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Album of the Week: Paul McCartney – McCartney III

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. Listen in @tunein at https://tunein.com/radio/New-Zealand-Net-Radio-s305138/

“Every decade should kick off with a Paul McCartney one-man-band album”. So says the Rolling Stone review for another lockdown album. McCartney doesn’t try as hard as he did on “Egypt Station” for a hit and although perhaps less impactful this is a solid set of enjoyable and in some cases lighthearted songs (“Lavatory Lil” anyone?). We look forward to playing them this week, our second album from a living legend this year (following on from Bob Dylan).

Album of the Week: Taylor Swift – evermore

Twice in one year, two surprise unhyped releases. The sequel to folklore is a testament both to Taylor Swift’s talent as well as work ethic. With collaborators HAIM, The National/Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver she has created another superb suite of songs.

“It feels like we were standing on the edge of the folklorian woods and had a choice: to turn and go back or to travel further into the forest of this music, we chose to wander deeper in.”

Album of the Week: Miley Cyrus – Plastic Hearts

Miley Cyrus has already been through a few iterations, but here is a comprehensive and convincing reimagining as a rock star. A fantastic album featuring great guests including Billy Idol and Stevie Nicks.

Album of the Week: Chris Stapleton – Starting Over

Tom Petty collaborator Benmont Tench joins country musician Chris Stapleton for the title track of this varied album. His first album in three years, described by Rolling Stone as a “cozy-campfire roots record”. It can rock too – we look forward to playing it for you this week.

Album of the Week: Split Enz – True Colours

Split Enz (legendary Kiwi band of the 1970s and early 80s) keyboardist Eddie Rayner already remastered this essential album in the mid 1990s. To celebrate its 40th anniversary this year he gave it a complete remix. His own keyboard work came to a peak on this album with impressive synth work. This album was the band’s first major commercial success – this excellent article on Audioculture gives the full story. We look forward to listening to this glistening 40th anniversary mix this week of an album that sounds fresh today.

Album of the Week: Bruce Springsteen – Letter to You

Bruce Springsteen has joined up with the E Street Band for the first time since 2009 for their first ‘live in the studio’ recording i.e. with a minimum of overdubs. This collection of songs was written and recorded quickly (over a matter of days) and represents a return to Bruce’s classic sound of the mid 1970s. This is a milestone release that allows Bruce to return to the past rather than reinvent, and is very personal and reflective on this point in his life, especially in the songs “One Minute You’re Here” and “I’ll See You In My Dreams” which deal with loss. Stephen Erlewine at Allmusic describes it as “a celebration of what it means to be alive in the moment”.

Album of the Week: No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom

No Doubt’s third album turns 25. It was a bit of a slow burner in the charts, taking months to reach the top of the Billboard 200, but contains a number of cracking singles. This was one of the signature albums of the mid 1990s. “Just a Girl” and “Spiderwebs” along with “Don’t Speak” were massive radio songs.

Album of the Week: Keith Urban – THE SPEED OF NOW Part 1

Its always exciting when Whangarei boy and Country superstar Keith Urban releases a new album. His country with pop and other contemporary nuances is fresh and gripping. He told Apple Music his main influences are Johnny Cash and Top 40 – he lives this again in this album.

Album of the Week: The Killers – Imploding The Mirage

On their sixth album The Killers don’t try going off on a tangent – they stick to the bombastic rock and melodies they were known for in their early years of the 2000s. Good decision – when an album is filled with great songs there is no need for reinvention, and the addition of new collaborators such as Weyes Blood and k.d.lang keeps things fresh. This will be on many ‘albums of the year’ lists.

Hard to choose this week’s album with great new work from Erasure and Bright Eyes amongst others. Hopefully we can feature them in coming weeks.

Album of the Week: Whitney – Candid

The third album from this Chicago band, PopMatters says “There’s slow-burn R&B, rootsy Americana, and slightly-askew pop, all of it connected by the songs’ reliance on melodic hook”.