Rip It Up 367 by Rip It Up

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CONTENTS

30.

21. 27.

34.

33.

08.

6. What Goes On/On the Rip It Up Stereo 8. alt-J, 10. So What…/Tweet Talk 11. Chelsea Jade, 12. Who’s Next? 14. This Month In Clubland, 16. Converse Concept, 18. Style Like Mariah Carey, 19. Style Like The Rolling Stones, 20. Gadgets, 21. Benny Tipene, 22. Artist Q&A/Style File, 23. Ben Ottewell, 24. Film Reviews, 25. On Film: David Cronenberg, 26. Album Reviews, 27. Brooke Fraser, 28. Album Reviews, 29. Off The Record, 30. French For Rabbits, 32. Tour Diary: Villainy, 33. Jimmy Eat World, 34. Pink Floyd, 36. #WINNING

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WHAT GOES ON FOO FIGHTERS

SHARON VAN ETTEN

Foo Fighters will be returning to New Zealand in February 2015 for their biggest shows ever, with special guests Rise Against. Last here in 2011, the world tour in support of new album Sonic Highways (out November 10), will see the band play their first ever show in Christchurch.

Sharon Van Etten, the Brooklyn based multi-instrumentalist, will be playing New Zealand for the first time in March 2015. In a touring schedule that has taken her most of the way around the world Sharon Van Etten requested to include both the North and South Islands of NZ on this visit.

TAMI WINS SILVER SCROLL!

SEE THEM LIVE: FOO FIGHTERS

Tami Neilson and Joshua Neilson have won the 2014 APRA Silver Scroll Award with their song ‘Walk (Back to Your Arms)’. The soulful, retro-flavoured blues ballad was chosen as this year’s winner by APRA’s membership, made up of over 10,000 New Zealand songwriters and composers. The award was presented at the APRA Silver Scroll Awards - a highly anticipated annual event that recognises and celebrates outstanding achievement in the craft of song writing. As is tradition for the awards, the finalists’ songs were covered in unique and inspired ways by other artists on the night.

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NZ ON AIR CRITICS’CHOICE PRIZE

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Randa has been named as the winner of the NZ On Air Critics’ Choice Prize in the 2014 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards. Finalists Estere, Lake South and Randa each performed a live set at the King’s Arms in Auckland in front of a packed crowd and a panel of 11 music critics. The judges were tasked with selecting just one recipient; a musical prodigy they believe has the potential to become a future Tui winner. Following an impressive set Auckland based Randa took home the $10,000 recording and music video grant from NZ On Air.

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FRI 13 MAR BODEGA, WELLINGTON SAT 14 MAR WUNDERBAR, LYTTLETON SUN 15 MAR CHICKS HOTEL, DUNEDIN

ON THE RIP IT UP STEREO

TAYLOR SWIFT 1989 (2014) PEAKS AND TROUGHS – ‘WE WERE PROMISED JETPACKS’ (2014) JESSIE WARE TOUGH LOVE (2014) PEGGY LEE - ‘IS THAT ALL THERE IS?’ (1969) CHELSEA JADE BEACONS (2014)

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JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE - SINGLE MOTHERS (2014) THE VEILS – ‘THE TIDE THAT LEFT AND NEVER CAME BACK’ (2013) THE BEATLES - ABBEY ROAD (1969) KATY PERRY - ‘THIS IS HOW WE DO’ (2013) FKA TWIGS – ‘#THROUGHGLASS’ (2014)

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REN KIRK

ALT-J

WIN

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ESTABLISHED BY THE British Phonographic Industry and British Association of Record Dealers in 1992, the Mercury Prize (or Barclaycard Mercury Prize, thanks to current sponsors) is an annual music prize awarded to the best album from across the UK and Ireland. Regarded as highly prestigious, past recipients include Portishead, Gomez, PJ Harvey, Dizzee Rascal, Arctic Monkeys… and in 2012, the indie pop-rock quartet alt-J. Their LP (An Awesome Wave) debuted in the UK charts and the panel of judges recognised the merits of their clever, folkinfected psychedelia and so changed the young musicians’ destiny forever. Winning the award helped cement alt-J’s place in the music industry and officially marked them as important musicians and real rock stars. But hand in hand with their newfound fame and notoriety came bedfellows pressure and expectation. Combined with the indisputable fact that any band’s second album can be a tricky and even treacherous affair – Wikipedia actually features a sophomore slump entry: “…a second, or sophomore, effort fails to live up to the standards of the first” – it wouldn’t be surprising if number two didn’t quite meet the hype. Not to mention the departure of guitarist and founding member Gwil Sainsbury, after an amicable parting of ways at the start of the year. With plenty riding on their latest effort the band are all pleased that This Is All Yours is finally out. “It’s a relief,” drummer Thom Green admits. “We’ve been waiting a long time. We finished back in May with lots of promo over summer, all building to this release.” And does it deliver… why, yes it does. This Is All Yours is an ambling, entrancing listen, with songs that mix interesting folk-inspired electronica with straight-up

rock. Their penchant for edgy refinement shines through, creating a work that is both beautiful and haunted.

“The lyrics are fascinating ‘cause I still don’t know what they really mean…”

Many bands come to life after introductions at university and these Leeds lads are no exception. “I met Joe (Newman) on the very first day of uni, we were both studying fine art. We had a seminar – he was the first one there and I was the second. We got on moderately well to start with and then became good friends.” Gwil Sainsbury was also studying fine arts, but “none of us knew we were each making music as well.” In second year they “kinda got together”, along with Gus Unger-Hamilton, and became a band, taking their music out of the dorm and in to the live music arena.

first seem after the controversial pop star used one of the band’s tracks during a video interlude on her Bangerz tour. And in this new context it’s such a different Cyrus – sounding defiant and imperious her vocals fit the track like a glove.

It took them a while to be known as alt-J, after a stint as Films. “We really loved that name, it was very simple and it’s just a nice word. But a band in the US, The Films, called us and said, ‘We’re a bigger deal than you and you’re probably doing fuck all.’ We didn’t want to change the name, but it wasn’t that important. Gwil was messing around on his lap top and through keyboard shortcuts we stumbled upon the delta symbol – Alt key and J on a Mac – which we all liked.” Their band name didn’t seem that important because the art school boys never expected their music to go further than the bedroom. But their trajectory has been meteoric, and their latest offering should secure them a safe spot in the fickle and ever-changing industry. Deciding not to replace Sainsbury, the shifting and intrepid sonic adventure that is their lead single, ‘Hunger Of The Pine’ does introduce an unofficial fourth member. And the female vocals that emerge as the song builds is none other than that of the twerking Miley Cyrus – not as surprising as it might

The aforementioned pressure did weigh heavily on their shoulders initially, until they made a conscious decision to shut themselves away and get to work. “The circumstances and way we wrote the first album, we knew we had to avoid doing the same thing again ‘cause it wouldn’t happen,” Green admits. “We were very serious, and excited… we had lots of ideas from touring. So we knuckled down and focused, with a studio in London… like a warehouse, just to ourselves. We didn’t speak to our label or manager for months; we just wanted to be left alone. And once we got into it the pressure just melted away.” Relying more on Green’s mastery of Ableton and other sampleinspired techniques, This Is All Yours delivers songs that are less finicky, yet more far-reaching. Their changed creative process also saw the trio working together more closely: “For the first album, Joe would have lot of ideas on acoustic guitar and then we’d flesh out the tracks. This time it was sort of the same, but because we were making music together all day there was lots more sharing ideas, and then refining later on. We’d know where it could go once we had the idea, but it takes a while – we’d evolve it, kinda build it, and then take things away.” They also developed a formula of sorts, spending two weeks writing and two weeks recording in studio. “It was a great was to see the album develop and a good way to keep things in perspective.”

Following a salvo of vocal overlaps and “la-la-la-laas”, ‘Intro’ leads to the delicate piano, guitar and strings of ‘Arrival In Nara’ – the first of three songs referencing the Japanese city where deer roam around its central park. Almost hymnlike, with its finger picking and diffusive synths, Green explains: “Most tracks on the were specifically for the album, but we messed around with this and kept working on it and decided it made a really good interlude. They all fit in order, the album’s been designed to listen from start to finish, which isn’t something we’ve done before.” The more brawny, yet no less monkish second half, ‘Nara’, rings true, before moving on to the punchy ‘Every Other Freckle’. A song that is slow guitar-rock one minute and electro-jam the next, the track was left off the last album. “We struggled with it for a while, but started on it again this year and figured it out. It’s about obsession, but it’s not gender specific.” And what about those creepy stalker lyrics? “The lyrics are fascinating ‘cause I still don’t know what they really mean… they’re a bit schizophrenic and they’re definitely spicy.” There’s also the jangling Motown thump of ‘Left Hand Free’, the pastoral, recorder-led ‘Garden of England’, right through to the oddly soulful of “The Gospel of John Hurt’. With This Is All Yours alt-J have intensified their idiosyncrasies, taking the listener on a charmingly weird and unpredictable journey; moments that are excruciatingly beautiful and moments that are timeless. There’s magic woven into the group’s sound and this album is arty, affecting and cerebral. NEW ALBUM: THIS IS ALL YOURS OUT NOW

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SO WHAT... Kanye West has been criticised for not using auto-tune “correctly”. The rapper is a fan of the vocal-correcting software and while T-Pain - who helped popularise its use - thinks the ‘Stronger’ hitmaker makes “great” music, he doesn’t think he is making the most of the voice processor. He explained to ‘HuffPost Live’: “Kanye uses it, but he doesn’t use it correctly. He makes great music with it, but the way that I use it and the way that I’ve shown Chris [Brown] and Jamie [Foxx] to use it, he doesn’t use it that way.” Motley Crue don’t socialise offstage.The legendary rockers are currently in the midst of their last-ever tour and relations between the quartet are so bad, each member has their own “party room” and they all travel separately to gigs. Hat designer Ivy Supersonic told the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column backstage at their Madison Square Garden gig on Tuesday (28.10.14): “Tommy and Vince don’t get along. Each band member has their own party, in their own party room. They have separate tour busses as well.”

Mumford & Sons are working with a dance producer on new music. The band are known for their passionate folk-inspired sound, but that could all change now that the four-piece are working with producer James Ford, who has produced the last four Arctic Monkeys albums and is also known as half of dance duo Simian Mobile Disco. A source told The Sun newspaper: “His work with Arctic Monkeys is much more rock-sounding than anything Mumfords have done.”

T WEET TALK “Just tried to order a buttered crumpet and was told it isn’t a lunch item:( #britishbuzzkill” Lena Dunham @lenadunham

“Maybe this is just the wine talking, but I’m fermented grapes inside a guy’s stomach making him think he really likes you” Joss Whedon @josswhedon

“Well v that just deeply confuses me on too many levels ‘@ShitsnGiggles5: JC, if I had any money, I would pay you just to be yourself.’” John Cusack @johncusack

“Ebola on cruise ships now too? You know who’s getting the last laugh? Those Orthodox Jews with the plastic bags over their heads.” Bill Maher @billmaher

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Hugh Grant never prepares for a movie role. The 54-year-old actor admits it’s rare that he does any preparatory work for a part and instead prefers to deal with whatever challenge he’s been handed on the first day of filming on set. He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I’ve barely ever done any research for a film. I just turn up and say the lines and hope they sound convincing.” What’s more, Grant - who has appeared in iconic films such as Notting Hill and Love Actually - said he has no interest in starring in a high-profile action role like James Bond, suggesting such parts are “boring”.

ANDREW JOHNSTONE

CHELSEA JADE

PHOTO CREDIT: JAMES K LOWE

Chelsea first realised that music was going to be her life while sitting in her 5th form maths class. “All I did in maths class was sit and write lyrics. I was an atrocious maths student and I apologise to all my teachers.” Lyrics are deeply important to Chelsea. “I labour for a very long time with lyrics, I hold them very dear and nothing is throwaway about them and it takes me a very long time to get them right. This is the part of songwriting I feel most connected to.”

NZ HAS A LONG and distinguished tradition of women making music but in 1997 something extraordinary happened – Bic Runga, under the tutelage of Sony Music, released her debut album Drive. It went straight to number one on the local charts and sold in excess of 120,000 units, making it for a time the biggest selling album ever by a local artist. Runga let loose something that changed the local music industry beyond recognition, and in the years that have followed Drive there has been a tsunami of confident and talented young female singer/songwriters coming forward, who have not only cracked the local market but have become regulars on the Australian, European and North American charts. Names like Brooke Fraser, Gin Wigmore, Ladyhawke, Kimbra, Ginny Blackmore, Lorde, Ruby Frost and others are about to be joined by a new voice, Chelsea Jade, the artist formerly known as Watercolours. An accomplished dancer and multiinstrumentalist, Chelsea began her musical career as part of the all-girl three-piece, Teacups, an alternative pop-folk ensemble who released one critically acclaimed album and supported big name touring artists like Jose Gonzalez, Cat Power, Bloc Party and Broken Social Scene. After Teacups she went on to record and release last years Portals EP under the moniker Watercolours, a transitory name that filled the gap between being in a band and “releasing” herself as a solo artist. Portals is partially constructed from field recordings,

(Chelsea likes to explore Auckland at night seeking out interesting sounds for beats and atmospherics), and besides demonstrating her obvious talent for songwriting, it shows her to be a deft lyricist and an inventive arranger. The songs are melodic, catchy and wholly original. 25-year-old Chelsea has recently signed to Universal Music NZ and has released her second EP, Beacons. “Beacons are both warning signals and guiding lights. This EP is both for me, in equal measure-distant but formidable,” she said. A precursor to her forthcoming debut solo album, Beacons is an accomplished set of songs. Deftly produced by former Elemeno P member Justyn Pilbrow, it speaks volumes about her talent and artistry. Ethereal, atmospheric and otherworldly, this collection of songs is a mature collection that belies her youthful years and deserves to be a massive hit. Talking to Chelsea on the line from New York, where she was about to appear at the infamous CMJ Music, I was immediately struck by her intensity. She is a young woman in love with her craft. She is ambitious, confident and possess a phenomenal work ethic. Both Portals and Beacons were recorded New York, a city she fled to both times she dropped out of arts school. “Basically I kept on going back to New York to write songs with my friend Justyn Pilbrow. I kept shirking my studies because I felt that I was much more productive doing my own thing as a music maker.”

To add to her many considerable achievements, this year has seen Chelsea selected to attend the prestigious Red Bull Songwriting Academy. 60 aspiring songwriters were selected from a pool of 6000 applicants with Chelsea being the only successful NZ entrant. Her selection gave her a sense of validation: “As a musician or a creative you go through definite lulls and periods of anxiety, especially between releases when there is nothing to feed off or validate you, but this really bucked me up.” As the interview draws to a close we talk about her forthcoming appearance at the CMJ festival that evening. I ask her if she is nervous, especially since it is just her and her computer standing in front of a crowd of industry luminaries: “I get nervous while thinking about performance but once on stage I feel very comfortable and powerful.” She is not surprised by her success. “Relative to how hard I work I feel like, it’s not what I expect, but it’s what you’re working for all the time so it’s a natural thing, the success. But of course it’s all really special and I feel lucky to be doing all the things I am doing.” As for the future she would like to be touring and playing every night and making records that get better and better every time. “I would like to make a new record per year basically.” She is really excited about the songs on her new EP but is even more excited about the songs and ideas yet to be realised. Her advice to young creatives struggling with their ambition is to always try. “There is one mentality I can’t understand – being ‘too cool’ to try. My advice is to just go head first into anything and everything.” LISTEN TO FULL INTERVIEW ON RIP IT UP RADIO: SOUNDCLOUD.COM/RIP-IT-UP-RADIO

NEW EP: BEACONS OUT NOW

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JAMES MANNING

WHO’S NEXT? WHO’S NEXT IS WHERE WE DELVE INTO THE NEW ZEALAND MUSIC SCENE AND FIND SOME FRESH MEAT FOR YOUR READING AND LISTENING PLEASURE. DIG IN.

PALS When and why did PALS start making music? October 2013 I think? I dunno, I (Jack) texted Nick and Dan at work one day asking if they wanted to be in a band called PALS with me and they were like “uh, yeah okay”. Can you explain the background of recent EP PALS4EVA? Basically, after I sent that text, we met at our carpark/recording studio/practice space in Parnell three to five times a week. We wrote four or so songs and went and played our first gig at the Renegade Room at Camp A Low Hum in early 2014. From there, we played heaps more shows around Auckland and one in Wellington, wrote and recorded as many good songs as we could before our guitarist/vocalist buggered off to Germany in September to root his girlfriend some more. So, to summarise, we wanted to make the best album we could in that short amount of time. Dan the drummer produced it all and we’d be fucked without him. The album cover is gnarly as. What inspired the pastiche idea and who designed it? We designed it using a printer, glue and weed for inspiration.

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How are songwriting duties shared between each member? Nick wrote most of the lyrics but everyone comes up with great ideas that we eventually build into songs. ‘Boz Scaggs’ goes pretty hard – what’s that song about? About things dying and the world carrying on and being an insignificant spec in the universe. And our undying love for Boz Scaggs. What does each member do outside making music? We’re legitimate businessmen. What do you enjoy most about the Auckland music scene? How everyone is actually pretty nice. Future plans for PALS? PALS are on hiatus until Nick gets back from his trip around Europe, but we’ve got some new stuff and will be releasing more and playing again in 2015. PALSRULEOK.BANDCAMP.COM

FAZERDAZE How long have you been making music for? I’ve been playing in bands and doing gigs since I was 16 and I’m 21 now. When and why did you start the Fazerdaze project? The idea of having a solo recording project dawned on me about this time last year after a band I was in broke up. I had a whole bunch of demos sitting around that weren’t doing anything and I was desperate for an avenue to put them through. I started learning how to record and came up with the name Fazerdaze and went from there. Can you explain the background of your EP release? I have been working on it on and off since the start of the year. I got about 75% through and then felt like I wanted to throw it away – so in a desperate attempt to save it, I messaged Jonathan Pearce and he quickly came to the rescue. The last month of recording and mixing with him was the most enjoyable part of the process. He was a lot of fun to work with and has a solid work ethic.

Your debut single ‘Jennifer’ is brilliantly catchy – can you talk about the background of this tune? Thanks! I was in a very nostalgic mood when I wrote it; missing my childhood, my hometown and a certain friend. It felt like a really obvious song to write at the time and it just fell out. Can you talk a little bit about your general songwriting process? Songwriting to me is just playing with ideas until something sticks. I just sing off words and melodies until I hear something I like and then I record it. What influences do you draw from most when making music? I try not to draw from anything in particular when I’m creating otherwise I just end up copying, but generally the outcome really reflects what I’ve been listening to in the last two years. Future plans for Fazerdaze? Make some music videos with my friend Levi Beamish and begin working on the next record. FACEBOOK.COM/FAZERDAZEMUSIC

RACING THE VIOLET-OHS When did The Violet-Ohs start making music? We started making making music as The Violet-Ohs in August this year, but we have been playing together in various entities for the last few years. Can you explain the background to your recent release, Demos? Demos was recorded between The Attic, a creative space located in central Dunedin above a tacky ‘70s themed nightclub, and my (Nick) bedroom. It was a fairly quick operation and the time between the start of recording and release was about four days. Opener ‘Alt-Jaywalking’ was a highlight, can you explain how this was recorded? ‘Alt-Jaywalking’ (along with all of the other recordings) was recorded with a four-mic set-up, one drum over-head, kick mic, guitar and bass. Once we had the instrument tracking done, I overdubbed the vocals in my bedroom with some pedals. The last, crushing part of ‘Howard Moonwalker’ is my favourite... That song originated from a jam, so the version that’s heard on the recordings isn’t necessarily the finished product, just what we had at the time. I don’t really know how the end came about,

we were pretty stoked with it though. Favourite track to play live and why? We have a new track that isn’t on the recordings called Schultz that’s definitely my favourite to play. Zac likes ‘Alt-jaywalking’ because “its funky jam makes people smile.” I think the rhythm section like ‘Howard Moonwalker’. It’s pretty fun to be fair. What does each member do outside music? Zac, Connor and I study at Uni. Josh has a full-time job. Zac and I are also involved in theatre around Dunedin. Connor plays hockey. Josh plays in about five other bands, so only really does music. Best thing about the Dunedin music scene? Chicks Hotel is probably the best thing about the Dunedin Music scene at the moment. It’s a really sweet venue run by musicians that also sounds fantastic. Future plans? We plan to record and release a couple of singles in the next few months and then early next year (fingers crossed) the plan is to release an album. FACEBOOK.COM/THEVIOLETOHS

Racing is formed of members from The Checks (Ed and Sven), Space Creeps (Izaac) and Sherpa (Daniel). When and why did you guys start making music as Racing? Ed and I (Sven) continued to write after The Checks finished without any particular goal in mind. In the songs we could hear the makings of something that would be great live and record up well so we put a band together and have been Racing for about a year. How have your roles in previous bands influenced the music you are making now? The time spent jamming in other bands has allowed us to figure out what it is that we like to do. Hopefully you pick up bits and pieces along the way and continue to do so. Also hopefully you forget that and just make something fresh. Can you explain the background of debut single ‘Carnivalize’? I had the chorus floating around and Ed had the verse, and when I made the riff we put the verse to it, and there was really something to it. It clicked when we added the riff after the second chorus and then crystallized when the title came. For recording it was back to the lab with Jol Mulholland where we got the guts of it live and continued to elaborate on it, including the

addition of a mysterious shaker part. Nice to remember some of the best parts arrive on the spot like the ending. How are songwriting duties shared between each member? Typically me and Ed write the songs and they get bent into shape with Izaac and Dan. We wrote one on the spot at practice the other night, hopefully more of that. I’m not fussy as long as they arrive. What are Racing’s biggest influences? Dead Meadow, Chemical Brothers, the pool hall, fishing, Hot Chip(s), Queens of the Stone Age, Rick James, Bassy Bob, Bode, Oasis, There Will Be Blood, swimming, Charles Bukowski, Neil Young, Prince, Dimmer, Justice, Albert King. I understand you are working towards a debut album – how is that coming along? It’s going well. We have enough tunes for an album but summer is the prime writing time, so we will make another batch and then hit it. Was it important to spend time away from the public eye between bands? Yeah I reckon. It is nice to enjoy just being a band and turning up to practice without anything else to think about. Plug the guitar into the amp and listen to the sound is what’s up. FACEBOOK.COM/RACINGBAND

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NICK COLLINGS

THIS MONTH IN CLUBL AND FOR EXTENDED INTERVIEWS CHECK OUT RIPITUP.CO.NZ/CLUBLAND DJ MAG TOP 100 DJ RESULTS

TURNING THE TABLES WITH MAX GRAEF 1. Max Graef is a 21-year-old producer from Berlin, Germany. 2. ‘Vino Rosetto’, a collaboration with Labuzinski, was originally conceived as an imitation of the Knight Rider theme. 3. He works one day a week in Berlin record store OYE Records in exchange for free records. 4. He’s recorded and released a funk/soul record with his guitarist father (who records as Gerry Franke) under the name “Franke and Son”. 5. Max’s debut album Rivers of the Red Planet was originally going to be titled Reclined Female Nude With Supported Legs.

vintage Crumar synth being used on nearly every track in his album. 7. Initially wanted to make an instrumental hip hop album but along the way it morphed into something somewhere between that and house music. 8. Most days he would take jazz and hip hop over house. 9. Box Aus Holz, which means Wooden Box, is Max and a few friends’ vinyl-only record label that they started because no one else would sign their music. 10. Max’s live set, due to its un-synced, un-quantized nature, requires him to have his friend Joschka Seibt as a wingman. SEE HIM DJ: MAX GRAEF (GER) FRI 28 NOV THE MONDAY ROOM,

6. Max is a hardware nut; aside from using Logic to record and sequence, practically everything is made using external gear, with

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CHRISTCHURCH SAT 29 NOV VENUE TBA, AUCKLAND

Every year the biggest poll for popularity in electronic music brings out the PR and marketing gurus. This year with over 900,000 votes verified, here are your Top 100. 100. Felguk (-22) 99. Arty (-42) 98. John O’Callaghan (-16) 97. The Chainsmokers (New Entry) 96. The Bingo Players (-44) 95. Wildstylez (-39) 94. Merk and Kremont (New Entry) 93. Heatbeat (-8) 92. Code Black (New Entry) 91. Ferry Corsten (-49) 90. Richie Hawtin (-14) 89. Boy George (Re-Entry) 88. Audien (New Entry) 87. Borgeous (New Entry) 86. Quintino (New Entry) 85. Mike Candys (-18) 84. Wolfpack (New Entry) 83. Madeon (-24) 82. Don Diablo (New Entry) 81. 3LAU (New Entry) 80. TJR (New Entry) 79. Orjan Nilsen (-30) 78. DJ Bl3nd (+13) 77. Zomboy (New Entry) 76. Tiddey (+8) 75. UMEK (+22) 74. Gareth Emery (-23) 73. Tenishia (-8) 72. Quentin Mosimann (-3) 71. Zatox (-21) 70. Diego Miranda (+24) 69. Cosmic Gate (+11) 68. Carnage (New Entry) 67. Noisecontrollers (-1) 66. Da Tweekaz (+20) 65. DJ Snake (New Entry) 64. Radical Redemption (New Entry) 63. MAKJ (New Entry) 62. VINAI (New Entry) 61. Gabry Ponte (New Entry) 60. Eric Prydz (-6) 59. Carl Cox (-13) 58. ATB (-25) 57. Porter Robinson (-16) 56. Firebeatz (New Entry) 55. Yves V (New Entry)

54. Dillon Francis (+19) 53. Knife Party (-28) 52. Dada Life (-17) 51. Sander Van Doorn (-12) 50. Laidback Luke (-19) 49. Infected Mushroom (+4) 48. DJ Coone (-3) 47. Brennan Heart (+14) 46. Kaskade (-10) 45. Frontliner (-8) 44. Markus Schulz (-23) 43. Daft Punk (-21) 42. DJ Kura (New Entry) 41. Borgore (New Entry) 40. Headhunterz (-17) 39. Sebastian Ingrosso (-21) 38. Paul Van Dyk (-6) 37. Angerfist (-3) 36. Vicetone (+24) 35. Fedde Le Grand (-6) 34. Oliver Heldens (New Entry) 33. Krewella (+11) 32. Diplo (+32) 31. Ummet Ozcan (+68) 30. Dannic (+44) 29. Axwell (-10) 28. Aly and Fila (-8) 27. Dyro (+3) 26. Steve Angello (+12) 25. Above and Beyond (-8) 24. Andrew Rayel (+4) 23. R3HAB (+35) 22. Zedd (+2) 21. Nervo (-5) 20. DVBBS (New Entry) 19. Deorro (New Entry) 18. WandW (-4) 17. Showtek (+10) 16. Deadmau5 (-4) 15. Alesso (-2) 14. Dash Berlin (-4) 13. Blasterjaxx (+58) 12. Afrojack (-3) 11. Calvin Harris (+4) 10. Steve Aoki (-2) 9. Skrillex (+2) 8. Nicky Romero (-1) 7. David Guetta (-2) 6. Avicii (-3) 5. Tiesto (-1) 4. Martin Garrix (+36) 3. Armin Van Buuren (-1) 2. Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike (+4) 1. Hardwell (-) SOURCE: DJMAG.COM

WILKINSON The musical journey for Mark “Wilkinson” evolved from playing the drums in bands from age nine to a love of hip hop as an early teen and onto drum and bass. He began producing beats at age 14 and things started to happen professionally when he moved into a shared studio space with Hospital Records act Cyantific in 2009. Cyantific helped Wilkinson sign his track ‘Hypnosis’ to Hospital and soon after passed a stack of Wilkinson tunes onto Andy C who immediately signed Wilkinson to Ram

STEVE AOKI NEON FUTURE I

** **

This raft-riding, cake-throwing thespian of EDM is one of the top ten DJs in the world. Label owner at Dim Mark Records, he holds down a monthly Las Vegas DJ residency at Hakkasan Nightclub, consistently makes the Forbes DJ rich list and can lay claim to headline every festival on the globe. Neon Future I is the second album from Aoki and attempts to blend the futurist’s interests of science fiction and technology in a musical sense. The opening track ‘Transcendence’ features

Records exclusively. Since 2010 Wilkinson has had a slew of successful dance scene hits leading to the release of his album Lazers Not Included in 2013 spawning the chart hit ‘Afterglow’ going top 20 in numerous countries around the world. His follow up singles ‘Too Close’, ‘Half Light’ and ‘Dirty Love’ have helped secure Wilkinson as a bankable dance act.

3 MUSICAL MOMENTS THAT MADE THE BEATS JACKIN’ JACK BEATS As individuals, Beni G and Niall Dailly (DJ Plus One) aka Jack Beats have already clocked the DJ game. Both

are established and successful turntablists; Beni G as one half of the mixologists and Niall as part of the UK act the Scratch Perverts. In 2007 they joined to form Jack Beats to express their musical production via wobbly basslines and cut up chords.

SEE HIM DJ: WILKINSON (UK)  WED 03 DEC STUDIO, AUCKLAND THU 04 DEC DUX DE LUX, CHRISTCHURCH

spoken word from Google’s director of engineering Ray Kurzwell and the end track ‘Beyond Boundaries’ is monologue courtesy of Aubrey De Grey, English author and theoretician in the field of gerontology. That is where the prophecies end. In between is a series of frat boy party dance anthems featuring a cast of pop vocalists and electronic producers including Will.i.Am, Fall Out Boy, Kid Ink, Flux Pavilion, Waka Flocka Flame and more. It is what it is and if you love pop party radio then it’s a welcome addition to the collection. Part II is due in 2015 and has been touted as a darker more emotional journey to the club themed style of Part I.

AC SLATER ‘JACK GOT JACKED (JACK BEATS REMIX)’ (2008) Anthem alert! This was a bit of an eye opener in the electro house world combining breakbeat, rave sounds and no one was furiously using the erratic “woomp” style noise to much success in the genre before this.

PASSION PIT ‘LITTLE SECRETS (JACK BEATS REMIX)’ (2009) One third upcoming New York indie act, one third singalong chorus, one third synthed up jack hammering. Combine to develop one of the bigger crossovers of the year “higher and higher and higher”.

JACK BEATS ‘BEATBOX’ (2014)

FRI 28 NOV MT SMART STADIUM,

From March this year comes the trademark Jack Beats sound adding a splash of deep house to it. Signed to Skrillex’s label Owsla, the music video features cameos from some of the biggest bass DJs and vocalists in the world.

AUCKLAND

SEE THEM DJ: JACK BEATS (UK)

SEE HIM DJ: OUR HOUSE FT STEVE AOKI (US)

WED 26 NOV PLATFORM, AUCKLAND

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CONVERSE CONCEPT

PAT MENZIES QUICK FACTS Opened 1974 firstly stocking men’s dress shoes then saw growth in street styles and introduced Converse and Dr Martens. Vans followed later. Store is still owned by… Pat Menzies!

174 QUEEN ST CANTEBURY ARCADE AUCKLAND Good news for Chuck lovers, Auckland now has its own Converse store. Already home to New Zealand’s largest selection of Converse, Pat Menzies has partnered with Converse to open the country’s only dedicated Converse store in Auckland’s Canterbury Arcade. Located directly opposite the iconic Pat Menzies Shoes store, the look and feel of the space

is in keeping with Converse concept stores overseas. While more compact in size, the white subway tiles, wooden bleachers and strong graphics give it the same overall retro feel. Serving up an even better range of Chuck Taylor All Star, Jack Purcell, CONS and premium brand collabs, the store has all the latest styles and everything from basics, to highly soughtafter limited editions, to those hard to find designer collabs.

The original stockists of Converse, Vans and Dr Martens in New Zealand and home to other leading brands including Palladium, Caterpillar and Clarks, this footwear institution has been in the shoe business for over 40 years. Whether it’s sneakers, street styles, dress shoes or boots you’re after, Pat Menzies is a shoe-in. PATMENZIESHOES.CO.NZ FACEBOOK.COM/PATMENZIESSHOES.

Pat has been involved in the shop since he was 18 when it was Spencer Wade Shoes. Longest Serving Staff Member 30 years. Largest range of Vans, Converse and Dr Martens in one place in NZ Over 25 brands available in store. One of the longest owner operator shop in the history of Queen St.

ADRIAN BOHM PRESENTS

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ST YLE LIKE MARIAH CAREY

Playing Maidment Theatre, Tue 11 Nov

Velvet Miss Santa Adult Costume, $118.30, thecostumeshop.co.nz . Lime Crime Lipstick - Coquette, $29, cosmicnz.co.nz . KN Seam Free Bandeau, $9.95 (AUD), cottonon.com/au . Remington CI63W1AU Curl It Hot Pink hair curler, $53.99, briscoes.co.nz . Thin Strap Cami Dress , $15, supre.com.au . Glitter, Maidment Theatre, $8, Tue 11 Nov, maidment.auckland.ac.nz . Buckle Up Mega Mandal, $59.99, glassons.com

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STYLE LIKE THE ROLLING STONES

510™ Skinny Fit Jeans, $119.95 (AUD), levis.com/au . On The Road - Travel Kit, $65, triumphanddisaster.com Leather Harrington Jacket, $262.61, asos.com . Cow Skull, $265, nickvonk.com . Dr Martens ‘Hadley’ 8Up In Black, $260.10 , clash.co.nz Renergie Double Performance Treatment Anti Wrinkle Firming, by Lancome, $112.00, nz.strawberrynet.com

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GADGETS WIN

WIN

Sony Mini Hi-Fi System with CD and DJ Effects MHCV3, $499, thewarehouse.co.nz . iMac with Retina 5k display, $3699, apple.com/nz SodaStream Play, $139.99, sodastream.co.nz, sodastream.co.nz . AF120 In-Ear Headphones, $299.95 , audiofly.com Refined Touchscreen Gloves, mujjo.com . Sunset Overdrive, For Xbox One, $109.99, ebgames.co.nz . iPad Air 2, $749, apple.com/nz AT THE END: GO TO RIPITUP.CO.NZ TO WIN THE AUDIOFLY HEADPHONES AND SODASTREAM PLAY. 20

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ANDREW JOHNSTONE

BENNY TIPENE

PHOTO CREDIT: OLIVIA ROUND – OLIVIAROUNDTOWN.COM

WIN

“The cash was good as were the phone calls from friends sitting in movie theatres to say “your song is playing.” compose with luminaries like Evermore’s John Hume and Dave Baxter from Avalanche City. ‘Lonely’, (“one of those magical songs that just happened”), and ‘Better Side’ from the Toulouse EP, (released February 2014), were written during these sessions. Another song written in Australia, ‘Make You Mine’, was released as a single and was picked up by Coke for a nationwide campaign: “The cash was good as were the phone calls from friends sitting in movie theatres to say “your song is playing.”

BENNY TIPENE ENTERED X Factor NZ with the encouragement of his mother, who saw it as an opportunity for him to advance his music career. He hopped in the car and drove to the auditions. At 23 years of age, Benny was no wannabe; he already had 10 years of solid experience behind him as a working musician, but as he stood in line waiting his turn to appear before the judges, he come very close to walking away, doubting his ability to compete with the powerful voices on display. After impressing the nation week after week with his work ethic, voice and personality, he finished in third place and was immediately signed up by Sony Music NZ. A year on, he has racked up four hit singles and his first post X Factor album Bricks was released on October 17, debuting at number four on the NZ Album Charts. He had no idea of the doors that X Factor would open for him. “I just showed up and survived the cut week after week. It all just kind of happened.” In person, Benny is a tall, good-looking guy with a flowing mane of jet black hair and an attractive personality that tends a little towards the “shy and retiring” side – well, that was how it seemed on this particular day. I was interviewing him in front of a live audience and Benny admitted to being a little nervous, but once we were underway, he quickly relaxed and kept us charmed and entertained for some 40 minutes with stories and songs, answering a variety of questions with honesty and humour and genuine enthusiasm. During his 14th year at Palmerston North’s

Freyberg High, Benny became friends with classmate Drew Delaney. The pair shared a mutual passion for music and decided to form a band. After learning the rudimentaries of guitar playing and songwriting, they found a drummer and bassist called themselves The Nerines, an indie-rock outfit that went onto become a staple of the local music scene. Benny had high hopes for the band but as high school came to a close, members were drifting off to pursue other activities and so Benny swapped his electric guitar for an acoustic and went about reinventing himself as a singer/ songwriter. With part time work at a local music store and a supermarket to offset the lean weeks, Benny was able to make a decent living from playing in clubs and bars and people’s living rooms, entertaining them with a mix of covers and originals. Benny’s musical tastes are diverse. He grew up sharing a home with a Down syndrome guy who had a passion for Elvis and in particular the song ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love,’ which seeped into Benny’s consciousness, eventually becoming one of his favourite songs alongside an early Fleetwood Mac track called ‘Rambling Pony’. Otherwise he cites his mother’s music collection, rapper Kendrick Lamar, Jeff Buckley and Anika Moa as major influences. Benny has toured with Anika and says that being around her helped him to lift his own performance style up a notch.

Songwriting comes naturally to Benny. In the mornings his head swims with 1990s style “adult contemporary” songs but it’s late at night when he is tired and zoning out that the authentic Benny Tipene sound happens. While he is more than satisfied with his album Bricks, he has not listened to it since its release. “I have heard the songs way too much and I have moved on,” he said. Benny is already writing for a new album, though the Kiwi-style punk songs he has been churning out will probably never see the light of day. This erstwhile rocker is well aware that his tastes and personal style are quite different from each other. It is at the end of the formal interview when the microphone is being passed around the audience that the important questions are asked. When asked if he is single, Benny replies “no” to a collective and emphatic sigh from the females in the audience. The recipe for his hair is regular washing, blow-drying and a little bit of coconut oil massaged in from time to time and yes, fame has had a positive effect on his sex life. As for the future, Benny is hoping his musical appeal will endure. Otherwise, keeping happy is a priority. LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW: SOUNDCLOUD.COM/RIP-IT-UP-RADIO/LIVE-IN-SESSION-

With X Factor over and now signed to Sony Music, Benny was flown to Australia to take part in a songwriting retreat. Called “50 Songs in 5 Days”, Benny sat down to

WITH-BENNY-TIPENE

NEW ALBUM: BRICKS OUT NOW

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STYLE FILE

DEMI LOVATO SKECHERS This is your first Skechers campaign – describe the theme of the commercial Everyone is unique and Skechers embodies that. Their Skechers Memory Foam shoes conform to YOU, so it’s a customized fit. I think everyone should celebrate their individuality and I’m happy to collaborate with Skechers in promoting this message. Why are you excited to partner with Skechers for a global campaign? I’m so excited to partner with Skechers on a global campaign because I love the brand! They’re so comfortable and fit well into my day-to-day life. Everyone loves to be comfortable, and Skechers are a perfect combination of sport and fashion. Which Skechers shoes are your favorites? I love the new Skechers Sport line because the prints are so fun and colorful. It’s not what you would normally expect to see on a sneaker. My fashion choices are often unexpected, so these are

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ARTIST Q&A

the perfect shoes for me. Plus, the Skechers Memory Foam is like pillows for your feet! If we peeked at your shoe collection, what would we find? A lot of comfortable sneakers and some really cute boots! What’s your style philosophy? My style philosophy is to stay true to who I am. To be my own unique self. That is when I am happiest. When I’m on stage it is probably edgy heels or boots and a leather jacket – as fun and crazy as I feel at that moment. And when I am not on stage, chances are I am comfortable in a T-shirt and my Skechers What’s the first album you ever bought? My first album was Britney Spears! Do you have any hidden talents? I can turn myself into a human pretzel!

MIA BLAKE ACTRESS Who’s in the dead supergroup for your dream hologram show? Jem, of course. What’s an upcoming film you’re jazzed about? The Babadook. It looks terrifying. Where can your stalkers find you during the weekend? At home, in the garden with my man and my kids. What happens when you mix Coca Cola with Pepsi? Poca Pola? Your fantasy spirit animal is… The Pantail. Panther’s body, fantail’s wings and tail.

The best place for a date night is… The theatre. Especially during Nov 13-23 at the Herald Theatre. You’d get arrested if the police knew that you… Sorry mind just blanked. Next question? People say you look like… Maria Callas. Five celebs on your fucklist? Never you mind. Kittens or puppies? Puppies. What generic current affair has your blood boiled? Solar panels. Why are they not compulsory for all new builds – and subsidised? SEE HER PERFROM: MIA BLAKE

Your signature “I’m an amazing cook” dish is… Herb crusted fish with asparagus salad.

SKECHERS.COM

The best TV show around at the moment is… The Block. Don’t judge me.

IN PURE & DEEP WED 12 NOV – SUN 23 NOV HERALD THEATRE, AUCKLAND

REN KIRK

BEN OTTEWELL BO: The first one was more a more collection of five or six years music I already had, but hadn’t had the opportunity to lay them down and get them out. This one happened over a much shorter space of time. I also wanted to make it a bit more of a band record and to reflect a bit more my interest in Americana and blues.

BEN OTTEWELL IS probably best known for his unmistakable voice and inspired guitar solo as part of British indie rock band Gomez. He’s been going it alone for a while now and has just recently released his second album, Rattlebag. Both stripped-down and lush, the album feels like a collection of poetic stories, as he sings about salvation and redemption, sanctuary and stormy seas. Smacking of Ottewell’s infectious melodies and bluesy riffs, the vocals are cleverly mixed with layers of piano, acoustic and electric guitar lines, organ and percussion, and album that’s sure to become a favourite for fans new and old. Ren Kirk caught up with Ottewell ahead of his first solo show next week in Auckland. REN KIRK: Tell me a bit about how you first got in to music? BEN OTTEWELL: There was just always music around the house; Bob Dylan, Beatles, The Stones, that sort of thing. So it was sort of always around and when I was a bit older it was just natural for me to start playing it. RK: What instrument did you start with? BO: Guitar. I was always the singer at school, from like 13 or whatever, and always in these dodgy rock bands. I learnt how to play guitar so could I play the kind of songs I wanted to sing… I didn’t want to just do dirty Guns N’ Roses covers forever. RK: Were there any formative music moments as a teenager, either that you recognised at the time or looking back retrospectively?

BO: The first time I heard Led Zeppelin II. I just was like, “Wow! That’s great!”… something about it really appealed to me. RK: So, Gomez. You met the guys while you were studying, right? BO: Ian (Ball) was studying Criminology and I was studying Sociology and we were both into Tom Waits. So the rest of the guys were already in the band. RK: What was it like for you being part of Gomez? BO: It was so much fun and we considered ourselves the luckiest people in the world at the time. We just got really big really quickly and it was great. And playing all time, having that constant outlet naturally means you get better. I think it lets you keep building a new perspective musically as well. RK: What made you decide to start to give the solo thing a go, was there any particular motivation or did it happen quite organically? BO: Firstly it was just about time and opportunity. I had been so busy with Gomez, but there were also four songwriters... even Blackie’s (Paul Blackburn) turned in a few, so five really. When you’re a songwriter and you’re only doing an album every couple of years you end up with a lot of music.

RK: And you wrote with Sam Genders (English folk band Tunng) again right? How did that process work? BO: What generally happens is I write the riff and come up with a loose arrangement, which has a bit of a lyrical direction. Then I send it up to him and he’ll continue working; he’s an old mate and it works seamlessly. RK: The album opens with some lovely harmonies, a desperate rhythm section and plenty of wailing guitar, why did you choose this as the opening track? BO: Just cause of that intro! It’s a classic opening… and with that build in the track. It’s quite dynamic and was just crying out to be the opening track. RK: ‘Patience and Rosaries’ rocks a little harder and has some great creepy keys, harmonica and organ. What inspired that one? BO: Sometimes the first few lines will just come and you’re like, this isn’t going to be a happy song. So it’s just sort of elaborating on that. It’s a bit like a guy stuck in a well, that’s how I think of it sometimes and I wanted to evoke that desperation. RK: And number eight, ‘Papa Cuckoo’ has a bluesy New Orleans feel and is easily the most danceable track. What’s behind that one? BO: That’s a legit ghost story, about a house I grew up in. There were all these stories about this old man in his room in this house… it was my sister’s room. RK: Your tour to promote this new album sees you in NZ next week and it’ll be your first time playing solo here, won’t it? BO: Yeah I’ve been with the band a bunch of times, but never on my own. I like Kiwi audiences and I hope they appreciate my solo stuff. SEE HIM LIVE: BEN OTTEWELL FRI 07 NOV THE TUNING FORK, AUCKLAND NEW ALBUM: RATTLEBAG

RK: You’ve just released your sophomore album, Rattlebag, following on from 2011’s Shapes & Shadows. How does this new album differ for you?

OUT NOW

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FILM REVIEWS

LAURA WEASER

DIRECTED BY: DAVID FINCHER STARRING: BEN AFFLECK, ROSAMUND PIKE, NEIL PATRICK HARRIS

*****

GONE GIRL

On first glance, it’s a pretty standard David Fincher thriller: Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), a former journalist, finds himself under intense media scrutiny when his beautiful wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) goes missing on their fifth wedding anniversary, their house showing signs of a struggle. Told between flashbacks from her diary and the present day, his alibi doesn’t seem to add up and as clues start mounting against him, he becomes

LOVE, ROSIE

*** *

You’ve got to hand it to the Brits – they know their romantic comedies. Somehow the laidback, self-deprecating, “not everything comes up roses but it will in the end” style tugs directly on my heart-strings in the same way US comedies have me asking for the sick bucket. Rosie (Lily Collins) and Alex (Sam Claflin) have been friends since childhood. But as puberty sets in and alcohol becomes a part of their lives, they start questioning if there’s something more. It just never seems to be the right time – and so we follow the pair from teens to thirties as they battle the ups and downs life throws at them, always coming back to each other

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the number-one suspect. Did he do it? Quirky, twisted and often sexually-charged situations are Fincher’s forte, and amazingly, even though I knew how the story would play out having powered through the book in anticipation of the film, he managed to make me feel exactly how the novel did – confused, torn between our protagonist and the condemnation of the media/police, and at the climax, totally shocked.

Say what you want about “Bat-Fleck”, but he was born to play Nick Dunne. A lost soul (made redundant from his writing job), struggling to make his marriage work, you love to hate him and then love him all over again. His male “bitchy resting face” and the unintentional smugness he exudes on-screen is a perfect visual for Flynn’s character. Pike tackles the complex role of Amy to some success, but brings too much coolness to the role. Rather than all-American sweetheart, she’s got an arrogance about her mannerisms that at times makes it hard to feel for her. A self-confessed anti-bookworm, this is one of the only times I have read the book before the movie, therefore it’s difficult to advise you which to do first. On one hand, some of the book’s more heart-wrenchingly shocking moments lost their emphasis in the film as I knew what was coming, yet I don’t regret reading the book first because the midmorning double take of “what the fuck did I just read” was a weirdly wonderful feeling. That said, I guarantee book virgins will find their wits and emotions tested with Fincher’s well-crafted adaptation.

DIRECTED BY: CHRISTIAN DITTER

DIRECTED BY: GARY SHORE

STARRING: LILY COLLINS, SAM CLAFLIN, ART PARKINSON

STARRING: LUKE EVANS, DOMINIC COOPER, SARAH GADON

through good times and bad. So much more than a typical love story, the drama – based on the novel Where Rainbows End – explores unplanned pregnancy, divorce, death, heart break and heroism. The chemistry between Collins and Claflin is totally believable (although them ageing isn’t) and as they are our main focus, it holds together any weak moments in the narrative or pace. As witty and comedic as it is moving, Love, Rosie shouldn’t be written off as the next Notebook, although guys are unlikely to fall in love with this film. Perfect for a girls’ night out – or if you want to drive away your first date.

*****

DRACULA: UNTOLD

Yes, there’s been many jokes around the film’s title – the story that should have remained UNTOLD, this film SUCKS, and more vampire-themed puns. Filled with blood-curdling bad clichés and plot holes you’ll want to sink your critical teeth into, Dracula: Untold is popcorn fodder at its finest. Building an origin story behind one of fiction’s most iconic characters, Dracula: Untold recounts the legend of Vlad the Impaler (Luke Evans), a former ruthless killer-turned-family man who goes to drastic measures to protect his kingdom and kin. Those measures include meeting creepy old Game of Thrones’ Charles Dance (the Master Vampire) and drinking his blood

to give him immortal powers. Of course, everything has its price and soon Vlad finds himself struggling to hold on to the world he fought so hard to save. He’s talented, to say the least, but the staid script and bad, BAD pre-battle clichés sees audiences laughing and rolling their eyes. The biggest problem is the action Putting total unknown Gary Shore, a man with no experience in directing an action film results in frantic pans that leave you more confused than The Bourne Identity’s shaky cam, and intricate hand-tohand combat is wasted when you can’t see what’s happening. There’s no great twist or epiphany, but I promise you’ll have a good few laughs at the expense of the film’s flaws.

THE NEw aLBUM

N OV E M B E R 1 4 f E aT U R I N G

& w w w. B R O O k E f R a s E R . c O M

ALBUM REVIEWS JAKOB SINES

*****

SHOOT THE FREAK

It’s been awhile. Eight years is an eternity in the rock miasma these days, but somehow, the return of the Hawkes Bay trio right now seems timely. Perhaps it’s an unspoken need we have for something as honest, and as unashamedly elemental as the music that Jakob makes. And on Sines, they’ve clearly thought: who gives a fuck if people think drenching certain passages with crying strings is just too sentimental for a post-rock group who can thrash and bash with the

*** MARK LANEGAN BAND PHANTOM RADIO

*****

SONY

It’s my long-held belief that at best, most artists have one really great album in them. A very special belong in an elevated category of multiple masterpieces. For Mark Lanegan, Blues Funeral (2012) was the crowning achievement, the one album that justified and capitalised on all the minor achievements etched into a long career. As Tim Finn once sang, it’s a hard act to follow. Phantom Radio is a less perfectly rendered offering, but its 15 songs amply illustrate Lanegan’s current writing renaissance. Although credited to the Lanegan Band, its sound is oddly synthetic, creating a slight 1980s aftertaste, and the song selection is eclectic, making it an album that you take a brisk dip in rather than immerse yourself completely. Frequently sounding half-formed, perhaps it’s best viewed as a lesson in the way Lanegan sketches out his songs, and therefore, one mainly for confirmed fans.

It’s the modern dilemma: when everything you are and everything you want to be is famous, and you get there with a mixture of competence and chutzpa on a music talent show, how do you then declare your art? Who are you, exactly? On his album debut, where for the first time Tipene eschews the prodigious and eclectic covers that made his name for collaboratively self-written material, he comes across like an amiable cross between surfer dude, well-meaning Christian, and boy band chorus fodder. Bricks captures the good-natured vibe that was part of the deal from the start, with a relaxed blues-funk sound dominating, most based around acoustic guitar, which gives it a folked up, airy summer vibe. It’s not half bad. I have no doubt that legions will learn every lick, every vocal nuance, and will be mouthing the lot while exposing their heaving jooblies at gigs this summer.

GARY STEEL

HEAVENLY

BENNY TIPENE BRICKS

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***** PRIMUS PRIMUS & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY WITH THE FUNGI ENSEMBLE ATO

Don’t know about you, but Primus seem like a natural fit for a redo of the soundtrack to the original, 1970s version of Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory. The group have always worn “weird and wacky” on their sleeves, and Les Claypool’s rubbery bass and silly, cartoonish voice seems oddly suited to the task of interpreting Roald Dahl’s twisted tale. For many, that Primus sound remains stuck in some kind of early 1990s limbo. Primus is never boring. Claypool has utilised the Fungi Ensemble to contribute Fungi Ensemble to contribute extra-mural ingredients like vibraphone and marimba, adding magic to a hilarious and entrancing, sonically enhanced reversioning of the Willy Wonka soundtrack that stands well on its own eight legs. GARY STEEL

best of them? And they’re right. They’ve utilised Rhian Sheehan’s arrangemental skills and gotten some beaut tones from the NZSO, but this is no rock-goes-classical project, this is all about the compositions, and the strings and things just add an almost unbearable layer of melancholy to an almost heartbreakingly emotive sound. It made me want to cry. What’s that all about? GARY STEEL

ANNIE LENNOX ***** NOSTALGIA ISLAND

I’ve seldom felt predisposed to Annie Lennox. While clearly a gifted vocalist, her work in Eurythmics always seemed somewhat glib and shiny, and almost too aware of itself. Still, from this distance, and the benefit of the nostalgia industry, it’s clear that at least some of her hits have stood the test of time rather better than most ‘80s acts. But… why would she embark on an album of renditions of songs often referred to as the ‘Great American Songbook’? It’s tempting to ask how she gets the gall to assume we would want to hear her take on songs like ‘Strange Fruit’ or ‘Summertime’ when it’s clear that she’ll never eclipse the definitive versions. But then I listened to it. The arrangements are sublime, and Lennox carries the songs off with aplomb. She’s a soft target for cynics, but this works, and that’s all that matters. GARY STEEL

ANDREW JOHNSTONE

BROOKE FR ASER two years in various London studios. With bigger beats and layers of synthesizers, there is a harder edge to her sound. She acknowledges that while some fans would prefer her to keep on making What To Do With Daylight over and over, her instincts have always been to challenge herself and innovate rather than rely on a formula.

WHEN BROOKE FRASER was still a student at Wellington’s Naenae College, she imagined that her love for words and storytelling would be expressed through a career in journalism but that all changed after she met Elemeno P drummer Scotty Pearson while on a trip to Auckland in 2002. After hearing her play, (Brooke was already an accomplished musician), he introduced her to producer Matty J. who became her manager. They recorded some demos and shopped them around. The interest from various record companies was immediate and after some thought, Brooke signed a multi-album deal with Sony Music NZ. Her first album, What to Do with Daylight was released in 2003. It debuted at number one in the NZ charts and yielded five Top 20 singles. Demonstrating her talent for thoughtful lyrics, a gift for melody and a penchant for powerful and uplifting choruses, the album established the basic template for what was to follow.

in the Water’ topping the charts in several international territories including Germany, the world’s third-largest music market. After an extended period of touring, Brooke took time off to get married and then went travelling, searching for ideas and inspiration for new songs, a journey that has taken her and her husband from Stockholm to New York and finally Los Angles, the city she currently calls home. Preparing for her new album, she put aside her usual compositional tools, the piano and guitar, and applied herself to learning to write music on a computer, an arduous and exhilarating process which opened many new doors for her creative expression; “It was a bit like being a kid in a candy store with all these new sounds and beats to lay against my voice.”

Albertine arrived three years later; an album forged through her experiences promoting social causes in Africa, in particular Rwanda. Like its predecessor, it was a huge hit in Australasia and broke through in North America, peaking at number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

It was while in Stockholm suffering from flu that the ideas that would establish the themes for her new album took root. Lying sick in bed, she was contemplating the forms of social interaction that have proliferated since the arrival of the internet when the song ‘Psychosocial’ appeared fully-formed in her head. She sang it straight into her laptop, some of the original vocals remaining on the finished album track.

Flags was released in 2010 and was a sensation from the get-go with the lead single, ‘Something

The new album Brutal Romantic, co-produced by Fraser, was recorded in stages over the last

Fraser is part of a particular tradition of female Kiwi singer/songwriters that include Shona Laing, Sharon O’Neil, Bic Runga, Ladyhawke, Kimbra and Lorde; women who have all forged unique musical careers. She appreciates the opportunities NZ affords women; an encouraging society that she says makes no distinction between the sexes when it comes to career and life choices. When asked about the explicit sexuality exhibited by many current female artists, in particular American performers, she says that while she is no prude, she is disturbed by the exhibitionism that many women feel they must resort to in order to sell albums. She recently attended the MTV awards in Los Angeles and was somewhat shocked by the overt sexuality on display. “I was the only woman wearing trousers in a room full of tiny skirts.” She expressed pride in the fact that for most NZ female artists, the music is first and foremost and that sexual themes are mostly explored with subtlety and depth of feeling rather than bombast. Her musical career has been unexpected and largely unplanned and she has no concrete goals for the future other than to keep writing songs. “I hope to record a new album sooner rather than later – four years between albums is way too long,” she says. Her most pressing ambition at this point in her life is to have a child and “add to our little family unit of two.” She is enjoying married life and finished our interview with a quote she had picked up recently: “Marriage is being with someone who bears witness to your life and you to theirs”; a state of union that she says has further enriched her life. LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW: SOUNDCLOUD.COM/RIP-IT-UP-RADIO/INCONVERSATION-WITH-BROOKE-FRASER

NEW ALBUM: BRUTAL ROMANTIC OUT FRI 14 NOV

SEE HER LIVE: BROOKE FRASER FRI 20 MAR FOUNDERS THEARTER, HAMILTON SAT 28 MAR VECTOR ARENA

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ALBUM REVIEWS JESSIE WARE TOUGH LOVE

*****

PMR/UNIVERSAL

While it may be en vogue (har har) in current pop to ape the choice cut qualities of early nineties R’n’B/pop, few manage to consistently repossess and inhabit these qualities as successfully as Jessie Ware. (With the exception of perhaps Devonte Hynes, a.k.a. Blood Orange, who aptly appears as a writer on Tough Love.) Ware’s sultry, song-serving (no selfish theatrics) voice and her excellent nose for production talent pack her albums (this only being her second since 2012’s fantastic

*****

FRENCH FOR RABBITS SPIRITS

CHELSEA JADE BEACONS

HOME ALONE/SOUTHBOUND

UNIVERSAL

Wellington-by-way-ofChristchurch four piece French For Rabbits’ debut full length consists of the kind of competent fireside dreampop that Simon Raymonde’s Bella Union label usually hoards.As one may expect from such genre bedfellows, there’s a plaintive sweetness throughout Spirits, but one that is tempered by the sense of stoicism (and/or resignation) needed to disguise such wistfulness in public (‘Goat’, ‘Hard Luck Stories’). While it’s probably wildly offensive to classify an album that’s easily world class as having particularly homeland qualities, Spirits’ brand of tall poppy syndrome exploration (frontwoman Brooke Singer’s reported terror of singing, for instance) cultivates a sincerity that is likely to elude even the most lauded of their affected contemporaries. SARAH THOMSON

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*****

** **

Devotion) with dependably interesting experiments in Prince percussion, peak Pettibone-era Madge, ‘Nightshift’ rhythm guitar and the best sly approximations of soulful disco that modern pop has heard in a while. Hell, even Beyoncé can’t do disco. Ware can, and how. Ignore the Ed Sheeran co-penned single, pop a Crystal Pepsi and get in. SARAH THOMSON

*****

JULIAN CASABLANCAS & THE VOIDZ TYRANNY

TAYLOR SWIFT 1989 [DELUXE EDITION]

The second EP release from Chelsea Jade Metcalf is a six track, honed affair two years in the making. Co-written and produced by ex-pat New Zealand musician Justyn Pilbrow, now an NYC hired session/ production gun, Beacons’ breathy atmospheric lows and chorus-hit highs were perfected over many an NZ/US to-fro. Across a lattice of found sounds and chiffon vocal layering, Metcalf creates a tight narrative of chilly ricochet that blooms into dark, almost wonky, chorus catharses. That golden stomach drop you experience when the chorus hits within your favourite bittersweet pop? That’s at least one third of Beacons. And the remaining tracks can still make pleasing trade within a kind of Taylor Swift-does-Chariots of Fire slashfic. An EP that beautifully explores the warning/ welcoming themes of its title and the small tumbles/deep plunges of what compelling pop can be.

CULT

BIG MACHINE/UNIVERSAL

Tyranny is the debut project from the Strokes frontman and a bunch of likely-lad LAmusos. Those who remember Casablancas’s solo effort will concede the man has a gift for melody, however much he attempts to hide it in experimental noodling on this release. Indulgent? Check. Tyranny’s lead single is the eleven minute ‘Human Sadness’ which, while not unlistenable, is an exercise in human patience. But boring? No check. Casablancas seems genuinely diligent and present on this release, no small feat from the man whose fame seems aligned with an air of disaffected New York brat. A distillation of elements from his work with QOTSA, Daft Punk and film scoring, Tyranny rounds off its batshit hour-plus with Fela Kuti and Nine Inch Nails guitar lines and occasional nagging similarities to Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

Supposedly marking Swift’s complete pop departure from her young country starlet roots, 1989 employs a who’s who of the Top 40s reigning writer/ producer Midases. The majority of tracks on the album are Swift’s collaborations with Swedish kingmakers Max Martin & Johan “Shellback” Schuster who are, between them, responsible for over sixty Top 10 chart hits from popstars across the firmament of stonky choruses, big synths and glossy chord progression. However, it’s Swift’s (often incredibly autobiographical) lyric narrative offerings of big, sparkly, all-consuming love and loss that serve to separate her from her peers and cement the continued communion of her fiercely loyal legions of fans. Among side flirtations with italodisco and Del Ray breathiness, 1989 is exactly what you’d wish from its team of talent: colossal confessional pop.

SARAH THOMSON

UB40

ON THE RECORD

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THE NEW ALBUM

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Worst job you’ve had? Site cleaner. A0_Poster.pdf

Your house is on fire, what do save? Family first and formost so, fams, stash, cash. Favourite ‘90s TV show? Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Dream job as a kid? Wrestler/scientist/NBA Star/rally car driver. First album? Major Flava Volume 1. If you weren’t a musician, what would you be? Editor/tradesman/youth worker/ clerk. Ultimate festival line-up? Jay Z, Nas, Biggie, Pac, Big L and The Doqument. Who would play you in a film? Denzel Washington/Jean Claud Van Dam/Cliff Curtis/Will Smith. How do you discover new music? Online.

Which song do you wish you wrote? ‘Royals’ by Lorde. Biggest fear? Being forgotten. First gig in attendance? Bomfunk MCs. Any vices? Sometimes we tend to be a bit too laid back. Favourite lyric? “Freedom or Jail, clips inserted/A baby’s being born/Same time my man is murdered/The beginning and end.” - Nas NEW ALBUM: BLANK CANVAS – WALL & PIECE OUT NOW

CMY

22/10/14

9:32 am

AUTHOR

FRENCH FOR R ABBITS hermits and stay at home – this is quite nice. Some days we might be travelling, or playing a concert in some small town in Germany. A usual Wednesday night for you is… Emails/eating/watering the plants/trying to entice the neighbours cat inside with pieces of fish. One piece of advice you’ve never forgotten… I’m quite forgetful. So I’ve probably forgotten most of the good advice given to me. I’m also quite stubborn so even if I’ve absorbed good advice, I probably wouldn’t admit it. Just think for yourself! Don’t listen to me!

BROOKE SINGER What are you working on right now? Right now I’m trying to multi-task – we’re driving from Amiens to Amsterdam where we are playing the third show of our tour with Agnes Obel, and I’m also trying to do tour admin on my laptop. We need a tour manager! We’re also listening to Beach House and Ben is trying to decide whether he is going to go to Iceland for a holiday for a few days. The tour with Agnes Obel has been incredible so far – we played at L’Olympia in Paris the day after we arrived. It’s a place where Edith Piaf performed and Jeff Buckley. Luckily I only found this out afterwards, as it would only have added to the nerves. It’s quite bizarre, going from playing our little shows in New Zealand to some of the most prestigious theatres in Europe – and to the kindest, quietest audiences. We’re also working on logistics for our shows after this tour with Agnes finishes (when we can fit it in!) Who was an inspiration or idol to you growing up? I was never one to have idols. In high school I went through a phase of being a really big fan of Jeff Buckley and his music. John has an idol – it’s Kelly Slater who is the world’s best surfer. When you were a kid what was your dream job? When I was a kid, I had a few dream jobs. In order: lighthouse keeper, secret agent, vetinarian, chief lawnmower at the royal palace in England. John wanted to be a race

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car driver, but he also wanted to be a musician. I don’t know if I ever knew you could be a musician, although I started writing songs when I was very small. What’s your favourite venue in the New Zealand? Hands down, our favourite venue in New Zealand is The Moorings. It’s an old house in Thorndon, Wellington. It’s an elegantly aging place on the hillside, with a ballroom where musicians sometimes put on concerts. We really feel like this our “home” venue. It has little round windows like a boat, and wooden floors, and peeling wallpaper and we love it very much. What show are you most anticipating this year? Our “Home Alone Music” Christmas party in December, because we will get to see our friends play in our favourite venue – The Moorings! It’ll be our last show of the year too, and that will also be kind of nice, I think by then we will have come close to playing 100 shows this year, in ten or so countries! What’s your guilty pleasure? Reading Agatha Christie novels. On tour we listen to lots of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Empire of the Sun – that’s John’s guilty pleasure, not mine! Is tall poppy syndrome a thing? Probably. We just want to see everyone do well. It’s cool to see people being successful at the things they aspire to do, and music in particular is such a game of luck and hard work.

The biggest success you’ve had is… Getting over my phobia of singing, and John getting over his jazz school training and is actually starting this little band, has been the biggest success. Without that, we wouldn’t be releasing our album with the loveliest label Lefse Records or playing these theatres through Europe with Agnes Obel. New Zealand music needs more… confidence, because we reckon that some of the best music we have heard comes from this place. New Zealand television needs more… intelligent discussion of poltics in a fair and unbiased way. It’s currently pretty rotten. I think we should scrap “lite” media news shows like seven sharp and replace them with something with more substance. New Zealanders should be made to think, not given an easy option. New Zealand audiences are… really supportive, and it’s nice to see familiar faces in the audience wherever we go. They understand our accents and get our weird, dry humour. One industry that’s overlooked in New Zealand is… probably so overlooked, we don’t yet even know about it. They probably need to get some good PR people on board, to rectify this situation. Name five things surrounding you right now. John, Ben, a Belgium motorway, copies of our new album Spirits sitting in a box and looking really, really beautiful, and my sunhat (it’s too cloudy to wear it). NEW ALBUM: SPIRITS

A usual Saturday night for you is… I’m not sure we have a usual one. Sometimes we are

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SHARON VAN ETTEN NEW ZEALAND TOUR

“the master of her craft” - The Times “having toured with The National through Europe and across the United States with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Van Etten has often left audiences spellbound” - NZ Herald “one of the best albums of the year.....a great songwriter, a wonderful performer. Magnificent” - Off The Tracks NZ “confirms how breathtaking Sharon Van Etten’s songwriting and singing has become” - Under The Radar NZ “her sublime voice and the poised but complex song structures can take you out of yourself as all the very best music does” - NME “the singers voice is the sort that seeps into your soul and stays there” - The Sun “she turns in the performance of a lifetime, she gives everything and its impossible to be unmoved” - NOW “proving her mettle as a singular songwriter not afraid to hold hot coals with bare hands” - Uncut

MARCH 2015 Thurs 12 AUCKLAND Kings Arms Fri 13 WELLINGTON Bodega Sat 14 LYTTELTON Wunderbar Sun 15 DUNEDIN Chicks Hotel TICKETMASTER.CO.NZ & UNDERTHERADAR.CO.NZ NEW ALBUM ARE WE THERE OUT NOW

VILL AINY TOUR DIARY

PALMERSTON NORTH > NEW PLYMOUTH > MASTERTON

CHRISTCHURCH The beginning of a tour always comes along with a heightened level of excitement. It’s been 18 months since we last headlined our own shows but in that time we’ve completed tours of both NZ and Australia and played some great festivals including a particularly memorable day at Big Day Out in Auckland. A headline tour feels well overdue. Christchurch has always been good to us and we started our day there with a meet and greet at sound check. Among the fans was one sporting a tee from our first ever tour in 2011 and another with a bandage attached to his neck with a very spherical spot of blood. He tells us how he was shot in the neck with a nail-gun by his boss on a building site. He still works there. Hardcore. The Dux filled up quickly and by the time we took the stage standing room was hard to come by. We’re using this tour as an opportunity to debut some new tunes and judging by the spontaneous sing-a-longs that happened during songs nobody knew they went down great. At 2am I got back to our accommodation for the night, a converted prison block (only the best…) , caught two hours sleep and headed to the airport to meet a 6am flight to Melbourne. A few days in the studio tracking vocals and now I find myself on a flight back to Auckland before Fridays show. No rest for the wicked.

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AUCKLAND / WELLINGTON A full hometown show is always a humbling experience. We’ve played The Kings Arms a few times, and when it’s full there’s an intimacy not many venues can match. It’s the kind of intimacy that means every now and then a big burly guy with a camo hoodie and ginger beard can climb onto the stage and refuse to get off. So your bassist has to spear-tackle him into the crowd. But everyone moves out of the way, except a petite fan in a Villainy shirt who gets clipped on the way down... We got an email from the guy the next day apologising, and also asking if we’d seen his glasses. Wellington had a similar level of intensity. During the first song, I noticed a girl with her back to us, lying with her head on the stage in some kind of state of intense pleasure. I thought it was the music doing this, but then noticed the guy drilling her. This went on for more than half the set before hitting what may have been a home run. I had originally felt bad for her until she got flipped around and was able to watch the show.

The Royal in Palmy is the kind of pub you imagine your parents drinking at in the ‘80s. Lion Red on tap, a solid supply of pool tables and a carpet soaked in a thousand spilled beers. In other words - grungy as hell. All it needed was the heavy haze of cigarette smoke to seal the deal. We got some way to achieving that look with an overactive smoke machine and the show itself was typically chaotic in a way only a room full of Airforce cadets and students can deliver, leaving me holding my foldback in place with my boot. Protip: When touring - if you avoid showering you can get an extra 10 minutes’ sleep. So when we left the next morning for New Plymouth, we were mostly unwashed and bleary eyed. The whole trip was geared towards riding into Patea playing ‘Poi E’ but a speeding ticket meant that we had to crank NWA’s ‘Fuck the Police’ while our cop friend wrote out the fine. This was our third time playing The Mayfair and it never disappoints. From the opening chorus of Ammunition the crowd was drowning us out and by the time we hit ‘Another Time’ everybody in the room was buzzing off the same wavelength. Loudest audience of the tour, no question. I don’t remember much of the drive to Masterton the next day, The Mayfair’s generous rider making sure I didn’t see straight in the morning. Nothing a meal of venison and seafood sauce from the local Chinese/Indian/ Japanese/Fish store couldn’t fix. Being the tour closer we felt it was necessary to make it count which involved a mixture of mid-show tequila shots (in honour of a fan’s birthday) followed by complete demolition of our rider, celebratory drinks at the town’s only establishment and enjoying a nice relaxing brawl in the line at a fast food establishment. All of this helped us forget that our accommodation for the night had more in common with the orphanage from Annie than any place we’d usually consider sleeping (though it was better than the greasy mattresses of last year’s halfway house in Sydney). #tourlife.

ANDREW JOHNSTONE

JIMMY EAT WORLD “We were rapidly growing up, becoming adults and these life changes are reflected in the album” instruments and instruction. Burch himself cites the charity as being the major facilitator for his own induction into the world of music.

ACCORDING TO THE Phoenix New Times, alternative Arizonian rock band Jimmy Eat World are one of the state’s crown jewels. Quite a compliment considering the state also gave birth to musical luminaries Alice Cooper, Glen Campbell, Charles Mingus, The Tubes, Waylon Jennings and Stevie Nicks among many others. Over the last two decades, the fiercely Arizonian band has produced a string of international hit albums and this year commemorates the tenth anniversary of the release of Futures, the band’s first album to crack the US Top Ten. Peaking at number six on the Billboard charts, the album was a critical and commercial triumph that brought the band to the attention to a whole new audience, both at home and overseas. To celebrate the occasion, the band is taking the album on tour and playing it as close as they can get it to the original recording. I spoke to bassist Rick Burch from his home in Arizona where the band were still rehearsing for the tour. “We’re enjoying the challenge of reproducing Futures for the stage. Live, it will be like putting on the CD and pressing play,” he said. “Although there are some elements that will remain forever locked in the studio.” Futures marks an important turning point in

the life of the band. “We were rapidly growing up, becoming adults and these life changes are reflected in the album,” Burch explains. A dark and self-reflective album addressing themes of love, loss, drug use and their rapidly receding youth, Futures is a mature work filled with hooks and anthemic choruses that preserve the band’s artistic credibility while successfully exploring a more commercial sound. Futures was also expressing the need for people to be proactive to make a better future. “We are in a world with the power to vote and make positive changes through our daily actions,” said Burch. Jimmy Eat World are no ordinary band. They are first and foremost friends, with some of the members’ relationships going right back to pre-school days, and through the ups and downs of their 21-year history they have remained dedicated not only to each other but to their fan-base, to whom the band feel great loyalty and gratitude. Recently, Arizona-based Fender released a special edition guitar, the JA-90 Telecaster, (named after the band’s front-man Jim Adkins), in further recognition of the band’s achievements and noted Arizona Brewery Wilderness have put together a special beer to commemorate Futures’ anniversary, all the proceeds from which are being donated to charities including Little Kids Rock which helps budding young musicians access to

The beer sets out not only to celebrate Futures but also Arizona and its long and proud agricultural heritage. Made from ten local ingredients including native mountain chamomile, prickly pear cactus fruit, wild desert honey and a host of locally cultivated heritage grains, this brew is a statement of hope for the future of the state. Unfortunately, Arizona has become somewhat regressive under the tutelage of the current Governor, the reactionary right-wing politician Jan Brewer. Burch is at pains to point out that despite the negative publicity surrounding the state’s current political direction, “it is actually a very socially diverse place. While there are certainly people toting guns around in WalMart, they are not representative of the people as a whole.” Since our interview, the tour has started and a sprinkling of reviews from around the USA give local fans some indication of what to expect: “There’s something uncomprehendingly special about packing tight into a sold-out club to witness a record so undeniably important to so many people being played in its entirety – and that’s what happened Friday night in Des Moines, Iowa, for Jimmy Eat World’s Futures tour. The album that brought emotional singles such as ‘Pain’ and ‘Work’ was played front-toback live last Friday. Sure, the band didn’t play every head-banging number in its arsenal – but it still managed to have moments that took the crowd’s breath away. You know, the type of moments you talk with your friends about for years to come. Those are the types of moments taking place on the Futures tour and that’s why this is the fall’s must-see rock tour.” - Matthew Leimkuehler, Under the Gun Reviews. LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH RICK BURCH: SOUNDCLOUD.COM/RIP-IT-UP-RADIO

SEE THEM LIVE: JIMMY EAT WORLD SAT 08 NOV THE POWERSTATION, AUCKLAND

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JAKE EBDALE

PINK FLOYD Words’, featuring lyrics written by Polly Samson, Gilmour’s wife. The single, which is out now, is an honest elegy over soulful, progrock soundscapes. It is vital Floyd.

PHOTO CREDIT: JEREMY YOUNG

The cover art, which features imagery of a man rowing on a “river” of clouds, was created by Ahmed Emad Eldin, an 18-year-old Egyptian digital artist. Most of Floyd’s iconic artwork was previously handled by Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis. With Storm’s passing in 2013, the task of finding a fitting replacement was passed to Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell, Storm’s original partner in Hipgnosis. Po said: ‘When we saw Ahmed’s image, it had an instant Floydian resonance. It’s enigmatic and open to interpretation, and is the cover that works so well.” A SENTENCE I never thought would ring true in 2014: Pink Floyd have a new album. It’s called The Endless River, and it’s released on 07 November. That’s right – you’re part of history, music fan. To state this new release is anticipated would be an understatement – it’s a huge deal to see that name, and that distinctive cover art, once again. But this new collection is also to be approached with an open mind, especially for someone expecting The Wall, because it’s far from that. Assembled as a tribute to fallen keyboardist Rick Wright, The Endless River is a 21st century reimagining of Floyd circa The Division Bell, or as drummer Nick Mason has stated, “...the uncovering of lost gems” from that period onwards. In the early nineties, The Division Bell was originally planned as a two-part set, with one boasting songs like ‘Learning to Fly’, while the other featured lush instrumental journeys. Only one album was released, and those instrumentals have never seen the light of day. Until now. Over four illustrious sides, Wright’s parts from the original sessions are included in the final mixes, as a way for the three members – Mason and guitarist David Gilmour included – to appear on an album together, one last time. Gilmour has also stated it will be the band’s last record. It’s a poignant eulogy to such an important member of the band, one who contributed so much but was largely in the shadows. From every period of Floyd, from the Syd

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Barrett days of psychedelic madness, to the classic rock of Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, Wright is a force to be reckoned with, parts creative and melancholy, parts classical and garage rock. If you want examples, go to the early days of ‘Astronomy Domine’, to the epic ‘Echoes’, or the classic ‘Time’. This should stress how integral Wright’s sound was. The Endless River is a milestone, and for many people, it will be an introduction to Pink Floyd. It is to be experienced in one sitting. For those sceptical about a largely instrumental album – for most of their career, lengthy musical passages were their trademark. When I think Floyd, it’s ‘Marooned’ or ‘Shine On, You Crazy Diamond’, rather than ‘Another Brick in the Wall’. Deep down, the music on this record breathes the essence of Pink Floyd. What the band want to point out, is that Wright and his keyboard were a huge fraction of that. Gilmour has stated “With Rick gone, and with him the chance of ever doing it again, it feels right that these revisited and reworked tracks should be made available as part of our repertoire.” It’s also important to note the interplay between Mason and Wright, and how that informed so many great Floyd tracks. Mason says, “The Endless River is a tribute to Rick. I think this record is a good way of recognizing a lot of what he does and how his playing was at the heart of the Pink Floyd sound. Listening back to the sessions, it really brought home to me what a special player he was.” There is one proper song, ‘Louder Than

Looking at the artwork, one word comes to mind: finality. The tracks on the album, with titles like ‘Calling’, ‘Skin’ and ‘Eyes to Pearls’, are apparently lengthy and classic Floyd. For those fair-weather Floyd fans, there is that glaring omission. Former bassist and vocalist Roger Waters is definitely not playing on the record. In saying that, recording with Floyd is something Waters hasn’t bothered to do since The Wall – the last time the whole Wall-era band played together was 2005 for Live 8, and before that, it was in 1981. In this day and age, it’s impossible for Pink Floyd to function as a band – to tour, to release albums every few years, to do the PR shit. But they’ve achieved more than a million acts could. Your dad told you how good they were, even if you didn’t think so. Your mates told you how amazing side two of Meddle was. That damn cover, the one with the prism, which was a way of life for, like, 34 million people. Maybe this will be a fitting finale for their endless legacy. NEW ALBUM: THE ENDLESS RIVER OUT FRI 07 NOV

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