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Superturtle - Album Review: Wait For It

13 Nov 2020 // A review by HazzaMakingNoise
Superturtle have returned! The Auckland post-punk four piece’s fifth album Wait For It is self-described as branching out with a fresh direction "but still firmly grounded in their post-punk roots".


The band’s new look line up is still headed by project mastermind Darren McShane, who gave the band it’s birth 12 years ago, and takes credit for the production of the album at his own Earwig Studios. Make no mistake though, this is a band sound. There’s a freeness to the recordings. You feel like you’re in the tracking room. A refreshing take in the age of digitally precise recordings that even the heartiest rock bands fall in line to.

Wait For It indulges a more raucous injection of bluesy rock n roll than its predecessor Student Flat Reunion, the distorted guitars take the lead while synths jump in to nod to the 80’s post-punk aesthetic reminiscent in previous Superturtle work. Lyrical wit is a plenty, to the point of making it unmistakably Kiwi, and a guest feature from Jono Annadale on the "water bong" in I Love Those Cigarettes certainly takes the cake for cultural nods. But what Superturtle does with all that quintessential humour is channel it in to some proper catchy hooks. There isn’t a track on this album that wouldn’t have chanting along with McShane unmistakable voice. WTFRU (you shouldn’t need me to tell you what that stands for,) the most brash evidence of this.

At 37 minutes run time, Wait For It is well paced despite an interesting flow. The title track is a true epic, but almost feels like it jumps in a little early on the listing. Personally, I find its energy leans it toward being an album closer. Nonetheless, Superturtle’s fifth effort is a proper stonker, an album stacked full of tunes that will no doubt make delectable live music. Superturtle are ascending their way to being a beacon of independent music in Aotearoa, and Wait For It might just be the album that makes them legends among peers.

Stand out tracks: WTFRU, Bad for Business and Wait For It

Rating: ( 4 / 5 )
 

About Superturtle

Superturtle's debut release in August 2008 was heralded by an inaugral live performance featuring special guests Chris Knox and The Nothing. Four songs made Kiwi FM's top 10 over the following year, with video play on C4, Juice TV, Triangle and CueTV, and In Flight on Air New Zealand. The single All Our Friends featured on Jim Mora's National Radio show Best Song Ever Written on May 11th 2012. The album received four star reviews in The Waikato Times and The Groove Guide.

THE MIDDLE

The second album About The Sun was preceded by the Valley Town EP and Sad Sack single and was released June 7th 2010 on Sarang Bang Records and Ode Records. It received extensive play on Christchurch bnet station RDU and Kiwi FM.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Superturtle

Releases

Wait For It
Year: 2020
Type: Album
Student Flat Reunion
Year: 2018
Type: Album
Beat Manifesto
Year: 2013
Type: Unknown
About The Sun
Year: 2010
Type: Album
Valley Town
Year: 2009
Type: EP
To The Rescue
Year: 2008
Type: Album

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