Graham Reid | | 2 min read
With the dearth of pressing plants and a backlog of yet another Bowie reissue to be run off, local artists often have a hard time getting their short-run needs met when it comes to having their album out on vinyl.
Sometimes it is months after the album's release before it eventually appears on record.
And parallel to that problem for newly released albums is the number of older albums in the queue for a reissue on record.
That said, we applaud the appearance of quite a few older albums now in stores on shiny plastic.
Here we single out just five new reissues on record (and the date refers to when they were originally released) . . .
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Dance Exponents: Prayers Be Answered (1983)
When this band's singer was the first inductee into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame in 2007 there were howls of disapproval from those who came armed with lists of more worthy candidates. But what they failed to see (and hear) was Jordan Luck was – and continues to be – one of the country's great frontmen and songwriters for this band and its sequel The Exponents, inducted into the Hall eight years later. He could craft pop rock which was memorable and – as with the hit single Victoria here – had something to say. This second album also included the annoyingly popular pub singalong I'll Say Goodbye.
But we'll forgive him that. Shamelessly enjoyable pop-rock.
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The Body Electric: Presentation & Reality (1983)
The 2022 reissue of this seminal local synth-pop album (which included Imagination and the archetypal electronica hit Pulsing) bundled it into a double record set with their self-titled EP and four other remastered tracks by the band's Alan Jansson (OMC, Chain Gang, Sisters Underground etc). Jansson described their music as escapist at the time but there was also considerable unease evident.
So, still timely then.
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Straitjacket Fits: Melt (1990)
The last album with the late Andrew Brough – later of Bike – who brought a lightness of touch (Down in Splendour) as a counterpoint to Shayne Carter's raw rock (Roller Ride).
And particularly to his extraordinary menace, energy and rage (Bad Note for a Heart, Skin to Wear) which pointed the harder direction he would pursue on the next Fits album Blow.
A great collection of SJF songs.
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Tadpole: Buddhafinger (2000)
At a time when local guitar bands were making a comeback and getting rock radio play – and Garbage were huge – Tadpole arrived with a roar on this brittle, abrasive and hefty album which (their point of difference) also featured the scratching of DJ Kritikl.
Renee Brennan is a powerful and expressive vocalist here, and Tadpole captured a huge audience which took this album to number 2 on the charts.
Uncompromising even now.
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The D4: 6twentyone (2001)
This 20th anniversary vinyl release of the original 6Twenty album reminded just what an exciting, uncompromising rock'n'roll garageband they were, delivering short'n'sharp shots of incendiary, original noise . . . and their covers of Johnny Thunders' Pirate Love and local heroes Scavengers' Mysterex.
Here for a good time not a long time.
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All these local albums (and many more on vinyl) are available on vinyl at JB Hi-Fi stores here
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