Music at Elsewhere

Lydia Loveless: Real (Bloodshot/Southbound)

22 Aug 2016 | <1 min read

Now onto her fifth album 25-year old Lydia Loveless (born Lydia Ankrom) draws a thread between brittle power pop, whatever passes for alt.country these days and classic guitar jangle with a smidgen of post-punk energy. As a lyricist she nails down some alarmingly visceral imagery (“If self control is what you want I'd have to break all of my fingers off” she yowls on the... > Read more

Out on Love

Matthew Barber and Jill Barber: The Family Album (Outside/Southbound)

22 Aug 2016 | 1 min read

On the same Canadian label which recently signed Tami Neilson (a no-brainer I would have thought) comes this quietly delightful sibling-pairing on songs – a balance of originals and classic covers – which essay those seemingly unfashionable ideas of domesticity, the comfort of family and friends, and taking pleasure in life. In a world awash with albums which wallow in misery... > Read more

The Partisan

RECOMMENDED REISSUE: Faith No More; We Care a Lot, Deluxe Edition (Universal)

19 Aug 2016 | <1 min read

Now available on double vinyl and CD with extra tracks, demos, live versions and remixes, this impressive '85 debut – before Mike Patton took over vocal duties from soon-to-depart Chuck Mosley – hit a midpoint between US punk, funk metal and indie.rock. With a dollop of cynical humour (the title track alluding to consciousness-raising and ever-so caring rock stars with... > Read more

As the Worm Turns

SHORT CUTS: A round-up of recent New Zealand releases

15 Aug 2016 | 3 min read

Facing down an avalanche of releases, requests for coverage, the occasional demand that we be interested in their new album (sometimes with that absurd comment "but don't write about it if you don't like it") and so on, Elsewhere will every now and again do a quick sweep like this, in the same way it does IN BRIEF about international releases. Comments will be brief.... > Read more

IN BRIEF: A quick overview of some recent international releases

8 Aug 2016 | 3 min read

With so many CDs commanding and demanding attention Elsewhere will run this occasional column which scoops up releases by international artists, in much the same way as our SHORT CUTS column picks up New Zealand artists. Comments will be brief. Chris Robinson Brotherhood; Any Way You Love We Know How You Feel (Southbound) Let's start at the bottom: Highly recommended. Anyone... > Read more

Michael Kiwanuka: Love & Hate (Universal)

5 Aug 2016 | 3 min read

Although this quite outstanding album invokes the spirits of gospel, blues, Motown and Otis Redding, touches of soul-funk and much more, there are some fundamental points of difference. Notably in the overt Marvin Gaye tropes which this Londoner born of Ugandan parents adopts and adapts. But more of that soon . . . His debut album Home Again of 2012 introduced his undeniable... > Read more

Black Man in a White World

Dinosaur Jr: Give A Glimpse of What Yer Not (Jagjaguwar)

1 Aug 2016 | 1 min read

Any band which refined and defined their sound and attitude over three decades ago is bound to have hit a burn-out/overly familiar factor some many years ago. Surely? But . . . Although Elsewhere has just written a retrospective piece about this musical idea (as much as a band) helmed by J. Mascis, we have to concede this new one sounds as thrillingly noisy, focused and as... > Read more

Lost All Day

Andrew Keoghan: Every Orchid Offering (Fuchsia Kick/Rhythmethod)

1 Aug 2016 | 1 min read

While many acts remain genre-specific -- in metal, rap, indie.guitar rock or whatever -- there has been a generational shift the past two decades where musicians blur the boundaries between styles. Artists like Beck and Bowie, unexpected characters like John Cale -- and of course TV on the Radio, Flaming Lips, Grizzly Bear and so on -- have been longtime players in this endless landscape... > Read more

No Simple Doll

Steve Abel: Luck/Hope (Kin'sland)

1 Aug 2016 | 1 min read

While it may seem contradictory to criticise Aaradhna for her downbeat Brown Girl and be favourable about this almost funereal folk, that has been Steve Abel's idiomatic reference point -- he entered and won the Saddest Song in the World compeition in Germany in '09 -- and these eight songs (coloured by scraping and lachrymose violin) are all of such a piece that they form a... > Read more

Dance

Aaradhna: Brown Girl (Universal)

1 Aug 2016 | 1 min read

After her excellent if overlong Treble and Reverb of four years ago (which picked up a shedload of awards and acclaim), expectation has been high for this new one. The title track first single – with its reference to the Jamaican children's song Brown Girl in the Ring made famous by Boney M – was a beautifully produced, clever piece of self-referencing soul and a slow burner... > Read more

Drunken Heart, Smokey Mind

Fleetwood Mac, Mirage Expanded Edition (Warners)

29 Jul 2016 | <1 min read

After the mega-success of their self-titled album in '75 and its follow-up Rumours ('77) which sold even more multi-millions, the Big Mac took a left turn with Tusk ('79, well worth rediscovering) and toured relentlessly. By the time they got to Mirage ('82) they were bickering and burning out. Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham had released solo albums. Ironically, Mirage... > Read more

Brian Wilson; Brian Wilson and Friends (BMG CD/DVD)

20 Jul 2016 | 1 min read

There is certainly no shortage of Brian Wilson music about these days. We've had a couple of versions of SMiLE (including the excellent box set) and more recently the 50th anniversary reissue of Pet Sounds (again in an impressive expanded edition). Then of course he has released solo albums like No Pier Pressure (none of which have done much in the way of recapturing the old magic).... > Read more

Don't Talk (ft Mark Isham)

Various Artists: Late Night Tales, Olafur Arnalds (latenighttales/Southbound)

18 Jul 2016 | 1 min read

Elsewhere has always had an affection for compilations in the Late Night Tales series (as it did with the not dissimilar Back to Mine) because it is a triple opportunity: You can be introduced to a compiler you'd not previously encountered; it is highly likely you wouldn't know half the artists included so it's a doorway into new music and the albums segue from one piece into another so... > Read more

Orgoned by Kiasmos

SHORT CUTS: A round-up of recent New Zealand releases

13 Jul 2016 | 3 min read

Facing down an avalanche of releases, requests for coverage, the occasional demand that we be interested in their new album (sometimes with that absurd comment "but don't write about it if you don't like it") and so on, Elsewhere will every now and again do a quick sweep like this, in the same way it does IN BRIEF about international releases. Comments will be brief.... > Read more

IN BRIEF: A quick overview of some recent international releases

11 Jul 2016 | 2 min read

With so many CDs commanding and demanding attention Elsewhere will run this occasional column which scoops up releases by international artists, in much the same way as our SHORT CUTS column picks up New Zealand artists. Comments will be brief. Soren Juul; This Moment (4AD): Denmark's Juul is one of the more interesting artists around, on the basis of the 2013 album Somewhere... > Read more

Julianna Barwick, Will (Dead Oceans):

11 Jul 2016 | <1 min read

Using layers of her own vocals over electronica, piano, cello and percussion, this New Yorker bridges the worlds of experimental, ambience, liturgical and art music. In a lineage which includes Popol Vuh, David Hykes and the Harmonic Choir, Brian Eno's Music for Films/Airports and with a smidgen of Meredith Monk, this collection falls readily into that much vaunted category of... > Read more

Heading Home

Helen Henderson: London (Ranui/Aeroplane)

8 Jul 2016 | 1 min read

The name of this expat might not be familiar but six years ago Elsewhere wrote favourably about her second album Twisting Wind which we said was a collection “tough, earthy blues rock/alt.country” (and had some stellar guests). A longtime LA resident, she has an interesting backstory which is worth retelling because it places these songs into the context of her life.... > Read more

River

Chris Knox: KnoxTraxFine (thokeitapes cassette/download)

4 Jul 2016 | 2 min read | 2

At the time of this writing it has been just over seven years (June 2009) since Chris Knox had his massive and debilitating stroke. In that period he has largely been a man of good cheer despite not being able to speak beyond a few words (he understands visitors and friends reasonably well) and -- being afflicted down his right-hand side -- has taught himself to paint with his left hand.... > Read more

MarineVille: Penguins Ate My Chips (bandcamp)

4 Jul 2016 | 1 min read

For the most part it's usually better to hear the debut album by a rock band than their fourth outing. On their debut they are young, hungry and working things out, by their fourth or fifth they've probably run out of puff and/or have codified their sound into something acceptable to whatever audience has supported them. Few rock bands surprise as their career progresses and you'd have... > Read more

Semiotic Rock

IN BRIEF: A quick overview of some recent international releases

27 Jun 2016 | 2 min read

With so many CDs commanding and demanding attention Elsewhere will run this occasional column which scoops up releases by international artists, in much the same way as our SHORT CUTS column picks up New Zealand artists. Comments will be brief. Sam Beam and Jesca Hoop; Love Letter for Fire (SubPop): Yes he's beardy Beam (Iron and Wine) and she wears a Patsy Cline dress on the cover... > Read more