Graham Reid | | 2 min read
Slo Mo
In late September a column at Elsewhere titled The Groove In The Middle of the Road concluded with a consideration of the new album Waves by Toi, we noted how local artists seem to avoid contentious issues in favour of blandishments wrapped in a reggae-soul vibe and with uncontroversial lyrics.
We said, “It is populist music which is undeniably popular because it doesn't provoke or offend. It pleases because it is pleasing. And it dominates our local music charts.
“Yet in a country plagued with problems – child poverty, failing schools, rotting infrastructure, racial assaults (notably against Asians recently), a government intent on disempowering Māori and more – we hear little, if any, of that addressed by musicians who have been given a mandate by their loyal audience.
“You get the sense that this music is happy if it can come with video of a guy pulling out an acoustic guitar at a driftwood campfire on a beach at sunset”.
Two days after writing that a PR sheet arrived announcing the new single from an enormously popular local band which “evokes that summertime feeling” and created “sun-soaked vibes”.
The video had them on a beach at sunset with acoustic guitars.
At a guess that was at least the sixth time in a few weeks where local singles were announced as having that summertime vibe, it seems to be a default position for bands from October onward.
I wasn't suggesting we need a slew of politically incendiary songs – although a few addressing those pressing issues would be welcomed – and I was pleased people cited a few artists who were saying something beyond the insipid and mundane.
Maybe it's that old saying which I think dates from the Depression: when the times get tough, the songs get soft.
We have a chart stacked with inoffensive reggae-soul-pop.
As I mentioned however -- easy to overlook if you are challenged or offended by what was said -- that I genuinely like some of these songs.
It isn't for a critic/reviewer to tell artists what to do, but we can certainly point out what they don't.
Which brings us to this new Fat Freddy's Drop album which -- not unexpectedly given their pedigree and popularity as well as what they provide – debuted at number one of the chart for local albums. We have written about them, mostly favourably, many times in the past.
They slip in with more of their well-executed, familiar soul-funk-dub-jazz sound for summer.
The single Next Stop is undistinguished and the title of this eighth album signals no surprises from these mellow fellows. Nothing is lyrically profound (“get yourself together”, “keep your head up high”, “leave your light on”) and the sentiment on the reworked Avengers about escaping after lock-down (“I'm gonna hit the ground running”) feels redundant but, as expected, cruisy.
A professional and reassuring serving of the band's signature sound (the funky, eight minute title track with Louis Baker), some of it neatly psychedelicized (Oldemos), slightly West African (Roland) and dubbed up (Out to Sea).
A sound tailored for lazy, undemanding days. We remind you, it debuted on the chart of local albums at number one.
Enjoy your summer.
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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here.
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