New Music Friday: 20th September 2018

Its Friday so its time for five brand new tracks to get their first spin on the hour every hour from 9am. We’ll keep playing these tracks on New Zealand Net Radio, home of streaming radio ad free 24/7 throughout New Zealand.

Ben Howard – Hot Heavy Summer

Mansionair- Falling

Lana Del Rey – Mariners Apartment Complex

Mitch James – Bright Blue Skies

Mike Posner – Song About You

Spotlight Artist: Sheryl Crow

Every weekday between 1 and 5pm we play tracks from our #spotlightartist. They’re an artist with a body of work which has stood the test of time. We’ll play the hits – but also some deep cuts. Listen ad-free through New Zealand via @tunein at https://goo.gl/VL6m3NS

Sheryl Crow started out in the late 1980s singing jingles and supporting Michael Jackson on his “Bad” tour. After a scrapped album in 1992 she joined an ad hoc group of  musicians known to themselves as the “Tuesday Music Club”.

Sheryl Crow in 2008

Her first album to be released, Tuesday Night Music Club gradually drew attention, with “All I Wanna Do” becoming an unexpected smash hit in 1994. Other great singles like “Strong Enough” and “Can’t Cry Anymore” led the album to sell 7 million copies, and resulted in her winning several Grammy Awards. Follow up albums Sheryl Crow and The Globe Sessions were huge hits. She also began acting. Although her music since hasn’t been as commercially successful as her 1990s work, she has a great songbook. We look forward to checking out many of her essential tracks this week.

Album of the Week: Lenny Kravitz – Raise Vibration

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

Stephen Erlewine describes this album as “an impassioned collection that spins his signature sounds into something stirring and, at times, incandescent”. This is a positive and much anticipated album four years on from Strut.

Spotlight Artist: The Byrds

Every weekday between 1 and 5pm we play tracks from our #spotlightartist. They’re an artist with a body of work which has stood the test of time. We’ll play the hits – but also some deep cuts. Listen ad-free through New Zealand via @tunein at https://goo.gl/VL6m3N

With a changing lineup, The Byrds evolved through the late sixties, always remaining true to a core folk rock sensibility. Formed in 1964 by Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke, Jim (known as Roger McGuinn from 1967) was the only constant in the lineup through to the end in 1973. Their first album Mr Tambourine Man combined folk influences with the sound of the British Invasion, and the title track was one of my favourite songs when I was young (played on classic hits radio frequently). They evolved however, pioneering psychedelic rock sounds then country rock. This week we’ll enjoy tracks from right through their varied career.

Album of the Week: Paul McCartney – Egypt Station

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

“Macca’s back in the groove” proclaimed The Guardian. Certainly this album contains a number of cracking tracks. Any older artist working with Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic etc) seems to attract immediate fire, presumably for trying to be contemporary. Paul however has always incorporated ‘of the moment’ influences as a rock and pop artist, while remaining true to his core sound as well. This collaboration produces a great catchy tune (“Fuh You”) however its joined by a number of other great tracks including “I Don’t Know”, “Come On To Me”, “Dominoes” and “Back In Brazil” amongst others. We look forward to checking out the album through the week.

Spotlight Artist: Ben Howard

Every weekday between 1 and 5pm we play tracks from our #spotlightartist. They’re an artist with a body of work which has stood the test of time. We’ll play the hits – but also some deep cuts. Listen ad-free through New Zealand via @tunein at https://goo.gl/VL6m3N

Ben Howard is a talented British indie artist. Hard to categorise, we loved his recent album Noonday Dream and decided to feature his work this week. We’ll explore Noonday Dream as well as tracks from his debut album Every Kingdom, EP The Burgh Island and 2014’s I Forget Where We Were.

Album of the Week: Passenger – Runaway

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

British folk artist Passenger (aka Mike Rosenberg) takes us on a road trip through America. Perhaps more of the same, but a pleasant sounding album none the less.

Album of the Week: Paul McCartney & Wings – Band on the Run

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

We usually feature new albums in this slot, but this week we’ll take a look back at an all time classic from 1973. This album was Paul McCartney’s first widely respected album after the Beatles ended (the previous albums had mixed reviews). We’ll be playing the original tracks from the US release including the great song “Helen Wheels”. For more about this album I’d highly recommend checking out the great Complete Paul McCartney Archive Podcast episode 6 here, which comprehensively looks at the background to the album.

You’ve probably caught a few new singles from Paul on the station – we’re looking forward to his new album Egypt Station later this year.

Spotlight Artist: Bob Seger

Every weekday between 1 and 5pm we play tracks from our #spotlightartist. They’re an artist with a body of work which has stood the test of time. We’ll play the hits – but also some deep cuts. Listen ad-free through New Zealand via @tunein at https://goo.gl/VL6m3N

Hailing from Detroit, Bob Seger achieved his first nationwide hit with “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” in 1968. He went on to enjoy a string of hits in the 1970s, forming the Silver Bullet Band in 1974.

This week we’ll enjoy some of his huge hits – Night Moves, Against The Wind … as well as some lesser known hits.

Album of the Week: Snow Patrol – Wildness

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

Their first album in seven years received generally favourable reviews. A great sound, and in the absence of much in the way of exciting new releases a good chance to check out an album we didn’t get a chance to feature back in May.