21 Nov 2024
Kimbra - Rock Steady/Wanna Be Startin' Something Single Review
05 May 2014 // A review by Kate Taylor
Oooh girl! This is the epitome of every getting dressed up, dolled up, laced up, heeled up 'get ready' session with your gal pals before a huge night out of being fierce and fabulous. A chance meeting between the wondrous Janelle Monae and our very own versatile songstress extraordinaire Kimbra has lead to this most delightful and uplifting jazz and soul funk collab. Pumped full of energy; Monae kicks off the double-cover with Rock Steady; jazzily ad libbing, playing off Kimbra as their duo of voices trade line for line, each accented with unbridled enthusiasm.
A dip in the melody uncovers a sublime rendition of Wanna Be Startin' Something, with the opportunity for even more camaraderie between Monae and Kimbra in their jibs of 'girl, you've really started something'... by this stage, you're really wishing you'd been invited along to the recording party that these two are so clearly having; skillful backed by a joyous melding of their existing band members into a warm splash of horns, brass and bass. Their lusciously raucous voices are so complimentary and most of all fun, fun, fun! Infectious smiles are guaranteed; and I now, like almost everyone else would LOVE to see them work their magic together on their The Golden Electric Tour stop in Auckland on May 24th at Vector Arena.
About Kimbra
This is just the latest chapter in a series of Kimbra’s overall career success: the experimental pop performer’s 2011 debut, Vows, bowed at No. 14 on the Billboard Top 200 and was certified platinum in Australia and New Zealand. She received Best Female Artist two years in a row at the ARIA Music Awards and took home 5 New Zealand Tui Awards including Album of The Year in 2012. That same year, she exploded into the public consciousness with Somebody That I Used To Know, a duet with Gotye that earned her two Grammy Awards for 'Record of the Year' and 'Best Pop Duo/Group Performance', as well as reaching No. 1 on global charts (across 18 countries) and selling more than 13 million copies.
Her 2014 sophomore record, The Golden Echo, highlighted her eclectic style with a diverse set of collaborations from Thundercat, Omar-Rodriguez Lopez of The Mars Volta, Bilal, and John Legend. Likewise, her third LP, 2018’s Primal Heart, saw her touring with the likes of Beck, Odesza and David Byrne. Kimbra has performed on TV shows such as Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Last Call with Carson Daly, Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Seth Meyers, as well as performing at festivals such as Coachella, Austin City Limits and more.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Kimbra
Releases
Other Reviews By Kate Taylor
Sal Valentine and the Babyshakes - Live at No.10 South Street EP Review
04 Nov 2014 // by Kate Taylor
"You better sink that drink then baby come and fill your cup"...and get tipsy drunk on Sal Valentine & The Babyshakes!
Read More...
Rachel Dawick - The Boundary Riders Album Review
25 Sep 2014 // by Kate Taylor
Wow! What an inspirational woman!
Read More...
Songs From The Inside Vol II Album Review
10 Jun 2014 // by Kate Taylor
There’s more out there in the New Zealand media landscape than what’s on your news feed or your particular pay TV channels… Maori Television is an important part of our media landscape and their creation of musical collaboration documentary, Songs from the Inside is a beautiful time capsule of some our most talented and kind musical artists (Anika Moa, Don McGlashan & Laughton Kora to name three), giving life and freedom through musical expression to some of our nation’s incarcerated. A delicate content matter at the best of times; the equivalent of the ‘difficult second album’ is released in Songs from the Inside Vol II which the show’s director and producer Julian Arahanga was concerned would be an undertaking to “recapture the same heart, feeling as the first series”; yet he needn’t worry as it certainly has recapturing that same ol magic and built on it.
Read More...
10 Jun 2014 // by Kate Taylor
There’s more out there in the New Zealand media landscape than what’s on your news feed or your particular pay TV channels… Maori Television is an important part of our media landscape and their creation of musical collaboration documentary, Songs from the Inside is a beautiful time capsule of some our most talented and kind musical artists (Anika Moa, Don McGlashan & Laughton Kora to name three), giving life and freedom through musical expression to some of our nation’s incarcerated. A delicate content matter at the best of times; the equivalent of the ‘difficult second album’ is released in Songs from the Inside Vol II which the show’s director and producer Julian Arahanga was concerned would be an undertaking to “recapture the same heart, feeling as the first series”; yet he needn’t worry as it certainly has recapturing that same ol magic and built on it.
Read More...
Bailey Wiley - IXL EP Review
10 Jun 2014 // by Kate Taylor
I've written it once and I'll write it again... the absolute best part of reviewing music is that every so often you're introduced to an artist that you truly love and value, not just as a creative musical entity but also as a contributor to the fabric of what our ‘little’ nation can achieve in an audial realm.
Read More...
Medusa Glare - No Tomorrow Single Review
08 May 2014 // by Kate Taylor
As luck would have it, I've stumbled on the backyard of stunning model and recent nzblokes 'Babe of the Week' - Sophie Burnside. Sophie is absolutely stunning and a quick Google search reveals that Sophie is also a bright, intelligent and health conscious individual...
Read More...
Smashproof - Survivors Feat. Pieter T Single Review
06 May 2014 // by Kate Taylor
An uplifting tune that I'm sure is going to bring relief to not just a lot of kids; but also adults through the sentiments of Smashproof's new single Survivors which tackles issues of bullying, youth suicide and abuse, head on. It's a beautifully crafted piece of kiwi Hip Hop with a delicious hook sung sweetly by RnB artist Pieter T, sandwiched between thoughtful and thought-provoking MC turns on the mic from each of the Smashproof boys.
Read More...
Depths @ The Powerstation, Auckland 06/03/14
11 Apr 2014 // by Kate Taylor
I'm a long-time listener, yet first time viewer of the New Zealand heavy (very heavy) metal, death metal and hard-core band Depths and for me; what a worthy wait it was! I was fortunate to see one of NZ Metal's best and brightest in support to Suicide Silence and the absolutely stunning Down, as fronted by Phil Anselmo; formerly of some really rad metal band from the 90s and earlier, you might of heard of `em...
Read More...
Flip Grater - Pigalle Album Review
21 Mar 2014 // by Kate Taylor
Gifted Christchurch singer-songwriter Flip Grater brings her yearning, beautiful indie folk to our ears via the sultry Parisian musical base she currently calls home. Pigalle, Flip Grater’s fourth album, is aptly named after the Studio Pigalle Paris, in which these delicious 11 tracks has been recorded; in an area renowned for its artistic soul, creative residents such as Dali or Picasso and its Moulin Rouge adjacency.
Read More...
Most Viewed Artists
Latest Galleries
NZ Top 10 Singles
- APT.
ROSÉ And Bruno Mars - DIE WITH A SMILE
Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars - BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Billie Eilish - TASTE
Sabrina Carpenter - I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
Gracie Abrams - ESPRESSO
Sabrina Carpenter - SAILOR SONG
Gigi Perez - LOSE CONTROL
Teddy Swims - A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
Shaboozey - GOOD LUCK, BABE!
Chappell Roan
More Content on muzic.net.nz
Google Site Search
Custom Search
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report A Problem
