MEDaL - Album Review: Replica
When it comes to bands having quality pedigree, Lyttelton based MEDaL are the equivalent of a top quality show cat.
Dave Mulcahy (JPSE, Superette), with Mark Whyte and John Billows who have been in bands like Into The Void and The Renderers, among others.
This three-piece makes a hell of a racket, and you can hear the fun coming through the speakers. Mulcahy is really embracing his noisier side.
The opening track Wanna Feel Good sets a blistering tempo and reminds me of other Dave Mulcahy bands from the 1990's and 2000's, but blended with The Datsuns. It’s a riff-driven kick-start to the album with a well-weighted steel-cap boot.
The second track Ghosts slows it down a bit, albeit not that much, before the electrically charged The Lightning One blasts like a bolt of lightning hitting a tree and spitting it down the middle leaving charred remains.
When compared with the rest of the songs on Replica, I.M.L is a poppy number bouncing along well with four on the floor drums and a keyboard melody starting the tune. Mulcahy’s voice sits on the top of the mix really well, making me think this is a single, aiming for a cross-over market. The synths sound like they’re being produced by a vintage Yamaha Dx7.
Ursa Minor begins gradually and builds, like all great drone, or the ethnically dodgy term ‘Kraut rock’ at its best crawling through to 6 minutes long after an ambient beginning.
Bright Shining Lie is another builder, from spaced out sounds (thanks Jacinda) which remind me of some of the early sounds in Bladerunner when the large craft are flying about the large product placement electronic bill boards. The song grows, builds and develops in a naturally cinematic way.
Transcendence is another of the tunes on Replica which builds beautifully.
Book of Scrolls is a blinder I don’t think I’ve ever heard Dave Mulcahy play this fast or furiously it’s a quickstep in 2/4 time at a frantic pace, this song will be epic live.
The last track Death Car is a rock and roll anthem, and actually reminds me of Ministry around their Psalm 69 period. It is a great way to close the album, as it makes you want to go back to the start again.
Well played team, you deserve a MEDaL. (I’ll go to my room for that atrocious line).
About MEDaL
The Lyttelton 3-piece find the locals surprisingly tolerant of the racket coming from the MEDaL base in a sculpture studio right on Lyttelton’s main street. While MEDaL have this kind of anonymous consent, the noise continues unabated. COVID 19 landed right on top of the launch and tour plans for MEDaL’s debut album REPLICA, just released on 180g Vinyl. In the interim the Replica vinyl will be in good record shops, and you’ll be seeing MEDaL in other forms of media.
The members of MEDaL have variously been signed to labels like Flying Nun, Mushroom and various indie American outfits like Ba Da Bing, 3 Beads of Sweat, Last Visible Dog and more and come from Bands like; Superette, JPSE, The Renderers, Into the Void, Dark Matter, SexyAnimals and lots more.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for MEDaL
Other Reviews By darryl baser
MEDaL - Album Review: Sequela
14 Dec 2022 // by darryl baser
Christchurch trio MEDaL are a combination of many years of New Zealand musical history. Singer and guitar slinger David Mulcahy was in JPSE and Superette, bass player John Billows has spent time with The Renderers and Dark Matter and drummer Mark Whyte is part of Into The Void.
Read More...
The Bobby Holidays - Album Review: At The Beach
13 Dec 2022 // by darryl baser
The Bobby Holidays' At The Beach opens with the song Jane, syncopation is to the fore with a great horn section blowing against bass, drums and guitar. The song has an up tempo happy summer vibe.
Read More...
Mad Cow - Single Review: Same Boat
01 Dec 2022 // by darryl baser
Same Boat is the latest single to be released Taranaki 3-piece Mad Cow. Mad Cow are mainstays of the New Plymouth have been around since the 1990’s in the North Island’s music scene, evolving from school band No Comment.
Read More...
23 Nov 2022 // by darryl baser
It might seem like George D Henderson has been a part of the New Zealand music landscape for about as long as Keith Richards has been playing guitar. He’s been in the Flying Nun arena with The Puddle based in Dunedin.
Read More...
Nika - Single Review: Saviour Complex
03 Nov 2022 // by darryl baser
A song with an interesting title will always grab my attention, and the idea of people with a saviour complex has always fascinated me, so when the new song by Nika called Saviour Complex was offered to me to review I almost somersaulted. The song opens with a gently and alluring piano melody before Nika’s voice kicks in and from the first notes some vocal training is obvious.
Read More...
The RVMES - Single Review: Simple Things
05 Oct 2022 // by darryl baser
Oh My God. There are bangers then there’s this tune.
Read More...
VÏKÆ - EP Review: Love Games
25 Aug 2022 // by darryl baser
Veronika Bell, known to music fans as Vikae, has been composing and producing music for a good few years, and is gaining some crossover traction between the dance and pop worlds. While she writes many of her tunes on a piano, and can perform them beautifully with piano and her impressive voice, it is the dance-styled pop versions of her tune which have been garnering her acclaim.
Read More...
Mecuzine - Album Review: Locksmith Thief
21 Jul 2022 // by darryl baser
Now that’s a great way to open an album. Bruised and Broken is the first track of Mecuzine’s new album Locksmith Thief, and my god what an epic track to open their new record.
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
