Nuclear Blast Allstars - Into the Light (2007)

This is an intriguing concept for a compilation/celebration album. It is not a "best of" collection, as each song has been crafted for this production, however each features a different vocalist - a "Nuclear Blast Allstar". The band includes Victor Smolski on guitars, bass and sometimes keyboards (can you say multi-talented?) and Andre Hilgers on drums for most of the tracks. I guess this means that this album is essentially Rage with guest vocalists and occasionally other guest musicians as well. Smolski wrote most of the music, and Peavey Wagner writes the lyrics for a number of the tracks.

The cover is beautiful - depicting a castle atop a rocky isle, floating in the clouds. All is eerie and digital, with light illuminating the top of the tower. Inside the booklet begins with an introduction from Smolski and then the following double page spread feture the lyrics on the right and the vocalist on the left, along with  a brief passage talking a little about the band, the song and singing the praises of Nuclear Blast Records.

The first track, "Dirty Wings" is vocalised by the lovely Tobias Sammet, of Edguy. The heavy structures are classic Rage, stronger, more bass-ic than Edguy's complex manouverings. Sammet's voice is its typical pure and slightly raw self. The song is not overly stimulating or exciting - just energetic power and strength.

With slamming guitars and raging drums, we roar into "Terrified" with Peavey Wagner (Rage). With some slower moments, and Wagner's strongly accented vocals, more shouting than singing. Aggressive more than frightened, I'd have to say.

"Ruling the World", feating Toni Kakko (Sonata Arctica) is another aggressive and raw number.

Slower, more haunting, starting with piano; steadily becoming heavier, dirge like. We enter "Death is Alive". Mats Levens voice is soaring and echoeey, melodious then raw, accompanied by the haunting vocals of Jen Majura. Levens does backing vocals for Lions Share, which may be why he sounds familiar. He has also performed with Abstrakt Algebra and Therion.  Majura's voice is strong, relatively low and somewhat angelic - in the avenging angel kind of way!

Racing and raging, we rip into "Bloodsucker". The raw, aggressive and ferocious vocals provided by Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer of Destruction. Classic speed/thrash. Fast, heavy bass, brutal vocals and lyrics.

Slower, guitar rolls like dust blowing in the wind; sand swirling and turning across the golden wastes. Then the electronic noises roll in, the bass grows louder, more ominous (with a few twiddly bits and intricate guitaring). We are "Slaves to the Desert" with Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian), his voice low and deep and only later gaining the rasping edge we're more used to from him. This is a more intricate, technical song than BG, with a modern feel.

Heavy, but quite melodic, with the occasional pounding rhythm, And Deris (Helloween) gives us the vocals for "A Perfect Day". The bassline is a force of nature, the guitars weaving an intricate web and the music surging, swelling and soaring in line with Deris' vocals:

"It's just another last goodbye, it's just a perfect day..."

Heavy and churning, "Eternally" then falls into slower and more melodic guitar; dreamy, like floating in the clouds. Odleif Strensland (Communic), has a powerful voice - well suited to epic emotion. Sounds rather like Rage's finer moments.

The "Inner Sanctary" brings us another heavy piece with intricate rhythms and the vocals of Marco Hietala (Nightwish) who has a deeper voice with a razor-edge.

We close with the haunting "In the Picture" which features Tarja Turunen (ex-Nightwish) applying her ethereal voice to vocals. More progressive and technical than Nightwish, but more complex than Rage. There are some beautifully serene moments and, of course, Tarja's voice is second to nonw.

In general, this album feels like Rage with guest vocalists. The music has the epic power and added aggression of some of the later Rage albums, combined with complex guitar structuers and rhythms. The varying vocalists add an interesting touch and overall it is a novel idea for a celebratory album: new tracks with different vocalists.

Rating 8/10.

NZ Music Month - The Grand Finale

The month of May is not over yet, but my collection of NZ music has all been listened to, and thus it is time to move back into the alphabet.

To conclude, I shall share a few music videos from YouTube from NZ bands:

3Ds - Hey Seuss (1994)
This Dunedin 3-piece formed in 1988, releasing 4 albums before disbanding in 1997, then reforming briefly some 10 years later. The name comes because all3 of the members had names starting with "D". They later took on a fourth member, also starting with D but did not change their name to the 4Ds.
This song is a homage to Dr Seuss, and is fun and funky. Also highly irritating when it is top of your playlist and thus played everytime you open up your audio library and it's not set to random. 

Greg Johnson Set - Isabelle (1991)
Greg Johnson left NZ in 2002 and now lives in California. I love this song, which is probably their most successful.

The Front Lawn - The Beautiful Things (1993)
I hated this song when they first started playing it on television. I'm not sure why, because now I actually like it: with its discordant rhythms, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and general quirkiness.
This comedic and theatrical duo comprise of Don McGlashan and Harry Sinclair.
McGlashan was also responsible for:

The Muttonbirds - Dominion Road (1992)
Dominion Road is in Auckland. Obviously it is worth singing about. More well known songs by this band are "Nature" and "Anchor Me" but I didn't really feel like listening to them again.

Crowded House - Chocolate Cake (1991)
This song always makes me hungry. And takes me back about 20 years. Mmmm, cake. The lyrics area tongue-in-cheek parody of the American's tendency for excess. It was not well received in the US.
The Finn brothers are from New Zealand, however, because the other two members (at this time) were Australians and they formed in Australia, they've been stolen by the Aussies, just like pavlova.

Split Enz  - Message to my Girl (1984)
Before they were in Crowded House, Tim and Neil Finn were in Split Enz. They are probably one of our most successful bands. They are best known for tracks like "Six months in a leaky boat", "I Got You" and "I See Red".

Finn Brothers - Won't Give In (2004)
And Tim and Neil Finn won't give in with the singing - they have endured! This song always makes me feel a bit glum.

There's about 100 more songs I can add here, but I'm bored with playing on youtube at the moment, so I'll add to this list later, perhaps.

The Chills - Submarine Bells (1990)

This is the final NZ CD I shall be spinning this month - although I may move onto my cassette tapes.

The Chills are one of the classic Dunedin bands. Frontman Martin Phillips is the only consistent member of the band, and they have released six full length albums - several compilations and a bunch of EPs. This was their third album, and their most succesful (it attained #1 on the charts) - in part due to the explosion of popularity in the whole Flying Nun/Dunedin sound and aided rather by the opening track and first single "Heavenly Pop Hit" which I still regard as one of the Definitive NZ songs. Many of the more modern NZ bands have a polished, American sound, but the sludgy, low mix of the Flying Nun label will always stick in my head as being the true NZ sound. Although it should be noted, this album was not released on the Flying Nun label - this was their first release on a major label - Slash/Liberation.

The cover depicts, I believe, a jellyfish, although it also rather resembles a translucent mushroom. It is very blue.

The opening organ of "Heavenly Pop Hit" is utterly unmistakable, bringing with it a clarity and joy that stirs the spirit and the heart. Phillip's voice is sweet and moderately high.

We have piano and a slightly British feel to "Tied Up in Chains". It reminds me a little of Blur and Madness and that whole English Rock sound of the late 80s. Not so much the Dunedin sound at all. Of course, this is somewhat ruined by Phillip's very kiwi accent.

Another nicely rock number is "The Oncoming Day". It offers little new - just a good pace and steady rhythms, catchy chrous.

We drop to a slightly lower pace for "Part Past Part Fiction" with its dreamy, slightly surreal feeling.

"Singing in My Sleep" is vocally dominated, interlaid with tremolo guitar and keyboard rhythms.

The swooping and gliding flute leads a soft and lilting edge to "I Soar" with its slight folk feel. It's a pleasing, slow song with sunlight shimmering through dappled leaves and a leaf frolicking on the wind.

More organ/keyboards lead us into "Dead Web" with its catchy and rollicking chorus.

Fast paced "Familiarity Breeds Contempt" is a solid rock number, with its steady rhythm. Phillips' Kiwi twang really shows in this number.

Pianoleads us into the more haunting "Don't Be - Memory". Vocals are slightly distorted, echoeey, with a shade of Pink Floyd (but Kiwi).

The beautifully titled "Effloresce and Deliquesce" has a wonderfully folkish aspect to it. The vocals are fast, and pronounciation, an education! To blossom and decay. What magnificant words. And quite a glorious song too, with its playful rhythms.

"Sweet Times" is absurdly short, almost choral and over too soon.

Another haunting number, "Submarine Bells" has the symphonic power of the opening track, but is overset by a melancholy that makes it spine-chilling.

Aside from "Heavenly Pop Hit", this album was previously unknown to me. At least this time it was because it's not my CD, but my husband's (although I do own some CDs that I've not actually listened to). It certainly seems more English than I had expected - with the pacing and music found in bands like Blur and Madness - the whole Britpop explosion. Although, given this album came out at approximately the same time (or before, in some cases), it makes you wonder whether it was intentional or coincidence. The tracks are short, and the whole album only clocks in at around half an hour.

The clarity of sound is certainly very good, and it is an enjoyable and well produced album - just not entirely to my musical tastes. I could listen to it, but I'd probably not buy it (although I may be persuaded to acquire several of the tracks).

Rating = 7/10

The Brunettes - Paper Dolls (2009)

We are now reaching the end of New Zealand Music Month and I had run out of NZ music cds (excluding my husband's Chills cd, which we have temporarily misplaced the case for, and I still have a number of cassettes to fall back on, anyhow). That was, until I went shopping today. To a music store. Two music stores in fact: the first, Penny Lane, almost lured me into purchasing Pumpkinhead's "Sloth" and the Nixon's "Foma". Luckily I resisted the latter, because I had neglected to remember that whilst there was an NZ band called The Nixons, they had to change their name to Eye TV due to the American grunge band by the same name. And this cd was that of the US band, misfiled in the NZ section.

Anyway, I found my way into another music store (Marbecks) and lucked upon this album instead, for the kingly sum of $10. Now, you might have come to the theory that I am a bit of a metalhead - so the fact that I now own all of the Brunette's full-length albums may surprise you. They are not even close to metal - they are bouncy, poppy; sweet and innocent with a touch of bubblegum and cotton candy. They are rainbows and kite flying; rollerskates and icecream. They are diners and discos; paper dolls and hairagami. They are a duo from Auckland that sound like the belong not only in California, but in California some 50 or more years ago.

They are a charming, quirky, whimsical and playful delight. As is reflected in the album cover. This one is a paperfold out affair with some lovely pencil renderings of Jonathan and Heather, including your very own set of very small paperdolls - complete with clothes. But don't cut them out, because you'll ruin your album cover! It has a clean and polished look to it, rather more whimsical to the sophisticated but sterile whiteness of "Structure..."

As the follow-up to "Structure and Cosmetics", this album also displays a distinct evolution from the 60s bubblegum of their first two albums. It seems they have now attained the 80s.

Piano starts us "In Colours". Colourful, playful, with tinkly, boppy rhythms and percussive instruments. Somewhat more electronic feel than the earlier two albums, and the drum machine merely accentuates that. Heather's voice starts us off, clear and sparkling like a bell, before Jonathan joins her in a harmonising echo.

The drum machine dominates "Red Rollerskates", synth/keyboards soaring back and forth like something from the 80s meeting the 60s - electronica meets retro. Jonathan's voice is distorted, fuzzy at the edges, Heather's chorus pure and sweet - as her asthma problem is cured by the acquisition of a pair of red rollerskates so that:

"...I bought some rope and red rollerskates - now I pull her 'round behind me"

Their lyrics are as delightfully quirky as ever.

Electronica synth retro makes "The Crime Machine" sound almost like an old computer game, bringing us into the 80s. Singing about the 1920s. Echoey computer voices and those high bauble notes should make it feel very dated, but it's so polished and smooth it's just beautiful.

The synth, drum machines and bobbly music continues in "Bedroom Disco" with its powerful rhythms that almost drown out Heather's silver voice. The Macarena is mentioned.

Only the Brunettes could make chip tunes* sound eerie, as "Paper Dolls" has a hauntingly spectral edge to it, enhanced by the slow, high guitar tremelo and the occasional dip and dive of string instruments. It is an unusually eclectic combination of sounds. Heather's voice is its usual, innocent and fragile self; whilst Jonathan's more droll and serious strikes a strange harmony. The lyric sheet finishes about halfway through the song, with some odd stationery references in the latter part:

"... a post it note beside the phone. An HB pencil sharpened well..."

It's time to make a "Connection". Opening with more of the eerie and synthesized keyboards, then the boppy, poppy rhythms come in, Heather's voice all pure sweetness and innocence. Interestingly enough, the lyrics reflect a more modern era than the music does, and it appears that they both enjoy French films. The drum machine is back in, along with some very tinkly rhythms.

There's something very, very familiar about the opening melody to "It's Only Natural". It certainly has very bouncy rhythms. When I saw it on the tracklist I was kinda hoping it would be a cover of a NZ classic, but it's a song about hair colour, I believe. Very boppy and retro. Polka dots and high hair.

And the drum machine is back; bringing with it a somewhat dance vibe. "Magic (No Bunny)" is another playful duet; combining Heather's high and playful innocence with Jonathan's more sophisticated, droll humour.

A hauntingly melancholic piece, "If I..." has a romantic feel to the music, and also the lyrics - until you start studying them closer. The duo discuss their feelings on what should happen if one of them were to, well, die:

"If I should accidentally die and leave you much too soon - would you play and sing our songs the same, with somebody new?"

The reference to Jonathan as a "sweet romantic tool" is quite amusing.

Guitars and actual drums bring us into the closing track, as the duet say "Thank You". To all of the fans, the listeners, around the world. It's bubbly and bright and kind of reminds me of ABBA.

Overall, this is a fun and playful album. The mix is not as strong as the previous endeavours: the electronica chip tunes drowning out the vocals in some of the tracks. Overall it seems a little less experimental, despite the 80s vibe to the instrumentation (I think I prefer the percussion, thank you) and lacks some of the freshness of the earlier albums. Whilst still a pleasing aural experience, it does feel rather like they've found their niche and are now stuck in it.

It's also a very short album, clocking in at around 35 minutes.

Rating 7/10.

* My husband just told me the official name for them!

Dead Flowers - Sweetfish (2004)

Auckland band, Dead Flowers, followed up their 1993 release with this album - "Sweetfish" in 1994. The cover is very colourful and reminds me of some of the Art Trading Cards I've seen on my favourite forums. Lots of faces, eyes, hands and worms all randomly juxtapositioned around each other and all in vibrant and bright colours. It is vibrant and psychaedelic and fun.

First track "Watch Her Play" varies little from those on their earlier album - it is poppy and colourful, fast and sunny.

Still bright and bouncy, but Bell's vocals are taking on a slightly rawer edge with the inappropiately named "Gothic". The lyrics and vocals have a somewhat nasty edge but overall, it's fast and almost cheerful sounding.

Somewhat moodier, "Same Same" might seem an odd song to release as a single - given the chorus is along the lines of "it's the same, same shit... no one to blame everyone to bitch" and of course it got editted when it was played on public television. You can't say "shit" on tv! Another with a bitter edge. Good rhythms: fast verses, smooth purr of a chorus. Kinda catchy, but you've gotta watch where you sing it!

This is followed by the other single release: "Home". Released the year after Pumpkinhead's "Home" and a year before Shihad's "Home Again".  Not sure what it is about NZ bands' obssessions with home. This one is a fast and frantic, helter-skelter piece with aggressive guitar and whining vocals.

A slower number, "She Can't" features the now fairly standard semi-whining vocals. The music is smooth, but with erratic quirks and the chorus a steady and catchy pace.

A nice intro into "Dead Boy" with repetitive twiddly guitar rhythms giving it an almost oriental flavour. repetitive but shows some pretty competent guitaring. The last line is pretty cool:

"Too much like a praying mantis couple - give it up lest your head will tumble."

Now we race into the almost-punk frenzy of "What Do You Take Me For?" Vocals by Damon Newton, who is a lot rawer than Bell.

We mellow a little for "Shades", slowing the pace and with Bell's voice returning in its usual maudlin counterpance.

Heavy bass leads is into "Some Brain Ride" with its low and somewhat ominous vocals and rhythms.

Picking up the pace again, "Not Ready" starts with a guitar eruption and displays some rather competent rockin' out.

Slow again, as we fall into "Slumber". Starts slow and dreamy with the lightest of drums. Building, vocals rising like a gentle embrace. Soothing, soft, like lying in a pile of pillowy clouds. The guitars join in, lightly strumming. Then it surges into awakedness. An goes on for a very long time...

"Spaceboy" is the slow, melodious and haunting conclusion to the album, and the stand out track in my opinion. It's beautiful.


Overall, a fairly uninspiring album, perhaps following too fast on the heels of the debut. Very few of the songs offer anything new or different and it all rather blurs into one. Not a bad album by any regard, just not particularly fresh and original and with few stand-out tracks.

Rating = 7/10

The Brunettes - Structure and Cosmetics (2007)

This is the third full length album by the Auckland twee-pop duo. Some of the playful innocence has been lost, and the cover is more mature, more sophisticated depicting Jonathan and Heather in a white tiled room, Heather is applying make-up while Jonathan gazes up at the camera. It is all very clean, polished and stylish (somewhat marred by the crack across my plastic box, grrr, I think it was there when I bought it). Inside the booklet is equally as clean and polished - black font on bright white, no capital letters in sight (or any punctuation except ' and " and ...). I believe the cd is designed to look like a compact. Very meta.

We open with the dreamy, almost trance-like "brunettes against bubblegum youth". It is heavier on the electronica-pop feel than previous instlaments. Plenty of hand clapping, vocals and the triumphant hum of their various interesting instruments (glockenspiel,  mellotron, rhodes, melodica... I don't even know what half of these are!). Lyrics are repetitive, the same verse repeated numerous times.

"My sugar, my honey, my b-a-b-y, baby..."

Soothing and pleasant listening, but not overly stimulating or exciting.

 It merges right into "stereo (mono mono)" which is a fun piece, in which the two vocalists have fun with the vocals switching between speakers. Heather's voice is sweet and gentle, innocent as a butterfly's flickering wings. Jonathan's voice is low and soothing. This is a quite amusing piece.

"her hairagami set" is a soft, soothing, electronically dominated number. It has a cruisy, dreamy feel to it, like softly lying on a feather bed and drifting off into the clouds. It seems to be a song about playing with your hair. The video is really good - watch it!

Another slow and cruisy number, "credit card mail order" is dominated by Jonathan's vocals, with a melancholic air.

Now it appears to be time for an "obligatory road song" which is also slow and has a somber air. The lyrics are somewhat amusing, however:

"stealing motel condiments on our leap in the dark"

 Heather's vocals take over the melancholy in "small town crew". Another slow and somewhat bittersweet number, with some brilliantly moody backing instruments. It sounds a little like a piano accordian, but it could be an organ, I suppose? The pace picks up a bit at the end, soars and then drops away.

Sweet and innocent vocals lead us into the more typical Brunette duet of "if you were an alien" with its playful guitar strumming and vocal interchanges. Lovely harmonies and references to pop culture. Love it:

"if you were alien I'd call you my martian man
bake banana cake as you drive us through the doom..."

Poppy and maudlin, "wall poster star" begins with Heather, but Jonathan joins in. This feels like a song about the loss of innocence, even though the lyrics are relating mainly to the taking down of wall posters and moving onto a more sophisticated way of living. Which somewhat describes this album. For some reason, I really like this line:

"...bouquets are overrated and diamonds cost too much..."

Even though we're already slow, we drop down further into the bittersweet "structure and cosmetics" with its classical instrumentations. Another beautiful duet, switching between the two with the slow and quirky instrumentations adding little flourishes. It has a dreamy, haunting feel to it. A lovely conclusion to the album.

This album shows an increased complexity and more modern sound than their previous instalments, losing some of the childhood innocence and moving into a more mature, somber affair. The additional instruments - like the clarinet, the glockenspiel, organ, harmonica etc all add an extra element of dreaminess and bring it to life, but overall it lacks somewhat in the playful spirit, having a more sophisticated polish. Perhaps, like all of us, the Brunettes are growing up - albeit that they are doing it with tongue-in-cheek, ironic twists and little quirks!

Rating = 8/10.

Banshee Reel - Orchaestrated Litany of Lies (1995)

Now defunct Wellington band, Banshee Reel, are one of the best New Zealand bands from the mid 90s. Their sound is a fusion of folk and country, with a strong Irish element. They are competent musicians, skillful songwriters and sadly parted ways. Guitarist, Julia Deans, is now a member of Fur Patrol. She is responsible for the female vocals on the album, with Chris O'Connell and Allan Clark sharing the male vocals.

The album looks pretty cheaply made. The cover is white, a simple singlefold affair. Half the cover is some sort of peasant jester, covering half his face, the other is the title set out in a not very exciting font and displaying a somewhat lack of typesetting. Inside there is a band listing and a message to the people of New Zealand, Canada and Alburqueque, as well as a threat to some folks that stole their band equipment.

The album opens with the strumming, tinkliness of "Sorrow", like teardrops dripping down a painted, wooden face. Vocals are filled with sorrow, bittersweet and angsty, with a touch of an Irish accent. Or maybe kiwi-Irish. Catchy rhythms.A rather dramatic mandolin solo.

Slower, bolder; "Never Can Tell" has a slight country-hint to the rhythms and plenty of acousitc guitar. This is a song of murder, deceit and all beautifully sung with accompaniment from Deans and the lislting flight of a tin whistle.

Vocals lead us into "Blood on Your Hands", and then the instruments bounce in with almost carnival-esque rhythms: strong and bold and fast. Fast and surprisingly bouncy given the context is, once again, murder.

There's a brief reel and then we are into the looming, haunting "Lament".  An entrancing, otherworldy piece with beautiful harmonies, backed with strings and guitar. One of the finest, most atmospheric folk songs I own - this is the song that sold the album to me. Well, the cassingle - the album came some years later.

This is followed by the most devastatingly heart-breaking track on the album. "The Miner" starts with piano, but is largely dominated by the heart-renching vocals. Listen to the lyrics - they will haunt you and linger with you and bring a tear to your eye. The music is a soft, sorrowful accompaniment.

".. I don't blame you for leaving, my lovely; I don't blame you for leaving this slum. It was no life for you, watching me die, but I wish was out in the sun..."

 Deans gets the leading vocals on "Honest to God". Not my favourite song - more old school kiwi feeling than Irish, even with the accompaning fiddles. Good pace and entirely danceable.

"In Yer Dreams" is far more rockabilly country-esque with its fast, chugging pace and catchy choruses. Same vocalist as "The Miner".

It's back to the bittersweet melodies with "40 Miles of Pain" - it has a fast pace but the vocals and the voice of the string instruments lend a melancholic air.

More traditional folk - "Burn Me" has nice rhythms and somewhat morbid lyrics.

"First I heard her screaming when I laid my head to sleep. She turned my dreams to nightmares enough to make me weep..."

I'm not sure if she's a real person, deceased or some sort of demonic spirit. Probably the second or third option.

Another with strong country influences, "I Haven't Time" rocks along at a cracking pace, mostly guitar with a hint of fiddles.

"Horses" is slower, with wonderful folk rhythms and  the vocals like a gentle caress. This is listed on the cassingle as "Equus: Fear of Tides". Another achingly haunted piece.

We conclude with "Lament II" - the same structure and rhythms, but slowed down into bittersweet melancholy and with different lyrics (I think) and possibly more strings. A majestic, beautiful piece and a wonderful way to conclude.

Banshee Reel were a talented and original band, that I wish could have been with us for longer. Their music is sublime, variable and gorgeously emotive and their songs linger with you and haunt you for hours afterwards. There are some weaker tracks on this album, but they are vastly overshadowed by the powerful ones. They definitely deserve a 9/10.