Tag: Album of the Week

Album of the Week: Nation of Language – Dance Called Memory

Nation of Language started out in Brooklyn, New York back in 2016. They first came to our attention a couple of years ago with their sweet synth pop with swelling deep bass chords on their 2023 album Strange Disciple. This new effort continues in similar vein. Harkening back to sounds like those of OMD or New Order in the 1980s the band take things seriously, with the main development since 2023 being more prominent guitar. AllMusic summed it up: “”danceable, eccentric, and immaculate at once, often using space to emphasize alienation as well as its shifting minimalist instrumentation.” Our favourite track is the opener “Can’t Face Another One” but you’ll find plenty of treasures here.

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.

Album of the Week: The Favors – The Dream

Finneas and Ashe began hinting at a collaboration earlier this year and we loved the first single “The Mess You Made” back in June. This is solid tuneful pop with a lovely retro feel. We’ve enjoyed Finneas’ solo work (and of course production for sibling Billie Eilish) but weren’t familiar with Californian singer-songwriter Ashe. The reviews on Album of the Year are pretty thin on the ground which belies the tunefulness and talent on show here. Could be a sleeper hit.

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.

Album of the Week: Parcels – LOVED

Those of us that are slightly OCD about the English language might wince at Parcel’s unconventional use of the SHIFT and SPACE keys on their keyboards, but other complaints are hard to find. Their third album was created after a break in a haphazard manner, many songs being initially developed alone then recorded in sessions all over the planet. The result though is a well integrated series of songs with sweet melodies and Aussie summer vibes. Chris Connor of Line of Best Fit described it well as “constantly invigorating”.

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.

Album of the Week: Big Thief – Double Infinity

Although lead vocalist Adrianne Lenker and lead guitarist Buck Meek have more country origins this album returns to a more rock oriented sound than Big Thief’s two (excellent) recent albums (Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You from 2022 and Two Hands from 2019). This is a beautiful album with sweet harmonies, lovely analogue sounding recordings and positive lyrics. Look at the track “No Fear” in particular:

There is no fear,

Mind so clear, mind so free

There is no time

round like a lime

Destiny

As The Guardian put it “Classic melodies, spring water acoustics and pared-back poeticism about living in the moment”.

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.

Album of the Week: Wolf Alice – The Clearing

Bassist Theo Ellis told Apple Music that Wolf Alice adopted a “less is more” approach to their fourth album. While it may be somewhat pared back compared to 2021’s superb Blue Weekend it does open with strings, so fret not that this is some raw collection of tracks or a diversion into acoustic folk. It retains the essence of the “Wolf Alice” sound but is somewhat tamed – perhaps a consequence of Greg Kirstin’s production. That said, we don’t mind evolution and maturity – this is still a great collection. Ellie Roswell’s vocals are superb – in fact Mojo magazine described this album as “their best yet” although the Financial Times were admittedly less impressed:

Now in their thirties, the four band members have outgrown the style of music formed over a decade ago. But what they have grown into proves underwhelming.

What do you think?

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.

Album of the Week: Molly Tuttle – So Long Little Miss Sunshine

Holler.country thought this album would be particularly resonant with female audiences, describing it as “full of intensely relatable experiences of girlhood, growth and gaining self-confidence”. Full of catchy melodies, she has a pop vibe (“I Love It” is written originally by Charli XCX and recorded by Icona Pop) but still retains its grounding in bluegrass. The guitar work opening the album on “Everything Burns” is a delight and leads into a confident album reaching out to new audiences but in turn perhaps drawing them into the world of Americana.

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.

Album of the Week: The Black Keys – No Rain, No Flowers

Following on quickly from 2024’s Ohio Players (due to being freed up by a cancelled tour) No Rain, No Flowers is another excellent effort, a collection of catchy bluesy numbers that don’t tread new territory but sound great. Some of the reviews have been a bit cool (AllMusic summing it up as “there aren’t many surprises here, for better or worse, and it’s a pleasant, straightforward collection of reliably rocking jams”) but we’ve loved the singles and the album has the swame great groove.

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.

Album of the Week: Tami Neilson – Neon Cowgirl

We think this is adoptive Kiwi Tami Neilson’s tenth studio album, a collection of songs that is country infused. Opening with the orchestrally backed and very traditional “Foolish Heart” this is a polished album that plays to her wonderful voice so suited to old school country and full of drama.

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.

Album of the Week: Lord Huron – The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1

Lord Huron’s fifth album (yes it is a proper album with 12 tracks despite the Vol 1 moniker) comes after a four year hiatus, a time during which their popularity has grown thanks largely to the popularity of song “The Night We Met”. Ben Schneider visits the West again with songs of skies and deserts, jangling guitars and distorted voices. Aside: pet gripe, distortion on vocals is really overdone these days!

It evokes the highway on “Who Laughs Last” with narration from actress Kirsten Stewart but also features simple love songs such as the tender “Fire Eternal” (a duet with Kazu Makino). This is a set of beautiful melodic songs. Apple Music says that “it never tries to sound too earnest or authentic in the mood it captures, instead embracing them for the cinematic archetypes they are”. Paste Magazine describes it as a “vision quest—a spiritual trek into a stark, open landscape under vast skies, where finding yourself means getting lost”.

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.

Album of the Week: Bruce Springsteen – Tracks II “Faithless”

Our journey through Bruce Springsteen’s mammoth Tracks II box set continues. The Music Den‘s excellent review inspired me to move onto disk 3, the soundtrack for a planned ‘spiritual Western’ recorded around 2005. This is a beautiful collection of songs and instrumental pieces inspired by a character (or Bruce’s) struggle with faith and spirituality. According to Pitchfork:

“This was a really unusual collection of songs,” Springsteen said in press materials. “You could recognize details and maybe a character or two. But for the most part, I just wrote atmospheric music that I thought would fit.”

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.