David Dallas - Vita

Aotearoa legend David Dallas offered a new project 'Vita' which is eight tracks of slick hip de hop. Produced by 41, Vita brings together the old school Frontline vibes with immense growth on display. 41 blends glorious boom bappy sounds with atmospheric lightness that provides Dallas with ample room to express his poetry. 'First Love' hits the hardest as Dallas explores historic events in his life and he sets the tone for Vita as his rhyme structures and word play frames potent delivery. Dallas also combines his worldwide taste with hearty Aotearoa flavour for the long list of references throughout Vita and there are lots of sneaky lines that ensure replay value. Vita finishes with three high energy tracks ('Lose No Sleep', Better In Real Life', O.T.T) and it's hard to ignore that this sounds like Aotearoa's best hip-hop.

Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood

From the moment that the lead single ‘Right Back To It’ emerged, it was clear that this new Waxahatchee (aka Katie Crutchfield) album was going to be the real deal. From the tender yet driving melodies to the spectacular way that emerging indierocklord MJ Lenderman combines with Crutchfield not only vocally but also guitarally. Lenderman is all over this record, playing guitar on a bunch of tracks. Tigers Blood continues the broad Americana stylings of the last Wax album, Saint Cloud (2020), by alternating between strutting rockers and gentle strummers. Crutchfield’s voice is a unique instrument in itself and her direct, erudite lyrical content is always sharp (even the mixed metaphors sound poetic). A good rule of thumb for separating nice albums from brilliant ones is when your favourite track keeps changing with repeat listens – and while Right Back To It remains a marvellous centrepiece, it’s got plenty of company with songs like 3 Sisters, Bored, Lone Star Lake, Crowbar, and 365... give it a couple more spins and the rest of the tracklist will probably all get their close-ups too. Just a tremendous listen that spills over with truth and humanity.

Meatbodies – Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom

Few bands these days, or indeed ever, are capable of latching onto a heavy psychedelic groove like Meatbodies do. And like all psychedelics, you get out what you put in. There are reviews that compare this record to 90s grunge (Alice In Chains is definitely on the cards), others to a bit of shoegaze, there are also reviews hyping up the Black Sabbath/Pink Floyd elements, while some choose to focus on the contemporary Ty Segall/Osees affiliation. Lead man Chad Ubovich shouts out the likes of Iggy Pop, Roky Erikson, and Jeffrey Lee Pierce in the liner notes. If you look for it, you will find it. Likewise, the moods will also take you wherever it is that you want to go. The beats hit hard and the guitar riffs are righteous should you happen to be in a mood for toe-tappin’... but much of the lyrical content touches upon dark themes if you’re of a bad trip disposition. A record that can reach you on many different levels feels like a pretty good record. Throughout it’s 13 tracks there are ideas to the brimful, with delightfully crisp production and relentless hooks. Is this better than their 2017 masterpiece Alice? Too soon to say, but it’s in contention. Fantastic work from a fantastic band. Flora Ocean Tiger Bloom absolutely rips.

Roc Marciano - Marciology

Nothing in hip-hop is more exquisite than a Roc Marciano project and his latest drop 'Marciology' is an education in all things Marciano. Most of the 14 tracks are produced by Marciano while Alchemist is responsible for the creepy soundscapes on 'Bad JuJu' and 'Higher Self' with the latter containing guest appearances from T.F. and Flee Lord. Animoss also offers production on 'Goyard God' and 'Tapeworm' which both feel lighter than other tracks. 'Gold Crossbow' and 'Bebe's Kids' offer the best examples of Marciano's excellence as he whips up groovy beats with intricate rhymes that deserve automatic replays. There are other guest features from Larry June, Jay Worthy, Crimeapple, Gre8t Gawd and Knowledge The Pirate which means this is a celebration of elite underground hip de hop.

Kacey Musgraves – Deeper Well

Not gonna lie, the first few tracks of the new Kacey Musgraves album kinda failed to distinguish. Coming after her 2021 record Star-Crossed, which seems to have been almost forgotten in the years since (though her work prior from the early country stuff to her 2018 popular breakthrough Golden Hour, remains stellar), that wasn’t exactly a great omen. But omens be damned because this record soon settles into some fine country-pop territory. It’s a stripped back album in many ways, full of sunny visions not so dissimilar in theme to the last Lorde album, come to think of it. The astrological wistfulness doesn’t always strike as KM’s sharpest lyrical efforts but then in amongst there’ll be a line or two that cut sright to the core. The Architect stands out as a cosmic country gem. Anime Eyes is the sweetest tune of the bunch. Heaven Is ain’t far behind. Kacey is happy. Deeper Well is nourishing. Breathe and go slowly through the world.

Hurray for the Riff Raff – The Past Is Still Alive

These things just hit you sometimes. Right in the gut, right in the heart. TPISA is the ninth album by Alynda Segarra under the Hurray For The Riff Raff banner, all of them falling generally under that idea of the Americana genre though some keeping it rustic and others going more modern electronic. This one is stripped all the way back in both instrumentation and often also in tempo. Lots of laconic tunes that feel completely lived-in, songs that could only have been written as the product of a life’s experiences. In fact every song here feels like that, though Buffalo, Hawkmoon, Dynamo, and especially Hourglass are the standouts. It’s a stunningly good record about identity, yearning, lost comrades, the passage of time, and all sorts of heavy subjects. That melancholic wonderment.

Gary Clark Jr – JPEG Raw

Been awhile since we last heard from GC Junior, the guitarist once dubbed as the latest future King of the Blues (many others came before him, there have been more since). This is his first album since 2019’s This Land, his fourth overall, and it’s definitely not throwback classic electric blues. Thing is, Gaz has never been a traditionalist. Ever since his first album, Blak and Blu, he’s been trying to expand and merge the form with other ideas. Prince is a touchstone. Lots of hip hop influence. Jimi Hendrix and other rock slingers. This latest one features guest spots from George Clinton, Stevie Wonder, Valerie June amongst others. Blues influenced? Yeah sure. Blues musicians? Definitely not. There are times here when it would be cool to hear Clark just ripping up some Freddie King licks but there are also moments where his genre-blending is absolutely thrilling. So keep an open mind when you chuck this one on the speakers. It’s actually the collaborations that are the highlights, from the Arabian Nights twist on This Is Who We Are (ft. Naala) or Alone Together with Keyon Harrold giving it some late-night jazz trumpet for the moonlit vibes. While naturally Stevie and George need no introduction.

Mike - Pinball

Cut from the same cloth as Marciano is Mike, who delivers 11 tracks with producer Tony Seltzer. Mike sits in a different pocket to Marciano as there is less polish and exquisite taste, as well as a busier sound than the stripped down nature of Marciology. Mike thrives in his laid back delivery and sharp insights on top of Seltzer's production that moves between wavy and thumping. 'Lethal Weapon' sums up the wavy vibe nicely before switching to '100 Gecs' which deserves to be played loud and proud to let it thump. 'Underground Kingz' is a fabulous track that switches beats mid-way through, allowing Mike to follow the flow with effortless versatility. Pinball has a less obscure sound than other projects where Mike is responsible for the production which makes this a great entry point for new listeners, but everthing folks love about Mike is what makes Pinball such an enjoyable listen.

Vera Sola – Peacemaker

Some of those dark, woozy, gothic indie folk stylings over here. Vera Sola’s first album was highlighted by her poetic lyrics and otherwordly voice. For this second effort, six years later, she’s added a little more Tom Waits into the mix and a whole lot more Lana Del Rey. Certainly not gonna complain about those influences. There are lots of southern gothic touchstones in her words and more expansive instrumentation in her arrangements. Deeply atmospheric. Performative but only in a way that accents the songs rather than getting in the way of them, as can often happen with conceptual artists. Nah, there’s lots to love about Peacemaker... especially when it cuts loose on Blood Bond towards the end.

David Nance – David Nance & Mowed Sound

The absolute grooves of this one, tell ya what. Nance and company have made a record that sounds deliciously like the guitar boogie albums that used to get made in the 70s, when a bunch of very talented mates would just jam out until some songs magically appeared from the ether. Little Feat, Crazy Horse, Paul Butterfield, Marc Bolan, et cetera. Nance knows his stuff – one of the ways he came to fame was his album-length covers of the likes of the Beatles and Lou Reed. Two years ago he hit a new level with Peaced And Slightly Pulverized. This album takes things even further. The band is tight. The tunes are great. The vibes are immaculate. Check out Side Eyed Sam, Tumbleweed, and In Orlando for a few standouts to get you into the mood. Extra credit to Pearl Lovejoy-Boyd whose vocals delicately enhance the last two of those mentioned songs – giving her and Nance a something kinda reminiscent of those two fantastic The Third Man records with Dave Alvin and Jesse Sykes. Love this thing. Spectacular sounds with maximum relistenability.

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