Favourite Five Recent Releases

Five of the best albums from the recent postings at Elsewhere. Music too good to let slide into the archives. The Elsewhere place if you're looking for a quick fix.

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Skilaa: Tiger in the River (digital outlets)

8 Jul 2024  |  1 min read

Now this is very interesting and something very different by this ensemble of local artists, many of whom met at the University of Auckland jazz school. As did the Beths. But they took their interest into indie.rock and Skilaa use jazz vocals, scatting and hip-hop and soul as their stepping off point. So imagine early Arrested Development who grew up with Sarah Vaughan and Flora... > Read more

Bite Like That

Anna Coddington: Te Whakamika Loop/digital outlets)

8 Jul 2024  |  1 min read

From time to time Elsewhere will single out a recent release we recommend on vinyl, like this album which comes in a striking cover and has an insert sheet of credits and some explanatory notes by the artist. Check out Elsewhere's other Recommended Record picks . . .  . On an album where the title alludes to showing appreciation, respect or paying a compliment, the... > Read more

Kātuarehe

John Cale: POPtical Illusion (digital outlets)

1 Jul 2024  |  1 min read

We have said it before will doubtless say it again and so might as well say it now: Elsewhere has long considered John Cale as the most consistently interesting member to emerge from the Velvet Underground. Certainly Lou Reed was a great artist but there were many albums which failed to spark and no matter how much slavish fans would want to elevate some of them they are perhaps just the... > Read more

Davies and Wales

Arooj Aftab: Night Reign (digital outlets)

17 Jun 2024  |  1 min read

Among the many rewards of listening to music is the constant discovery of artists old and new. At Elsewhere barely a week goes by when we don't stumble on some odd track worthy of an entry From the Vaults or someone WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT . . . One of the most musically beguiling discoveries of recent years – and a charming interview subject before appearances in Wellington and... > Read more

Aey Nehin

Mel Parsons: Sabotage (digital outlets)

10 Jun 2024  |  2 min read

With the title track of her previous album Slow Burn, Mel Parsons offered a useful shorthand to her style and career. With Sabotage she's been slow-burning over six albums, numerous songwriting nominations and wins in folk and country categories, and the respect of her peers. For someone who has built a more than respectable catalogue of songs however, Parsons still hasn't quite connected... > Read more

Hoping for Rain