Music at Elsewhere

Roy Harper: Songs of Love and Loss (Union Square)

12 Dec 2011 | <1 min read | 3

English folk-rocker Harper – now 70 – is much eulogised by senior (male) British rock critics and has latterly been hailed by the neo-folk movement (Fleet Foxes, Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom etc). Led Zepp acknowledged him with Hats Off To Harper (on Led Zeppelin III) and he sang on Have a Cigar on Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. Schooled equally in American... > Read more

Another Day

Paley and Francis: Reid Paley and Black Francis (Cooking Vinyl)

12 Dec 2011 | <1 min read

After the Pixies split in the early 90s, Black Francis became Frank Black for enjoyable power-pop and post-punk solo albums with odd lyrical content of no fixed direction, and later worked with various Nashville musicians, among them songwriter/pianist Spooner Oldham. Francis/Black was unpredictable, as was that Pixies reunion. But this is an odd, sometimes likably ramshackle... > Read more

On the Corner

America: Back Pages (Shock)

9 Dec 2011 | <1 min read

There's a slight irony here perhaps -- America covering other people's songs? But weren't they the band many thought had covered a Neil Young song with their huge hit Horse with No Name? Certainly sounded like a Young song at first hearing. This time out though Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley pick up material by Paul Simon (his America oddly enough, which is the oopening track), Joni... > Read more

Caroline No

Amy Winehouse: Lioness; Hidden Treasures (Island)

7 Dec 2011 | <1 min read | 1

The title of this posthumous album considerably oversells its 12 song contents, most of these are not treasures or even offer much in the way of new material she was working on at the time of her death. Rather, this is a cobbling together of some excellent material alongside stuff which wouldn't have made the cut to any album, just maybe footnotes in some future box set. Now that there... > Read more

Wake Up Alone (2002)

Gold Medal Famous: 100 Years of Rock (Powertools)

7 Dec 2011 | 1 min read

Out of Wellington, New Zealand -- where people like to put on fancy dress for parties -- comes Gold Medal Famous who recently recorded a song, John Key is a Dick (BBQ Reggae Version) which might help you get a bead on them. If they are serious they certainly disguise it well, especially on this album with songs titles like Don't Just Text Me, Call Me, I Want to Make You Come, They're... > Read more

100 Years of Rock

Marilyn Crispell, Richard Nunns, Jeff Henderson: This Appearing World (Rattle)

6 Dec 2011 | 1 min read

These days it's not uncommon to see a Japanese restaurant offering “tapas”, people to speak of pan- Pacific fusion food (Japan-meets-Polynesia-meets-California?) or for one of the best Italian restaurants in Sydney to have a chef trained in New Zealand. (True, Lucio's in Paddington). But if music be the food of love then let's talk about pan-Pacific fusion sounds where... > Read more

Missed Children

Various Artists; Where the Boys Are; The Songs of Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield (Ace/Border)

6 Dec 2011 | 2 min read

Right at the end of Captain and Tennille's huge pop hit Love Will Keep Us Together in '75-- written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield -- you can hear Toni Tennille spontaneously weave in the line "Sedaka is back". In fact Sedaka -- who had been writing pop hits with lyricist Greenfield since Connie Francis' Stupid Cupid in '58 -- had never really been away. The previous year... > Read more

Get Rid of Him

Peter Gabriel: New Blood (Real World)

5 Dec 2011 | 1 min read

In the mid Nineties when no tribute album to Van Morrison had been forthcoming and none seemed planned, Morrison took matters into his own hands and on No Prima Donna -- with Lisa Stansfield, Elvis Costello, Sinead O'Connor, Marianne Faithfull and others -- delivered a tribute album to himself which he produced. This new Peter Gabriel album has some of the same quality. In 2010 Gabriel did... > Read more

Intruder

Ash and the Matadors: An Evening Echo (1.11.11)

2 Dec 2011 | 1 min read

This band from southern New Zealand came to attention at Elsewhere with their ruggedly interesting EP The Mansion Tapes in 2010 at which time they earned the comment, "An EP as calling card, better will doubtless follow". This is the debut album which follows. But frankly, some of it is disappointing and rather shapeless (or familiar) guitar rock which must sound good on the... > Read more

88 Fires Again

Various Artists; Legendary Wild Rockers (BBE)

30 Nov 2011 | <1 min read

Collated by UK retro-DJs Keb Darge and Little Edith, this is 20 tracks of rare Fifties rockabilly and surf-rock where guitars twang, rhymes are kept simple but effective, saxes honk, Little Lil breaks hearts, those left-hand breaks somehow end up in the bayou and a place called Flipsville seems just around the corner. Yes, this is one for those who love the whole loud, fast and out of... > Read more

Little Lil

Ozric Tentacles: Paper Monkeys (Madfish)

29 Nov 2011 | 1 min read

Some great bands can just go right past you if you're not paying attention, and by being a little too far out-of-it you might miss one that you actually need at those “special” private times. Sky Cries Mary out of Seattle – a swirling techno-psychedelic rock band of sky-scaling intention – have always been a particular favourite when time seems to stretch and... > Read more

Knurl

Sigur Ros: Inni (XL CD/DVD)

29 Nov 2011 | <1 min read

Among the many delightful things about Sigur Ros -- the ethereal Icelandic quartet which sings in some made up language -- is you don't need to bother yourself with song titles. Their music is a sonic texture of electronics and plaintive vocals which slides past with a deliberate detachment but a sense of the epic. This double live CD set was recorded at London's Alexandra Palace in late... > Read more

Luppulagid

Jordie Lane: Blood Thinner (Vitamin)

28 Nov 2011 | 1 min read

With very little fanfare at all, this excellent and much acclaimed singer-songwriter out of Melbourne embarks on a New Zealand tour (dates below) and he seems definitely one to catch. You can always be suspicious when a press release says an artist has drawn comparisons with Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Townes Van Zandt, Ryan Adams and others, but there is ample evidence here in these 12... > Read more

Annabelle Marie

Flogging Molly: Speed of Darkness (Other Tongues)

28 Nov 2011 | <1 min read

As with Boston's Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly out of Los Angeles here fuse furious punk anger with their Irish roots for often incendiary and air-punching rock with bellowing choruses – and with the downturn in the American economy they've got something to rage against on this album which tosses out “I spent 27 years in this factory now the bossman says, 'Now you're not... > Read more

The Power's Out

The Changing Same: The Changing Same (Powertools)

28 Nov 2011 | <1 min read

Mainman here is Hamilton-based Matthew Bannister, formerly of Flying Nun's Sneaky Feelings and Dribbling Darts of Love, onetime Mutton Bird, briefly a solo artist as One Man Bannister, and more recently guiding the Weather. An abiding theme in his music has been a gentleness of spirit and sentiment, folk-framed melodies beefed up by guitars and suburban/domestic preoccupations. (He... > Read more

Repeat After Me

Various Artists: Tally Ho! (Flying Nun)

28 Nov 2011 | 1 min read | 1

Although Flying Nun has been down the compilation path in the past (Getting Older 1981-91, Under the Influence, the box set and a number dedicated to collections of individual artists), on the occasion of its 30th anniversary and with a new roster of younger acts, this double disc overview (subtitled Flying Nun's Greatest Bits) is not just forgiveable but thoroughly enjoyable on a number of... > Read more

Looking for the Sun

The Witches: A Haunted Person's Guide to The Witches (Alive/Southbound)

20 Nov 2011 | <1 min read

Detroit's Witches were formed in 1992 (and lasted until a few years ago) when guitarist/writer Troy Gregory returned home after years in various bands including Wasted Youth, Flotsam and Jetsam and Prong -- all of whom erred on the heavier end of the spectrum. Word was he was tipped to take over bass in Metallica in '86 after the death of Cliff Burton, toured with Killing Joke and disbanded... > Read more

Down on Ugly Street

Various Artists: Acoustic Cafe (Putumayo)

19 Nov 2011 | <1 min read

Although many compilations on the Putumayo label are indifferent or perhaps of little interest to Elsewhere (the kids songs from around the world etc), this one leaps out . . . but not so much as to give you a fright. This low-key collection of 11 acoustic tracks serves as fine introduction to many of the artists while also providing a coherent and interesting album in its own right.... > Read more

Danger and Dread

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings: Soul Time! (Daptone)

14 Nov 2011 | <1 min read

Soul singer Jones' credentials were unequivocally accepted when people learned she'd been a prison officer at Rikers and a security guard for Wells Fargo. Tough don't get more tough than that, and allows her to sing gutsy soul, funk and rhythm and blues like Etta James-meets-James Brown. This 12 song collection (mostly written by DK bassist/producer Bosco Mann) gathers previously... > Read more

Without a Trace

Lindon Puffin: Hope Holiday (Aeroplane)

14 Nov 2011 | <1 min read | 1

It's been four years since Puffin's album Show Pony which was impressive for its folk-rock-cum-pop. But this impressively packaged outing kicks things up a few notches as the melodies grip more firmly and there is a real power pop ethic applied (the Petty-like Change of Season), some of which must be attributed to the snappy production (and drumming) by Wayne Bell and having the likes... > Read more