If you listen to the Blindboy Podcast or follow any other media by creative or neurodivergent people, you’ll know that most people hold back on creating anything because of their fear of failure, fear of judgement from others, or a fear of being defined by what they have produced rather than by who they are. (The first step is to simply get over ourselves and begin, knowing that we will certainly fail but that the only way to succeed is to start and stick with it.) 

Christchurch’s Craig Payne seems to suffer from no such inhibitions. He has recorded and released six full albums over the last three years. The latest, Born Again – in the words of his promo materials – drops (ok, dropped) 1 January this year. It’s been a period of prolific activity and some significant output, especially as he seems to compose, play and record all the material solo in his own studio. It’s quite an achievement to push out this much material in so short a time.

This self-reliance and self-confidence seem to be front of mind throughout the album. “If you haven’t worn my shoes, don’t tell me how to tie my laces” he sings on a song of the same name. On A Blue-Sky Kind of Day he sings that his cup is half full and that’s ok, and urges us to just smell the roses. On Still Making Days almost every line sounds like a clip from a motivational speaker, an anthem to looking forwards and nothing else: “Don’t take on board what other people say” and “Don’t look behind until you reach your destination.” On All Roads Lead Me Here he is “… following the path some people never find / Look straight ahead / Leave the past behind …”  On the opening Born Again “the past is a just a jaded memory …. No time for reminiscing / I’m born again!” 

Payne makes no secret of his influences (Hank Marvin, Paul McCartney) and the music is certainly cast by a familiar mould. It’s mid-tempo working class guitar rock and roll with drums, bass, keys, backing vocals and no hidden meanings. The tunes are catchy and Payne clearly has an ear for creating a riff. Some tracks, like the instrumental Hey Mister, have country elements, while Confidential Information has electronic drums that sound full-blown 80’s – a Simmonds kit or other some other thing where each beat sounds like a laser beam.

The album is pieced together in a coherent way and seems thematic, at least in being an ode to forgetting the past, not dwelling on regrets and just doing your own thing in your own way. That sort of mindset seems to be what has led Payne to produce so much material of late – and to some extent is a necessary mindset for anyone to produce work like this. His work ethic cannot be in doubt, and as a multi -instrumentalist there is much here that is impressive for a single person to have produced. But there are parts of the album where I wondered if the urge to go forwards quickly has meant he has forgotten to review, reflect and edit – and that some energy he has put into volume could be put to good use in refinement. Here and there, vocals and backing vocals could be improved. The sound is coherent, but some more work could make it more original, and in doing so could better support the tunes. The lyrics are often constructed from familiar turns of phrase – which granted brings comfort to listeners, but if there’s too much of it can also leave us wanting more, or something more real.

Who really is Craig Payne? – I think there’s more to his story and more creativity that he is yet to get out in the recording studio.

• 1
  Head Like A Hole
• 2
  Horror Story
• 3
  Fraser Ross
• 4
  Fur Patrol
• 5
  L.A.B.
• 6
  Devilskin
• 7
  Michelle Rounds
• 8
  The Feelers
• 9
  The Boondocks
• 10
  Coridian

• 
  Come On Up @ Festival of Lights - Pukekura Park, New Plymouth - 10/01/2025
• 
  Bush Buds @ Festival of Lights - Pukekura Park, New Plymouth - 10/01/2025
• 
  Courtnay & The Unholy Reverie @ Festival of Lights - Pukekura Park, New Plymouth - 09/01/2025
• 
  Louis TM @ Festival of Lights - Pukekura Park, New Plymouth - 05/01/2025

• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
  Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  Billie Eilish
• 4
  TASTE
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 7
  SAILOR SONG
  Gigi Perez
• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
  Shaboozey
• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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