New Music Review - ‘Hannah’ by Parabola West
A breathtakingly, mystical art piece for the cover of Hannah, available at midnight!
Calling all souls - old and new!
Magical, mystical and authentically herself, Parabola West (real name Amy Tucker West) is here to treat us with a new tune that will take you away to the lands of fairy tales and beyond.
Hannah is due to be released on Friday at midnight and the Raglan local is not a stranger to adding dashes of fantasy into her music which makes it a very different vibe to what I’m personally used to, however, Parabola opens up her wings and shows us a different world with this track which incorporates a lot of mellowed out sequences of events and lyrics.
In Hannah, the main character (obviously named Hannah!) is stuck between the physical and spiritual worlds in which she has essentially dabbled too much and has gotten herself lost. The mystery remains, will she end up luring in others to share in her fate, or will there be a plot twist?
Hannah mixes science with maths, two subjects that Parabola thoroughly enjoys, which you can tell is incorporated right into the track. Hannah is also infused with electronic tones and a drop of folk in there, too, making Parabola’s newest release a very unique one in the music world.
A fun fact about Hannah is that it was recorded at healing volume. Yes, you read that right - recorded at a slightly lower volume than normal songs, this one is meant to send you to higher places, while helping you to feel soothed and relaxed, a technique in which I’ve not heard of other artists doing (or at most, it would be very rare to hear of that!), which is a fantastical taste of what is to come from Parabola’s debut upcoming album.
Parabola will take you to the depths of what warms you up with a bit of Glastonbury-vibes popped in with her expressions of differences, all presented through her musical career and also her website. It is like an enchanted fairy land and Hannah promises to be no different to the attractive fantasy-reality she has shared with fans in the past. Spin this track when it drops at midnight tonight and check out Parabola’s previous drops.
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New Music Review - ‘What Should I Do?’ by The Gateways
Serving those 80s vibes for the cover of What Should I Do? Available now!
Christchurch garage-rock band, The Gateways are here with a brand new single which was released on Thursday, 11th November, What Should I Do? They are certainly dishing up the super grunge, in-your-face splash for us with the first song they ever wrote coming to life, now available for you to hear.
Following on from their debut single, Noise Control, The Gateways are on the way to creating some other new tunes that will blow the roof off venues this summer and beyond.
When you listen to The Gateways, you may find that some of their songs start out softly, like in What Should I Do?, but within seconds, you will realise how loud and proud these boys truly are with their infectious rock n roll attitudes which is the style of a great band that has come out of the wonderous walls of TuneSoc at the University of Canterbury.
You will thoroughly enjoy their fresh release if you’re quite into noisy grunge-punk, The Gateways exude this and you’re most likely going to want to do some decent head banging while you hear What Should I Do? It is a tasteful track and while it may not be to everyone’s liking, it certainly has the high beats for those of us who enjoy heavier musical tastes - this will be such a great song to add to your party playlist, for sure! It will get guests up and pumping, potentially keeping them up all night grooving.
While The Gateways lads have work, study and a band to be in, their efforts of fulfilling their musical passions are never in vain with a few supportive friends, family and new fans who quite often attend their gigs around Christchurch, where their talents are always invited in by people of the audience because of the work they put in to being appreciated and heard. They go hardcore on stage and really show up, which pulls through into What Should I Do?
Make sure to have a listen and go check out what The Gateways are all about by following them on their links below -
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New Music Review - ‘LA’ by Jaz Paterson
How sweet is the photo for LA! Available for you to listen to right now - make sure to click through and please your ears with this stunning track. Made with the help of NZ On Air, among many other very talented people!
Jaz is back, back again… Tell everyone you know because LA is the third single off Jaz’s upcoming EP, Ache, which is due out in a couple short weeks and it will have thought bubbles hovering over your head for days with the way that she has depicted this track in a form of being able to express what most of us wish we could do - run away (sometimes).
LA tells the tale of how Jaz understands that even though she may want to jet set off to another place where she isn’t known and no matter how glittery and absolutely wonderful new people and places are, she knows that she will still be the same person that she is now. Essentially, if she uprooted everything and moved to LA, for example, she has come to the realisation that she would not become a different person just because everything else has changed. That tends to get you right in the heart and I can feel that anyone who wants to make a big change will be really influenced by this track to give their future changes a lot of consideration.
LA is a brilliant single release off the EP, Ache - you can hear Jaz’s passion and emotion in this song, with lyrics that will have the fire flowing through you and really stick to you like a magnetic force. The path of lyrics will resonate with many listeners and will even teach you a few things about life as Jaz proves that she is wise beyond her 26 years.
With this song, it seems as though I’ve known it for years - a warm welcome to my playlist and it should also be added to yours immediately to avoid disappointment when everyone knows about it. LA showcases Jaz’s voice in terms of pop, rather than the beat of almost drum and bass from her previous single, Ache. I love how she changes it up, but at the same time, she still stays as true to herself and what she knows. A true inspiration of a musician.
Jaz is a rather magical storyteller, always singing truthful hopes, dreams and fears through her perfectly pieced together music. As soon as LA starts, Jaz’s calming voice follows within seconds to tell us about wanting to be on a plane and how she’d love to see pink sunrises from her window seat, a beautiful description.
Jaz is one of the very talented individuals that has come out of Sole Music Academy and I know that this is just the beginning of her long-term career. She brings joy to the music world, even if that means telling raw and depth to the universe. That is always admirable and makes a song even more explosive! Well done, Jaz. LA is fantastic.
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New Music Review - ‘Hero Skies’ by Dolphin Friendly
How gorgeous is the art for the cover of Hero Skies! A glowing owl. Who would’ve thought - so epic. Hero Skies, available NOW!
Preash. The Dolphin Friendly lads are here to take us on a new, trippy rollercoaster with their first single in nearly a year, Hero Skies, released on 5th November 2021. Dolphin Friendly have adopted a new, fresher sound with this mix and their upcoming EP, levelling up from their previous releases and this one will make you absolutely fizz and allow you to put that extra dash of spice back into your life. This song is not for the faint-hearted, so make sure to get yourself prepared, this is going to keep you on your toes with excitement. The track is essentially setting out the framework for what the guys are going to be handing us over the next while, get ready to take a ride with this one, so strap yourself in.
With infectious, hardcore rock sounds that will have you head banging so hard that you may need to glue your glasses to your face (me while listening to it), you’re going to absolutely dig this new vibe that Dolphin Friendly are going for and appreciate the elements that have been used in this track. The band worked with Connor Jaine (CJ) of Mako Road on this track and it certainly comes through how well they collaborate on songs, which has been continuous over the newest EP they have been working on, coming together as a clear dream team.
Hero Skies pays respect and thankfulness to the bands musical inspirations who have passed on, hence the name of the song. To pay homage to the heroes that are now in the skies above is something that I personally would never thought of for a musical idea and that is what makes the song a really spectacular listen because it is so different, yet it speaks many volumes. They are reaching out to these musicians that have helped them pave their way in the music industry - while Dolphin Friendly set themselves out individually from the crowd, they have taken some tricks from former musicians who walked this earth and inserted the power ques from them into their songs.
The psychedelic video for the song is one of the most impressive that I’ve seen this year. Produced and edited by Wade McClelland of Made by Wade and Bradon McCaughey, it will awaken every part of you.
Hero Skies is one of the least serious tracks off the upcoming EP, however, as a band, Dolphin Friendly have never limited themselves to anything and they are always willing to try to put their thumbs in many different pies which makes them so fantastic to continue to listen to. They make such an impression that it will sound like fireworks going off on each new track that you hear from them. Once you hear Dolphin Friendly, you are never going to get them out of your head and that is an absolute promise.
The creative lyrics jump out at you and add fuel to the incredibly fiery song that is Hero Skies, so make sure to go and have a listen to the track which is available worldwide now for your listening pleasure!
Brilliant song, bloody wonderful men, they are absolutely worth following their journey and seeing what their next steps are.
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Welcome to the Gig will be soon doing international musician write-ups! Please contact me via the links at the top of the website if you wish to touch base for consideration of write-ups.
New Music Review: ‘Railroad for Two’ by Mini Simmons
Lovely artwork for Railroad for Two - it certainly has that train station, Harry Potter-type vibe. A calming and beautiful piece of art.
Mini Simmons are an Auckland based rock and roll band that are proving that no matter what challenges anyone faces (such as not being able to do proper band practises currently), you can get through anything. As a band that may not be all in one bubble, however they are certainly still ensuring that they are putting out work and keeping themselves on the ball such as with this track, as they have been since their formation in 2017 in Mexico. Mini Simmons are a delight to see live and listen to. Buckle in for this review and enjoy!
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With their newest single, Railroad for Two, having splashed out into the world from midnight last night, this special track takes you back a step in time with its old timely feel, enhanced by the strong presence of calm, it comes with the feeling of a romantic movie with a happy ending. I can almost liken it to being on an actual train and being zoned out from everything, just listening to this track and feeling the most peaceful you ever have been - a lovely few minutes of time coming to a halt for your Wednesday evening!
Railroad for Two will take you on the journey of falling and being in love with the magical sweetness of the words and the music that ties it together. A little more mellow than their previous releases, Mini Simmons have found a way to pull at your heartstrings with this moving, classic song.
Mini Simmons remind me of a smooth 70s band that have been transported to the here and now with Railroad for Two. It may not be a song for everybody, but I do highly recommend having a listen a few times to this one as it is just a really wholesome track.
Emily described the song as “a sink-back-in-your-seat-with-a-cup-of-Earl-Grey love song that winds its way through the English countryside and it’s a journey home.” I love how the artwork intertwines with that description of the lyrics sung - the classic glass stained window and the Harry Potter-esque, English train. Perfect and visually pleasing to look at.
A thirst for love and an addiction in carrying this through musically, Mini Simmons showcase their talents in all areas of their newest drop. Make sure that you have a listen and see what the song feels like for you - I would agree with Emily on the statement that it feels like you need a cup of Earl Grey tea while tuning in! Check out Railway for Two, out now on all streaming services.
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You can find Mini Simmons at the links below -
New Music Review - ‘TRIVIAL’ by The Butlers
Simple, but a fun cover for TRIVIAL, out now!
Crisp. Blended. Flat out great. Just a couple of words in the English language that describe the new song, TRIVIAL, from The Butlers which rained down on us from midnight last night and it is a beauty.
TRIVIAL pulls you in from the very beginning - it is mellow enough to have your ears tuned in the entire time, yet still has that flavour of The Butlers sound that we all know and love, with a twinge of fresh mystery. A true soft indie-rock vibe, TRIVIAL is certainly far from being what the title is. In fact, it takes you on a ride to get away from anything trivial, a fun adventure for the new evolution of sound that these talented men have taken on.
My favourite lyrics are “I manifest these thoughts until I think I’m over this” - that has got to be one of the utmost outstanding lines of the year. Incredibly brilliant and perfectly intertwined into TRIVIAL.
The video is an absolute blast - filmed in front of a green screen that makes everyone pretty much disappear, apart from some their features (and Walt’s face is the only one visible), giving the illusion that we can just be taken away to outer space at any moment, which is what The Butlers clearly strive to achieve by putting out their tunes. Plus, the video also has this epic, groovy galaxy theme to it, which I am definitely digging.
You can always count on The Butlers to put out solid projects and TRIVIAL is another foundation for the growth of their musical careers and setting out the path to their upcoming album release.
The song is not an in-your-face track by any means, but it gives off that oomph of energy that you’d expect and I can imagine that it will go off really well when they can perform it live, along with their other previous new releases which have been jammed non-stop for the past little while.
TRIVIAL has a fun, easy-listening and consistent beat to it, never dropping below the baseline.
Make sure to check out the tasty tune right now and give The Butlers a good ole round of applause for the hard mahi that they are smashing out.
Want more of The Butlers? Check out the review for their previous track, WHEN I’M BACK, here.
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Hey! If you’d like me to check out some new music you’ve got coming out for a review, want to potentially do an interview or simply just a feature on the blog or podcast, feel free to pop me a message on Instagram or Facebook, or, email me. At this stage, I only have capacity to do coverage for New Zealand musicians as I am just one human who works tirelessly to run this blog and keep it good, that means I am a little limited sometimes. Please do keep an eye on my socials if you would like to be considered in the future if international artist capacity becomes available. Thanks for checking out Welcome to the Gig!
New Music Review - ‘The Time of Our Lives’ by Mild Orange
This brilliantly shot photo was taken in Tokyo, Japan by Mehrt and features snippets of the bands other ventures such as Barry’s Bread, Rosham Beau, the last names of the guys and some song names. Can you spot them all?
Hello, good evening and welcome back to another Mild Orange review. Hey, it wasn’t entirely my decision to write this one - I asked and everyone on Instagram voted that they wanted this review, so I gladly will oblige to the readers of Welcome to the Gig! (Plus, we know how much I love Mild Orange and all they stand for, so realistically, I would have probably written this whichever way the votes went… So, I am absolutely stoked to bring you this, hope you enjoy the read.)
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Warning: slight gushing and feelings ahead in this review.
Following hot on the tail of their previous release, This Kinda Day, Mild Orange have hit the airwaves once again with their newest internationally renowned single, The Time of Our Lives which, for a track that was released less than 24 hours ago, it is already gaining traction from more than their home country of Aotearoa - watching the comments in the live chat from all different countries prior to the video premiere was pretty special and I know that the feedback that was coming through would have meant a lot to them, too. It’s wonderful to see how much Mild Orange are appreciated and welcomed all over with the energy that they bring to the music they put out, which always sends out such positive and enticing vibes.
The Time of Our Lives opens the gateway to different stories of what the band have enjoyed and learned whilst having been previously in Japan, which obviously holds a very epic part of Mild Orange’s hearts.
The beginning of the song comes in with a little intentional glitch-like, drum sound and that few seconds really makes you curious to hear more of The Time of Our Lives - setting the tone of a colourful story in which the accompanying video pairs perfectly with it, just like when you have a cup of Mild Orange tea with a Mild Orange song - absolute pure happiness at the end of the day.
While the song may require you to listen to it more than once to love it (upon writing this section of the review, I’m up to about listen number nine of The Time of Our Lives and I kid you not, you will fall head over heels with it each time you hear it), this track is not just one to glaze over and move on from. No. You need to take every moment of it in, thoroughly enjoy it, like the breeze on a hot summers day. Same with the video, too (check that out below!)
Mild Orange are not ones who put out standard, subpar songs or anything that sounds exactly like what everyone else is pushing out because they are certain of what they want and where they are taking their projects, which sometimes can lack from different musicians (my personal opinion).
They make sure to put a brilliant spin on everything and take you on unexpected paths, making it feel like you are traveling through another space in time. For me, The Time of Our Lives makes me feel warm, comforted, thankful and pleased to have discovered their insane talents. These emotions are the intentions that Mehrt, Barry, Jah and Jeck incorporate into everything they throw their passions at and as per normal, this flows through like rapid fire, especially in this new drop where fantastic is an understatement.
Now, lets move on to the video, shall we? It’s very Mild Orange-esque from the start. It begins in a dark room where we get a glimpse of photos that have been taken around Tokyo and slowly but surely, we see Kento Yoshioka skating through freeze frames of people, who if they were moving, would be going about their daily lives. Kento wows with his incredible skateboarding tricks which look incredibly fun - he is clearly a professional at his art of choice and makes a groovy addition to this excitement-filled mini movie, if you will. The video filters between blood orange tones (kind of giving it a vibe like the Freak In Me video), normal colouration and then black and white. The video was a collective effort between a lot of wonderful people including Tomoyuki Kujirai, Mehrt, Nion and Keita Motegi, just to name a few. (All of the credits are listed in the official YouTube video description).
All in all, the execution of everything for The Time of Our Lives gels well together and if you don’t overly enjoy the track the first time, listen to this in a quiet room, turn off every other distraction and hone into the storybook of wonder that they are telling you. If it helps, pretend you’re in Tokyo yourself and cruising through the streets, this will guarantee that you’ll find that bliss state you are searching for.
For this new wave of epic skate, busy-city life drop, I would happily give this one a 9.8/10. Keep crushing your projects, Mehrt, Jah, Jeck and Barry - we appreciate you and thank you for all the goods you are providing us fans!
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Mild Orange have just released their latest Europe, USA and Canada tour dates for the Looking for Space tour, which you can check out at their official website here. Want more Mild Orange to read on Welcome to the Gig? Check out the interview I did with Mehrt during lockdown here.
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I currently have capacity to write reviews, do interviews and features for NZ musicians on the blog at the moment, please feel free to get in touch via Instagram, Facebook or via email. You will find these links at the top of the blog.
New Music Review - ‘They Don't Know a Thing About Me 2.0’ the EP by Chris Bates
Artwork for Chris’ latest EP. It will, most definitely, make your heart melt. Have a listen now!
Following on from his first EP, They Don't Know a Thing About Me released at the end of October 2020, Chris Bates is back with his emotionally driven, heartfelt second EP, They Don't Know a Thing About Me 2.0 which might have you on the floor, appreciating the maturity of this man and the lyrics that will absolutely make your heart melt.
Filled with outstanding melodies, stunning guitar riffs and incredibly beautiful piano touches, Chris makes himself unapologetically known. Keep on watching for his next moves in this big world.
If you're looking for the ultimate teary-eyed soundtrack for your week, They Don't Know a Thing About Me 2.0 certainly hits that spot. Chris exerts that kind of Dean Lewis vibe in a way, making words pull at each and every heart string. You will be fully captivated by the vibe that he sends out.
Each song from this 5-track wonderland is driven with passion and experience clearly from Chris’ past. For me, I think it's wonderful to be able to relate to a song and go “okay, wow. I have felt that at some point and can absolutely see where this artist is coming from” and Chris certainly shares his music in such a vulnerable and special way to relate to the audience, while being authentic to himself.
Highly recommend driving alone and shouting out the lyrics on an empty road you're going down and letting yourself feel all of the feelings with this EP. What a journey of spectacular bliss!
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I currently have a fair bit of time to do interviews, reviews, features and more for New Zealand musicians only. If you would like to chat about this, please DM me on Instagram, Facebook or send an email. At this time, I don’t have capacity to write about international artists, however, keep an eye on the socials as this may change at any point!
New Music Review - ‘Slack’ the album by Molly Payton
Slack is out now for your listening pleasure! Can you guys almost feel the texture of the album art? It’s got that fun 90s look to it. Created by Riley Coughlin.
Good golly, Miss Molly has only gone and knocked me out of my chair once again with her latest mini album drop.
Slack is full of eight charismatic and fun songs, promising to keep you hyped while waiting for the sunshine to return. While London may have claimed her, she is still very much Kiwi with a heart that has a lot to share with her fans throughout the world. Not everyone may agree with this next statement, however for music to be special to me, I have to be able to feel things from what has been created and Slack certainly delivers on various levels of feelings.
Slack is a creative process that spanned over eight months and has been bought to us between the UK and New Zealand studios, giving it that special touch of both Molly’s homelands. While it was a tricky process, she is proud of the album she has created.
The mini album offers up soulful, indie sounds that have been carefully thought out and made into a lovely, easy listen that has hit the right notes with audiences since it was released on Friday, 1st October.
If you’re looking for a new soundtrack to keep you warm, check out January Summers. In this tune, Molly reflects back on exactly what the song title is - January Summers. In true Kiwi fashion, she brings us what a classic summer is like in New Zealand - going to the beach, sleeping in the boot of a car (although I like to imagine it’s not a squashed up boot and that instead it is an open boot of a van with fairy lights and all the good things tucked away in there with a guitar on the side and such). In this song, it seems as though Molly is wishing that she could spend every January in NZ as we all know how cold the UK is at that time of year. This would be paired well with a nice, ice cold beverage, you can’t fault this one.
Another standout track on the album for me is When Skies Were Always Blue, this was the third single released in early September and this was when I first heard Molly’s music and absolutely loved her attitude and the way she brings her spark to the table. When Skies Were Always Blue is more on the sombre side - sadly, it is about learning to live with disappointment, but on the same level, it shows you how to also live with joy through that pain. Molly has explained she wrote this song as a reminder to herself that things will get better. I love how she is using her platform of music to not only reassure herself, but also her listeners.
The album almost feels like it should feature Nat Hutton from There’s a Tuesday as Molly and Nat both have beautiful voices that would work quite well together, it will be an outstanding day if they ever do a collab.
Molly certainly has that rock chick, indie, 90s persona that flows through in her work, especially with this album. Molly knows what will captivate our attention and being a young female artist in the music industry, she is pushing all boundaries down that are placed up by others who may not want to see the female industry rise. Power to you, Molly.
Overall, this mini album gets an 8.5 out of 10 stars!
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If you would like to get in contact for a music review/interview/feature etc, please DM me on Instagram or send me an email. Please note, at this stage, I can only do New Zealand music write-ups due to time constraints. If this changes, this will be posted on my social media.
New Music Review - ‘Juno’ the EP by Bayleaf
The very serene cover art for Bayleaf’s debut EP which is out October 1st! Fun fact about the art: this came about when Baily blended photos of Mars and Jupiter together. The name Juno came from the Nasa space probe which was sent to take photos of Jupiter in 2015! Creative AND fun.
Sit down and buckle in for this newest release, popping off on Friday, 1st October. This is the debut EP entitled Juno, by Baily Lelieveld and friends which is described as an audio collaborative project with features from Cheena Rae (sax), Kevin Fernando (electric guitar), Liam Wahrlich (bass) and George Davenport (vocals, guitar) - a whole stack of wildly talented, wonderful people.
You may recognise Baily’s voice as being one of the highly gifted singers from The Raddlers in which you would be correct. This time, Baily has branched out and decided to release this EP under stage name Bayleaf and there is nothing more outstanding than this appealing new 5-track memorable launch. Juno is an EP that would be great to listen to live in a smaller setting as it feels personal and intimate to the listener, which I believe, may be the aim. Produced entirely by Baily himself, the entirety is filled with special moments, creative new sounds and many purposefully picked instruments.
Bayleaf sets the tone with the opener, Loops - Baily’s vocals don’t come in until about 48 seconds which tends to compliment this first song and sets the suspense even greater on our dials so you are completely unaware of what is to come next and I like that type of feeling personally. This EP has a surprise around every corner, making it fresh and unpredictable. Baily (and friends) always manage to keep you listening with the way everything just flows like you’re on a gondola in the rivers of Italy - a relaxing experience, indeed.
Lose My Mind is one of The Raddlers classics, first being released in December 2018 and is a hit with the crowd when it is performed live and I can tell you, this cover is tenfold. Lose My Mind is an enchanting, wonderful piece of work that captures your soul in one single track. This version of the song is more raw cut than the original, it feels very stripped back and it’s almost a slightly different dynamic, but at the same time it still has a mildly true feel of The Raddlers version with it, making it a lovely, easy listening tribute.
As with any of Baily’s projects, nothing is ever the same as you’d think and this is true when listening to Roadside, because on this soothing 3rd song, you may recognise that it is not Baily that is singing primarily. It is, in fact, his good friend and flatmate, George Davenport who is also full of beautiful singing abilities, just like his mate. It’s a great move to have a different singer on some tracks, it mixes things up a little and ensures that Juno is completely unique. A great move for other musicians to follow sometimes to change it up and make it even more fun. The song is a little more mellow than the others, however, the theme is about someone that may be in your line of sight who has captured you under their spell, if you will. At the same time, it’s a big secret and it’s hard to tell whether you’re too busy to figure things out because you’re busy thinking of yourself, so you almost will never know the outcome due to this, unless you take the leap of faith and admit your feelings to this person. “Nobody knows the way I feel about you now, ain’t that special?” It is. It certainly is.
If you listen to The LAB Music Show on a Tuesday afternoon where Baily and his good friend/bandmate, Liam Wahrlich host their own podcast/radio show, you will recognise some of Waves, which is the fourth track on Juno, as it is actually the intro song for the show. Waves has an epically fun vibe with the music that goes with the lyrics which touches on a bit of a more serious topic. Waves starts with what could be a synth beat bringing the song up from the ground and gradually getting louder over time. Baily sings about mental health in this track and has poured some valid points into the tune such as looking out for your mates and recognising that it helps sometimes when you sit in a car and talk about things with them. Waves is one that we all could take some good advice from and by bringing light to the mental health movement, this sparks those harder to have conversations with mates. We need more honesty regarding this and I applaud Bayleaf for opening this door.
The Scientist is the closer of the EP and I think that it is for the best if you listen to every track in the order it was intended to be listened to. No, The Scientist is not bad in any way, it is the total opposite. Stack up on the tissues because you may have the rain falling out of your eyes when this one hits your ears, so lock yourself away and soak up all of the incredibleness this one has to offer. This has to be one the greatest and most unique covers of Coldplay’s that I have ever heard, Baily does each second of the track such justice that upon first hearing it, I could’ve fallen off the chair, it’s honestly that powerful. Hopefully one day, Coldplay will hear it and think it is as wonderful as I do. Give it a listen for yourself on Friday and determine what your thoughts are on it.
Honestly, for this entire EP, I would need to give it a 200/10 because it has genuinely blown me away from the first time I gave it a listen. Bayleaf (or Baily and friends) have done an absolutely miraculous job of creating and producing Juno and with more tracks on the way soon, there are no breaks for these friends and their love of creating and vibing.
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You can follow Bayleaf below and remember to chuck them a follow on Spotify once the EP is released on Friday -
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You can contact me via Instagram for New Zealand musician interviews, reviews, features or via email. At this stage, I do not have capacity to do any international artist write-ups, unfortunately. If my capacity reduces at any point, this will be posted on the social media channels for Welcome to the Gig.
New Music Review - ‘WHEN I’M BACK’ by The Butlers
WHEN I’M BACK - available now on all platforms! Photo from The Butlers Instagram.
Boom. No, sorry - that is not me yelling at you in the title of this review. WHEN I’M BACK is the hottest release of The Butlers, fresh off the heels of WHY ARE WE ALWAYS WAITING which came out just over a month ago - they are throwing all of their talents into the atmosphere and causing quite the stir with all of these fiery, consistently bloody brilliant songs.
WHEN I’M BACK packs an entire punch and a half, these men aren’t messing around and are definitely taking NZ rock music to the next level, making them one of the biggest threats to other bands trying to compete to take that top spot. They literally Walt(z) in, (sorry for the pun - if you know, you know), throw us a new song and as soon as we are just slowing down from listening to the song at least 500 times a day, they decide to run out with that song and hand us another one without us having a chance to register what is going on.
How they do it so easily and quickly never ceases to amaze me. The style of this track is exceptionally catchy and will have you wishing that you’d known about this song well before it came out.
The Butlers style is a mix of surf-rock, but also combines little aspects of other genres sprinkled through their discography. WHEN I’M BACK almost takes you to the past and sounds like an edgier version of a rock song from the early 2000s. If you’ve not given these guys a chance, it would be a bright idea to do it and give them a fair listen - they up their game each and every release, which means that there is something for everyone to pop on their record player.
The beginning of the song gives me a sort of Dolphin Friendly vibe with the absolute slapping opener and now I’d really like to see The Butlers x Dolphin Friendly collaboration - that would be an epic moment and I could see that being so well received by the audience of both talented bands.
It is very easy to see how The Butlers have pulled together such a big following and have over 60k listeners per month on Spotify. An incredible effort for a band from the depths of Sumner, here in little ole Christchurch, New Zealand.
To conclude, WHEN I’M BACK is going to be the sound of the Summer festivals - a catchy vibe that you can see will get the crowds up and dancing, for definite. 8.5/10 surf emojis.
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For music reviews, interviews or features, please contact me through Instagram or via email. At this stage, I only have capacity to do New Zealand artists due to time constraints in my personal life.
New Music Review - ‘Bus Stop’ by There’s a Tuesday
The cover for Bus Stop - partly filmed in the Christchurch Metro bus yard.
When There’s a Tuesday release a new single, you know that it is going to be the ultimate hype for the weeks ahead and with their latest drop, Bus Stop, it is proving to be just that, even just days after coming out.
The track dropped on Friday at midnight after the band signed to Benee’s record label, Olive Records, recently. The band have been teasing this for well over a month and the song has been taking over the airways and everyone’s playlists since it was made public. To say that the amount of people that have shared the song on Instagram has been insane… Well, that would be an understatement actually. Literally every story on Friday was this song and it is easy to see why. These four certainly know how to write catchy tunes and do it well, making them fun, but also exceptionally relatable all rolled into one.
Bus Stop opens with some really upbeat music, which is kept up throughout the entire song, making this one of the catchiest pop songs that you will hear in 2021.
Let’s put it this way: if you aren’t either a) sing-shouting this song in your car or b) crying on the way home (bad pun), then you are most definitely doing it all wrong, or you haven’t actually listened to Bus Stop yet. In that case, are you doing okay? The song is super memorable and it is an actual bop for all generations. I mean, you could recommend this song to your Grandma with a bad hip and I can guarantee that she would get up and be dancing with ease because it is genuinely that good.
Having a bad day? Put on Bus Stop. Having a good day? Put on Bus Stop. Needing a road trip song? Put on Bus Stop. Simple as that!
The video is pretty neat, too. Filmed throughout different areas of Christchurch, some of it looks as though it has been done in front of a green screen, when in fact, the lights of New Regent Street and the central city are actually far from being fake, they are real. I love the fact that they have incorporated their home town into the video - it makes it even more special and gives that personal touch from the band to the viewers.
Bus Stop could be taken many ways through different levels of emotions. It really depends on the listener onto how you interpret it. All I know is that There’s a Tuesday always try and make their songs happy, no matter if it’s a serious track or not.
Bus Stop has some really unique beats and the way that both Minnie and Nat’s voices blend in with Joel and Gus’ instruments makes it even that much more superb, it’s hard to fault them on anything they release - each body of work they put out somehow always blows my mind.
They just work so well as a band and after seeing them live a fair few times, I can see the relationship bonds they have formed, which makes them quite a distinct set of musicians whose music will be played throughout history. There’s a Tuesday aren’t going from any of our brains any time soon and I, for one, am very glad about this.
For this reason, the song gets an indefinite 10/10 for me. Available to listen to now on all platforms, this is one piece of ear candy you will need to pop up right now because everyone is talking about it and you don’t want to be the odd one out, do you? Now, go cry on the ride home over this song!
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Other TAT on the blog -
There’s a Tuesday Feature Friday | There’s a Tuesday Interview
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For NZ music features, reviews, interviews, you can contact me on Instagram or via email.
New Music Review - ‘Lonely, Only’ by Montgomery
The cover for Lonely, Only - available now on all good streaming platforms!
George Manning, AKA Montgomery, has quickly emerged into the New Zealand music scene over the past year with his beautifully vulnerable songs that are put out into the universe for others to also feel all of the feelings that he has to share.
Montgomery released his latest single Lonely, Only at midnight last night - a really soothing for the soul track that will take your mind off the events happening in the world, making you feel blissful and re-energized.
Lonely, Only is a very slowed down power ballad that captures the essence of love, hope and Montgomery’s sincere personality. With perfectly hooked sounds, the song fills you with aspiration to fulfill something that you are really wanting, such as a relationship or a change in career. Whatever it is you’re seeking, this song will make you want to go out and grab it with two hands. It will spark a fire of inspiration within you, that is just how Montgomery’s music makes you feel on the inside, which is quite special.
What I love most about the song is the fact that it hits all of the right notes with the sound, the mixing and also the lyrics. It will make you wish (if you aren’t already) that you could be in love. It is the ultimate fairytale wrapped up into just under four minutes - clean and indefinitely refreshing.
While Montgomery is still new to the music scene, he carries a presence with him that will always be truthful and exciting - it is evident when listening to Lonely, Only that he pours everything he has from his mind and heart into his musical career.
Montgomery reminds me of the band The Fray - particularly their song You Found Me and that being one of my favourite all-time songs, most definitely is a compliment.
If you’re a visual person like myself, you may in fact see this track being played at the end of a romantic movie, where the two who were wanting to be together the entire time finally make that a reality, even after some turmoil. Or, you could see this being played at your future wedding. Whichever way you choose to perceive the visuals behind it, you will find it overwhelmingly lovely.
Lonely, Only is going to stand the test of time and will be a real treat for everyone once it takes off worldwide.
You can listen to the track now on all good streaming services and don’t forget to follow Montgomery, all links below!
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If you are wanting a new song/EP/album to be reviewed on the blog, please DM me here or email me here. At this time, I am only able to review New Zealand music as I do not have the capacity to cover international. Thanks for understanding!
New Music Review - ‘Rock Bottom’ by Navvy
Don’t come for Navvy, as you can see by the cover art for Rock Bottom, she won’t be taking any of it.
Navvy is back with the ultimate break-up track and phew - it is one feisty listen. She knows what she does and does not want and lets us know assertively with this catchy tune.
Rock Bottom showcases that Navvy (AKA Phoebe Jasper) is taking no sh*t from anyone, especially the guy that she is bringing attention to through her honest words. Navvy brings in her powerhouse vocals to tell us the story of how she is feeling, assumingly post break-up, in which she has clearly experienced the depths of despair with so much emotion that is attached to the relationship that once was and is basically saying she won’t let a man treat her the way that this guy had in the past. She has expressed through the lyrics that she doesn’t have any bad intentions herself, however she would like to see him hit rock bottom with the new girl in his life and that she hopes she ends up breaking his heart. Ouch. Though she is happy for him, she doesn’t want him back in any way - absolute power right there to admit that.
The track starts off with a real badass feminine, rock-pop sound with a hint of xylophone thrown in to make it even more of an interesting listen. The song is produced by Navvy herself with a whole span of mixed sounds that will have you singing incredibly loud to. I can just imagine someone putting this on at a club and it being a major hit, especially for those who have been through nasty situations with exes.
Over the years, Navvy has had some great hits such as No Hard Feelings and 100 Thousand which of course, has shown us her musical talents, however, Rock Bottom is on a whole other level and has taken her music in a different direction and I love that for her. Having taken on production herself and seeing the fresh attitude of her growth, it is evident that she has taken the time to tap into really figuring things out since the release of her latest EP, The Final Pieces, in September 2020.
Rock Bottom has a techno-feel to it, something that is being experimented with in the music world more so at the moment and it aids Navvy’s strong vocals in the song. The funky element of a record skipping adds a brilliant flare to the track, almost implying that the guy is the broken record that keeps repeating himself and Navvy herself is playing this back to him to make him realise this.
Overrall, I am absolutely loving this song at the moment and it is definitely on full blast at my house and in the car.
Navvy, the musician we didn’t know we needed to teach us many lessons throughout our lives. Definitely a 9/10 for this banger of a break-up track!
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You can find Navvy at the below -
New Music Review - ‘One Window’ by Honeybee
Everyone skating their way over to Spotify to listen to One Window! (Cover artwork supplied by Harrison from Honeybee)
Funky Auckland-based indie rockers, Honeybee, have recently pulled out all the stops to bring us a stifling new single just in time for Spring. One Window is an audial representation of hitting the right notes and flying high through the Kiwi music scene to earn themselves dutiful titles of musical kings.
One Window drips tones of 80s indie and garage rock. It tells us a story of the angst and anxiety of young love - which we can all agree, we have experienced in one capacity or another. Reaching new levels of relatable, these four young men know how to grip you into their world and be like… hey, we’re here for you to listen to what we have to say.
The track begins with some ambient guitar riffs that will have you hooked for days, among the drums that will have you tapping your feet and fingers the entire time.
The incredible video for One Window, directed by Jayden Fleming!
One Window has been released into the universe with softly driven melodies and all of the indie soulfulness that you could ever imagine. As One Window is filled with valid points and pops, it is an essential track that you need to add to your daily playlist - it would be paired very well with a cold beverage of your choosing or even ideal for going on a run through the Spring flowers that are slowly making their way to the surface again (you might even see some honeybees, too!)
What I thoroughly enjoy about Honeybee is that their videos are always quite a fun journey to go on and that is no exception with One Window. The tricks of the multi-coloured universe presented and the edits really make the video a likable viewing for all. The video is directed by the brilliant Jayden Fleming who has done an outstanding job at his role in helping the guys with this master of a release.
Honeybee have nailed it with both the audio and visuals on this ear candy and are rightfully so gaining traction on Spotify with over 200k+ streams on their music - amazing work all around.
Honeybee take their inspiration from musicians from around the world, such as The 1975, Mild Orange, Spacey Jane and Last Dinosaurs. This pulls through into their music and you can hear different elements from these artists sprinkled throughout One Window, with their own spin on the sounds flowing, making it a unique and entertaining 3 minutes. Smashing it out of the park, this track is a solid 9.5/10 for me.
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You can check out Honeybee on all of the links below -
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New Music Review - ‘Lonely’ by Jaz Paterson
The cover art for Lonely, a very moving single off Jaz’s upcoming EP in November.
First of all, this review is a bit late as I have only just discovered the talented Jaz Paterson very recently. Despite this, her latest single Lonely (released 13th August 2021) has been on repeat and I wanted to share my opinion on it for you all as you will probably become just as obsessed with the track after hearing it, too!
Hailing from Geraldine in the South Island of New Zealand originally, Jaz is now a Christchurch local who has been showcasing her talents from a young age. Her dream has always to be a musician so that she has the ability to perform in front of crowds, travel and meet other people.
With melodic hooks that will capture you from the first drop of the song, these will reel you in and keep you interested in listening to the rest of Lonely.
The emotion that is fired from Jaz’s voice shines and shares with the listener the isolation that she is feeling from being a musician, which is what the song is about. Lonely comes from the loneliness that comes along with being a musician. Jaz shares that the moving single is about driving to a gig of hers alone, performing on stage and in that room, she doesn’t know anybody because her friends are all out somewhere else and then going home and feeling even more lonely. You can hear that from the projection in her voice it tells the listener that the feeling of being locked in her emotions from the loneliness has been a bit of hard road for her. Jaz has however, explained that while she feels this way, she is exceptionally grateful for the amazing opportunities that she has earned and this is just a small bump in the road to following her dreams.
Jaz is the type of dynamic musician that endorses feeling emotions, even if they aren’t always the most pleasant.
In my opinion, the cover art for Lonely depicts what it feels like to have all of this noise around you from your swirling intensity that may be trying to take you over. It is an alluring cover that makes you wonder what her thoughts were on the day the photograph was taken.
Lonely sparkles with some engaging beats and mixes that are spread throughout and it has become abundantly clear that Jaz has poured a lot from her personal cup into this song in order to make it a track that is relatable and easy to leave on repeat while going about your usual daily activities.
It is very evident that Jaz has a bright future ahead of her - just wait until you hear her stunning latest EP, which is due for release in November - it is one that you will want to add to all your playlists and spread the word to everybody about!
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You can check out Jaz on the following platforms -
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New Music Review - ‘Vengeful Millennial’ the EP by Hazza Making Noise
The artwork for the new EP from Hazza Making Noise! Saving the world, one avocado at a time.
Harry Platt, AKA Hazza Making Noise, has just sprung his first ever EP on us, Vengeful Millennial which was released last Friday and if you’re into some very distinguished music, then this EP is absolutely for you!
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Hailing from Christchurch originally, Hazza now resides in Auckland and works in architecture while producing music and also songwriting, a serious powerhouse with goals beyond belief. Hazza is proud to release his latest body of work, which has really been a creative process to go through. It comes after a two-year hiatus due to writers block and DIY production issues. In saying this though, Vengeful Millennial is a tasty release and you need to get around it. Right now.
The EP showcases different aspects of music - having multiple genres spread over the five track smackdown of Vengeful Millennial. You’ve got everything from electronica to alternative rock to pop punk and even indie dance rock. How about that - falling into some interesting musical genres to perform and kick up a storm in the Kiwi music industry! Personally, I feel that Vengeful Millennial has a bit of something for everyone, you have to listen to it to determine which song (or songs!) take your fancy, if you will.
With risky lyrics filling your brain, Hazza is taking these new tunes to the end of the universe and back. Vengeful Millennial is fruity, fun and packed with a lot of punch to get your body moving and lips singing.
The avo king - Harry Platt/Hazza Making Noise!
Looking at yourself, who do you see?
Staring back in the warped lens of individuality
Trade in paranoia for blissful ignorance
And if you could, would you play the level again?
A few lines from Rewind Time Return Desire
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As you can tell, Hazza is certainly living up to his name of Hazza Making Noise! You certainly cannot tell him to quieten down, he will do the absolute opposite and get you hyped up with his kick and punch of excellently crafted new soul biting tunes.
If you’re into hardcore rock, my recommendation would be to listen to NoMoreGaps first (which works out well, as this is the opener of the EP). A really heavy rock’n’roll type vibe that takes you to a whole other level within the EP - a superb song to chuck on at a party and jump on a pool table to have a boogie to! A real headbanger that is going to become one of the biggest hits of this drop, I personally feel.
If you are after a more mellowed out vibe, glue your ears on and listen to A Ship Came Into The Harbour. While it is chill, it still has a little bit of that edgy thrill that Hazza puts out to entice you to keep listening.
To conclude, this EP is not for the faint hearted - so make sure you have yourself prepared and ready to have your entire mind absolutely shaken up by Vengeful Millennial - AVAILABLE NOW!
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You can find Hazza at all of the below platforms, make sure to listen and chuck him a follow, too -
Spotify
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New Music Review - ‘This Kinda Day’ by Mild Orange
Centre art by Fadjar Kurnia, design by Josh Mehrtens (Mehrt) - this really showcases what the song is about. Loving the funky artwork!
Mild Orange have gone and done it again - they are dropping another good thing on us during these difficult times in New Zealand. They are here to “brighten up your day” (if you know, you know) throughout this latest nationwide lockdown and as per usual, they certainly don’t let us down - lets be real, they could never let us down here at Welcome to the Gig!
Mehrt, Jah, Jeck and Barry have put together quite a meaningful new single, This Kinda Day (available from 12am Friday, NZT)* and it is tremendously wonderful. I promise.
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The song had its premiere on Australian radio show, Double J, this morning and I wanted to get a review out before the single dropped as I feel that this song needs to be talked about, even ahead of its official release (if you missed the song, you can pre-save from Mild Orange’s official Instagram here).
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So, what is the back story behind the track? Mehrt revealed on the Double J show that it was written over a particularly hard time when he had pneumonia and pleurisy (inflammation of the tissue that lines the lungs and chest cavity, making it hard to breathe - this is also extremely painful when trying to breathe). Mehrt ended up having panic attacks and anxiety from this, which lasted a few months and honestly, as someone who suffers really bad anxiety, cannot imagine how awful this must have been for him.
Unfortunately, this meant that some Mild Orange shows were cancelled so that he could look after his health and recover from such trauma to the system. In turn, this did cause some further issues with Mehrt’s mental health, however, with the help of his bandmates and others surrounding him, he was able to ask for the help he needed and got through it with their never ending support and love, thus creating a masterpiece aptly titled This Kinda Day.
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The song took a few months to record over three different cities throughout New Zealand, so you can absolutely tell that this is one that have been holding proudly onto in order to perfect their craft for the song.
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In terms of the song itself, it opens up in true Mild Orange fashion with funky guitar sounds, deliberately excellent drum beats which promotes the song as the magic that you are about to receive and breathe, along with the most fired up vocals, which is to be expected from these four retro men.
There has been A LOT of thought go into This Kinda Day and that truly shines through for every second of the song.
Feeling like you’re swirling through the ocean of emotion? Pop this jam on and let the weight of the world be taken off of your chest. With the tracks surf-rock, yet earthy tones layer upon layer, it will put you into a good headspace of thinking and believing that no matter what happens, things will always be fine at the end of the day.
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As mentioned above, we are currently in a nationwide lockdown here and the song shatters those blues that a lot of us are having. Mild Orange certainly makes you feel really calm and happy, no matter the situation. Each body of work they release into the universe has some different meaning and is always powered up with real life experiences and things that have come from their hearts.
This Kinda Day promotes the positivity of going through a really hard thing, but having a different spirit to you by reaching out and sharing your troubles with the people closest to you, the ones you trust the most.
Lyrics such as “let it get away. Let’s get away, cause I can tell there’s something wrong, it’s usually not like this”, “all will make sense some day” “keep your eyes on the horizon, always” really melt my heart and fill in that piece of warmth that was missing before.
Knowing that we, like Mehrt, have a support system when times get a bit rough and you are unable to bring your boat back into the harbour is a really moving feeling (or is Some Feeling - okay, someone tell me to be quiet with the Mild Orange puns, please).
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You can find more Mild Orange on the blog here - a special Feature Friday from exactly two months ago. Check out their new website here (and buy some merch - support local during these weird times) and don’t forget to listen to This Kinda Day when it drops on Friday and let me know what your thoughts are on the track here.
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Thank you, MO for making the days a little less stressful and full of fun!
*The single was released on THURSDAY at midnight, NZT, not Friday. This was incorrectly published. My apologies. Check out the song here!
New Music Review - ‘Deeper Waters’ by Sophie Gibson
Trigger warning: This review mentions death by suicide and mental health. If these topics affect you and you do not feel as though you are able to handle it at this time, please take care of yourself by clicking off the article. If you decide to read it and feel affected, please seek out help - there are trusted resources at the bottom of this piece. You are so important, take care of yourself.—-
The cover for ‘Deeper Waters’ taken by the brilliant Morgana Wilden
Sophie Gibson has been through a lot in her short lifetime, some incredible and some very hard times which she has shared with her audience in her music. Sophie explained to me that creating and sharing her music is her way of expressing the emotions that are sometimes too hard to just bring up in conversation, she finds hope and strength by doing this. Sophie also mentioned that it gives her a purpose and allows her to have a lot of connections with other people, which is a pretty beautiful reason to be putting yourself out there and sharing your passions with others.
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The song tells a really sad, personal story that Sophie and her family have been put through - Sophie’s older brother sadly passed away by suicide at 15 years old and it has been a complete journey to try and heal from the grief that has been poured onto her and her family from losing him. Deeper Waters, which will be hitting the Spotify shelf at midnight tonight, explores the emotions of grief, despair and also hope that has come from what must be one of the absolute hardest situations anybody would ever have to deal with.
Deeper Waters starts off with some beautiful acoustic-like guitar work and slowly brings in Sophie’s calming voice, singing to her older brother and reminding him that she will never let go of him and all of the good memories that they had together. She still feels his presence greatly and is wanting to let him know that in this extremely powerful song.
Sophie grew up by the wonderful ocean in the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand’s North Island where she found the surrounding nature and music quite inspiring to help her get through the grieving process, which has been very beneficial for her.
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The song essentially signifies being thrown into the deep end and having everything you know to be normal and true turned around and flipped upside down, meaning nothing is ever going to be the same again. That is a really hard thing to cope with, however in Deeper Waters you can hear that Sophie has found some solace from creating this masterpiece as she continues to cope with such a big loss. On the flip side of this, the song also shares with us how she has come away from losing her brother to gain a lot of strength from it. She is a superhero who can handle anything in my opinion and to have someone be able to come back and find strength after losing someone so close to her is such an amazing person in my book. The maturity and honesty really will blow you away when hearing the song after you’ve read the background of it, so please do check it out when it is released tonight at midnight, but have the tissues ready.
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Sophie is hopeful that by releasing Deeper Waters, it will raise that ever-so needed mental health awareness within our country and will also serve as an honour to her brothers memory. Such an important message that we all need to take into account: it is okay not to be okay and to reach out for help, no matter who you are. Never be ashamed of saying to someone “hey, I’m just not doing okay at the moment, I am needing help. Please be patient with me while I seek this and get better.” Don’t suffer in silence.
The song is remarkable and if I could give it a higher rated review than this already is, I would. Thank you, Sophie, for allowing your personal story to be shared in musical form and for allowing everyone an insight into what you have been through.
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You can touch base with Sophie below -
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You can seek help for any mental health worries below -
1737 - Free Call or Text
Lifeline
Aunty Dee
Depression.org.nz
Like Minds, Like Mine
New Music Review - ‘Stranger Days’ the album by Mako Road
The coolest album artwork ever! How good. Perfectly sums it up, really. Album art by Isabelle Beartrix!
Everyone’s favourite garage/indie band are back and are finally dropping their much anticipated hot 8-track album, Stranger Days! The album has been in the works for the past few years and I think it is absolutely worth a review. Broken down track by track, here are my personal opinions on the fresh hits! This album really shakes things up with their smoother new mixes and production styles that have changed since their last releases of EPs (prior to 2021).
3/4 of Mako Road playing at Powerstation in Auckland, November 2020. L-R Connor McErlich (guitar), Rhian Ward (guitar and vocals) and Robbie Day (drums).
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Connor Jaine (bass) playing at Auckland’s Powerstation, November 2020.
Mako Road consists of four members, all hailing from different parts of New Zealand, but coming together at the University of Canterbury, many moons ago. First up, we have Rhian Ward (Wardy) on vocals and guitar, Connor Jaine (CJ) on bass, Connor McErlich (Con) on guitar and Robbie Day (Bob) on drums. They’ve really become a household name over the past few years and having not had much (if any) radio time, they have gathered a pretty big following for just being the most genuine and talented lads, which makes me so stoked to see the successes coming their way. Enough about that, let’s get into the album review, shall we?!
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Robbie (back) and Rhian performing pre-covid at Auckland’s Spark Arena, March 2020.
Go to Bed:
This is such a fantastic track to start the album out with and most likely my favourite song off of Stranger Days. It is definitely deserving of being released as a single or better yet - winning an award of some sort in the future. It really has that garage-indie sound that you expect from them, but also with a hit of medium base ground surf-rock, if you will, as the song progresses. With lyrics such as “busy bee is building a hive, between your ears, behind your eyes” what a bloody standout line. I’m not entirely sure what it means, but who says every lyric of every song has to have some sort of story behind it?! It truly sets the tone of the album and the fact that the drums really intertwine with Rhian’s voice in this track, make it something extremely outstanding to my ears. I love it.
Surfing on Mars:
Now, you must know this song, surely! It starts off with Rhian repeating the words “we’re surfing, surfing, surfing…” and it is such a great segway into the song. The Mako Road lads have been performing this song at their gigs for years and to finally have it out in the open and have it properly recorded must be such a relief for them and very exciting, too. A very catchy song, you better believe you’ll be singing it for the rest “I’ve been stuck inside, a fractured frame of mind” - ooh, those lyrics though, someone turn down the heat of truth there, am I right? A fun track that isn’t too deep, but it also makes you want to go Surfing on Mars. Quite literally. Delicious. (Also funny note: when they sneakily released the album in November for a week, prior to the other album tour, Robbie asked what my favourite song was and I said Surfing on Mars and he said “that’s not a new song!” oops… Sorry, Bob!)
Helicopter:
Can you see the flashing lights? Does it take you back to a previous Mako Road show that you’ve been to? Helicopter literally will lift you off the ground and make you feel in a really fantastic mood, which is what we all want. This track will most definitely get you hooked on the summery strums of the guitar and fun-hitting chorus where it becomes more upbeat than the bridge. If you’re looking for listening heavily to the music rather than the lyrics, I would turn this one on as the elements of the instruments can really teach you a lot, especially if you are looking to learn some of their songs. Just make sure you tune into what is being played, rather than what is being sung if you are wanting to do that. Quite a fun wee vibe.Velvet Piñata:
The guys are truly hitting that indie-rock sound with Velvet Piñata. While it isn’t heavy rock, it’s a bloody good time and you can certainly hear the bass work in it, which is a brilliant thing to be able to hear when it can be sometimes hidden in the background (as previously mentioned in other reviews of new music). It certainly puts it all together and makes it a fun song to groove out to. This song will great to hear live and to see the elements coming together - would be a lot of fun in the moshpit when they are performing it, too.
Don’t Keep Me Waiting:
A real radio-pop hit, but that is not a negative by any means. I think that Don’t Keep Me Waiting will be a bigger hit with the younger listeners, not that they have an age limit on their music, however, I do feel that their target audience is more late teens/adults primarily with songs about drinking and such. I love that they keep it real and play around a bit with their music. Have you seen the music video for this? It is playful and quite hilarious. Taking it literally by showing that the boys are waiting while holding bananas while having a portrait painted, waiting for a date, waiting to catch a mouse… A true classic for this album!
Lost My Tongue:
Oosh. What can I say about this one! Though there aren’t a whole lot of lyrics as you will hear, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t quite explosive with the melodies played within the 4 minutes, 15 seconds. I am honestly OBSESSED with Lost My Tongue. It’s got a very funky beat to it. Do yourself a favour and just go chuck this on full blast, it’s better listened to loud, rather than quiet. Promise.
Stranger Days:
Okay, if you’ve seen the video and/or heard Stranger Days, you will know how extremely trippy this track makes you feel. From the absolute psychedelic mood to what you could only describe as colours dripping down a wall or being thrown onto a canvas, it is definitely a unique song which is not for the faint hearted, that is for sure! The song is best known for showing off the mixing and production, rather than the instruments or vocals, I feel. The song is kind of similar to Lost My Tongue, but at the same time has its unique differences, too. Loving the softness of the crash cymbals throughout the entirety of it - so cool.
Anywhere You’d Like to Go:
Guitar. Guitar and just more guitar. This song is made by the riffs and the true rock n roll vibe right from the beginning. Rhian’s voice certainly suits this type of vocal work. It starts with a semi-fast paced introduction and throughout the song, it gradually gets faster and faster, literally like you are trying to go for the fastest run of your life. Think Olympic running. If you’ve been to a show where the guys have performed this song, Connor introduces the song with “have you got your running shoes on?!” because you need them while blasting this one. I feel like this is going to be a fan favourite, especially for those who love the fast paced, rather than the slower songs that Mako Road have previously released. A great way to close out the hottest album of 2021! A huge rivalry between Anywhere You’d Like to Go and Go to Bed in regards to contending for my top spot off this album.
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So, Don’t Keep Me Waiting and go listen to Stranger Days on all good platforms NOW! You can also catch them on tour throughout New Zealand starting in August. For more information, check out my Instagram Mako Road Updates and their official website (listed below).
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Find Mako Road below -