Tag: New Zealand

BGS 5+5: Tattletale Saints

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Tattletale Saints
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee via Auckland, New Zealand
Latest album: Dancing Under the Dogwoods (January 24, 2020)
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): Broken Bells (rejected name). Cy is trying to nurture the nickname “Big Daddy C,” but it’s struggling to catch on.

Answers by Cy Winstanley

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

It’s no secret, but I love the music and lyrics of Paul Simon. As a jazz kid growing up, his use of varied harmony and its tasteful symbiosis with vivid and often impressionistic, poetic lyrics just blew my mind. His themes too, there are so many dimensions to them — I just get lost in his stories.

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc. — inform your music?

I’m an avid reader and like to start my day with non-fiction and close my day with fiction. The more regular I am with that, the more those colors run through my writing. I tend to go through phases with the kind of books too: one of my fav authors is Roberto Bolano; after I read his oeuvre, I cycled through his contemporaries, influences, and other South American authors.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I think as soon as I started playing guitar as a 13-year-old I just loved it so much that I knew it would be a big part of my life. But it wasn’t until later when I developed carpal tunnel in my hands that I had to stop playing guitar, then it was songwriting that became the focus.

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

Every song feels like the toughest time! It’s very rare that they just ‘fall out’. But perhaps those that are directly about my life are the hardest, because I want to be as faithful to the memory as possible and am constantly fighting with myself over what I want to present.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

Being from New Zealand and also being a long distance runner have given me a pretty strong connection to being outside. When I’m in nature, there is a calmness, and sense of earthly perspective and belonging that pervades my every waking moment.

Photo credit: Natia Cinco

LISTEN: Jamie McDell, “Worst Crime” (Feat. Robert Ellis)

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Jamie McDell
Hometown: Mangawhai, New Zealand (currently Toronto-based)
Song: “Worst Crime” feat. Robert Ellis
Album: The Botox EP
Release Date: October 25, 2019

In Their Words: “‘Worst Crime’ was inspired by a conversation surrounding the idea that some of the worst crimes a person can commit are actually the legal ones. Phil Barton, Nash Chambers, and I threw around some of the everyday mistakes a person can make that can really hurt people. With that idea in mind I started off with the first lyric about forgetting your mother’s birthday and then we all basically made a list from there. After recording the demo Nash and I got the feeling it would be an interesting duet, especially if a male voice represented the victim. Top of my list was Robert Ellis. I’d been a fan for years and as a lot of these relationships begin in the modern era we were ‘Instagram friends.’ I messaged him and he said yes! He recorded his vocal in Fort Worth, Texas and completely brought a unique dynamic to the track.” — Jamie McDell

“I think Jamie is super rad. Her voice is unbelievable and I love the song. I was really psyched to get to try and keep up!” — Robert Ellis

Photo credit: Katie Sadie

LISTEN: Albi & The Wolves, “Canyon”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Albi & The Wolves
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
Song: “Canyon”
Album: This Is War
Release Date: July 26, 2019
Label: Second Hand Records

In Their Words: “‘Canyon’ is about friendship and shared hardship that people go through when they choose to live an unconventional lifestyle. If you want music to be your career it is a road that is full of so many wonderful moments, but each of those is earned by working very hard every day. A very close friend of mine, Zarek, inspired me to write this song last summer. He works harder than anyone I know and even at his lowest moments he still wakes up every morning to practice and pursue his dreams. He does this with kindness and grace and when I have my own struggles I remember I am lucky to have a friend who knows the same ups and downs that I am going through. It makes it easier to keep going on those days.” — Chris Dent

Photo credit: Jane Blundell

BGS 5+5: Jamie McDell

Posted on by Editor

Name: Jamie McDell
Hometown: Mangawhai, New Zealand (currently Toronto-based)
Latest album: Extraordinary Girl
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): When I was eleven I was in a rock band called Backfire.

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

Jimmy Buffett and John Denver equally, though this obviously requires some context. The majority of my childhood was spent aboard boats, and our largest stint took place in the Mediterranean over a couple of years, starting at the age of seven. We only had two artists’ catalogues onboard in the form of cassette tapes, JB and JD. These were the artists that introduced me to storytelling and surrounded my journey then and for many years following. These were the artists that my Mum and Dad used to cover during boat drinks while I would take note of the three important chords my Dad would strum. As a young adult I’m thankful to many close friends and musicians for broadening my musical tastes but I still find myself feeling most at home amongst John’s stories of the countryside and Jimmy’s tales of the sea, because after all I am also a sailor and I try to incorporate that side of my story into each album I create.

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

I’ve seen a few different facets of the industry, not that I’ve been around for too long, but I did begin working with a label in New Zealand when I was the tender age of 16. A lot of the time they actually left me to my own devices in terms of songwriting, in that I was never set up with co-writers (perhaps there aren’t so many where I’m from). As I got older and my team started to chop and change I was soon thrust into the world of writing trips or what I didn’t quite realize were ‘smash hit single’ making trips. I had a few unfortunate experiences in this realm but one particular session in LA felt really wrong.

To be honest the other writers were pretty nice, the song wasn’t awful but it just wasn’t me and I hadn’t learnt the skills necessary to steer the session in a more authentic direction so I forced myself through the entire session with John Denver’s voice in my head asking if this is something he’d be proud of? By the time we got to recording my vocal for the demo, I was singing with tears streaming down my face. Turns out, of course the label I was with then loved the demo and pushed for it to be on the record but I found my strength and it never has seen the light of day. Grateful for that session.

 If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

I wrote this song the other day, maybe it could work as somewhat of a mission statement:

I dream a lot and I don’t even have the brain you do, dress like a kid, the flowers in my hands like summer too. Born from a sailor, born from a sailor born with hope, or just a hopeful joke. I don’t need a lot to get my body ready for a show, in case you’d like to know. I don’t want to be a hitmaker, I just want to write my songs. There’s no point in words, when they are nowhere bound, just like a flightless bird, forever on the ground.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

In New Zealand, as it’s a small country, we’re very lucky to be close to the ocean. I spend as much time as possible there, mainly in the form of surfing. I think surfing is the best form of physical activity in the world for clearing the mind and cleansing the soul however this state of peace rarely helps me with songwriting.

I’ve found over the years that my best work comes out of chaos, a common notion I hear. Though ocean sliding doesn’t always fuel the writing fire, I think it does help me navigate the ever-changing road of being an artist, when I’m surfing I feel calm and in control, it’s nice to have one thing. On another note, I’ve just moved to Toronto where there’s absolutely no surfing so I’m hoping this means the songs will be excellent.

How often do you hide behind a character in a song or use “you” when it’s actually “me”?

I believe I’ve only done this a couple of times and unintentionally. It’s something I often don’t discover I’ve done till after the song is recorded and I’m on my third listen finally realizing that it’s not you, it’s me. I gave myself a songwriting goal last year: to be more honest. For me this is saying what I mean to say, not considering what my mum or your mum might think, or what’s been done before or what I shouldn’t say, so with that there’s been very little hiding lately. It feels scary, but like I’ve found what I’m good at.

George Jackson, “Dorrigo”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

As a fiddler in Nashville, a town whose guitarist population is only rivaled by the sheer quantity of fiddles and bows, it takes a singular voice to stand out. Or, in George Jackson’s case, perhaps it takes a singular accent. The New Zealand native recently transplanted to Music City and has been carving a niche for himself in bluegrass, old-time, and their offshoots ever since. He currently tours with acclaimed bassist Missy Raines’ latest lineup, a minimalist-while-mighty acoustic trio, and he’s also been spotted collaborating with folks like Front Country and Rachel Baiman.

On his brand new album, Time and Place, Jackson steps into the role of frontman and bandleader, demonstrating that his voice — musically and otherwise — is so much more than just a charming, Oceanian accent. His fiddling is an intentional, pragmatic, and judicious combination of styles that range from Vassar Clements’ harebrained wit to Clifftop, West Virginia’s down-homiest old-time sawers. “Dorrigo,” a tune whose title tributes Australia, another former home to Jackson, perfectly demonstrates this old-meets-new, Northern Hemisphere meets Southern Hemisphere originality. The turns of phrase and melodic hooks register as familiar and timeless, before being unwound in surprising trajectories. Mandolin Orange’s Andrew Marlin, Charm City Junction’s Brad Kolodner, Mark Kilianski of Hoot and Holler, and Jackson’s longtime friend and collaborator Andrew Small fill out the band, demonstrating laser focus on old-time simplicity and bluegrass precision.

Perhaps thanks to his international roots, or his egalitarian approach to fiddle styles, Jackson’s “Dorrigo,” and by extension, Time and Place, simply do not bother trifling with authenticity signalling or genre designation. They simply elevate his singular voice.

LISTEN: Graeme James, “To Be Found By Love”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Graeme James
Hometown: Wellington, New Zealand.
Song: “To Be Found By Love”
Album: The Long Way Home
Release Date: January 25, 2019
Label: Nettwerk

In Their Words: “The Long Way Home is an exploration of time and space through the motif of a journey. Most of the songs were actually written while preparing to leave my homeland New Zealand to live on the other side of the world. In that sense, the record is a journey album of someone who hasn’t yet left, filled with all the hopes, doubts, fears and excitement of someone who can’t see the future clearly. When I left New Zealand I was 100% certain that I would return at some point. I still have no idea when that will be, but by traveling to the other side of the world for an undetermined period of time I’m taking the longest possible way home, hence the title of the album. I think the lyrics of “To Be Found By Love” really capture the emotion I first felt: ‘If people ask for me, tell them I’m off on an adventure, I’m lost on purpose to be found by love.’ It has certainly been a wild ride so far!” — Graeme James

Photo courtesy of Nettwerk

WATCH: Tattletale Saints, “Bobby Where Did You Learn to Dance”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Tattletale Saints
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Bobby Where Did You Learn to Dance”
Release Date: October 29, 2018
Label: Old Oak Music

In Their Words: “I began writing ‘Bobby’ after a show in Austin, Texas. We were drinking at The White Horse, a local honky-tonk and dance spot when the band on stage started jamming a Cajun groove. I knew my friend Bobby, who is legally blind, had learned to two-step at this very bar, and while reminiscing on the story I started singing the main hook along with the band and the song was born! The song kinda wrote itself and we tracked it live in Nashville with Oliver Craven (Stray Birds) on mandolin and Matty Alger on drums.”— Cy Winstanley, Tattletale Saints

Photo credit: Kaitlyn Raitz

LISTEN: Tami Neilson, ‘Stay Outta My Business’

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Tami Neilson
Hometown: Auckland, NZ
Song: “Stay Outta My Business”
Album: SASSAFRASS!
Release Date: June 1, 2018
Label: Outside Music

In Their Words: “‘Stay Outta My Business’ is something I never would’ve written in the past. It is the musical result of me coming into my full confidence as a woman and realising that I don’t need to take the opinions of others on board. It’s very freeing to just shut all that negativity down in four words! I’ve had numerous people approach me, after performing this song live, saying it is their new anthem. I love that this song is empowering and emboldening others to just say no to engaging with all the bullsh*t!” — Tami Neilson

Photo credit: Ashley Church

3×3: Aldous Harding on Sunlight Soap, Little Puppers, and Driving in Rain

Posted on by Amy Reitnouer

Artist: Aldous Harding
Hometown: Lyttelton, New Zealand
Latest Album: Aldous Harding
Personal Nicknames: Hannie, Hanwa, Handjob, Old Yeller, Heem, Babu, Lambykins, Bunnykins, Slazenger, Aldous. 

If Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, and Mohammed were in a band together, who would play what?
Krishna would play bass and guitar simultaneously because he had the eight arms for a while there (?). Not drums because it's not all about him; it's about the whole group. Mohammed on drums. I imagine Buddha and Jesus would share the keyboard. And they'd play "Tears" by the Crocodiles.

If you were a candle, what scent would you be?
Sunlight soap.

What literary character or story do you most relate to?
I have actually forgotten every book I've ever read after making this album. Probably Koroviev of The Master and Margarita.

How many pairs of shoes do you own?
Four​

What's your best physical attribute?
Well, it's certainly not my hair or teeth, is it?

Who is your favorite Bruce: Willis, Springsteen, or Lee?
I don't know much about any of them except Bruce Lee really loves water.

Animal, mineral, or vegetable?
Mineral. Lead, so I could rain down on all these cute little puppers.

Rain or shine?
You know I love both. We all do. Love being in the car when it's raining.

Mild, medium, or spicy?
Medium. Give me food and, as long as I'm not on some weird trip about body image, I'll f**king eat all of it.

Photo credit: William Lacalmontie

MIXTAPE: Henry Wagons’ Aussie Faves

Posted on by Editor

Welcome, and thanks for letting me be a musical Dr, Frankenstein. What a fun surgery it was making this beautiful monster virtual cassette!

Please sit in a comfortable recliner, gently raise the footrest, grab the nearest scruffy dog with a slanted smile, and pop it on your lap. Have someone close bring you a whiskey cocktail and dig in.

Here are some of my favourite new tunes from my home turf of Australia and its surrounds. All the songs are still fresh to surface, having come out over the past year or so. I have these tracks echoing through my hallways at home or dampened by the soft passenger door in my tour van or rattling the speaker cones in the studio when I do my show Tower of Song on Double J Radio. I really hope you enjoy my little pick of the ripe and sumptuous fruit from the underside of the globe.

Marlon Williams (NZ) — "Strange Things"
We open proceedings with a prodigious talent. A good man but, in his music, an evil choirboy! This tune is beautiful and very weird, which is one of my favourite combinations. The stuff of inspirational nightmares.

Leah Senior — "The City Is a Stream"
A lilting melody that can potently hypnotise. Her writing and her vocal can evoke the most potent lullaby that can send you into a powerful Snow White-like sleep that only a kiss can wake.

The Murlocs — "Young Blindness"
This tune creates a boogie-driven psychedelic vortex I like to descend into and come out dressed in a silver cowboy spacesuit.

Jess Ribeiro — "Kill It Yourself"
There is a great sense of nonchalant danger in this tune. There is something about Jess’s voice that makes me want to obey … even when she is telling me to kill something.

Alison McCallum — "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby Standing in the Shadows"*
I recently stumbled onto Alison McCallum’s classic work as a ball-tearing vocalist back in the '60s and '70s. Her music was re-issued to digital for the first time only this year, and my balls were suitably torn. I’m a mess. 

Chris Altmann — "Good Morning Mr. Coffee"
Chris is a prodigious Americana songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, with a inbuilt swing and sublime playing empathy. He played everything on this caffeine-fueled number. I listen and imagine a world in which there are several of Chris, and I think it would be a better place.

Eagle & the Wolf — "Mama, Son and the Holy Ghost"
A great new rugged duo poking their heads over the burning horizon and offering you a drink. Their music video for this song is probably the wettest I’ve seen since the closing scenes of Nelly’s “Hot in Here.”

Melody Pool — "Love, She Loves Me"
This is an incredible and brutal expression of anger and frustration at the ways of love. A reminder that the world of romance can take casualties. Some truly excellent cursing … F-bombs in the perfect places.

Nadia Reid (NZ) — "Call the Days"
Another incredible talent from, as we Australians say, “across the ditch” in New Zealand. A voice to melt the shepherd's heart, and a subtle drone of strings to herd all the animals in the field.

Ben Mason — "Suburban Cowboy"*
This is an amazing deconstruction of the whole inner-city, balcony-dwelling, vintage-shopping, moustache-waxing, typewriter-tapping, urban alt-country scene. Being guilty of elements of the phenomena at times, I know he is completely right about it all … and I love it.

Gena Rose Bruce — "Good Thing"
The title says it all: It’s a good thing. Gena has a voice that sucks you in and perfectly places you atop the swell of the welcome guitar jangle.

Robert Forster — "Let Me Imagine You"
Always a mastermind at obtuse charm, Robert Forster sits you down across from him at the dinner table and starts pulling faces and slaps you across the nose with his witticism (and Twitticism!). A man still atop the songwriting tree post-Go Betweens.

* Not available on Spotify

Photo credit: Taylor Wong