Album of the Week: The Paper Kites – At the Roadhouse

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE or on the web player.

The Melbournians have come through with another fantastic collection of folk rock, genuine, warm, heartfelt and melodic. Clash rightly said that it “showcases a consistent and refined range in their musicality over a decade after their first release”. Enjoy this excellent live performance of “Black & Thunder” and other tracks from the album this week.

Album of the Week: Birdy – Portraits

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE or on the web player.

“Irresistably melodic 80s nostalgic trip” – so The Guardian described British artist Birdy’s fifth album. Given its four out of five star rating we assume this is a compliment of sorts – and it should be. Although we welcome a broad palette of sounds at New Zealand Net Radio the synthy sound Birdy (and many other artists in the past few years) have been adopting is really enjoyable. Our bar for playback is that the music has to have a tune – this album easily surpasses that bar. A collection of really solid songs with a few standout tracks, Birdy continues to deliver.

Album of the Week: Hosier – Unreal Unearth

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE or on the web player.

Hozier is back with a wonderful album revolving around isolation and death, informed by Dante’s Inferno. OK its not disco but its not as grim as it sounds either! The Telegraph described the album as “further evidence of an artist who takes pride in every aspect of his craft, concocting songs of emotional and philosophical depth in richly detailed sonic environments that push this venerable genre into thrilling new spaces”.

Album of the Week: Girl Ray – Prestige

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE or on the web player.

North London trio Girl Ray present us with their third album Prestige. We’re heading for the club here with a fantastic selection of disco inspired songs. A number of reviewers have commented on how Poppy Hankin’s demure vocals act as a contrast to the more upbeat songs on this album. There are some crackers – which is why its great to be able to celebrate more than just the singles each hour from 9 – 12 this week. Watch out for “Space Song”, the thud of the bass sounds amazing on a decent pair of headphones or speakers!

Album of the Week: Carly Rae Jepson – The Loveliest Time

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE or on the web player.

As is her want, Carly Rae Jepson has followed up 2022’s The Loneliest Time with this companion piece. It is a beautiful collection of squeaky clean synth pop on infatuation and desire. Sometimes you just need that, and we’ll be delivering it up every morning this week each hour. Although these songs didn’t make it to last year’s album, we think they’re still a fantastic collection of bangers. Slant said it well: “Albums like The Loveliest Time are deliberately fragmentary, meant to fill in the pieces of her discography, and in that sense, this one is a wild success.

Album of the Week: Ian Moss – Rivers Run Dry

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE or on the web player.

A fine dose of Aussie rock this week with a new album from Cold Chisel guitarist (famed for “Tuckers Daughter” back in the 1980s) Ian Moss. This is an accomplished collection of really well written songs with a variety of stylistic influences. Country music star Kasey Chambers features on “Bury Me” and his son Julian on closer “Blame It on the Sun”.

Album of the Week: Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – Against The Wind (1980)

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE or on the web player.

We usually highlight a new album but this week we’re stepping back to one of Bob Seger’s pivotal albums Against The Wind from 1980. Following on from three massive albums, this is a slightly more polished album. The ballads are incredible (“Fire Lake” triggered some childhood memories when I heard it again a few years ago, “Against The Wind” is phenomenal musically and lyrically) but there are still some rocking moments (e.g. “Betty Lou’s Gettin’ out Tonight” ). Rolling Stone called it “the worst record Bob Seger has ever made, but an absolutely cowardly one as well”. It can’t have been too bad however is it made number one on the US Billboard 200.

Album of the Week: Grian Chatten – Chaos For The Fly

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE

This album came a bit out of the blue for us (and that’s not intended as a terrible pun on the cover) although one track had crossed our radar recently. This is a superb atmospheric singer-songwriter from the UK, slightly Sam Fender-ish at moments but definitely with his own sonic pallette and style. The singer from well known band Fontaines D.C. we love his unadorned Cumbrian accent. Its hard to better Pitchfork‘s summary (even if they’re obsessed with his Fontaine’s background rather than taking this album on its own terms): “Chatten has made a bold claim here as a folk auteur, whose classical songwriting and tender, veracious touch resonates now and into the past.”

Album of the Week: The Revivalists – Pour It Out Into The Night

New Zealand Net Radio plays a song from our irregularly updated #albumoftheweek every hour from 9am to 12pm. Listen in @tunein at http://tun.in/sfAtE

The Revivalists are a roots band from New Orleans dating back to the 2000s. This is their fifth album and is a really solid collection of catchy well performed rock. This album just hasn’t had enough attention in our view and could turn out to be a bit of a sleeper (although the first single “Kid” has done well on the streaming services). Check it out this week with us.