Blasting through sleazy party riffs with abandon, the foursome thrives on confidence, harking back to the heyday of shirtless, longhaired classic rock, with tight funky bass and former X-Factor contestant Tom Batchelor’s loud roar all over the album’s early tracks. They do mix it up a little with Follow Me Down channelling Alice in Chains in straight power-ballad mode, dramatic and laden with croon, before a yearning guitar solo from Michael Morris kicks in. The album was produced, mixed and recorded by Kris Muir at Stroke Media in Christchurch, and mastered by Chris Chetland at KOG Mastering in Auckland. The homecoming will be supported by a huge line-up including Chris Butchard’s eclectic homespun Avec Spirale, post-pop alt outfit High Twitch AC, funk rockers The Vortz, and singer-songwriter Michele Lea.
Australian folk singer Ben Salter has been continuing his love affair with Aotearoa this past month, making his third trip across the Ditch in four years.
For the Dunedin leg of his tour, he’ll be joined by local legend Robert Scott (The Clean, The Bats) for a show at the Crown Hotel on Waitangi Day.
Salter’s done a lot in his career, ploughing through varied genres and projects, releasing more than 20 albums in the process, recording with the likes of Gareth Liddiard (of Australian heroes The Drones), and Bernard Fanning.
Scott’s been busy himself of late, working on something called Sonic Comic at the Port Chalmers Recording Service in the former Chick’s Hotel, and uploading various bits of his vast back catalogue to Bandcamp, including a gentle wee collection of lo-fi pop under the name Mushroom Writers Workshop, recorded on Auckland’s west coast back in 2006.
According to Scott, he’ll be doing some songs by Robbie Burns as well as some of his own at the show.
Young four-piece pop band Albion Place is first up in 2017’s "It Came From Bandcamp" file. The group has just released a self-titled EP, five pretty beachy summer strummers backed by smooth production and vocals. Sureshaker’s Lyall Moloney recorded the EP. Think Mac Demarco soft-rock fashion aesthetics meets the fusion indie of Australian’s Sticky Fingers meets skanky student party electro.
The Scapegoat Mercy remix of single Running is also worth a look too.
The gigs
• The River Jesters play the Captain Cook on Saturday, February 11 with Avec Spirale, High Twitch AC, The Vortz, and Michele Lea. Hosted by Tahu Mackenzie. $10 on the door from 9pm. Official after-party celebrations at Vivace Karaoke Bar, with a free song on presentation of your gig wristband, from 1am.
• Ben Salter and Robert Scott with guests Bill Morris and Glen Ross, Crown Hotel, Monday from 7pm.
The EP
• Albion Place’s new self-titled EP is available from albionplace.bandcamp.com.
