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Pete Molinari: A Virtual Landscape (Shock)

English singer-songwriter Molinari's debut Walking off the Map was a beguiling, blatantly Dylanesque affair which found great favour at Elsewhere -- but this time out he's like a pub quiz: which song am I referencing now?Usually it's Dylan but he lifts shamelessly from Sam Cooke, Hank Williams, the Stones' in 65, young Donovan . . . And you gotta love a nasal line like this: "they all... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Various: Sacred Music of India (Silk Road/Ode)

Recorded at a 2000 festival in Bangalore organised by the Dalai Lama's people (the good Dal writes the introduction in accompanying booklet which also reproduces his inspirational speech opening the eight day event) this 12 track disc takes a broad sweep through some of the styles of India's myriad sacred musicsIt opens with vocal percussion, offers short ragas, some wonderful Rajasthani... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Hellsongs: Hymns in the Key of 666 (Rhythmethod)

It happens every now and again, someone turns a genre on its head -- like when Hayseed Dixie makeover hard rock as hoe-down bluegrass, Pat Boone takes metal classics and makes them big band ballads, or Metallica's music gets appropriated by a string quartet.This is familiar stuff, and Laibach taking Let It Be into aggressive martial music is a particular favourite at Elsewhere.So you only need... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Various: A Day in My Mind's Mind Vol 3; 28 Kiwi Psychedelic Trips 1967-72 (EMI)

As with the second volume in this excellent on-going and budget-priced series, I wrote the liner notes to this album and -- with the invaluable research and help of Grant Gillanders who once again chose the tracks and must be on the shortlist of an honour's list for services to Kiwi music -- I also wrote the profiles on the bands who feature.Again rather than me itemise the trippy music and... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Various: Life Beyond Mars. Bowie Covered (Border)

The ever-increasing pile of tribute albums/covers is so high it is starting to topple under its own weight. Just last week Elsewhere offered the amusing lounge-sweet versions of heavy metal by Hellsongs.Bowie has always been ripe for covers and there have been any number of such projects already: the point of difference here is the obscurity of the bands (only Au Revior Simone, Kelley Polar... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Pop Levi: Never Never Love (Border)

Recently Mika and Kylie proved the durability of mindless, glam-pop which comes splattered with glitter and huge choruses, not much in the way of emotional depth and is just a whole heap of mindless fun.Those who criticised the enormously enjoyable Mika (see below) for ripping off Queen rather missed the point -- which was to rip off Queen.Pop Levi is in the same territory: he keeps the songs... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Sa Dingding: Alive (Universal)

Elsewhere has frequently posted Chinese, Mongolian and Tibetan music recorded in the field and of earthy authenticity (or soaring spirituality). But we aren't averse to a bit of Cantonese pop, ambient Sino-fusion or wallpaper world music which nods to the Middle Kingdom. These days only a fool or an academic would be snooty about world music artists and try to delineate between the genuine... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Beth Rowley: Little Dreamer (Universal)

In the wake of the success of Duffy comes this bluesy singer from Bristol who also possesses a touch of French chanteuse and pop belter in her delivery, is courageous enough to open her debut album with a downbeat version of the old standard Nobody's Fault But Mine (which Led Zepp covered), deliver Dylan's I Shall be Released with a reggae shuffle (not good) and cover Willie Nelson's Angel... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08 1 Comment

John Mellencamp: Life, Death, Love Freedom (Universal)

John Mellencamp's last album Freedom's Road was so good -- a grounded, raw and uncompromising look at America in the hinterland and heartland -- that this similarly conceived new one should attract immediate attention.Mellencamp -- who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year -- somehow falls below the sight lines in New Zealand, despite a long and creditable body of... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08 1 Comment

Little Pictures: Owl + Owl (Lil' Chief)

Electropop married to slightly whimsical faux-naivety isn't an easy call and I have no doubt some will recoil from this bedroom music -- and when this Wellington duo quivers through the awful Tips for Domestic Bliss you can count me among the naysayers.But elsewhere here are charming little pop songs adeptly realised and working well within the self-imposed limitations. They do command an... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Silver Jews: Lookout Mountain Look out Sea (UNSpin/EMI)

This US indie-rock band with loose links to early Pavement might not be to everyone's taste -- but singer-songwriter David Berman's easy blend of the occasional Johnny Cash gravitas in his delivery, his shaggy-dog stories, unexpected metaphors and rhymes, skewed stories and memorable alt.country pop has had this one on steady Elsewhere play at home and in the car (his stories make good... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Bonnie Prince Billy: Lie Down in the Light (UKSpin)

After establishing himself as the downbeat and somewhat gloomy singer-songwriter living in a half-lit corner of oldtime Americana, Will Oldham (aka Bonnie Prince Billy, Palace, Palace Brothers etc etc) sounds like he has changed his listening habits and maybe gone into a sun-soaked cornfield.Some will find this disappointing and it does need to be said that this feels very lightweight in... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08 1 Comment

Neil Worboys and the Real Time Liners: Some Day Soon (Ode)

The blues gets short shrift in the New Zealand critical community (see comments about Billy TK Jnr) and my guess is that most writers think it is somehow easy to play. Or is sort of "imported" (and reggae, indie.rock and alt.country ain't??)Anyway these guys from Wellington play that terminally unhip music -- and play it well.Singer Worboys has a career which goes back to the... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08 1 Comment

Renee-Louise Carafice: Tells You To Fight! (Monkey)

Frankly I'm always suspicious about the whole music-as-therapy thing: most often the music is godawful, and the lyrics so tortured and self-referential that they rarely reach any further than the bedroom or hospital ward that spawned them.Which is why I come to Carafice -- institutionalised in Auckland with severe depression in 2005 -- with considerable reservation. And it cuts no ice with me... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08 3 Comments

Travis & Fripp: Thread (Southbound)

Travis & Fripp: Thread (Southbound) more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Dave Murphy: Yes That's Me (Ode)

Yes, and that's me with the quote on the back cover of this excellent collection by longstanding Wellington bluesman Dave Murphy.Here's what I say: "The blues is a music made by people who have struggled, have hard and true stories to tell and do so in a voice that is compelling. Dave Murphy, 35 years a journeyman on New Zealand's blues highway, is one of those characters and this... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08 3 Comments

Grammaphone: Grammaphone (Thoughtless)

Got to say when I went to school it was a big deal just to be in a band and the thought of making a record was beyond our comprehension -- which made Nooky Stott, drummer with Larry's Rebels, something of a distant (if slightly overweight) god to us.But times change (for the better) and these students from Auckland Grammar not only recorded, but produced a very impressive double disc in a... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

John Clarke: The Fred Dagg All-Purpose DVD and Music CD (Screenline)

The genius of John Clarke in channeling rural culture and dry observations through his character Fred Dagg hasn't diminished in the two decades-plus since Dagg made his first appearance.In part that is because there was a droll social and political observation woven into Dagg's view of the world. Dagg was a character with limitations of course so it was inevitable Clarke would take off to... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

Hammond Gamble: Ninety Mile Days (Liberation)

Two years ago when this Auckland singer-songwriter and very special guitarist released his Recollection album (acoustic treatments of Street Talk and solo songs) I noted that it served to remind what a great songwriter he was.He'd long been acknowledged as an expressive bluesy singer and guitarist, but it had been too easy to forget just how crafted songs such as Whistling the Blues in the... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08

White Swan Black Swan: White Swan Black Swan (Arch Hill)

An excellent earlier EP by this Auckland duo and friends made repeat appearances at Elsewhere previously -- and this follow-up is their "double mini album".W/B Swan are Sonya Waters and Ben Howe who have long and illustrious careers (in bands such as the Instigators, ICU in London, Orange, Superette) and they were together in the acclaimed Fang. Bassist Ben Furniss and drummer... more >>

Added: 25 Aug 08