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  • Buffalo Killers: Dig. Sow. Love. Grow.

    Ce Ol Manawatu: Mhor

    The Wyld: Preface

    J. Dilla: Rebirth of Detroit

    The Shifting Sands: Feel

    Mark Knopfler: Privateering

    Thrashing Marlin: Donkey Deep

    The Eastern: Hope and Wire

    Xiu Xiu: Always

    Marilyn Manson: Born Villain

    The Mavis Staples Interview

    The Sonny Rollins Interview

    The Mark Knopfler Interview

    The Elvis Costello Interview

    The George Clinton Interview

    The Damon Albarn Interview

    Ambitious – Jeff Beck

    Dr. John – Shoo Fly Marches on

    Neil Young: Waging Heavy Peace

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Simon Sweetman

    The Mavis Staples Interview

    The Sonny Rollins Interview

    The Mark Knopfler Interview

    The Elvis Costello Interview

    The George Clinton Interview

    The Damon Albarn Interview

    Wellington Jazz Festival 2013: Q&A with Lucien Johnson

    Not A Terence Trent D’Arby Interview

    The Rob Schneider Interview

    On The Blower With Gaza: A Chat with Gareth Liddiard of The Drones

    Ambitious – Jeff Beck

    Dr. John – Shoo Fly Marches on

    My Brian Jones Drawing

    Neil Young & Crazy Horse to play two NZ shows

    SJD’s New Album: Streaming Now

    Black Sabbath to Play One NZ Show

    Letterbomb

    My Author Talk at Unity Books

    Robert Plant to Play Two NZ Shows

    On Song: Playlist

    Playlist: Random Record Crate # 3

    Playlist: John Waters Hitchhikes Across America

    Playlist: Random Record Crate # 10

    Playlist: Favourite ‘Live Album’ Tracks

    Playlist: From “The Greatest Music In The World” DJ Set

    Playlist: She-Bop (DJ Set)

    Playlist: Random Record Crate # 22

    Sweetman Podcast: Episode 1 – Darren Watson

    Sweetman Podcast: Episode 2 – Rhian Sheehan

    Sweetman Podcast: TEASER Episode 3 – Booga Beazley

    Sweetman Podcast: TEASER TWO Episode 3 – Booga Beazley

    Sweetman Podcast: Episode 3 – Booga Beazley

    Sweetman Podcast: TEASER Episode 4 – Lisa Tomlins

    Sweetman Podcast: Episode 4 – Lisa Tomlins

    Sweetman Podcast: Episode 5 – Stuart Coupe

    Sweetman Podcast: Episode 6 – Phil O’Brien

    Sweetman Podcast: Episode 7 – Hinemoana Baker

    Neil Young: Waging Heavy Peace

    Mind The Bollocks: A Riotous Rant Through The Ridiculousness of Rock ‘n’ Roll

    Bachman & Turner Live At The Roseland Ballroom, NYC

    Flying Lotus: Until The Quiet Comes

    Streets of Fire: Bruce Springsteen in Photographs and Lyrics 1977-1979

    The Doors: Live At The Bowl ’68

    John Frusciante: PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone

    Bob Mould: Silver Age

    Kara Gordon & The Wreckage: Kara Gordon & The Wreckage

    The Doors: A Lifetime of Listening to Five Mean Years

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Simon Sweetman

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Nik Jarvie-Waldrom

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Alexander Bisley

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Jeremy Sherlock

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Chris Familton

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Johnny Andrews

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Elaine Shute

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Mark Turner

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Gordon MacLachlan

    Five Albums I’m Loving Right Now: Martyn Pepperell

    The Vinyl Countdown # 1586

    The Vinyl Countdown # 1542

    The Vinyl Countdown # 1536

    The Vinyl Countdown # 1533

    The Vinyl Countdown # 1525

    The Vinyl Countdown # 1520

    The Vinyl Countdown # 1519

    The Vinyl Countdown # 1513

    The Vinyl Countdown # 1512

    The Vinyl Countdown # 1511

  • Gallery

    February 20, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    The 1001 Albums Challenge # 127: Spiritualized – “Lazer Guided Melodies”

    Maybe I’m that very rare thing…a “casual” Spiritualized fan… Look, I know about Spacemen 3 (and Jason Pierce) but I really only know the great trilogy (to me at least, and who am I kidding, it won’t just be me) of Spiritualized albums: Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, Let It Come Down and Amazing Grace. And it’s only here, now, seeing […]

    Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged “Lazer Guided Melodies”, 1001, 1001 Albums, 1001 Albums Challenge, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, 1990s, 1992, Amazing Grace, J. Spaceman, Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, Let It Come Down, Nineties, Spacemen 3, Spiritualized, Spiritualized - “Lazer Guided Melodies”, The 1001 Albums Challenge, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 127, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 127: Spiritualized - “Lazer Guided Melodies”, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

    Gallery

    February 20, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    UNWIND Chisholm/Meehan/Dyne: Orange

    UNWIND: Chisholm/Meehan/Dyne  Orange  Rattle  I first heard Hayden Chisholm (saxophones) – well at least first really took notice on the glorious collaborative album Small Holes In The Silence featuring Hannah Griffin’s voice and Norman Meehan’s piano. The music was sparse, the lyrics drawn from famous New Zealand poems. Griffin and Meehan have an ongoing project in collaboration with Bill Manhire. Chisholm was the silent star of […]

    Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, Bass, Chisholm/Meehan/Dyne: Orange, Hayden Chisholm, Instrumental, Jazz, Kiwi, Norman Meehan, NZ, Orange, Paul Dyne, Piano, Rattle, Saxophone, UNWIND Chishom/Meehan/Dyne: Orange, UNWIND: Chisholm/Meehan/Dyne, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

    Gallery

    February 20, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    Pet Shop Boys: Agenda [EP]

    Pet Shop Boys  Agenda [EP]  x2 Recordings Ltd   A ‘surprise’ new Pet Shop Boys EP? Yes, please! Apparently it’s a standalone release…which is to say these four songs won’t appear on the next new album (which is – or rather will be – a thing). So for now we have a set of political songs.  Now Pet Shop Boys has always included anthems with […]

    Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Agenda, Agenda [EP], Album Review, EP, Pet Shop Boys, Pet Shop Boys: Agenda [EP], You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

    Gallery

    February 19, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    Poem: Beatles Theory

    A lot of people seem to think that Paul McCartney and John Lennon hated each other – were competitive, and the band broke up, and that Yoko was a pesky nuisance as well.  The Yoko thing? That’s mostly racism. And sexism too. Paul and John are on the record as having had a bit of […]

    Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Beatles, George, George Harrison, Harrison, John, John Lennon, Lennon, McCartney, Paul, Paul McCartney, Poem, Poem: Beatles Theory, Ringo, Ringo Starr, Starr, The Beatles, Theory ·

    Gallery

    February 19, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    The Vinyl Countdown # 333 

    Sheena Easton, Sugar Walls [Single] (1984) I was pretty into Sheena Easton across the 1980s. First off she had the Bond theme from the first James Bond movie I ever saw, then she had this association with Prince. She had a few big hits on the charts too, anyway, but the Prine-thing was a deal-sealer for me. I can’t remember not being […]

    Posted in Blog, The Vinyl Countdown · Tagged 1984, Double Standard, EP, For Your Eyes Only, LP, Prince, Record, Sheena Easton, Single, Sugar Walls, The Vinyl Countdown # 333, Vinyl ·

    Gallery

    February 18, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    He likes Doing It. He Likes Being It: The Overseer of The Architecture of Songs – “I Wanted To Be A Filmmaker Anyway” – Alejandro Escovedo on Trump, his new album, overcoming “That Disease” and then the songs, the music, the influence of his family, the connection, the gift…

    Alejandro Escovedo is a songwriter’s songwriter – people like Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams and Bob Dylan reference him among their favourites – not only that, he has backstory that would make you want to get on board anyway. Maybe even if his own music wasn’t super-great, which it is and has been across the last quarter-century. His enviable […]

    Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Alejandro Escovedo, Chat, Conversation, Donald Trump, He likes Doing It. He Likes Being It: The Overseer of The Architecture of Songs - “I Wanted To Be A Filmmaker Anyway” - Alejandro Escovedo on Trump, his new album, Interview, Mexican, NZ, NZ Tour, overcoming “That Disease” and then the songs, PR, Promo, Texas, the connection, The Gift, the influence of his family, The Music ·

    Gallery

    February 18, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    Sam Newton: Stare Into The Dark

    Sam Newton  Stare Into The Dark  Sam Newton/Independent  Sometimes exactly what you want is a songwriter that is dialing it right back. Across three albums Australian singer/songwriter Sam Newton has been exploring that concept. Here with his latest it is almost entirely about ‘the song’.  Sure he has a pleasant voice – he summons the requisite vulnerability, heartbreak, and in fact a range of emotions. He’s […]

    Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, Australia, Australian, Sam Newton, Sam Newton: Stare Into The Dark, Singer/Songwriter, Stare Into The Dark ·

    Gallery

    February 17, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    The 1001 Albums Challenge # 126: Koffi Olomide – “Haut De Gamme” 

    Probably couldn’t have picked a worse time to ‘discover’ Koffi Olomide. I’d never heard his music, not sure I’d even heard of the Congolese singer and musician, if I’m honest. But in a routine-Googling to find the cover image and any background guff to add to this – I found out he’s accused of multiple sexual assaults and is generally […]

    Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged 1001, 1001 Albums, 1001 Albums To Hear Before You Die, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, 1990s, 1991, Africa, Haut De Gamme, Koffi Olomide, Koffi Olomide - “Haut De Gamme”, Nineties, The 1001 Albums Challenge, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 126, The 1001 Albums Challenge # 126: Koffi Olomide - “Haut De Gamme”, World Music ·

    Gallery

    February 17, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    Francisca Griffin: The Spaces Between 

    Francisca Griffin The Spaces Between CocoMuse With 20 years off since her last release you could definitely say there have been some spaces between – but welcome back Francisca Griffin (formerly Kathy Bull of Look Blue Go Purple) and The Spaces Between, recorded over a few days in 2015 and 2016 and released now – is […]

    Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, CocoMuse, Francisca Griffin, Francisca Griffin: The Spaces Between, Kathy Bull, Look Blue Go Purple, The Spaces Between, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

    Gallery

    February 17, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    Poem: The tuatara in the playground 

    recently, someone was telling me that the tuatara in the playground in Cuba Mall (I call it a playground, it’s a slide and this fucking tuatara-thing) is the most pointless playground-thing around.

    Posted in Blog, Miscellany · Tagged Cuba Mall, Poem, Poem: The tuatara in the playground, The tuatara in the playground, Tuatara, Wellington ·

    Gallery

    February 17, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    Matt Brewer: Ganymede

    Matt Brewer  Ganymede  Criss Cross  Master bassist and composer Matt Brewer has been making ‘heady’ art-filled jazz music across the last two decades as sideman and leader, and importantly as a writer, working with the likes of Dave Douglas, Christian McBride, Greg Osby, Brad Mehldau and many more. Most recently he’s been creating dizzyingly wonderful larger-ensemble workouts, but here it’s […]

    Posted in Blog, Reviews · Tagged Album Review, Bass, Damion Reid, Drums, Ganymede, Instrumental, Jazz, Mark Shim, Matt Brewer, Matt Brewer: Ganymede, Saxophones, You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron ·

    Gallery

    February 17, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

    The Vinyl Countdown # 334 

    Pet Shop Boys, Introspective (1988)  Probably the biggest love affair I’m having now with a band from the past is Pet Shop Boys. Always liked them. A big band – with huge singles – when I was a kid. And the first two albums were packed with highlights and I had a copy of the greatest hits CD through […]

    Posted in Blog, The Vinyl Countdown · Tagged 1988, 80s, Always On My Mind, Always On My Mind / In My House, Domino Dancing, In My House, Left To My Own Devices, LP, Pet Shop Boys, Record, The Vinyl Countdown, The Vinyl Countdown # 334, Vinyl ·
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    Off The Tracks is the home of Sweetman Podcast, a weekly interview/chat-based pod. It's also home to my reviews across film, TV, music and books and some creative writing as well.

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