It is pop. It is folk. It is country rock & roll. Whichever label you want to put them under, Dunedin group Both Sides of the Line capture all the glory of the 60’s era in their debut EP 5. 5 is exactly that, five musicians banding together to produce five classic tracks. It is simple in its execution. You get what you see. And if its that 1960's Summer vibe you are after, then this EP is for you.
It begins very with the buoyant track, 'Good Feeling,’a pure, retro-cool delight. Throughout the EP you see flashes of the 60’s sound. It encapsulates that coarseness of a vinyl record from that time. You can feel every one of those instruments, and the the texture of the vocals and the music.
Both Sides of the Line are a very Kiwi band, very rooted in their local Dunedin scene. Those roots are a key element in this EP, their home being the backdrop for a few of the tracks. 'Red Shoes' makes reference to the local ''Gold Guitar' country music awards, and Chick's Hotel' sets the scene of heartbreak and a sinister betrayal in the renowned Dunedin venue of the track’s title.
'Lucky Ones' will make your hearts sigh and flutter with a reminiscent joy. The song is a sweet romantic melody about the endurance and idealism of young love. The EP closes with 'Waiting' which has this ticking clock rhythm set in the guitar strums that truly depicts that feeling of anticipating what is yet to come.
This is the first EP for the band. Let’s just say it- they are not a group of 16 year olds jamming away in their bedrooms. They are mature and experienced, which is fantastic. It shows that music has no limits. Those rock’n’roll dreams don’t have to dissipate with age. Wherever you are in life, music will find you. And the music has certainly found this group. Both Sides of the Line really bring something beautifully nostalgic in this EP. It makes you remember that time of country and rock’n’roll freedom, which still lives on to this day. Forever young. Forever 60’s. There is a reason why the songs of that era are still so poignant today. In a time where autotune seems to dominate the scene, it is nice to hear something refreshingly raw and simply uncluttered. That 60’s dream is still around. If you don’t believe it, put 5 on the stereo. The proof that the dream still lingers is right there in those tracks.
-Janise
Both Sides of the Line formed in 2009 in Dunedin, New Zealand. It is a band with an eclectic mix of retro pop, rock, country, and rockabilly sounds combined to make their own original sound.
The name Both Sides of the Line comes from a song by Wanda Jackson, the Queen of Rockabilly, which along with country music, pop and jazz, has been a big influence on the song writing of Glenda and John. The band released their first EP, 5, in August, 2012. This was followed by a full-length album, Sideshow in 2013. Party Line! was released in 2016 and Dangerous! was released in September 2019