Claire Anne Taylor – Giving It Away There’s so much new music that comes down the information superhighway, a veritable landslide of songs and singer-songwriters opening up their hearts and baring their souls. To be honest, most of it is bland and derivative and you have to wade through an avalanche of mediocre to find … Continue reading
Ahead of the release of his new single ‘Talk To Me‘, across streaming services and Bandcamp tomorrow (Oct 18th), I’m very pleased to premiere Skyscraper Stan‘s excellent new live/studio video clip for the song on PTW. Now on the exciting downhill run to the release of his third studio album, Those Were Days, out February 14th on Cheersquad Records & … Continue reading
Like compatriot Delaney Davidson, whose new album we recently reviewed, Matt Hay is another Aotearoa/New Zealand songwriter who likes to cross musical lanes, albeit with more subtle combinations. His remit is country, blues, roots-rock, and Americana – the kind of sound that fans of John Hiatt, J.J. Cale, Mark Lucas and Mark Knopfler will recognise … Continue reading
Ahead of the release tomorrow of Aotearoa/New Zealand songwriter Arthur Ahbez‘s new single ‘A Simple Medication‘, we’re very pleased to premiere the video clip that features Ahbez immersed in the NZ landscape under the Antipodean sun. The song is a brilliantly woozy slice of psych folk – wandering dreamily through space and time with woody … Continue reading
When it comes to the incorporation of ‘noir’ into country and folk music, the reigning king of capturing the essence of that sound in this part of the world is New Zealand artist Delaney Davidson. A prolific artist both in the recording studio and on stage, he recently released his album Out Of My Head … Continue reading
Over the last couple of years, Melbourne-based New Zealanders Matt Joe Gow & Kerryn Fields have been writing, recording and touring together, harnessing the undeniable musical chemistry they have and channelling it into their sublime new album I Remember You. Right across the record, even when things get busier, there’s a wonderful sense of space … Continue reading
The ever prolific Matt Joe Gow continues to put out essential Antipodean roots music releases and is seemingly constantly on the road in Australia and Aotearoa, whether it’s solo, with his band The Dead Leaves or in collaboration with the likes of the exceptional Kerryn Fields and others. Most recently, Matt followed up his Music … Continue reading
PTW is very pleased to have guest reviewer Heath Forsyth write this wonderful review of Adam McGrath’s Dear Companions, released late in 2022. Adam McGrath Dear Companions Independent What do you get for $10 these days? Schooner of Toohey’s New? Half a haircut? 500mb of phone data? How about a single iceberg lettuce to go with your cans of … Continue reading
MATT JOE GOW BETWEEN TONIGHT & TOMORROW CHECKED LABEL SERVICES Now four albums and nearly 15 years into into his solo recording career, Naarm/Melbourne-based Aotearoa/NZ artist Matt Joe Gow has constantly exhibited an ability to make subtle and compelling improvements to his songwriting. That pattern and upward trajectory continues on his most rewarding album to … Continue reading
Matt Joe Gow has a brand new album out tomorrow (Fri, March 10th) and between his just completed Aotearoa/NZ tour and the start of a new run of dates in Australia, Matt kindly took the time to answer our Six Strings Q&A. The new album, Between Tonight & Tomorrow is a superb collection of Americana … Continue reading
It may sound simplistic on the surface but there are all manner of influences lurking below the surface of Sea Mouse‘s song ‘Cold and Lonely’, the opening track on their new EP Evil Heart. Hendrix, The White Stripes, The Black Keys, Led Zeppelin, The Datsuns, garage rock and electric Mississippi blues. They approach all those … Continue reading
Emily Fairlight and Mike McLeod of The Shifting Sands blend their guitars and voices in a gloriously intertwined wash of sound on ‘Head Above’, the first single from their forthcoming collaborative LP Sun Casts A Shadow, out now via Fishrider Records. There are some wonderful stripped-back folk and alt-country qualities to the song as the … Continue reading
TAMI NEILSON KINGMAKER MGM Tami Neilson’s career trajectory continues its impressive ascent as she emerges from the pandemic with an album that both celebrates women and challenges their treatment and role in society, particularly in the music industry. Neilson further explores her openminded approach to country music, whether it’s the Bobby Gentry-styled Southern noir and … Continue reading
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