22 Dec 2024
Articles By Paul Goddard
Cairo Knife Fight - EP Review: Dream Season
19 Jul 2024 // review by Paul Goddard
Cairo Knife Fight have been around a while and been through a lot. Spawned in NZ and now based in the U S of A it has been a journey full of highs and lows.
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The Dirty Tones - Album Review: Sweet Thang
23 May 2024 // review by Paul Goddard
For me, Blues music is the real soul music. It has storytelling like Country and folk music and passion like Rock music, but at its core it gives a window into the soul of the people creating it.
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Sam Cullen - EP Review: Love Again
18 Apr 2024 // review by Paul Goddard
When I first heard this brand-new EP from Invercargill native Sam Cullen, I was immediately reminded of another famous Sam who has an equally famous last name (Fender).The four songs on the Love Again EP have a familiarity and similarity with roots going back to Springsteen and the well-trodden stadium rock road but there is also something in the songs on Love Again that could only be grown in New Zealand.
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Skitch Hiker - Single Review: Slippery Wet Handshake
30 Jun 2023 // review by Paul Goddard
Wow.Just when you have given up on music and banging your head against a brick wall wondering why Taylor Swift is more popular than toilet roll during a pandemic something like this comes along.
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Retro Valley - Single Review: Backseat Lovers
19 May 2023 // review by Paul Goddard
Right from the opening bars of Backseat Lovers by Hamilton-based Retro Valley it is clear that this song is pure class.This 3-minute tune is a next-level lesson in how to create, perform and produce a pop/indie classic.
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Murmur Tooth - Murmur Tooth and Lars Moston - Album Review: No Time To Explain
19 May 2023 // review by Paul Goddard
Collaborations can work. Sometimes they do most of the time they don't.
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Sex Dad - Album Review: Sex Dad's Greatest Hits: The Very Best Of Sex Dad
27 Dec 2022 // review by Paul Goddard
Feeling bloated and underwhelmed. Listening to mainstream radio in the car as I left my phone at home.
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Marrow Neck - EP Review: Made Up
23 Nov 2022 // review by Paul Goddard
Sitting here in a very wet and cold, rainy UK watching the oldies falling out of the local Wetherspoons where they have been on the piss since 9am (yep the UK is weird it's only the old people who can afford to get pissed all day).I am reflecting on the past as I listen to the latest EP Made Up from Auckland-based Mark Hannington.
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Amanaki - EP Review: Tempest
03 Nov 2022 // review by Paul Goddard
Hardcore.It tends to mean extreme.
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Big Scout - Album Review: Council Sport
18 Aug 2022 // review by Paul Goddard
It’s finally here. The first Long Player from Blenheim noisy buggers Big Scout.
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Memory Foam - Album Review: Steel Magnolias
28 Jun 2022 // review by Paul Goddard
Did you know that Memory Foam creates a matrix of cells through which air can move? Me neither.
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Mojo Alice - Single Review: Sad Face
26 Apr 2022 // review by Paul Goddard
If there is a phrase I can't stand right now it's "let's get ready for the new normal."Fuck that.
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Nuggiez - Single Review: The Creeps
08 Mar 2022 // review by Paul Goddard
Zeitgeist.One of my favourite words.
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Saurian - Single Review: Ice Cream Man
18 Feb 2022 // review by Paul Goddard
I am going to say it. This might be controversial but the best Ice Cream is a simple Vanilla Whip in a cone.
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Craig Payne - Album Review: A Long Time Coming
23 Dec 2021 // review by Paul Goddard
Life's a journey.Different phases, ranging from feeling bulletproof to feeling paranoid to eventually feeling resigned to whatever happens.
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FRE3DOM - Single Review: On and On
20 Sep 2021 // review by Paul Goddard
Who is pissed off right now? No?
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Captain Festus McBoyle's Travellin' Variety Show - Single/Video Review: Love Song 4 Lucy
06 Sep 2021 // review by Paul Goddard
Sometimes we need a distraction, and a reminder of the basic core reasons as to why we exist.Sometimes, perhaps now more than ever, we need to be reminded of the simple joy that comes with being who we are and of the love that we share with other people.
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Thunderground - Album Review: Thunderground
18 Mar 2021 // review by Paul Goddard
Headphones in, let's go.So the drummer keeps beat, guitars wail and scream, the singer....
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FRE3DOM - Single Review: Back To The Beginning
12 Mar 2021 // review by Paul Goddard
Looking back to move forward. Musicians have done this from the beginning.
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DarkWater - Single Review: Seas of Fallen Concern
21 Jan 2021 // review by Paul Goddard
I like to be transported. Moved to a different place.
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Manzo - Single Review: Working Class Hero (John Lennon Cover)
05 Dec 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
In 1946 John Lennon almost became a Kiwi. His estranged father took him to Blackpool with the intention of heading over with John to start a new life in NZ.
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The Avondale Spiders - Single Review: Black Magik Pills
05 Nov 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
Do you miss anything at the moment?The world is in a crazy place and it is easy to not want to look forward when the future doesn’t look so bright.
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Coffin Club - Single Review: Gaslight
08 Oct 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
Gaslight (or rather Gaslighting) has become a bit of a buzz word recently and sits perfectly as the title for this short sharp shock of fuzzed up punk from Auckland three piece Coffin Club.Unlike a real Gaslight, this song is no slow burner.
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The Response - Single Review: All Of My Flaws
24 Sep 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
Smooth.A word that sounds just as good as it looks.
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Dick Raine - EP Review: Dick Raine and Dick’s Guns
08 Sep 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
Lockdowns are shit. A few months ago, we didn’t even know what a lockdown was nor social distancing and let’s face it the world is pretty fucked at the moment.
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Big Scout - Single Review: Nothing Ever Happens
25 Aug 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
There are ear worms.Then there is this little snaky bastard of a tune from Big Scout.
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Churlington - EP Review: ...Or That The Hummingbird Is So Seldom Seen
13 Aug 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
Why?Why is music so important?
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Mirror Ritual - Single Review: Nothing New
30 Jul 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
New single Nothing New from Wellington-based Transistor is a tricky, trippy, psychedelic aural beast. A snarly bastard of a song.
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Sit Down In Front - Album Review: Confessions of a Pie Thief
26 Jun 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
Punk music means different things to different people. Over the years like most genres it has morphed, been watered down, kicked about and spat out.
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Repairs - Single Review: Cut To The Chase
23 Jun 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
You know that feeling you get when you discover something you weren’t expecting? Not in a bad way, fuck that - we have all discovered too much badness lately.
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For The Wolves - Single Review: The Devil You Know
17 Jun 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
This was just what I needed today. Pandemic lockdown here in the UK has me climbing the walls and wanting to quite frankly rip someone's head off.
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Primacy - Interview with Primacy
01 May 2020 // interview by Paul Goddard
Auckland rockers Primacy have an explosive May lined up with the release of their outstanding debut album Seeds of Change on the 22nd. Seeds of Change comprises 7 songs that explore the pressures we face as humans and as custodians of an overburdened planet.
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Serious Happiness - EP Review: Serious Happiness
22 Feb 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
The ocean is amazing. Just about everyone in New Zealand has a connection with it.
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2 a.m. Orchestra - Album Review: Trading Graves
20 Feb 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
I am sitting in a bar in rainy Manchester, UK.Storm Dennis is about to hit.
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Arrays - Single Review: Dead Sea
20 Jan 2020 // review by Paul Goddard
It’s not easy being in a band. The “it’s Ike being married to three or four other people” often rings true.
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Holloway - Single Review: Hot Pink Paralysis
19 Dec 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Pop and punk don’t mix. Just put Simon Cowell in the same room as John Lydon (if you follow pop punk you might not know who that is, but your view of punk will be much better if you do) and ask them to discuss music and see what happens.
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Shihad - Gig Review: Shihad @ Thekla Bristol, UK - 30/11/2019
04 Dec 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
It’s a cold one tonight here in Bristol as we head over to one of the UK’s most iconic and unique venues. Thekla is a ship permanently moored in Bristol’s harbour.
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Bleeders - Interview with Bleeders
14 Nov 2019 // interview by Paul Goddard
Bleeders are somewhat of a New Zealand phenomenon. Iconic and legendary, they have wowed audiences since their inception in 2002 with their fast and furious punk and anthemic releases.
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Bleeders - Single Review: Darkness Falls
21 Oct 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Back in 2003 I was helping out at the now defunct Brewers Bar in Mount Maunganui. Fresh to NZ I was keen to see what music was on offer.
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Blu Fish - Single Review: Up/Down
18 Oct 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
We all go through it. The ups and downs of this beautiful thing we call life.
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Gold Medal Famous - Album Review: Gold Medal Famous
04 Oct 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
This is a dark way to start a review but I am sure the members of Gold Medal Famous, and especially Vorn Colgan, who has unfortunately been diagnosed with terminal cancer will understand.After all, this is a band who defies convention and often tackle dark and disturbing subjects with brutal clarity and honesty.
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Miss June - Album Review: Bad Luck Party
17 Sep 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Where do I even start? OK let’s start at a Foo Fighters gig where the sound was shite and the atmosphere was way more sterile than the toilets.
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Royal Jackets - EP Review: ...Again
09 Sep 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Music should never fit in a box. It should refuse to be pigeon-holed.
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Gig Review: The Others Way Festival @ K'Road, Auckland - 30/08/2019
01 Sep 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
K Rd is electric! Even Tesla has opened up its Auckland branch on Auckland’s most (in)famous street.
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The Echo Ohs - Single Review: Wild Weeds
19 Aug 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
We live in an age of instant gratification.Wake up.
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Amanaki - Single Review: Exit Wounds
12 Aug 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Some music should never be played through shitty little speakers. In fact, I would argue that no music should ever be played through them.
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Old Loaves - Album Review: Banks
30 Jul 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Erm, the name Old Loaves conjures up an image of staleness, decay, the end of things. Apparently it was a name that came about as a friend of the band spotted some old loaves in cupboard.
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Missrosevalentina - Interview: Hybrid Rose
10 Jul 2019 // interview by Paul Goddard
Hybrid Rose is showing no signs of slowing down during what has become an exciting 2019 for her. After spending the last few years as an electropop producer and musician, she made her vocal debut with the stunning single Dream Team in late June.
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Danny McCrum - Single Review: Hustle Bustle
09 Jul 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
For those of you who don't know Danny McCrum has been around for a while and had a number of releases and worked with a long list is amazing musicians including Eric Clapton, John Butler Trio and John Mayer, to name drop a few.He lives and breathes his music and also works on a podcast with Bobby Kennedy (OpShop) that is worth checking out called Don't Give Up Your Day Job, as well as running his own entertainment and management company Paper Planes.
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Dead Favours - Album Review: Misbehaviour
21 Jun 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Back in 2016 Jared Wrennall stepped out from behind the tub thumping pop/rock masterpiece that was Steriogram, picked up the guitar and got to work on putting together New Zealand’s next chart bothering Rock n Roll machine. Now after 3 years and 3 singles we finally have the full-blown debut album Misbehaviour.
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Alien Weaponry - Gig Review: Alien Weaponry @ Underworld, London -16/06/2019
18 Jun 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
You have got to admire Alien Weaponry’s dedication and commitment. Back in 2016 they said “there is no plan B and that is good as it means we have to deliver on plan A” And deliver is just what they have done.
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Dead Favours - Interview: Dead Favours
17 Jun 2019 // interview by Paul Goddard
Auckland-based four-piece Dead Favours have been quick to grab the attention of the NZ music scene, and they have gone from strength to strength in a very short time. They have shared the stage with NZ acts Skinny Hobos, Decades and Bakers Eddy as well as international acts Royal Blood and Rise Against, released a steady string of incredible singles and become regular favourites on Radio Hauraki and The Rock FM.
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Miss June - Gig Review: Miss June @ The Old Blue Last, London - 11/06/2019
12 Jun 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Tonight just blew my mind.Here I am in London town and just checked into one of the funkiest/quirkiest (usually code word for SHITE on booking.
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Young Lyre - Interview with Young Lyre
24 May 2019 // interview by Paul Goddard
Young Lyre is still about making great music for others to have great moments listening to, and we'd have to agree. Their recently released third EP Providence is more than enough proof of that.
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The BackChat - Single Review: Read My Mind
11 May 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Relationships are a complex beast. The title of this debut single from Auckland based The Backchat is going to be familiar with anyone who has ever had a relationship that lasted more than 5 mins.
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The Echo Ohs - Single Review: Fool
03 May 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Check out some of the ways that have been used to describe the sound Auckland three piece The Echo Ohs create. It is pretty entertaining, psych cowboy, Psych Spaghetti surf?
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Sean Bodley - Album Review: I Am Human
26 Apr 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Instrumental music is a concept that I have often struggled with. The first time I really connected with it was when I first heard the brick in your face abrasiveness of Mogwai.
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Sit Down In Front - Single Review: Rain
26 Apr 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
It is pissing down. London Town, it’s Spring 2019 and a storm named Hannah has decided to make herself known in all her howling wind and icy rain glory.
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Blue River Baby - Single Review: Walk of Shame
15 Apr 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Blue River Baby have a goal to get people moving by creating songs that make people move and playing them well to as many people as possible. It is a simple goal but one that they achieve well as they recently showed when they played to 20,000 people on NYE in Nelson.
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Ben Ruegg - EP Review: If I Had A Delorean
15 Apr 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Have you ever had those moments where you look back on a time in your life where everything you remember from that those moments just seemed to be great? Of course, those good times can’t be pinned down to a specific moment or era.
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DRXNES - Single/Video Review: Rattlesnake
04 Apr 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
DRXNES have caused quite a stir since forming a few years ago and for good reason. They have worked bloody hard and released some great music accompanied by well-produced videos.
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Undercut - Single Review: Luckily
27 Mar 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
There is something a little bit different about this track by Undercut. It is hard to put your finger on, it's not one part alone that stands out but the sum of all the parts adds up to something very good indeed.
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She Loves You - Single Review: Dirty Orlean
27 Mar 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
She Loves You are one of the most exciting bands in New Zealand right now. Their first show back in 2014 was a sell out and it has been an upward trajectory for them since then.
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Fallstate - Single/Video Review: Who The Fuck Is Cameron Brookes?
15 Mar 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
I like Fallstate. Their live show is full of energy and mayhem and mixes a harder edge with the pop rock blast.
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Outside In - Single Review: Pass On The Flag
08 Mar 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
This new single Pass On The Flag, from Auckland's Outside In is a grower. Produced by Dave Rhodes, it was always going to sound great.
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Amanaki - EP Review: Immutable
08 Mar 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
What is it with Hamilton and its ability to create some of the best Hardcore bands in New Zealand? Maybe like the way all the hotels and shops turn their backs on the mighty Waikato river, the people who form/join bands there turn their noses up at what is going on with the “I wanna get played on the Rock” mentality of some of the more well-known Auckland acts?
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Suckafish - EP Review: Berley Bomb
25 Feb 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
When this first assaulted my eardrums, I thought fuck no here we go again. Cheesy vocals with equally cheesy lyrics and a punk beat pushing a turd uphill making a noise that could almost make Deja Voodoo sound good.
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Gig Review: The Prodigy @ Trust Arena, Auckland - 5/02/2019
06 Feb 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
As I walk into the huge hall at Trust Arena a few hundred people are moving front of stage to what I initially thought was just music through the PA. Nope it is Enschway.
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BENEE - Gig Review: Lily Allen with BENEE @ Spark Arena, Auckland - 2/02/2019
03 Feb 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Hailing from Grey Lynn and still a teenager I am guessing the nerves were pumping before Bene took the stage at Spark Arena tonight. Making the shift from small venues like Neck of the Woods to this huge hanger is a daunting task but tonight you wouldn't have thought so.
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A.U.R.A - Single/Video Review: Who Decides?
02 Feb 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
I rarely get the opportunity to describe a piece of music as beautiful. My preference is dark, twisted, loud, abrasive noise that would most often be described as brutal.
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Papercity - Single Review: Plastic
02 Feb 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Papercity have been coming up through the ranks for a while now following the well trodden path of Rockquest a few years back. They have matured a lot since 2013 single Time Will Find You and their new single Plastic is pure pop and catchy as hell.
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Jon Toogood - Gig Review: Jon Toogood @ Anthology Lounge, Auckland - 31/01/2019
01 Feb 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
It’s pretty apt that Jon Toogood is playing at Anthology Lounge. Kind of sums up the whole vibe of his acoustic tour.
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Gig Review: Florence and The Machine @ Spark Arena, Auckland - 30/01/2019
31 Jan 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
I caught the tail end of Yellow Days set at Laneway so was pleased to see a full performance at Auckland's Spark Arena tonight. The sunlight was replaced by stage light and the first thing that comes across is that mellow, baritone of a voice.
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Festival Review: St Jerome's Laneway Festival 2019 @ Albert Park, Auckland - 28/01/2019
29 Jan 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
The grey cloudy humid wet morning opened up into blue skies as I walked up the hill to Albert Park. Thanks to non-existent Auckland transport I did miss seeing Miss June (pictured).
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Miss June - Gig Review: Idles with Miss June @ Tuning Fork, Auckland - 20/01/2019
21 Jan 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
I first came across Idles around 6 months ago. A good friend of mine in the UK posted something on Facebook along the lines of “I have come late to the Idles party but fucking hell....
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Ben Ruegg - EP Review: The Journey
13 Jan 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Wow, where did this beauty come from?Just 66 likes on Ben Ruegg’s Facebook page and little all else to go on.
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Investigator - EP Review: Investigator
13 Jan 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
I love those old Seventies cops showsThe ones like 'Starsky and Hutch' or 'The Sweeney', and more recently the retro loving politically incorrect 'Life on Mars'. The thing with these shows is they are more memorable for the banter and chemistry between the players than any actual cases or crimes being solved.
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Gravel Pit - EP Review: Gravel Pit
03 Jan 2019 // review by Paul Goddard
Speed...... the faster you go, the harder the hit.
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Gig Review: Twenty One Pilots @ Spark Arena, Auckland - 21/12/2018
22 Dec 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
The last time Twenty One Pilots came to Auckland I wasn’t sure what to expect. Although I enjoyed their music it wasn’t something, I was rushing out to buy.
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Trepidations - Single Review: I Can't Go On
13 Dec 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
To say this is lo-fi is an understatement. The conversation within the band before they recorded this song I imagine sounds something like this,Will Saunders - “Let's get a band together and record a song.
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The Vazey Collective - Album Review: TVC
11 Dec 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
If you like your music straight down the middle of the road, no shocks, surprises, twists and turns just good ol’ country/blues rock 'n roll then this album is for you. Rob Vazey has put together an impressive collection of musicians for this debut album which was recorded at Studio 38 in Auckland.
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Plum Green - Album Review: Sound Recordings
04 Dec 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
Plum Green - remember this name. It is easy to remember and if you listen to this album you will never forget it.
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Racing - Gig Review: Racing @ Galatos, Auckland - 30/11/2018
02 Dec 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
Preparing for this review was hilarious. Do a Google search for Racing and yep everything that involves coming first (nope, not those kind of websites) is there except the band.
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Grant Duncan - Album Review: Early Morning Rise
18 Nov 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
Sometimes music grabs you instantly, some music can be instantly dismissed, and some music deserves to be played over and over before it can be fully appreciated. I have had Early Morning Rise the new album from Grant Duncan for a while.
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Missy - Single/Video Review: Hate Me
29 Oct 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I think most of us have been in a relationship at some point that is both toxic and intoxicating. On the surface it seems simple, we like/love each other so we can get through anything right?
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Shihad - Gig Review: Shihad @ Auckland Town Hall, Auckland - 26/10/2018
27 Oct 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
It’s 1999 and I am in the UK, never heard of a band called Shihad. MTV or some other show plays this video with a band all dressed in white looking completely insane and there is this speed driven riff going off.
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Blue River Baby - Newsletter Interview: Blue River Baby
25 Sep 2018 // interview by Paul Goddard
Blue River Baby is a powerhouse New Zealand six-piece originals band. A wondrous infusion of soul, funk, psychedelic rock, ska, rhythm and blues.
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Gaz Coombes @ The Tuning Fork, Auckland - 17/09/2018
18 Sep 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
Gaz Coombes along with his mates in Supergrass was part of the soundtrack to many of my heady nights out in the UK in the nineties. They were lumped into the whole Britpop scene by the media there but stood out due to in large part to the observational, conversational songwriting and lyrical style that has since been championed by Alex Turner and Arctic Monkeys.
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Lucifer Gunne - Lucifer Gunne Newsletter Interview
03 Sep 2018 // interview by Paul Goddard
Lucifer Gunne may have started as a solo project, but now it's a fully-fledged band. They played their first show at Valhalla in their hometown of Wellington on 30 March 2017, and have been playing, gigging, practicing and recording ever since.
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Gig Review: Courtney Barnett @ The Powerstation, Auckland - 28/08/2018
29 Aug 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I love watching support bands. For some people, they are an excuse to stay in whatever bar, house or car they are preloading in for a little bit longer, but I love the unexpected.
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Ghost Who Walks - EP Review: Ghost Who Walks
21 Aug 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
This debut EP from Wellington’s Ghost Who Walks comes hot on the electro-plasmic coat tails of the latest single released, Walking Talking Blues. Vertigo is the opener here and is a blues 'n' funk-tinged blast with more than a hint of soul that will get you dancing.
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Ghost Who Walks - Single Review: Walking Talking Blues
06 Aug 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
Ghost Who Walks are one of those bands whose mixture of blues, funk and soul could easily fall into the abyss that is mediocrity. Like any band who mix genres, the result can be something that should be tasty but also runs the risk of coming out as bland as the rice crackers I am munching on while writing this.
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Decades - Gig Review: Decades @ Whammy Bar, Auckland - 20/07/18
23 Jul 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I love Auckland and I love Whammy Bar. A dive bar by definition, this underground venue has been the staple of underground bands for years and long may it continue.
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These Four Walls - Single Review: Over and Over
17 Jul 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
These Four Walls have been around a long time. It's because they have a strong foundation built on late 90's, early 2000's rock.
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Racing - Single Review: Devil's Work
25 Jun 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
My heart is racing. Not sure if that’s a good sign?
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Metaract - Video/Single Review: Never Forget
23 Jun 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I was looking forward to hearing this new single from Auckland’s Meteract, after all, the pairing of a band comprising members of Tadpole and Just One Fix with the production skills of Dave Rhodes was never going to result in a sub-par release.I did have some concerns though, Chris was in one of my favourite bands from the early 2000’s, Redline, and Dave has worked with many acts with one most notable being Blindspott.
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Gig Review: Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Powerstation, Auckland - 16/06/2018
18 Jun 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
It's a wet and windy night. The All Blacks playing means the bars surrounding Auckland's Powerstation are packed with rugby fans and finding a carpark is murder.
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Gig Review: Ska Save The Queen @ The Thirsty Dog, Auckland - 03/06/2018
12 Jun 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I grew up in Coventry in the UK. As a kid my first introduction to music was Two Tone the local record label that had Ska bands like The Specials, Selector, The Beat etc.
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Valkyrie - Single/Video Review: Runaway Child
09 Jun 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
South Auckland three-piece Vallkyrie are pure class. Their tendency to switch genres and the mixture of influences they embody has taken them another step forward with this their latest single release Runaway Child.
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Soda Boyz - EP Review: By Soda Boyz
05 Jun 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
So, a young band from Palmy do the norm and go through the "Rockquest" motions. Just another bunch of wannabe talented, wannabe kind of good at what we do but fuck being famous we would rather be cool wannabes, or so I thought until I hit play and turned this music up loud.
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Dead Kid Harvester - Album Review: The First Sign Of Madness
04 Jun 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I knew this wasn't going to be an easy listen. With a moniker like Dead Kid Harvester and song titles like Scab Made Out Of Faeces, Paul Harvey isn't aiming for middle of the road chart-bothering, but I love music of all extremes and we all need to be challenged.
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Soda Boyz - Single Review: Home Again
04 Jun 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
This new single from Soda Boyz simmers and shimmers. Totally instrumental, it's a great example of how music doesn't always need words to get the message across.
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The Recently Deceived - Single Reviews: Misty and Halo
22 May 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
It's great to see The Recently Deceived are back with a new double single release following on from their excellent Use Your Head EP. They are simply one of the best "punk" bands you will see or hear and this single steps up the attitude on opener Misty.
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Missrosevalentina - Single Review: Just Press Play
11 May 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
Hybrid Rose (Rose Muollo-Gray) has done it again. Though this time, she has managed to up the game to another level.
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Boom! Boom! Deluxe! - EP Review: Boom! Boom! Deluxe!
01 May 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
As a teenager I was really into psychobilly head cases King Kurt. They were the backdrop to many a drunken party.
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Tom Cunliffe - Album Review: Template For Love
01 May 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I must admit when I came across this I was put off by the album title Template for Love as I am more of an 'Instructions for Chaos' kind of guy.Life is much richer if you push into the unknown, challenge the preconceptions and explore with an open mind which is exactly what Tom Cunliffe has done on this his second album.
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Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Album Review: Sex & Food
11 Apr 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I know it is controversial but I am going to say it anyway. I agree with Taka Waititi - Unknown Mortal Orchestra are the best band on the planet to listen to and the new album is awesome as fuck!
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A.U.R.A - Single Review: G.I Wonder
05 Apr 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
There is something safe about the familiar. It is comfortable.
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Gig Review: Prophets of Rage @ Spark Arena, Auckland - 20/03/2018
27 Mar 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I was lucky enough to see Rage Against the Machine just after they released their debut album. It was a tiny venue in the UK and the energy and anger along with Tom Morello's insane guitar histrionics was a massive influence on me and the music I wanted to create.
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Super Narco Man - EP Review: Dank Mammoth Deluxe EP
27 Mar 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
So, what is it about Tauranga? This land of the newlyweds and the nearly-deads is fast becoming a hotbed of some serious underground post-punk hardcore goodness.
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Gig Review: Ed Sheeran @ Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland - 24/03/2018
25 Mar 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
Walking from the car to Mt Smart Stadium and the heavens open. People are literally flooding in with the standard dress code for outdoor gigs here this year being Ponchos and shorts.
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Festival Review: Auckland City Limits 2018
08 Mar 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
Here we go again. It's a stunning day and the rain has held off.
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Clap Clap Riot - Gig Review: Clap Clap Riot @ Whammy Bar, Auckland - 23/02/2018
08 Mar 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
Clap Clap Riot have one of the best band names. I knew of them for years without ever hearing any of the music.
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Gig Review: Foo Fighters @ Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland - 03/02/2018
04 Feb 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
It had been raining on and off for most of the day but just as Wellington band Ayn Randy took the stage the heavens opened. It set the scene for what was going to be an awesome night where the weather played a big part in the memories of the 40,000 people packed into Auckland's Mount Smart Stadium.
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Santa Barbara - Single Review: Marianne's Dark Eyes
01 Feb 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I love Santa Barbara. I am lucky enough to visit there once a year and it's a funky little town about two hours from LA LA Land with a laid-back vibe and it also knows how to get down and dirty on a weekend.
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Festival Review: Laneway 2018 @ Albert Street Precinct, Auckland - 29/01/2018
30 Jan 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
2017 was my first time at Laneway. I went for one reason only and that was to see Refused.
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Bleeders - Gig Review: Bleeders @ House of Vans, Shed 10, Auckland - 20/01/2018
30 Jan 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
So this event kind of took everyone by surprise. The global entity that is House of Vans announced a music/skate festival to be based at Shed 10 on Auckland's waterfront.
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Gig Review: End of an Era Night 1 @ Kings Arms, Auckland - 26/01/2018
29 Jan 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
I arrived early for this first of two nights of bands who have come together to say goodbye to iconic Auckland venue the Kings Arms, which will finally close its doors at the end of February. Punters are slowly streaming in for the opening band A Doubtful Sound (isn't that the best name ever for a Kiwi Band) but the band don't care about how many people are in the room and hit the set full tilt.
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Hault - EP review: Hault
06 Jan 2018 // review by Paul Goddard
The 90's will always be my favourite decade for music. It was a time when rock bands took a punk attitude and melded it with face melting heavy 70's style riffs and this is all perfectly summed up in the Sonic Youth doco 1991 the year that punk broke (check it out).
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Silicon - Future Islands with Silicon @ Powerstation Auckland - 16/12/2017
19 Dec 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
This dude can dance. He is on another planet.
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Armed In Advance - Gig Review: Armed in Advance, Fallstate and AnimalHead @ Backbeat, Auckland - 8/12/2017
16 Dec 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Back at Backbeat. Deja vu, is a feeling you get when you see a lot of bands in Auckland.
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Scalper - EP Review: Want
12 Dec 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
I read a Facebook post from a friend of mine in the UK recently who writes reviews. It went something like this "somebody please send me some music I can feel enough to believe it".
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Harry Styles @ Spark Arena, Auckland - 2/12/2017
04 Dec 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
It must be interesting being Harry Styles. Thrown into the limelight to be the focal point for one of the highest selling pop acts ever.
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Gig Review: Marky Ramone @ The Studio, Auckland - 1/12/2017
02 Dec 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Hey Ho Lets Go! The Studio on KRd was filling up nicely when I arrived and as expected the crowd is largely made up of males in their late forties/early fifties.
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Cherry Blind - Single Review: House of Flies
29 Nov 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Getting ahead in the music business is a competition. You need to give it your all and hope for a bit of luck to get ahead.
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Naught for Nothing - Single Review: Lucid
28 Nov 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Talent really does shine. I never really thought about it until now but it does.
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Thirty Years Late - Album Review: Fight On
14 Nov 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
In 1967 something happened. There was a shift in peoples mindsets and that resulted in a shift in the musical landscape.
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Valkyrie - EP Review: Vallkyrie
11 Nov 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
The Goddess Vallkyrie has spoken. She is looking for warriors, people who dare to be different, who want to alter perceptions and stereotypes.
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Gig Review: The Dillinger Escape Plan @ Kings Arms, Auckland - 25/10/2017
28 Oct 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
There is a real air of anticipation around this gig. The last time The Dillinger Escape Plan played the Kings Arms back in 2015 still has people sharing stories of what it was like to be there and tonight is the last time New Zealand gets to see one of the most innovative and progressive bands of the last 20 years.
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Gig Review: The DMA's @ Tuning Fork, Auckland - 20/10/2017
21 Oct 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
This is my first time at Tuning fork and the smallish room is filling up nicely as we arrive early to catch local band Yukon Era before Aussie headliners The DMA's.I had heard good things about Yukon Era but wasn't sure what to expect.
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Missrosevalentina - EP Review: Cherry
19 Oct 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
I have always struggled with instrumental music, be it electronica or the rock soundscapes generated by Mogwai. I can listen and enjoy certain tracks but over an album, I tend to miss the dynamic of a vocal.
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Julia Deans - Single Review: Walking in the Sun
18 Oct 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Julia Deans is one of those iconic Kiwi artists who just seems to effortlessly create a beautiful noise. This new release, her first as a solo artist since 2010 is taken from her forthcoming album We Light Fire.
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Killing Bear - Single Review: Milk and Cookies
08 Oct 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
For me, Wellington will always have a higher ratio of interesting bands compared to Auckland, despite Auckland having one million more people wandering around (well sat in cars, looking at phones). Wellington band Killing Bear are proof of that.
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Play Big - Single Review: Imbecile
08 Oct 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Play Big are ANGRY. There's nothing wrong with that, in fact, we need more angry people in the world right now.
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Sir Dave Dobbyn - Single Review: Nau Mai Ra (Welcome Home)
26 Sep 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
When the opportunity to review this single came up I almost passed it by. This wasn't about discovering a new song (or so I thought).
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Gig Review: The Others Way Festival 2017 @ K.Rd, Auckland - 01/09/2017
06 Sep 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
If you live in Auckland you can "pay 1.5 for a shitty house on a shitty street" and you can also go to one of the coolest festivals to appear in recent years.
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Kimbra - Gig Review: Kimbra @ Town Hall, Auckland - 31/08/2017
05 Sep 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
I have been struggling to write this review. Much like I have been struggling to put my thoughts together around this gig by one of NZ's most successful and respected artists.
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Dreams Are Like Water - EP Review: A Sea-Spell
04 Sep 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Growing up in the UK in the eighties I was massively influenced by bands like The Mission, Fields of the Nephilim, Sisters of Mercy and The Cure. I loved the atmospherics, the darkness and also the energy of bands like The Mission.
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Cairo Knife Fight - Single Review: A-Eight
29 Aug 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Wow, seriously just wow! Cairo Knife Fight have done it again and released a piece of art that hits the soul, mind and makes your heart beat a little faster.
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Broken Season - Single/Video Review: Amandla (Lyric Video)
06 Aug 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Music can be anything you want it to be. It can be throw away, whimsical, abrasive, calming and you can choose music to suit your mood or change your mood because music connects on an emotional level.
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Gig Review: Queens Of The Stone Age @ Logan Campbell, Auckland - 13/07/17
15 Jul 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
It's somewhere back in the late Nineties and I am in Rock City, Nottingham UK. There is a band on in the small bar downstairs I hadn't heard of them but they had a cool name and the singer just had something going on.
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Animal Party - EP Review: Drifting
01 Jul 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Good music takes you somewhere else. It makes your mind wander, changes your mood, makes you feel something.
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Curlys Jewels - Gig Review: Curlys Jewels @ Backbeat, Auckland - 24/06/17
29 Jun 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
First off I just want to say Backbeat is a great venue, just the right size and always a decent sound. I arrived to catch the last three songs from openers Average Mars Experience as I didn't know they were on the bill.
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Skinny Hobos - Single/Video Review: Suburban Living
24 Jun 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
I have never had much time for religion. You know, if you believe in God then by the same logic you might believe in Santa Clause or Fairies.
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Ebola Babies - Album Review: Ebola Babies
30 May 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
I was really looking forward to this album. I love punk and with a name like EbolaBabies, it was pretty clear that this set of songs should be right up my street.
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Curlys Jewels - EP Review: The Skin We Shed
08 May 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
I had heard good things about Curly Jewels from gigs they have played up and done the country and even though I knew nothing about them I had an impression in my mind of a hard hitting heavy rock outfit who put on a great show. So the opening track Internal Cinderella didn't disappoint, it kicks in with a driving riff and the production is great.
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Jon Toogood - Gig Review: Jon Toogood @ The Kings Arms, Auckland - 29/04/17
01 May 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Tonight was always going to be special. There are few NZ performers with a legacy like Jon Toogood.
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Naught for Nothing - Album Review: Naught For Nothing
16 Mar 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
Every now and then a band seems to come out of the blue and you just wonder where they have been hiding and what they have been doing to get so damn good. Naught For Nothing formed in 2015 and are based in Northcote.
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Play Big - EP Review: Fuck Work
05 Feb 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
When I first heard the name Play Big it reminded me of those T-Shirts Wham used to wear in the eighties with CHOOSE LIFE emblazoned on them. That image was blown away by the opening riff on Fuck Work which hit harder than Joseph Parker when he hasn't been eating too many Burger Kings.
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The Naked And Famous - The Naked And Famous @ Logan Campbell Centre, Auckland - 10/01/17
23 Jan 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
These radio promo gigs are a strange thing. I have been to a few now and like a good portion of the people tonight, I am not here necessarily as a fan of the band.
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Will Saunders - EP Review: Nothing Wrong
01 Jan 2017 // review by Paul Goddard
I am on a train journey into Auckland today with Will Saunders' (from The Lowest Fidelity) latest collection of songs as co-passenger. Pulling out of Papakura and the first track, Nothing Wrong, has a drum beat to match the rhythm of the train on the track.
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Fallstate - EP Review: Friends
14 Dec 2016 // review by Paul Goddard
I played this new EP from Fallstate once and the sticky bugger got stuck in my brain instantly. I tried to wash it out with copious amounts of alcohol.
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Cheshire Grimm - Gig Review: Cheshire Grimm @ Backbeat, Auckland - 2/12/2016
11 Dec 2016 // review by Paul Goddard
There was always going to be a good crowd at this Cheshire Grimm single release party with support from Skinny Hobos, Armed in Advance and She Loves You. The room is already nearly full as She Loves You take the stage.
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Bleeders - Gig Review: Bleeders @ The Kings Arms, Auckland - 25/11/2016
28 Nov 2016 // review by Paul Goddard
There is a buzz around tonight's gig. An energy that I can feel when I walk into the Kings Arms.
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The Recently Deceived - EP Review: Use Your Head
21 Nov 2016 // review by Paul Goddard
I have fond memories of Hamilton, having lived there for a few years and hosting a show on the now defunct Backbeat FM. Some people might knock the Tron but throughout the world cities like this, places that people drive through to get somewhere else, constantly throw up great bands.
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Mitch Alderlieste - EP Review: City Calling
27 Oct 2016 // review by Paul Goddard
I am sitting in a motel in Los Angeles at the moment. It's hot outside and relaxing with a rather strong craft beer seems the perfect time to sit back and check out the latest release from Wellington based Mitch Alderlieste.
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Jake Stokes - EP Review: Before We're All Dead
11 Oct 2016 // review by Paul Goddard
The thing that strikes me when listening to the tracks on Before We're All Dead is that Jake Stokes is seriously talented. The opening track Classifieds starts as a kind of indie anthem and you can tell Jake has bought some of his influences over from the UK.
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Gig Review: Collins Class @ Kings Arms, Auckland - 23/09/16
11 Oct 2016 // review by Paul Goddard
I arrived early at the Kings Arms to find a decent crowd building. I hadn't heard much about Aussie band Collins Class.
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Barracks - EP Review: Lovestay
15 Sep 2016 // review by Paul Goddard
What a week! I just found out Refused are playing at Laneway and then this lands on my lap, well laptop.
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The Hollow Men - Album Review: Shatter the Bones
05 Sep 2016 // review by Paul Goddard
Apparently, this album was tracked in 24 hours and the result is an energy soaked powerhouse of punk n roll which reflects the pedigree of this Waiheke based band who recently supported The Ruts DC. Guitarist Brendan Mooney has a long musical history in the UK playing with various artists including Dave Vanian and the Phantom Chords who were signed to Polydor.
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Eva Prowse - Album Review: Humid Nights
26 Aug 2016 // review by Paul Goddard
I first came across Eva Prowse when watching Fly My Pretties, but I haven’t heard her first album I Can’t Keep Secrets, so didn’t know what to expect with this latest release. The first thing that really stands out about Humid Nightsare the song arrangements.
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