Music News - IMNZ January News
30 January 2008 - 0 Comments
IMNZ Independent Album Chart January 2008
You can view the latest IMNZ Album Chart on our charts page:
http://www.muzic.net.nz/charts/c45538/imnz-independent-album-chart-0-01-january-2008.html
January News
IMNZ Chair Mark Kneebone is currently at the MIDEM music trade show in Cannes, where music business execs from over 90 countries are gathering. Independent label bodies the Worldwide Independent Network (WIN) and MERLIN are hosting meetings with their delegates from all over the world, making MIDEM a crucial forum for setting the agenda for indie activities in 2008. For Kiwis in London longing for some homeland vibes, Spacific.net - the UK website dedicated to New Zealand music - are hosting their annual Waitangi Day event at Cargo on Feb 6th, with performances by London’s Maori club Ngati Ranana, Adi Dick and Precious Clark, as well as DJ sets from Tubbs, Horace and Big K.
Warm Earth records has signed to MGM/Planet for the distribution of Te Vaka in Australia; their latest album ‘Olatia’ will be released in Australia on February 16th. After the success of Cut Off Your Hands’ EP Blue On Blue at home, the boys relocated to the UK and promptly inked a deal with 679 Recordings (The Streets); their first single on the label sold out in less than 24 hours. The band toured with friends/fans Foals, and played NYC’s CMJ Festival and Iceland’s epic Airwaves festival; plus all of the Big Day Out dates. COYH also have not one, not two, but three songs nominated for the Triple J Hot 100 for 2007. Die!Die!Die! are on the Big Day Out circuit too, playing all shows except Perth.
Deceptikonz presents the Horsemen Family ‘My Shout: The Album’ is instores January 28th, via Dawn Raid/Universal, with the lead single Feels Like Magic featuring reggae band Sweet & Irie. Aaradhna’s record of classic soul covers, ‘Sweet Soul Music’, is in stores February 11th and features her interpretation of classics from the Motown and Stax records vaults. Aaradhna is currently making successful inroads in Los Angeles, working and writing songs with platinum producers DJ Quik and Raphael Saadiq (who recently produced for Joss Stone); she is also working with producer Romeo who has written for Destiny’s Child and Ne-Yo.
Dunedin-based experimental musician Alastair Galbraith is much admired in the international ‘underground’ music scene - starting with Flying Nun band The Rip, Galbraith has two decades of projects and recordings under his belt, employing everything from bagpipes to piano wires. Galbraith was also awarded an Arts Foundation Laureate Award in 2006. For the first time since 2000’s ‘Cry,’ Alastair Galbraith delivers an album of song-based material, the 20-track ‘Orb’, on his own label Nextbestway, via Global Routes.
Fat Freddy's Drop announces the addition of a second show at Music Mountain Matakana on the afternoon of Sunday, February 24; and gates for the Sunday picnic session will open at the earlier time of 1.30pm. Both shows feature support from FLOWZ & The Usos and DJs Mu, Slave, Cian and Thief. Busy with sessions for their new album, Fat Freddy’s only summer gig to date has been The Big Drop Off in Wellington. Expect to hear fresh tunes from the band that has just confirmed two Paris gigs for April with more to follow in London and Lisbon. DJ Fitchie says, "We’re not playing too many gigs this summer and we've picked a good one with Matakana. We're really looking forward to the Bush Party shows, the best tunes we're playing are the new ones - and there's a golf course next door!”
The special edition of Hollie Smith’s ‘Long Player’ is out now, featuring the three new tracks that she recorded in Philadelphia with Grammy award-winning US producer James Poyser. Following her appearance at BluesfestNZ in Whitianga, Smith heads away the next day to the Byron Bay Blues and Roots Festival and then embarks upon a European tour. dDub played to 13,000 people at Rhythm and Vines, bringing in the New Year on the Main Stage; and they’re off to Australia in February for their third tour there, playing Brisbane, Byron Bay and Sydney. They’ve just released their new single and video Hesitate No. The new ‘Conscious Roots 4’ album covers an eclectic selection of Pacific-tinged reggae, ‘flax roots’, ska alternatives, hip-hop fusion and local dancehall; and it includes seven previously unreleased tracks, including a preview track from dDub's next studio album, due later in 2008. Elsewhere there are gems from Katchafire, The Black Seeds, Cornerstone Roots, Unity Pacific, Royala and many more.
Paul McLaney begins a nationwide tour of smaller centres, playing tracks from his new album ‘Diamond Side’ plus earlier favourites. The tour begins in Auckland on Wednesday January 30 at Café One 2 One where McLaney and his friends Age Pryor and Victoria Girling-Butcher (Lucid 3) will play intimate solo sets. Cassette’s ‘Familiar Surrounds’ tour celebrates the New Zealand release of their ‘Cancer EP, (featuring the popular radio tunes Look at You and Cancer); they’ll be joined on the road by Bachelorette and Australia’s Ned Collette (formerly of city City CITY). On bass for Cassette will be Andrew Bain of Fur Patrol fame; and all performers will contribute to each others’ songs (it’ll be 4-part harmony central!); and Collette will be ably backed by the members of Cassette and Bachelorette.
Lawrence Arabia (a.k.a James Milne) is back in New Zealand for a tour complete with band after performing throughout Europe and living far afield. Shows will feature songs from the acclaimed ‘Lawrence Arabia’ album, new songs recorded in London and Stockholm for the second Lawrence album (due August 2008), plus a few Reduction Agents numbers for good measure. Some of New Zealand's finest will be guesting around the country including Liam Finn, Samuel Flynn Scott and Luke Buda (Phoenix Foundation), Connan Hosford from Connan and the Mockasins, Minisnap, and John White. The band consists of Lawrence Arabia, Chris Garland, Dave Fraser, EJ Barnes and Craig Terris. Jackie Bristow starts The World Is Turning national tour on January 31; the tour is named for the new single from her latest album ‘Crazy Love’.
Recloose is about to release his new studio album ‘Perfect Timing’ in February on LOOP; he describes it as “Brimming with…new talent, dancefloor thunder, and funk lullabies…” He embarks on a nationwide live band tour in March/April with nine gigs booked across both islands. Fellow Wellingtonian Kathryn Baker, of the band Vade, will release her solo album ‘Distrait’ via Twig Records on February 11; it will be available in Australia too. Recliner are heading into the studio to start laying down tracks for album number two with Dave Holmes engineering and co-producing; the band hope to have it finished mid-2008. After a releasing several well-received EPs and videos and having bagged ex-Blindspott guitarist, Brendon Reihana, Bay of Plenty band Slipping Tongue release their debut full-length album, ‘My Kingdom Falls’. Their latest video Bitter quickly made it to no. 2 on C4’s Select and became the most requested NZ video ever on Alt TV.
The Ruby Suns have toured the US, UK, NZ and Australia variously with The Shins, Animal Collective and Field Music, they’ve signed to Sub Pop and now they’ve locally released their second full-length album, ‘Sea Lion’. The album will be released internationally on March 3rd via Memphis Industries in the UK and Europe, Sub Pop in the US, and Popfrenzy in Australia; and the band have been named "a band to watch in 2008" by UK newspaper the Independent. The newly 3-pieced Ruby Suns are heading out on a national tour, with Pikelet (from Aus), Black Market Art, Surf City, and Stefanimal. After this tour, the Ruby Suns will be performing in Australia, before heading to the US, UK, and Europe. The Brunettes will soon be embarking on another international tour, and are currently working on the follow up to last year's ‘Structure & Cosmetics’. Later in 2008, Lil' Chief will release the debut album by Pye Warmer, the new vehicle of Edmund Cake (ex-Bressa Creeting Cake), whose solo album ‘Downtown Puff’ was a critical success in 2004.
Louie Knuxx has moved to Melbourne to promote the launch of Breakin Wreckwordz Australia, which includes the Australian release of his debut album 'Wasted Youth', to be followed by his sophomore album. He’ll be returning briefly throughout the year to continue his Cancer project with Christchurch MC Jay Roacher. Tourettes has released a video for Holiday from his mix album ‘Gimme Five Dollars and I'll Show You My Dick’; and watch out for the new video for R.E.S’s track Good Times Roll from the recently released BWW compilation ‘It’s A Monster: Breakin Wreckwordz Vol. II’. The crew have plans for another NZ tour in April/ May.
SJD’s track LSM (from the ‘Lost Soul Music’ album) has been selected by legendary producer Tim 'Love' Lee to be on his new compilation ‘Coming Home’, which is a is a collection of Lee’s all time favourite tracks, released on his own label Tummy Touch. ‘Bounce Around’ is the brand new album from Minisnap, which features Kaye Woodward alongside fellow Bats Paul Kean and Malcolm Grant, plus Marcus Winstanley from The Undercurrents. The group has evolved from a 2-piece with mostly looped rhythm tracks to a 3-piece for the ‘In My Pocket EP’ and the ‘March Hare’ album; they’re now a 4-piece for ‘Bounce Around’. The artwork for ‘Bounce Around’ is from a print by Michael Morley of The Dead C. Minisnap is heading to Europe mid-‘08 for shows and festivals in support of their inseparable friends The Bats. Nathan Haines’ ‘Right Now’ album release tour is underway with special local guest Tama Waipara, and UK guests Vanessa Freeman and Mike Patto.
Charmaine Ford, winner of the 2007 Best Jazz Album of the Year for ‘Busy Silence’, and part of the ‘Live at Sandwiches’ trio with Nick Tipping and Richard Wise, has relocated to Sydney; although she’ll return to play the Tauranga National Jazz Festival on March 24. Wayne Mason, the writer of Nature, which in 2001 was voted best New Zealand song of all time, is about to issue a new album (his third solo), ‘Sense Got Out’; this follows many years of working with the Warratahs. Bench Music, who has previously released compilations from the Jambalaya festival, is expanding its focus to include touring and artist management, and will be running tours through Australia as well as NZ; they’ll cover the whole shebang: sponsorship of entertainment work visa, publicity, tour management etc. They kick off with a tour through Singapore, Australia and NZ with UK act Overproof Soundsystem in February.
Trillion has recorded a special tribute song to Sir Edmund Hillary; there is a video doing the rounds of YouTube too. Lindon Puffin’s Show Pony Summer Tour ‘08 is now underway and will be traversing New Zealand from January through February. Lindon is heading off on his first ever world tour in late March, he’ll be performing and filming the experience in the hope of making a follow up to his previous documentary Figure 8000, which is currently screening on Sky TV's Documentary Channel. Ragamuffin Children are in the middle of a busy summer, in January they played at Canaan Downs, the Parihaka Festival and opened for Jose Gonzalez; and they have shows scheduled from now until March.
Kora are looking forward to Rippon and the lovely surrounds of Wanaka; this and the Main Divide are amongst the few festivals they’re playing in New Zealand – most are in Australia and further afield: they’ve just returned from the Sydney Festival; they play Womadelaide on March 7, and Playground (near Sydney) on March 9. Chuganaut kicked off their New Year’s shows at Axces on January 25; South Island dates will be announced shortly with more North Island dates to follow. In November 2007, after failing to raise enough money to move to Bulgaria, The Tweeks spent what little they had raised on recording their second album, which is out in March. Always keen for an excuse to travel the country, The Tweeks have announced a nationwide tour celebrating the release of their first single I'm Keen from the as yet to be titled record. Copies of a limited edition single with b-sides and rarities will be sold at shows.
The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra pulls together some well-known Wellington musicians commanding the 4-string like you’ve never heard it before, and the ‘Heartache’ EP is their debut release, featuring versions of songs by Kings Of Leon, Crowded House and Bonnie Tyler, alongside NZ “campfire” favourites New Zealand Christmas Tree and Hoki Mai. The group are12 strong and include the likes of Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords), Age Pryor, Daniel Yeabsley (Twinset and more), Gemma Gracewood and Andy Morley-Hall among their number. They’ve played venues across New Zealand, their version of OutKast’s Hey Ya! was a YouTube hit; they were named 91ZM’s pick of NZ Music Month 2007, appeared on Campbell Live to teach Jacquie Brown ukulele, attracted no less than 73 uke enthusiasts to a mass uke-in for the Wellington Fringe Festival, and they’ll be appearing at WOMAD 2008.
John White is the frontman for Mestar; ‘Mogwash’, his second solo album, was recorded in Berlin with fellow members of itinerant NZ band Cloudboy, during a European tour. Guests on Mogwash include Demarnia Lloyd, Sandra Bell and Chris O'Connor. This release also features John White’s first solo album ‘Balloon Adventure’ in its entirety; this was released by She’ll Be Right Records last year. White recently released and toured this double album in the States, followed by a New Zealand tour releasing his special stand-alone Mogwash comic book edition.
New Year’s Eve and the Big Day Out might be over for another year, but the summer festivals are by no means finished; there’s plenty of musical fun still to be had. New Zealand’s first two-day ska festival Toots n’ Grooves ran in the weekend just been. The Parachute Festival also ran January 26 and 27, featuring 170 bands performing on 9 different stages over 4 days, making it the biggest Christian festival in the Southern hemisphere. Artists included Dziah, All Left Out, Rapture Ruckus, Brian Platt, Spacifix, Parachute Band and Adeaze. Auckland City Council’s 2008 Music in Parks programme continues throughout February with entertainment from many of the IMNZ whanau such as the Benka Boradovsky Bordello Band, Luke Hurley, Ardijah and Chong-Nee.
Raggamuffin hits Rotorua on February 2, with The Midnights, Katchafire, the Black Seeds and the House of Shem joining UB40, The Wailers, Maxi Priest and Arrested Development. This festival will be particularly historic as it will be one of the very final shows that singer Ali Campbell will perform with UB40, the band he’s been with for nearly 30 years; Campbell’s final shows with UB40 will be the Raggamuffin concerts in New Zealand and Australia, with one final date in Uganda. Rippon 08 is on that same weekend in Wanaka with Shapeshifter, Connan and the Mockasins, Little Bushman, Tiki, Tyra & the Tornadoes; and Tommy is playing the Taranaki Wine and Food Festival on February 2. Camp A Low Hum also happens that weekend near Levin, with a mighty list of secret bands being just one element of the entertainment planned.
International hip hop/reggae artist J-Star will be joined at Wellington’s One Love 2008 Waitangi Day celebration by reggae band Hikoikoi, Radio Active’s Roots and Culture DJs, and Wellington supergroup The Yoots, featuring members of Scribes of Ra, Fat Freddys Drop, Phoenix Foundation and the Black Seeds. And at Okahu Bay, for the first time in Auckland's history, local iwi Ngati Whatua o Orakei and Auckland City Council are collaborating to host a Waitangi Day celebration; following a re-enactment of Governor Hobson’s arrival complete with waka and tall ships, you can enjoy music from House Of Shem, Ardijah, Cornerstone Roots, Three Houses Down, Ruia, Jamoa Jam and others.
Splore runs over the weekend of February 8 – 10, with local highlights including Shapeshifter, Tiki, Tyra & the Tornadoes, Antix, Surf City and Three Houses Down, alongside Pharoahe Monch, Freddie Cruger and many other local and international acts, as well as visual arts, sculpture trails, film screenings and workshops plus themed parties and campsites. Soundsplash runs from February 15 – 17 in Wainui Reserve, Raglan, and artists splashing their sound for you include Little Bushman, Opensouls, 4 Corners, Tahuna Breaks, Ladi6, Unity Pacific, Cornerstone Roots, Katchafire, Stinky Jim and Tenement Yard, alongside some other great locals and internationals.
To find The Main Divide, head to Pegasus Bay Winery just north of Christchurch on March 1, where you’ll catch Kora, Pitch Black, The Phoenix Foundation, Flip Grater, epsilon-blue, Dallas Tamaira, Hera, Module and Cosm. BluesfestNZ, linked to the legendary Byron Bay Bluesfest joins 3 other festivals in Australia which also host artists from Byron Bay. The inaugural festival in Whitianga is scheduled as a one day event and will play host to some impressive names in blues, reggae, funk, roots, pop and swamp rock, including IMNZ artists Hollie Smith and Little Bushman alongside Buddy Guy, KT Tunstall, Keb Mo, Wilco, Ian Brown, Midge Marsden, Pluto and The Checks.
Sandwiches’ Summerset day-nighter music festival is set to become an annual hit-out at Wellington’s Basin Reserve over Easter. Sunshine Sound System will MC the live commentary, while two of last year’s in-form players, Shapeshifter in their only performance in the Capital City for 2008, and Tom Middleton (UK) return to the squad. While the full team is yet to be announced, several other big hitters have caught the eye of Sandwiches selectors, including LTJ Bukem (UK), Crazy Penis (UK) and Opensouls, plus DJs Downtown Brown and Norman Jay (UK).
On April 26 the Wellington Waterfront hosts the first Vodafone Homegrown festival, boasting 5 stages with performers including Shihad, Pluto, The Mint Chicks, The Checks, OpShop, The Feelers, Goodnight Nurse, Motocade, Kora, Salmonella Dub, Concord Dawn, Tim Phin & Ladi6 , Dick Johnson, Minuit, Tiki, The Phoenix Foundation, and many more to be announced; plus lashings of interactive activities, art installations and street performers. The festival falls on a long weekend for those who want to travel from other towns; and all stages are covered.
New and Forthcoming Releases
Aaradhna ‘Sweet Soul Music, The Actualities ‘Workers Leaving the Factory’, Amy Racecar ‘Conclusions’, Badtown ‘Rockers Run Riot’, Whirimako Black ‘Sings’, BSM ‘Rhythm and Rhyme’, Brick vs Face ‘Think for Yourself’, Jackie Bristow ‘Crazy Love’, The Broken Heartbreakers ‘The Broken Heartbreakers’, Brotha D and the Dawn Raid Family ‘Element of Surprise’, Cassette ‘Cancer EP’, Jay Clarkson ‘Over the Mountain’, Coshercot Honeys ‘We’re All Lions’ EP, Jonathan Crayford ‘Big Foot’, Cydel ‘Soul Finder’, The Darlings ‘The Cicada Sessions’, The Deceptikonz Present The Horsemen Family ‘My Shout’, dDub Hesitate No single, Die! Die! Die! ‘Promises, Promises’, Bill Direen ‘Human Kindness’, Disasteradio ‘Visions’, Julien Dyne ’The Phantom Limbo’ EP, Ethical ‘Ages Turn’, Charmaine Ford, Nick Tipping and Richard Wise ‘Live at Sandwiches’, Alastair Galbraith ‘Orb’, George and Queen ‘City’, Andy Gibson ‘Behind the I’, Good Laika ‘Heads I Win, Tails You Lose’, Tim Guy ‘Hummabyes’, Nathan Haines ‘Right Now’, Just One Fix ‘The Price of $ellvation’, Matthew Holleman EP, Michael Houston ‘Inland’, Shona Laing ‘Pass the Whisper’, Lanu ‘This Is My Home’, Little Bushman ‘Pendulum’, The Lookie Loos ‘Timing is Everything’ EP, The Low Spark ‘Out In The Ozone’, Otis Mace ‘Bird in Bush Road’, Paul McLaney ‘Diamond Side’, Danny McCrum ‘Awake and Restless’, Minisnap ‘Bounce Around’, Missing Teeth ‘Ill Gotten Gains’, OdESSA ‘The Prize’, OMC Please, One Man Bannister ‘Moth’, one million dollars ‘Stand Up to the Shakedown’, P-Bass Expressway ‘Snag Bag’, The Rabble ‘The Battle’s Almost Over’, Ragamuffin Children ‘Werecat Lullabies’, Recloose ‘Perfect Timing’, The Ruby Suns ‘Sea Lion’, Hollie Smith ‘Long Player Deluxe Edition’, Strangers ‘The Weight’, Tahuna Breaks ‘Reflections’, Tiki Taane ‘Past, Present, Future’, Trillion ‘SILENTinvisible’, Trillion Sir Edmund Hillary tribute song, Trip to the Moon ‘Welcome to the Big Room’, The Upbeats ‘Nobody’s Out There’, Various ‘Area 07’, Various ‘Breakin Wreckwordz – It's a Monster’, Various ‘Conscious Roots 4’, Various ‘Old School Machete Funk’, Various ‘Speed of Sound III’, Various ‘The Hills Have Ears’, Various ‘Urban Gospel 2’, Ward 4 ‘Overflow’, Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra ‘Heartache’ EP, John White ‘Mogwash’, White Swan Black Swan ‘Castle of Useless Junk’, Young Sid ‘The Truth’
Thanks to www.indies.co.nz for this story.
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