Review: Newtones – New Way
Christchurch’s Newtones were the band that, for the betterment of New Zealand music, inspired Rob Mayes to launch his Failsafe Records label back in the early-1980s. As Mayes told us back in 2018, “They were the impetus for me starting my label because I saw them play a fantastic track…
Review: Belladonna – Arcus Way
I’m late to give this album a listen, given it was released in November 2025,…
An Andrew Wilson gig without Die! Die! Die!? THE NERVE!
THE NERVE by AW, released in December, is a deceptive album. You can listen to…
Home grown legends The Datsuns are coming to Hamilton for Homegrown. Makes sense.
If you’re old enough to remember back when The Datsuns launched like a rock n’…
“There’s no revolution without a bit of party”: Dick Move’s album launch comes to Raglan this weekend
The third album from Aotearoa’s foremost socialist party punks, Dick Move, is out on Friday.…
Album review: Dreams That Feel Like Falling, by Cowboy Dan
Cowboy Dan formed in 2015, released EPs in 2017 and 2021, pressed those EPs onto a vinyl release in 2023 and now, finally, have a debut album. Dreams That Feel Like Falling…
Album review: Bots, by Pickle Darling
To wrap your head around Bots, start at either end. Opening track ‘Obsolete’ is a staticky, artful scene-setter. Samples, synthesisers, and squeaks from fingers sliding on guitar strings evolve into a welcoming ballad.…
Pickle Darling’s new album, Bots: “A lot of my life leaks into the recording”
On September 5, Pickle Darling (Ōtautahi’s Lukas Mayo) has a new album coming out. It will be their fourth in six years and, judging by the three tracks already released, it’s going…
Teach-Yourself-As-You-Go: An Interview with (the) Watershed
Formed in 1987, Watershed was widely considered to be Hamilton’s premiere band from the late ‘80s until their demise in late 1991, being the leaders of one of the Hamilton underground’s peak…
REVIEW: The Dark Backward, by Matthew Bannister
Take a quick look at the tracklist of The Dark Backward and you’ll see what’s been on Matthew Bannister’s mind. ‘Floating in the River of Time’, ‘History Train’, ‘Time is Passing’, ‘Bad…
Review: ‘Just Like Yesterday’ by Springloader
Back in 1993, New Zealand had a population of a little over 3.5 million. The music charts were dire, but for me, New Zealand music was pretty much at its zenith. It…