My love for The Roots is as well known as my general distaste for modern hip-hop. I sometimes wonder if I love The Roots for their works on their own, or because against the hip-hop landscape, they stand shoulders above almost everything out there. I know it’s probably a combination of both, but even the [...]

Wellington is hosting the United Nations World Environment Day (WED) on 5 June. WED is observed annually in more than 100 countries, and is one of the most popular days on the United Nations calendar. In a celebration for World Environment Day a free concert at the Wellington Town hall featuring Ryan Prebble, Samuel Flynn [...]

Life lately has been funny for me. I’ve got stress at work with the future of my job, some confusing and disheartening events going on around me (nobody mention the word Hurricanes!) and the weather, well, that’s enough to make anyone feel a little solemn. It’s funny the music that comes to comfort you during [...]

Tricky’s ‘Maxinquaye’ is one al my all time favourite albums. Part and parcel with Tricky’s early (and classic) work, is the voice of Martina Topley Bird. Her smokey vocals in the early Tricky stuff were typically very dark and sultry, which was probably a reflection of her relationship with Tricky himself. As their relationship soured, [...]

In my coverage of ‘Narrow Stairs’ I noted that “It doesn’t have the punch that ‘Transatlanticism’ is littered with”… Well, ‘Long Division’ obviously translates to the live environment in a more punchy form, as can be witnessed on this video from the good people at Stereogum. Nice track, and great clip. Death Cab For Cutie [...]

I can’t quite put my finger on what I like about Death Cab for Cutie. Their music is typically slow and emotive, but they seem to have something that grabs the listener every time. Narrow Stairs was hyped by the band as a change from their previous efforts; Chris Walla promised Billboard that the album [...]

‘Chemtrails’ is the first piece from Beck’s ‘soon to be titled’ Danger-Mouse produced album, and as well as getting it’s first commercial airplay today, has been made available for streaming through Beck.com. To me it seems to steal a bit of it’s vibe from ‘The Flaming Lips’, but it also shows tasteful input from Danger [...]

These latest leaked songs from the ‘Red Album’ follow the four already leaked through You Tube. I’m still of the opinion that the new album will be better than anything done in recent history by Weezer, but these tracks do take the momentum out of my excitement for the album somewhat. Heart Songs is particularly [...]