Stevie Starr Album Release
Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:03 pm

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‘We Hope In All Things New’
Album Release Date: Monday 15 June 2009
Album Release Show: Thursday 18 June, The Mighty Mighty, Wellington

Lauded by the media as ‘one of the brightest new things on the New Zealand music scene’ (The Herald) and in the wake of his first single release ‘The Rising Tide of Conformity’ Stevie Starr releases his debut album ‘We Hope In All Things New’.

‘Blending classical compositions with sweeping pop movements, Wellington's Stevie Starr could well be one of the brightest new things on the New Zealand music scene. Influenced by Radiohead and Arvo Pärt, his inspired compositions are heartfelt, uplifting and really rather remarkable. Look out for his debut album, release June 15.’ The Herald

Also described as an ‘Act To Look Out For In 2009’ (Rip It Up Magazine) Starr’s debut album ‘We Hope In All Things New’ ‘juxtaposes straight vocal guitar pop with subversive lyrical themes. With moody electronic tinged compositions marinated in a propensity for emotive classical style arrangements; his debut is an enjoyable listening experience to say the least'. RIU

Starr says the album ‘was inspired by being dissatisfied with the state of the music industry in this country and the way in which creative culture is dominated by financial values, rather than artistic values.’ (The Wellingtonian, 23 April)

His live show will reflect these artistic values and was inspired by the city Budapest. One side of the city is Hungary’s cultural and artistic heart (Buda) and the other is its commercial capital (Pest). The band will improvise and only have one practice for each song on the ‘Buda’ side of the set, and will perform faithful and accurate renditions of some of the album’s tracks on the ‘Pest’ side of the set.

Starr says: “Music is really in a diabolical state. Bands get together and the first thinking is, ‘What is my image? What is my genre?’ I think the first thing should be, ‘What am I thinking? What do I feel?”

Following four years of recording determination, whilst managing a stint as editor of Victoria University magazine Salient, Starr’s LP will be distributed by Border Music.

His first single ‘The Rising Tide of Conformity’ was released on Tuesday 21 April, and is available as a free download (with voluntary koha), at www.thesteviestarr.com. His music video and single ‘We Hope In All Things New’ will be released in late June.

Please play any tracks you wish from ‘We Hope In All Things New’ as much as possible. It is yours. Stevie Starr would be most appreciative.