Hollie Smith - Album Review: Water Or Gold
The first song begins all mellow and mystic accompanied
by the cool strains of Hollie's yearning voice which provokes your ears and
then like being catapulted onto a ride you're delivered to the soulful and very funky sound that is Water Or Gold. The title track
personifies the whole albums sound, it is real and vibrant and bursting with character and overall is a joyous experience.
The music is transcendent with its amazingly cool and classy type of funky pop, the slower tracks have a soothing and dreamy quality, while the funked up ballsy blues numbers make you want to groove.
Hollie's expressive singing pours deep into the tune In Love Again which is reminiscent of the classic Bathe in the River where her gospel like crooning is full of texture and feeling that sounds so earthy and natural. The ballads Anymore and Helena have hauntingly beautiful melodies that really gets into you and makes you sway and swoon on its delicate but expressive sound.
Poor on Poor is a groovy number that has a great rhythm and vibe, while the gritty rock guitar sound on Lead the Way is a treat, and the way it builds with fabulous fat brass and keyboards is incredibly effective. The quirky keyboards in Older Younger are stimulating and provide yet another soundscape that appears tailor made for Hollie's velvet tones. The album ends with another glorious gospel song full of power and drama that is not just a Dream in title, such is its soulfulness it will conjure one.
You'd have to go far to hear a more honest and beautifully crafted collection of songs, so save yourself a journey and listen to Water Or Gold now.
About Hollie Smith
This set the stage for her debut album Long Player which went straight to number one on the NZ charts, This multi platinum selling album had sold out national tours & saw her take away several NZ music awards which included ‘Best Producer’, ‘Best Female Solo Artist’ and ‘Breakthrough artist of the year’. Long Player also caught the attention of Bruce Lundvall, head of Blue Note records in New York, where she spent time working with Philidelphia heavyweight soul producer James Poyser. This also saw her tour Europe as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival.
Her follow up album Humour and the Misfortune of Others also hit number one receiving rave review & again numerous award nominations & sell out tours, proving she was here to stay. During this time she also supported Bob Dylan, Coldplay and Simply Red in NZ.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Hollie Smith
Releases
Other Reviews By Andrew Smit
Album Review: 1 Drop Nation
20 Dec 2022 // by Andrew Smit
Opening with a very spiritual Maori haka Intro - Waerea, we were introduced to the opening track Homeland, which is an unashamedly patriotic Aotearoa anthem with repeated strains of "We are one nation". This is a track that proudly declares love for home, while also being a rally call for the future.
Read More...
Tahini Bikini - Album Review: Fever Dream
15 Nov 2022 // by Andrew Smit
An album full of very danceable funk tunes, loaded with tight guitar, bass, brass and percussion that provide a perfect foundation for the expressive soulful vocals of Madeline Lucy Taylor. Her unique clarity is reminiscent of Amy Winehouse or our own Kiwi songstress Gin Wigmore.
Read More...
Haze Lane - Single/Video Review: Natural Feeling
22 Aug 2022 // by Andrew Smit
Matching the songs title very aptly South Auckland indie band Haze Lane has produced Natural Feeling, a very organic song that does indeed deliver a very smooth natural feeling. The ultra-cool ambient sound is reminiscent to the early roots sound of Six60 and L.
Read More...
Gig Review: Anthonie Tonnon @ Hollywood Cinema, Auckland - 14/05/2022
16 May 2022 // by Andrew Smit
On a coolish Saturday evening it was great to see a rather large crowd that clearly were so happy and eager to experience a night of live music, and what a perfect venue to stage it at the slightly musty but still majestic Hollywood Cinema in Avondale. Opening the proceedings was the cool 4 piece band Lips with their ambient 80’s groove thanks to the techno synth sounds from keyboardist and singer Steph Brown.
Read More...
Vogel Town - Single Review: Sludge City
24 Apr 2022 // by Andrew Smit
Interestingly Vogel Town's new song Sludge City begins with an automated telephone voice, and then a street argument which is soon accompanied by a very groovy walking bass line, quickly growing from just a couple of notes to a broad melody of its own. At first the only addition is some nice, nonchalant drum fills, but as the background street noise fades away, the introduction of vibrant reverberating guitar strums adds a final element that completes the ensemble perfectly, and altogether this provides a very cool bluesy vibe.
Read More...
SKRAM - Single Review: Living Our Lives
22 Mar 2022 // by Andrew Smit
Beginning with some straightforward but quite funky keys your soon steered to a very upbeat and chunky ensemble of music that energetically drives along with its super groovy reggae vibe. SKRAM are a very high energy 3-piece pop group that have delivered a fine tune that embodies their claim of “energetic” perfectly.
Read More...
Tomorrow People - Album Review: 21
02 Jan 2022 // by Andrew Smit
Tomorrow People have produced a wonderful assemblage of uplifting reggae tunes that are performed and sung with heart and purpose. All 16 tracks are packed with brilliant harmonies that are propelled along by the glorious uplifting off beat rhythmic delight that reggae music delivers so well.
Read More...
Torn Chorus - Single/Video Review: This City Floats
10 Sep 2021 // by Andrew Smit
From a simple opening beat to a wonderful flourish of acoustic guitars layered with luscious chorus and flange effects, the new single from Torn Chorus, This City Floats, is brought to life with wailing electric lead guitar licks and slides that sound melodically precise and emotive. Crisp vocals tell you about the labour and reward that you get for following the beaten path to the top, which as the video shows so well, is Auckland’s remnant volcanic cones, but the metaphor could be used for any journey in life.
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
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
