Christchurch-born singer-songwriter James Milne recording under the name Lawrence Arabia. Indie pop shaped by 1960s classicism, wry storytelling, and sophisticated arrangements. APRA Silver Scroll winner (2009, ‘Apple Pie Bed’) and inaugural Taite Music Prize recipient (2010, Chant Darling). Five solo albums on Lil Chief, Honorary Bedouin, Bella Union, and Flying Nun.
The Chills, led by Martin Phillips, were a seminal New Zealand band central to the Dunedin Sound. Formed in 1980. Despite struggles, including the death of drummer Martyn Bull and Phillips’ drug dependency and health issues, they continued producing acclaimed albums until Phillips’ unexpected passing in 2024.
#thechills #martinphillips #nzmusic
Eclectic Auckland group with a revolving line-up based around the song-writing talents of David Graham. Their music has pushed and pulled in various different directions over the years, from punky rock’n’roll to encompass full horn sections and strings, to stripped back indie-rock line-ups. Their songs just explode with melody, crazy lyrics and noisy enthusiasm.
#nzmusic #therainydays
‘A sort of holiday’ was a one-off 7″ single on Fkying Nun records from the mysterious Rik Starrr – an alias for Edmund Cake, yet to find his fame in the much vaunted Bressa Creeting Cake.
#nzmusic #rikstarrr #flyingnunrecords #edmundcake #bressacreetingcake
Shaft is the long-standing vehicle of prominent song-writer Bob Cardy (aka Bob Brannigan), guitarist for the Axemen and a stalwart of the New Zealand underground scene. With a rotating cast of musicians backing him, Shaft always sounds like Shaft; a terrific band brimming with brilliant, dynamic and catchy songs.
Nick ‘Harte’ Hodgson’s loud rock’n’roll outfit.
Started life as Tony Valens and the Incisions in the mid 90’s and were mostly concentrated on primal rhythms and harsh, noisy guitar flourishes – creating some absolutely brilliant sounds far outside the commercial scope of rock’n’roll.
Wow, this is loud, caustic stuff.
The 2nd album from the ever-changing Christchurch 3-piece The Incisions blow the current crop of rock’n’roll revivalists out of the water. Its pure fire in a recording, scratchy, loud, abrasive and rude – more in the style of Japanese noise merchants Guitar Wolf or (particularly) Teengenrate than The Datsuns (who seem positively polished in comparison).
Biography James Milne’s reduction agents spawned out of his Brunettes association with Ryan McPhun – which also created the McPhun -led Ruby Suns. Milnes variation create country-tinged pop tunes, infused with a dose of Dennis Wilson era beach boys harmonies… Read More »The Reduction Agents
Biography Quirky whimsical 3-piece based around one-man studio mark lyons, along with cohorts dionne and tam taylor. haphazardly recorded during the late 90s and early 00s, and then finally released in 2003, the thoroughly involving songbook debut was created using… Read More »The Nudie Suits
Biography Sunshine and candy-canes, The Brunettes were a hard-working and extremely promising, genuine kiwi pop band – a rare thing in this day and age. Forming around Heather Mansfield and Jonathan Bree’s girl-boy vocals and a plethora of instruments used… Read More »The Brunettes
2004, Lil’ Chief, LCR007 Over the course of the last two years, The Brunettes must surely go down as one of New Zealand’s most productive bands, with a series of long-stay live tours flowing across New Zealand and stories of… Read More »The Brunettes – Mars Loves Venus
2002, Lil’ Chief, LCR001 Sunny pop, sing-along melodies, and carefree grooves. Not something that pops up too often in New Zealand music, but The Brunettes pull it off with a slick, diverse album that I can imagine being a beach-party… Read More »The Brunettes – Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks