Tom Irvine Band: Under the Wharf (digital outlets)

For many decades – from Warren Cate and Warren Love back in the Nineties and early 2000's to Danny McCrum more recently – we've noted a strong thread of accomplished, mainstream pop-rock writers and performers who get very little traction at radio.

In part that may be because they are often undemonstrative artists although their music would fit playlists on stations which play Springsteen, the Eagles and all those international artists because they have a proven track record overseas.

Into this world we would place Auckland singer-guitarist Tom Irvine who delivers a line of crafted blues-influenced rock with subtle touches of funk.

He's an excellent guitarist not given to incendiary solos but more in a slow-burn constrained style. Check Nobody's Baby.

He can peel off beautiful playing to establish a mood (the standout Love Gone Bad) and he's got impressive accomplices too: bassist Matt Shanks, drummer Cole Goodley and guitarist/producer Dylan Storey with vocalists Jared Kahi and Steve Tofa.

Irvine writes focused songs where there is no fat (God Only Knows) and let's hope this album can reach that mature audience which would best appreciate it.

Not many people use “behest” in a lyric, let alone use it correctly.

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You can hear this album on Spotify here

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