Club Classic - EP Review: Greetings From Club Classic
Club Classic like to portray themselves
in photos as being an interesting bunch of jokers, and indeed their Facebook page
says, “Welly’s favourite grass roots sports club + indie-funk band hybrid”,
but don’t let any of that fool you, as when it is time to start playing music
these guys are serious, and seriously good. This 13-minute-long 3-track EP
finds them demonstrating just how slick and powerful they are, with different
styles of funk and soul.
Interstellar kicks it off, with a strong bass line, and a groove which makes the body move as if it has a life of its own, there really is no choice. This reminds me so much of the classic Seventies pop hits, with that disco/funk guitar sound we all remember so well, harmonies, a great lead vocal, shimmering keyboards and hooks aplenty. As well as a great performance and arrangement, special mention must also be made of the production which makes this feel like a topflight release as opposed to an independent.
Last Chance Dance slows it all down with a strong bass line and plenty of space in the arrangement, allowing Joe to take centre stage in this funky R&B ballad. It opens up more in the chorus than in the initial verse, but the approach with electronic piano keeps it in a far more controlled and sedate manner, and again so layered that the harmonies remind the listener of classic 10CC. It is quite different indeed to the opener, allowing the listener to just luxuriate in the soulful sounds.
Then we end with Top Down, which is surely the last number of the night when they play live, as this is a Stevie Wonder inspired masterblaster. We even get some radio presenters discussing the weather at some point, saying how Wellington is going to get to 28 (ok, so that is obviously fiction, Welly is the only place in the country where the rain not only travels horizontally but around corners), and this fits in perfectly with the postcard theme of the cover, and the sheer boisterous fun of this number where everyone gets up and has a bop.
All three songs are summery wonderful numbers guaranteed to get people up and on the dance floor, with Top Down also getting people to join in the chorus and having a great time. This release was originally tied in with a tour which has now been delayed due to Covid, so until they come to town grab this, and turn it up, and the party will be at your place.
About Club Classic
Based in Wellington, the initial four piece of Liam - Drums, Cameron - Bass, Eddie - Guitar and Joe - Vocals and Keys, released Get Out Your Funk to the world. Followed quickly by The Vibe which consolidated their approach to dancey tunes, and gave a cool platform for Joe to express himself on stage. With live shows at Meow towards the end of 2019 things were looking good for the band…
Covid took the wind out of their sails a little but once they could meet together again mid-2020 they took off with gusto inventing Richie Whiskey. Richie is your true “man about town” drinking, dancing, enjoying the Club life. The four piece expanded to five with the addition of Troy on Keys, thus allowing Joe to focus on singing and working with the audience, making sure they all enjoyed the excellent Club Classic atmosphere.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Club Classic
Releases
Other Reviews By Kev Rowland
07 Jul 2023 // by Kev Rowland
So it was down to Tuning Fork for the first night of the second Crushfest festival. Tonight was going to be Wellington and Auckland bands, and then some of the same will be playing at the second night in Wellington next month.
Read More...
Rain - Single Review: Love and War
15 Jun 2023 // by Kev Rowland
It has been quite a while since I last heard from Wellington-based singer songwriter Cathy Elizabeth, and back then Rain was seen solely as a studio project with Cathy being accompanied by Thomas Te Taite, who provided all the instrumentation including digital drums. Now they are a full band who have been performing live, and it is the first time they have recorded as such, with Thomas now, just providing acoustic guitar (plus engineering and producing etc.
Read More...
Lost Vessels - Single Review: All This Time
01 Jun 2023 // by Kev Rowland
I must admit I was not that impressed when I first saw Lost Vessels play at Crushfest, something they later admitted to me was the worst gig of their career, but since then they have improved in leaps and bounds. This has been noticed by others on the Auckland circuit as they are getting more opportunities with better support slots, and I was not at all surprised when they won the Ding Dong Lounge Battle Of The Bands in November last year.
Read More...
Unwanted Subject - Single Review: Sons of Savages
28 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
I have caught Unwanted Subject in concert a few times over the last couple of years, and while they have been getting better each time I have seen them, I must admit that nothing prepared me for this, which right from the off is a monster. I have never heard them quite this is aggressive, nor as polished, and this multi-sectioned single sounds almost like a different band as they have pushed their metal roots to the max in this metalcore beast which sees them mixing and blending different genres to create something quite special.
Read More...
Gig Review: Stray Dogs @ AUX, Auckland - 26/05/2023
28 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
So it was back to Ding Dong Lounge on a Friday night for one of their infamous Emo nights, which tonight was a three-band bill with Stray Dogs having an extended set, supported by Altaea and then up first we had Blindr, a band new to me. Blindr are a quartet featuring Bill Caldwell (vocals, guitar), Blake Woodfield (lead guitar), Jack Power (bass), and Charlie McCracken (drums).
Read More...
Gig Review: Turkey The Bird @ The Ministry of Folk, Auckland - 27/05/2023
27 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
Back up to Auckland Guide Centre in Mount Eden tonight for my second consecutive gig (Sol suggested it was a turkey sandwich as I am at Vader tomorrow) to see Taranaki’s finest, Turkey The Bird at The Ministry of Folk. Before that we of course had Hoop, who are Al Baxter (vocals, guitar, harmonica, banjo, mandolin), Nick Edgar (vocals, guitar, ukulele, flute, harmonica), Emily Allen (violin, viola), Glenn Coldham (bass) while tonight Gary Hunt was filling in for drummer Rusty Knox.
Read More...
This Silent Divide - Single Review: Beautiful Creature
25 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
Here we have the latest single from Wellington-based melodic hard rock quartet This Silent Divide, entitled Beautiful Creature. I really enjoyed their Tall Stories EP, and they played a great gig at Dead Witch towards the end of last year, and this would have been recorded at about the same time.
Read More...
Gig Review: Emily Rice @ Your Local Coffee Roasters, Pukekohe - 24/05/2023
24 May 2023 // by Kev Rowland
Earlier this week I had a message from Emily Rice asking me if I lived in South Auckland. When I responded I did, she asked if I would be interested in coming along to an event she was putting on in a coffee shop in Pukekohe to celebrate the release of her new single, Warenoa.
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
