Music at Elsewhere

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

Fresh Cut Rose

The Unfaithful Ways: Free Rein (Native Tongue)

14 Nov 2011 | 1 min read

While so many educated urbanites who never be caught dead chopping wood by lamplight have immersed themselves in a kind of rural Americana, this group out of earthquake damaged Christchurch look to a less explored tradition, straight country music without the "alt." prefix. And that makes them very refreshing . . . although that seems an odd thing to say about lyrics which speak... > Read more

Yesterday I Loved You But Today I Just Don't Care

Pink Martini: A Retrospective (Inertia)

9 Nov 2011 | <1 min read

If you haven't already fallen for the considerable charms of Portland's multi-lingual, sophisticated, funny and utterly delightful 14-piece Pink Martini helmed by Thomas Lauderdale and which features the vocals of China Forbes, then you have clearly been asleep. Stepping lightly between classic Forties and Fifties slick pop, chanson, latin moods and lounge (among other genres), they deliver... > Read more

Hey Eugene

Various Artists: Sweet Inspiration, The Songs of Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham (Ace)

7 Nov 2011 | <1 min read | 2

Here's a long overdue collection, the songs of the Penn-Oldham songwriting team out of Alabama and Memphis whose songs were covered by the likes of Percy Sledge, Dionne Warwick, Charlie Rich, Etta James, Solomon Burke, the Box Tops and Irma Thomas, all of whom are here. So here are 24 country-soul songs from their classic period in the Sixties (andJeanne Newman's previously unreleased It... > Read more

I Met Her In Church

Hallelujah Picassos: Rewind the Hateman (HP/Rhythmethod)

7 Nov 2011 | 1 min read

In one of the liner note essays here Ross Cunningham says when he first got a copy of Auckland band Hallelujah Picassos debut album Hateman in Love he kept playing it because "it sounded like a compilation". I always felt the same. Cunningham says he came to them through hip-hop, I'd heard them from the reggae direction but, again as Cunningham notes, when you saw them live... > Read more

Crack Dub

Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa: Don't Explain (J&R Adventures)

7 Nov 2011 | <1 min read | 2

Janis Joplin would scare the daylight out of most sleeve sucking, infantile women pop singers cluttering the charts and few have taken her as a role model. Hart played Joplin in a stage production and seemed well cast given her sandpaper-brushed roar. Here with Black Country Communion guitar virtuoso Bonamassa, she covers material by Tom Waits (Chocolate Jesus), Etta James (I'd Rather... > Read more

Well Well

Primus: Green Naugahyde (Prawn/Southbound)

7 Nov 2011 | <1 min read

After almost a decade with no new material it's a surprise to find California indie-rockers Primus (who did the original theme to South Park) still around. But on this typically edgy, odd and bass-oriented outing they sound as out-there as ever on material which welds funk, jazz-rock and Zappa-like lyrics (about salmon farmers, ecology, spaghetti westerns, burgers) together into their... > Read more

Lee Van Cleef

Slow Electric: Slow Electric (Panegyric/Southbound)

3 Nov 2011 | <1 min read

If the name Guided by Voices hadn't already been claimed, it could apply to this collaboration between vocalist/pianist Tim Bowness and keyboard player/software designer Peter Chilvers with Estonians Robert Jurjendal (guitars) and trumpeter Aleksei Saks who perform as UMA. Existing somewhere between wistful and ethereal ambient music, Miles Davis' emotionally distant trumpet and wispy... > Read more