Album of the Week: BENEE – Lychee

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/

We’ve been enjoying BENEE’s distinctive music for a couple of years, every track sounding very Kiwi, as though made for a Saturday afternoon at the beach. Her new EP is no exception – our highlight is “Never Ending” with its delicious buildup.

Album of the Week: JP Cooper – SHE

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/

Its hard not to like JP Cooper. The British singer-songwriter did the hard yards for a number of years before ‘making it’ back in around 2016 with “September Song”. This is a polished collection of songs, his second album. It consists of multiple discs, the main album proper accompanied by a ‘Gospel’ set and an acoustic set on the third disc. All are beautiful, with “Holy Water”, “Radio” and “We Cry” standouts for us. Look forward to listening to these this week.

Album of the Week: Metronomy – Small World

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The British electronic group have released their seventh album. This is a well written collection of songs that exudes positivity but also authenticity. As AllMusic described it as some of the most engaging songs of leader Joseph Mount’s career

Album of the Week: AURORA – The Gods We Can Touch

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/

We’ve loved the singles, and the album lives up to expectations. Scandi pop with a delightful dance beat, this album is more ‘fun’ than previous efforts with a great sounds and melodies. An interesting underlying theme is of mythology as a metaphor for personal issues. “Cure For Me” is a particularly delightful song about taking pride in who you are.

Album of the Week: The Lumineers – BRIGHTSIDE

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The Lumineers are back with another great record, one where in the words of AllMusic they let their “raw creative spark” shine. Recorded quickly in a couple of sessions the songs still contain the great melodies they’re known for while also still possessing some rough edges.

Album of the Week: Ladyhawke – Time Flies

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/

This is Kiwi Ladyhawke’s fifth full length album by our reckoning, and displays phenomenal growth in her craft over the years (five) since Wild Things in 2016. Melodic, electronic tinged pop with an ’80s aesthetic – if that’s your thing then you’ll love this collection. We’re really looking forward to enjoying this ‘well-crafted pop’ (as AllMusic put it) this week.

Album of the Week: Adele – 30

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/

Six years on Adele is back with a breathtaking and personally expressive album. Informed largely by her divorce in 2019 it finds her both tender and in soulful ‘belting it out’ mode. AllMusic put it well:

Meeting titanic expectations, this linear journey of the heart is Adele’s most cohesive statement to date, pairing her inimitable voice with a dozen engrossing vignettes, reminding us that all we can do is keep trying.

Neil Z. Yeung, AllMusic

Album of the Week: The War On Drugs – I Don’t Live Here Anymore

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The Philadelphia band have returned with a beautiful album, filled with clean rock sounds. Guitars and synths are accompanied by Adam Granduciel’s voice, much more front and centre than their previous efforts. Enjoy this “rich absorbing work” (The Observer) this week.

Album of the Week: Ed Sheeran – =

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/

It would have been perverse to ignore the new Ed Sheeran album. The man is obviously a master of popular music. Most of the reviews seem to have been 3/5 although its not clear how the album falls short – the main criticism is that he is ploughing familiar ground. There are sonic differences though, and the melodic and topical variety in this album mean it certainly isn’t a replay of previous efforts. It is just a collection of melodic, well performed pop – I’m not sure what more you could want! Not a dud in the pack – the highlight? Hard to choose but “Overpass Graffiti” is pretty special.

Album of the Week: Sam Fender – Seventeen Going Under

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This is a superlative album. We’ve been enjoying the title track for a few months – I still can’t help turning up the volume when it comes on. Sam Fender has demonstrated that a well performed rock album filled with melodic songs and well crafted lyrics can capture the popular imagination – hence its number 1 slot on the UK charts. It combines delicate social commentary and authentic personal reflection. On his recent co-host of Elton John’s Rocket Hour he said that some therapy and lockdown had accentuated his self-reflection and this comes across in the music. A very talented man with a five star album.