Now I knew about this album – maybe not quite at the time, but sometime shortly after, and I just never quite made it through to it. A shame. And good to be there now. Because not only is Jeru The Damaja great, and certainly career-best here on this debut, but also I was into all the stuff that came up around this time […]
Usually when I’m on RNZ it’s to review albums – sometimes a concert or a feature. But the other week I got another call-up to have a wee crack on the Panel (w/ Wallace Chapman). They were talking about collecting and collectors. And there was a news story about a TradeMe auction for clearance stock from Real Groovy’s […]
The argument around Michael Jackson – specifically around “cancelling Michael Jackson” is essentially about the price of fandom, that being that some people believe their fandom to be worth more than a victim’s story. The film Leaving Neverland has had people in a flap, long before even seeing it. News of Michael Jackson’s alleged pedophilia and the processing of it […]
Superturtle, Student Flat Reunion (2018) Some Superturtle albums are better than others, but the ones I’ve heard have all had something, and won me over in some way. This is maybe the best realisation of the band’s skills and sound and Darren McShane’s writing is super-great right here. I’ve already said all I really need to say about this album in […]
Rufus Marigold Ross Murray Earth’s End Ross Murray’s Rufus Marigold comic strip began life online – now it’s a book – expanded, new panels, new stories. It’s a wonderful examination of social anxiety. Much like Brent Williams’ powerful Out of the Woods graphic novel it is doing great work for explaining lived-experience with mental illness; for normalising, de-stigmatising. I’m not an anxiety-sufferer, but, like anyone, […]
Nate Smith Pocket Change Ropeadope LLC Nate Smith, master drummer – as a composer and musician he is both bandleader and session-sideman. He’s racking up the credits – in the last week or so I’ve reviewed his James Gadson-aping star-support turn on the Jose James album of Bill Withers covers and his furious funk attack as a cameo-star with The Fearless Flyers. […]
This one time I met a friend of a friend – they were all ‘she’s great, she’s so into music’ or something like that. and so at some point we’re all at this restaurant and I can’t remember the story exactly – but it was about people that are good at things but are total arseholes, and the whole […]
So, every now and then when I’m wondering why I’m still going through this book and trying to listen to every album listed that I haven’t previously heard something genuinely surprising will come along. There’s been albums that are great by artists I thought I didn’t care about, there’s been some things, too, that I’d […]
Bobo Stenson Trio Contra La Indecis¡on ECM I’ve been listening to this album for some time now – this review is super late, the album’s been out over a year now, but I’m placing it here for those that may wish to find it, either because you’ve heard the album and loved it and want to hear someone’s take on it […]
Remember when Prince was the weird one? Taking Kim Basinger on a date to a cemetery, recording a duet of Scandalous black roses strewn – and they fucked on the floor on the studio, or did they? Darling Nikki and the right to fap – created the parental advisory sticker, had Tipper Gore all in a flap, the purple one mystical as shit the rumours swirling like paisley park pinwheels blowing in a manufactured […]
Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band, Night Moves (1976) Is this the best Bob Seger album? I think so. Worth it for the title track alone. Here we listen through nearly six minutes of Seger’s failed, failing and nearly-getting-there attempts to fuck, his teenage lust laid, erm, bare. And then that final onanistic wail. Talk about payoff. It is basically dripping […]
Tedeschi Trucks Band Signs Fantasy I’m truly happy that Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks met and married – and not just for the personal story, they’re making better music together. Which is not to say they were ever making bad music alone. Tedeschi has seven solo albums where she belts out blues licks and sings her heart out – she’s a hell […]
