The Soft Pack- Extinction
6/10

San Francisco band The Soft Pack (formerly The Muslims) present us with Extinction – an early singles and EPs collection of releases prior to their name change. It serves as a great introduction to the kind of garagey-rock and roll that they play, and chronicles their sound in the formative stages of the band. That sound starts off a-howlin’ on opener ‘Bright Side’, easily channeling the best riffs of The Strokes. The Soft Pack aren’t afraid to play it close to their influences, and it’s evident across the ten tracks that make up Extinction. They dabble in a bit of Black Lips-lite garage on ‘On My Time’, and the languid guitar drawl of ‘Call It A Day’. Elsewhere there are strong nods to Iggy and The Stooges and The Velvet Underground, on tracks like ‘Beside Myself’. It’s not bad, more-so uninspired, as the band confuse influences with homage. Extinction finishes on a highpoint, with stand out track ‘Right And Wrong’ showing a clearer streak of originality and a better direction of where they’re possibly headed, heard on newer tracks like ‘Answer to Yourself’, which will appear on their debut self-titled album.
David

Posted by Nick Fulton under Album, Reviews
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 Songs- Songs
9/10

Max Doyle sings with a swagger in his voice that makes this a swinging record, full of rock ‘n’ roll hooks but free of the usual clichéd imitations.  After releasing two split 7″ with The Bats and Love Of Diagrams, Songs is the band’s full-length debut. With heavy drones and spitting fuzz spiralling from the guitar of Jeff Burch (formally of NZ band This Night Creeps) and thick, wavy drum beats pouring from Steve Uren’s (also a former member of This Night Creeps) plastery kit, Songs replenish the mid-era Flying Nun sound, echoing The Clean, The 3D’s and Bailter Space. Sparse and reflective of many of the ’90s decadent riffs and vocal melodies, Songs drive home a sound that’s both whimsical and upbeat, but dogged and rugged around the edges. Opener ‘Farmacy’ is the most pop friendly of the tracks, laying down shifty garage rock riffs and a more charitable rock ‘n’ roll structure. It leads into a more hazy block of songs that utilise fuzz and distortion and lose the ceremonial swing. ‘Oh No’ and ‘Retreat’ shift towards The 3Ds’ more abrasive lineage, pushing the chorus and marking their territory with speedy riffs and bouncy rhythms. ‘Just An Idea’ comes a little later but runs for eleven minutes, tiptoeing between jangly pop and thrashing noise. Fans of The Clean’s 2008 live album Mashed will bask in its openness. Final track ‘My Number’ is a tardy highlight, moving into a darker shoegaze zone with organ pipping incessantly amongst a shredding wheeze of guitar. Songs’ surprise beauty comes not from their originality but from their ability to curve and weave themselves around their influences, with a freshness that sets them apart from the bands they so clearly admire.
Nick

Posted by Nick Fulton under Album, Reviews
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Scalper- Flesh & Bones
8/10

Nadeem Shafi is a well-travelled individual, born and raised in East London, he now lives on Auckland’s West Coast. Throughout the ’90s Shafi fronted the now legendary hip-hop group Fun-Da-Mental (founded by Aki Qureshi aka Propa-Gandhi), whose politicised hip-hop was pivotal in the fight against social injustice and racism in the UK. Adopting the name Scalper in 2000, Shafi has released three EPs and now Flesh & Bones is his full-length solo debut. Despite now living a more comfortable life in New Zealand his music still contains the same fire and passion, proving old wounds are hard to heal. The album is dedicated to his late father and focuses heavily on alienation, dark times and destructive behaviour, all of which have been themes throughout his musical career. Lined with psychic jams blending many elements of continental hip-hop, from the rich emotive tones of trip-hop to the slower, wavier rhythms of Polynesian hip-hop, Shafi lays down lyrics that at times confront and challenge your mindset but never become overly aggressive in presenting its themes. Perfectly broken up by an instrumental track (‘Numbers’) mid-way, the album is separated into two beautifully formed parts. Confronting and relishing in an aggressive majestic tone from the beginning via opening tracks ‘Black Glory’ and ‘Necessary Evil’, Shafi perfectly spaces the album with ‘Threepointonefour’ and ‘Shadows’ leading into ‘Abacus’, three finely tuned tracks backed by more traditional American hip-hop instrumentation with catchy hooks and gentle pulsing beats. The second half of the album is more layered, lyrically focused, and requires more concentration. ‘Treacherous Disciple’ has a sense of reggae through its sun bleached rhythms and melting guitar parts, with lyrics that journey and have a rich sentimental gaze. ‘Obsessive Idols’ then returns with a rougher approach, presenting a more hostile, fighting inclination. Flesh & Bones is without doubt a well constructed album that has taken many months, even years to complete. Shafi’s experience is a complete centrepiece and his life dedicated to music and especially politically motivated music is on grand display.
Nick

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Tommy Ill- Come Home Mr. Ill (EP)
7/10

On his third EP, Tommy Ill has well and truly established his own style of ‘slacker-rap’. An inflection-lite, droll delivery accompanies true life tales of late night partying, drinking, smoking – and the toll it takes on your body and rap aspirations. Far from being depressing, it’s all about having fun and living for the moment. EP stand out ‘Best Damn Evening’ sums it up perfectly. Tommy continues to show his talent as a lyricist, with some rhymes that really grab your attention and demand repeat listens. Like most good hip hop, there’s also sly nods to his previous work, and other rappers’. The beats come courtesy of Alphabethead, and are wonderfully diverse, though all have a strong soul vibe with rhythmic blues guitar, horns, organ and some great vocal samples. It’s not a giant leap forward from his previous two EPs, but the tight rhymes, great beats and overriding self awareness make it one of this year’s stand out local hip hop releases.
David

Posted by Nick Fulton under Album, Reviews
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Tyondai Braxton- Central Market
6/10

On his second solo album Battles vocalist Tyondai Braxton focuses largely on those quasi-orchestral arrangements that helped make his work with the math rock band so revered. Staccato rhythms and oddly squelching sound effects feature prominently, first track ‘Opening Bell’ features familiar edgy melodies and strangely happy-sounding military whistles as heard in Battles’ Mirrored, but here they are coupled with unusual piano riffs and strings. It must be stated outright that this is no Battles follow up record, Braxton deliberately moved away from that style in favour of classical composition, which he studied at the Hartford School of Music conservatory in Connecticut. Central Market, at first listen, is like uneasy classical music made for robots or aliens, the flute’s almost grimacing and the twisted circumference of sound battles the urge to settle into a more regular pattern. But it jumps to and fro like an untamed beast; a quite enjoyable thing to listen to after all. ‘Uffe’s Woodshop’ has the same bombastic bliss and wood block percussion as Mirrored also, but Braxton’s employment of the Wordless Music Orchestra (who performed with Jonny Greenwood on Popcorn Superhet Receiver) gives a sense of urgency and direness to the music. Braxton really shows himself as conductor and mastermind here, bringing together disparate styles in his odd mini masterpiece. While only seven tracks long, each song (you’re tempted to call them movements due to their sheer tenacious size) is variably long, some five minutes, others eight or ten. Having scored the music on the computer program Sibelius, Braxton gets into some wonderful riff-jams at times (‘The Duck and the Butcher’), in an almost tropical heatwave of rhythms and melodies. The album serves as a personal recollection of sorts, detailing the last few months where things went “from really light to really foggy”. True to Braxton’s explanation, it gets more abrasive as it goes on. The thundery ‘Unfurling’ shimmies into the rocky ‘J. City’, which grows a voice with Braxton’s haunting multi-tracked baritone and a rugged guitar riff. This is possibly the most compelling song because it sounds the most human. It’s also very grungy and industrial for Braxton, which is a refreshing respite from the glamorous, super light orchestral workings of earlier. ‘Dead Strings’ clocks out with the most epic proportions. While it can err on the annoying side, feeling at times overly indulgent and self serving, it is a joy to hear Braxton’s “unlearning” of tools acquired in Battles, and rediscovering his vision. Climbing inside his head in Central Market is dark and eerie, but certainly an adventure.
Sarah

Posted by Sarah Gooding under Album, Reviews
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The Gladeyes- Pyschosis of Love
8/10

Expertly pieced together from songs spanning many years in age, The Gladeyes’ long awaited Psychosis of Love kicks off with the most familiar song ‘Monika’. Each song has been embellished lightly (flourishes of instrumentation, extra backing vocals), but retains the essence of what made them swoonworthy in the first place. Their appeal has always laid in their genuine sincerity, infectious pop hook talent, dreamy, Chamber-pop affection and mock-twee styling. The interplay of the band, consisting of Jade Farley and Gwen Norcliffe, and their charmingly coy and subtle singing style coupled with their insightful lyrics are the winning formula here. Backed by simple melodies that centre around lone guitar riffs, sprinklings of percussion and steady bass, their classic songs are brought to life and fully embelished on Psychosis of Love. ‘There He Goes’ would sit aside nicely atmospheric ’60s girl groups, yet the production is fiercely Jesus and Marychain-esque, that escalates into a Moe Tucker-style romp of restrained tom cacophony in its later minutes. ‘The End Of The World Because You Don’t Love Me Anymore’ is a beautiful, dreamy, breathy ode punched up by the Auckland Children and Youth Chorus, adding a magnificent, grandiose quality. The album is structured cleverly to avoid any dragging melancholy; next up is their lauded cover of Die! Die! Die!’s ‘Shyness Will Get You Nowhere’, clearly one of the best appropriated and willfully strong covers ever. So unexpected is the brashness yet so perfectly fitting to their honesty, from one excellent band to another this song holds strong and puts both groups in excellent light. Wonderfully creepy stalker anthem ‘Your Address’ (“I just wanted to know what the view from your window might be like/ I just wanted to know what bus you take home every night”) continues in the spirit of showing off their songwriting chops, and has possibly the most band-y feel of all the songs. Featuring throughout the album are prominent Auckland artists James Milne (Lawrence Arabia), Henry Oliver (ex-Die! Die! Die!), Ryan McPhun (The Ruby Suns), Tim Guy, Imogen Taylor and The Wildwood Lights. While it tails off toward the end (flutey ‘Kasey’ and slow ‘Petit Chouchou’) it springs into action for the mouthy closer ‘One Million Kisses’ complete with shouty chorus! Truly worth the wait.
Sarah

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 Urbantramper- Rise and Ride Toward
8/10

Following up 2007′s Tokon & The Colours was always going to be difficult, but Urbantramper has made a record that not only complements it, they’ve made a record that explores new subjects and translates modernistic musical ideas. After releasing their stunning second album Lake and Eli, two of New Zealand’s most underrated song writers, moved to the UK and travelled through Europe, India and Australia. During the journey they wrote the songs for Rise and Ride Toward, their third full-length album. The album has a very tender quality, it’s soft and gentle and contains a mixture of fetching lullabies and delicately audacious pop songs. They’ve gone twee and become cross eyed with love, writing songs that hold out for hugs rather than petitioning the government to revoke the new tree felling law. Rise and Ride Toward has many beautiful moments, contrasting well with Tokon & The Colours which had a passion for the environment rather than delving into human relationships. Urbantramper has transformed, becoming universal with their themes and finding middle ground between the carol-esque music of modern Americana heroes Fleet Foxes and hipster romantics like The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. Like their previous album, Lake takes up the main vocal duty, accompanied strongly by Eli singing beautifully looped back-up harmonies. Her voice is whimsical and fresh, with a perfect pitch and extension. Often singing in harmony with Lake, she has mastered the technique of holding on to vocal notes, making her voice extend beyond Lake’s and emphasising her remarkably beautiful voice. ‘My Grand Plan’, ‘It Is Close, But Not Here…’ and ‘The Ballad Of Lord Warburton’ are the best examples, the first sounding a lot like The Dirty Projectors in the criss-crossed melodies. There’s hints of The Ruby Suns’ Sea Lion throughout and The Brunettes influence is subtle but obviously referenced in ‘Perfection Thoughts’. If it wasn’t for a slightly stumbled beginning, (‘I Live In A Shoe House’ is a little heavy on the drums and ‘A Warm Glowing Light’ lacks Eli’s soft touch) Rise and Ride Toward would be a flawless pop album. ‘My Grand Plan’ is quite easily the band’s best song to date, outdoing ‘Sun Sets On The Empty Carnival’ (T&TC) which was responsible for attracting many fans via student radio.
Nick

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The Brunettes- Paper Dolls
8 /10

There’s always an air of innocence and a dash of danger with The Brunettes, and the play off between Heather and Jonathan remains a powerful, playful force on Paper Dolls. The album’s biggest point of difference is its modern bent. Instantly more avant-guarde and experimental than previous more straight forward twee pop efforts, the band’s seventh release grabs effortlessly with opener ‘In Colours’. Its climbing bassline and sunny melodies seep into single ‘Red Rollerskates’ with ease, in which there’s a pitter patter rhythm that pans subtley while Heather hula hoops her vocals through the jumping beats and sugar rinse of guitar. Blippy electronica is experimented with in ‘The Crime Machine’, with almost-disco syncopation and keyboard stabs. Less plush orchestra and more machine-manufactured fun, the organic quality is retained in the crunchy guitar and bass sounds, and this new dynamic continues to push The Brunettes’ boundaries. ‘Bedroom Disco’ is an out-of-kilter electronic masterpiece incorporating Kraftwerk precision. The lack of previous orchestration is made up for in the almost overkill on the heart string-tugging title track. Jonathan’s voice gets dangerously low next to Heather’s sweet coo and the electronic drums are thumping and heavy. There’s a similarly dragging air in ‘If I’. ‘Connection’ brings back the classy, clever basslines that are such a draw-card for their illustrious pop and the curious tone that’s so familiar in their other work. ‘It’s Only Natural’ even has steel drums in the intro! ‘Magic (No Bunny)’ sounds like its name suggests, with bouncing rhythms and atmospheric percussion underscoring the best inter-playing vocals. Heather and Jonathan’s voices then fall into unison on the cute end note ‘Thank You’, which brings the conclusion up quicker than expected (the LP rests at just under 35 minutes). Paper Dolls is a step away from typical Brunettes fare that’s often oriented toward more cute and coy pop, and is instead more about experimenting with modern technology and ideas. It’s great to hear, as it sounds like they’re stepping out of their comfort zone and having fun while they’re at it.
Sarah

Posted by Sarah Gooding under Album, Reviews
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 His & Her Vanities- The Mighty Lunge
7/10

Every now and then a dose of guitar rock is OK, I think it used to be popular back in 2004. This is pretty standard rock band stuff; guitar; bass; drums and of course vocals, but it shouldn’t be written off. His & Her Vanities actually make some pretty decent noise, it’s not very challenging to listen to but musically they’re quite well toned and it has a nice edge to it. His & Her Vanities know what it was like back in 2004, that was when they released their last album A Thought Process before founding members Terrin and Ricky Riemer took time off to raise their two young children. Back after five years away, the pair have re-emerged with an even louder sound than before, due largely to Ricky’s blistering guitar riffs that populate all eight tracks. The opening four tracks all run with similar chords, ripping to shreds any butchering fuzz and joining an angular alias with the cupid of guitar rock. ‘Hits Like Hail’ oddly has a hint of LCD Soundsystem in its rhythms, skipping along with similar timing to LCD’s ‘All My Friends’. ‘Wait It Out’ starts off sounding like The Strokes before taking on more aggression and ‘What It Is’ uses the aggression to scream for attention, joining Fugazi’s abrasive guitar riffs with Death Cab For Cutie’s contemplative melodies. ‘Fragments’ again adopts the previous songs’ poignant riff, but this time it’s given less feedback to sound cleaner and poppier. ‘New Designs’ eases its way into a slightly different space, opening the song up to a bouncier rhythm that utilises Terrin’s bass playing as more of a lead instrument. The final two tracks are more melodic than the previous six, with hints of the loud/quiet/loud structure falling into the middle of ‘Agenda’. ‘Wake Up This Day’ is aptly titled, an awakening of sorts which builds from a slow start to a hypnotic ending coated in a crashing of cymbals and layering of vocals. It’s wise to treat The Mighty Lunge as a rock album, even with its tendency to line up rather winsome melodies with abrasive, noisy guitar riffs. Hopefully the children won’t interfere during the next few years and His & Her Vanities will be back much quicker than last time.
Nick

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Julian Casablancas- Phrazes For The Young
8/10

Marrying sunny melodies with despondent lyrics, The Strokes’ lead singer and mastermind Julian Casablancas has shed his gritty punk rock demeanour for more eclectic experimentalism with his debut solo LP. Perhaps it was a determined move to ensure his detractors had a harder job pigeonholing him, harder than they’d have to try with Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.’s sedate pop efforts or drummer Fabrizio Morretti’s joyous reggae-influenced pop jams. At first listen to the few Phrazes tracks leaked early, Casablancas’ output cried Ratatat to me. But the warped multi-tracked synthy guitar lines did more than just amble on aimlessly as Ratatat’s songs often can.

Casablancas’ pedigree is in pop heart and hook, and this details and fleshes out and validates everything he puts out. When it’s fast paced and flaunting the weird paradoxes as in opener ‘Out of the Blue’ it is absolute gold. In saying that, Phrazes For The Young is a bit patchy. During slower moments it becomes almost tedious. The introductory bars of ‘Left & Right In The Dark’ have a synth line that dances like vintage Van Morrison, but soon segues into highly catchy, original, playful territory. Casablancas announced recently that he hoped his opus would be like Thin Lizzy meets Cheap Trick. I can’t say I agree that’s how it’s turned out, but Phrazes is perfectly produced and very varied, and Casablancas has come up with a multitude of confoundingly catchy melodies.

Gritty single ‘11th Dimenson’ is the best, its sunny synths and twirling guitars are coupled with bubbling bass and percolating ‘80s percussion. I haven’t heard a more hum-able melody in a long time. ‘4 Chords of the Apocalypse’ is a slow rumbling blues number which sounds kind of dated – in a bad way – until it gets more gritty with trademark Strokes high-end guitar riffery that lapses into multi-tracked electronica again. ‘Ludlow St’ is captivating, armed at first with a curious desert storm melody, it shirks back to reveal a simpler, prettier pop song backed by a staunchly reverberating hip hop beat.

Some much-needed aggression soon rears its head in ‘River of Brakelights’ – Julian is accustomed to providing many balanced releases, after all he was behind the influential masterpiece Is This It? Penultimate track ‘Glass’ is a beautiful, layered, delicate song with the most bombastic, beautiful bassline and twinkling melodies in the chorus. ‘Tourist’ closes the album in elongated fashion with symphonic synth shards raining down on noodling guitar lines and a stomping beat.

Casablancas really knows how to utilise the technology he’s chosen and shows himself to be an incredibly progressive thinker. Phrazes is a modern, varied and layered release that Casablancas’ has been rather courageous with. Though it’s not quite what I expected, and certainly feels short in length, his sophisticated care comes through in his more eloquent delivery. Phrazes is also far superior and wide reaching in terms of experimentation in instrumentation and programming. It’s almost as if he doesn’t have to try, Casablancas is a natural talent and, to be honest, a visionary.
Sarah

Posted by Sarah Gooding under Album, Reviews
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