesy thing, much like Australia's Cruel Sea and the US's Green on Red,
that follows the tradition started by the likes of the Band and Creed Clearwater
Revival in the late 60s. Gomez add in the faintest grunge hints here and
there, so that the opening track "Hangover", for example, sounds like Pearl
Jam doing country and western. The CCR connection is evident in the titles,
too - most obviously with "Blue moon rising" - but Gomez aren't mere copyists,
having their own voice, especially on quieter tracks like the shuffling
beat and Ferry cross the Mersey ninth chords of "Revolutionary kind".
This one may take a while to grow on me, especially since I don't often
listen to this style of music, but so far, so enjoyable.
Good - Good Shirt (August
2002)
Catchy quirky pop, but somehow very dated.
These are guys who obviously spent their childhoods listening to Cheap
Trick and the Cars, and the guiding spirits of these two bands casts a
heavy shadow over the decidedly 1979 first part of this album ("Green"
in particular sounds like an Ocasek composition, complete with requisite
synth sounds). After a few tracks, though, the band starts to find its
own feet a little bit more, especially on the slower tracks like "Sophie".
Still fairly retro, but that’s not always bad, is it?
Vertigo - Groove Armada (July
2000)
Not really sure how to categorise this
one: slow trance dance, with occasional soft cheesy café latte sounds,
and some light jazz? That doesn't really sum it up at all well. It's largely
electronic, and occasionally pulsing, but the best moments are the deep,
slow grooves of tracks like "At the river". I was very pleasantly surprised
by much of this album - in this sort of area of music, clichés abound,
but Groove Armada have managed to avoid most of them to provide a very
enjoyable disc.
2x4 - Guadalcanal Diary (July
1993)
Guadalcanal Diary are possibly the second-best
band from Athens, Georgia. They're more countrified than neighbours REM,
but obviously come from the same origins. A neglected band, they've put
out a few little gems in their time, especially on their first album Walking
in the shadow of the big man. The current album doesn't have the debut's
obvious hooks, but does have a slightly more psychedelic feel. Fans of
the Hoodoo Gurus in particular may find this album appealing. Best tracks
are probably "Litany (Life goes on)", "Under the yoke", and the swirly
"Little birds" and "Lips of steel".
Universal truths and cycles - Guided
by Voices (August 2002)
I must confess to finding GbV a difficult
(and sometimes annoying) listen. Their albums contain true gems, but it’s
like panning for gold in the silt. Universal truths and cycles is no exception.
Twenty tracks in 48 minutes (some of them as short as a minute long), many
of them half thought-out or seemingly half-assed ideas, but among them
are some true standout tracks. What’s more, you can’t even assume that
it will be the sixty-second long song snippets that are the ones to avoid.
The REM-like "Zap" weighs in at 1'14", and is vastly superior to the discordant
three-minute "Skin parade" which precedes it, for example. On the whole,
this album mines the same guitar based, rough-hewn indie sound as their
previous albums, and reaches its peak with slower, gentler, more melodic
numbers like "Storm vibrations" and with the vaguely Who-like "Eureka signs"
(there is a nod to the Who in another song title - "The ids are alright").
Wrecking Ball -
Emmylou Harris (July 2000)
I never, ever expected to own an Emmylou
Harris album. Say her name and you have images of her work with the likes
of Dolly Parton. Forget the C&W images - this is very fine country
tinged, ambient tinged rock influenced by her producer (co-writer, vocalist,
guitarist...) Daniel Lanois. In the same way that he and erstwhile colleague
Brian Eno reshaped U2 from the sound of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" to "All
I want is you", so he has woven magic on this album. But the real credit
is with Emmylou herself - she has one of the most passionate voices in
music, and you can hear the ache of her soul in many of the songs. Stand-out
tracks on this album are the dark "Deeper Well" and an astonishing Jimi
Hendrix cover, "May this be love".
It's my sin - Jan Hellriegel
(July 1993)
Jan's come a long way since joining elder
brother Rob in his band Working With Walt in the late-80s. Her singing's
got more sultry, her songwriting has improved exponentially, and with the
help (and production) of friends like Don McGlashan, this album has some
lovely moments. Sure, there are places where the ideas aren't fully realised,
but on other songs (notably the title track, "Westy Gals", and the sumptuous
"Waves") it's just great.
Jewels for Sophia - Robyn Hitchcock
(November 1999)
Well, I'm a huge Robyn Hitchcock fan,
and there are some great songs on this album, but it's a bunch of great
songs rather than one cohesive album. Robyn sounds happier than he has
for a long time - in love, even - but that hasn't stopped him from penning
some great songs of love ("You've got a sweet mouth on you baby"), death
("Mexican God"), and general surreal weirdness ("Antwoman"; "Cheese Alarm").
Cut - Hunters and Collectors
(January 1993)
There are rumours that they were dragged
kicking and screaming back together to record this - for the money,
no less - and it certainly has a more commercial sound than some of H&C's
other albums. But even so, the strain doesn't show, and there are still
some great tracks here. "Head above water" and "Holy grail" are already
firm favourites, and - as always with H&C - it's the one slow song
that gets you right where it hurts. This time, in the "Throw your arms
around me"/"Around the flame" spot, we have the beautiful "Imaginary girl".
1200 Curfews - Indigo
Girls (May 1998)
Robert Fripp, renowned as an eccentric
of the recording industry, hates live albums. He feels that they lose the
essential dimensions of the live experience; you have to see the band,
be part of the throng, for the music to make sense. A live album is music
in the wrong context; music that is intended for recording is that done
in the studio. Ironically, he has also put out huge numbers of albums of
King Crimson live in recent years. I tend to agree with Bobby on this.
Many of us have not the opportunity to see many of our favourite bands
live, so live albums are of interest, but many of them sound like incomplete,
second-hand experiences. We miss much of what is going on. 1200 curfews,
however, sounds wonderfully fresh and appealing. Many Indigo Girls standards
are presented, along with a few intriguing covers (a Joni Mitchell song,
I could have expected, and a Dylan, but 'Midnight train to Georgia'?).
This one is a keeper. I'm a fan of the Indigo Girls (and even once got
into an argument with a staunch feminist who insisted that, being a man,
I could not possibly understand "Closer to fine"!), and though it is clear
from the sound of the audience on the album just what a large proportion
of the Indigo Girls' audience are women, their message is universal. To
the uninitiated, this is a very good place to start.
Reflector - Jedeye/ICU
(November 1999)
NZer Jed Eye (or Jed Town as he was known
back in the days of Foetus Productions) is back after a lengthy stay in
Britain soaking up trance, dance, and various forms of electronica. He
has brought with him a fine assemblage of dark trippiness and cold ambience
that inhabits the same caverns as such luminaries of the genre as the Grid,
Orb, and FSOL. Well worth a listen, although it's quite likely that you
have to be in an illegal state of mind to appreciate fully what is going
on.
Chinese Whispers - Greg Johnson
(September 1997)
Now that Crowded House has gone, it is
time to look at who has the potential to be the NEXT BIG THING from New
Zealand. Chances are, if anyone is going to take up Neil Finn's crown,
Don McGlashan's Mutton Birds will be first in line. But in a perfect world,
the whole planet would have heard of Greg Johnson, for his songs have everything
needed for that big hit. Greg Johnson's previous albums have been largely
ignored even within New Zealand, not being commercial enough to break over
into the mainstream, but far too slick and safe to be near the indie market.
And so, like many of the world's finest, he falls through the cracks. Yet
no-one making music in New Zealand today is making intelligent, catchy
rock that has quite the commercial- potential- coupled- with- intelligence
that Greg Johnson's has. And with every album he gets better. Chinese
Whispers contains 13 tracks, and I'd say that about nine or ten of
them are potential singles, ranging from the Dobbynisms of "My ship is
setting low" and the Chills soundalike "Vertigo", to the orchestral grandeur
of "Too close to the sun". It's not necessarily an album that will get
you up and dancing, but it is still in the running for my favourite local
album of the year.
Night Song - Nusrat
Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook (January 1997)
Real World, Peter Gabriel's label for
musicians from around the planet to get together and mix styles on, has
produced some true gems - Mari Boine Persen's Sapmi (Lapp) music, Michael
Brook and U. Srinivas mixing ambient/rock guitar and Indian mandolin and
violin, the amazing Gregorian/Arabic sound of the Tsinandali Choir from
Georgia... but this is the one that without realising it I'd been waiting
for. Khan is the most famous musician in Pakistan, a beautifully-voiced
singer in the traditional Islamic Qawwali style. Brook is a guitarist who
has worked with many ambient and rock musicians over the years. Together,
with the help of some of the dubbiest bass guitar around, they have woven
sheer magic. I cannot say further. Listen. That will tell you all you need
to know. If you can't feel it, you have no heart.
David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights
- David Kilgour (September 1998)
From that first reverse envelope note,
leading into the single-chord-bass laden strains of "Round the bend", you
get the feeling that this could be the one - the one we've been waiting
for from David Kilgour, one of the pillars that support the temple of the
Flying Nun. Kilgour, from his earliest days in the Clean, has always
been the one with the pop sensibility but acquired-taste voice, nagging
away like a musical toothache. With the Clean, the sound was always sparse
- a thrashy brashness which exposed those vocal weaknesses but brought
the sheer poppiness of the songs to the fore. With his solo albums, the
lushness of the production highlighted the melodies, and the vocals no
longer seemed harshly out of place. That trend has continued with Heavy
Eights. David has surrounded himself with fine musicians, and the best
has been brought out of the sweet sweet songs that he writes. There is
the occasional nod back to early Clean here and there (the intro to "Locked
in blue", sounds suspiciously like "Fish" off Great sounds great,
for instance). I have long since given up on trying to understand the machinations
of New Zealand radio, but for it to ignore songs like "Stranded", as will
no doubt happen, is not a puzzle. It is simply a crime.
Epitaph - King Crimson (September
1997)
A lot of people think that Robert Fripp's
bunch were the prog-rock archetype, rumbling dinosaurs of sound pumping
out pomposity at 100 decibels. But whereas some prog-rock groups could
probably be pigeonholed that way (as the years go on, it becomes increasingly
difficult to listen to Emerson Lake and Palmer with a straight face), King
Crimson were a bit more than that - and still are. From prog beginnings,
they moved through wispy faery rock (Lizard) to highly influential
proto-metal (Red), split up, reformed as funky white art-rock that
out Talking-Headed Talking Heads (Beat), split up again, and recently
reformed with a style that would be best described as "Nightmare on Abbey
Road, part VI" (Thrak). Not many groups can claim to have been cited
as an influence by groups as divergent in style as Roxy Music, Primus,
Deep Purple, Genesis and Nine Inch Nails. In a seeming attempt to release
everything ever recorded by 'Crimso', Fripp presents a two-CD pack of live
recordings from 1969. While the sound quality is dodgy in places, the sheer
power of the band is evident. This set is hardly a necessity for any but
the most serious 21st century schizoid man or woman, but is still well
worth a listen, even if only for the abilities of a band that could improvise
their way through anything. (For Crimso newbies, try Red or In
the Court of the Crimson King, or Beat, or Thrak instead).
Beat - Chris Knox (September
2000)
In which New Zealand's experimental rock
low-fi anarchist, our own Marc-Bolan-with-a-tape-loop, may finally
have come of age. The songs are still largely strummed on one guitar with
found percussion, but for once the maturity of the lyrics and the catchiness
of the songs blends perfectly. A very fine album.