Programme Eight
Screening October 30
1. Colder Crazy Love
(from "Again") (CD) (Universal)
Debut album from Parisian graphic designer and video producer Marc Nguyen Tan. Released to very good reviews from magazines like of Mojo, Uncut, Jockey Slut and Muzik. Electronica mxed with some very clear early eighties influences (he doesn't exactly hate Joy Division and Suicide) but if every act mining this period at the moment was disqualified then things would be very quiet indeed.
No official site that we could find but here's an interview from a Boston paper -
http://www.weeklydig.com/dig/content/6442.aspx
and it looks like he'll be in Australia in mid-November -
http://www.modularpeople.com/03/04.htm
2. Air Alpha Beta Gaga
(from "Talkie Walkie") (CD) (EMI)
The French takeover of Hum gathers pace - and evidence o the affinity that the French have for electronica. Air is a duo - Nicolas Godin and Jean Benoit Dunckel - and they emerged with the Moon Safari CD (and the single "Kelly Watch The Stars" in 1998. That was followed by "10,000 Hz Legend" in 2001 and then "Talkie Walkie" earlier this year.
Other recordings include a collection of early singles ("Premiers Symptomes") and the soundtrack for Sofia Coppola's "The Virgin Suicides". Coppola also included one of their tracks on the "Lost In The Translation" soundtrack (and it's also on "Talkie Walkie".)
Read the Observer's review of "Talkie Walkie" at -
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/10bestcds/story/0,12102,1105889,00.html
and visit Air's official website at -
3. Fly My Pretties Lucky
(from "Live At Bats") (CD) (Loop)
In August Barnaby Weir of the Black Seeds put together a show called Fly My Pretties that ran for five nights at Bats Theatre in Wellington. He was joined by members of the Phoenix Foundation, Fat Freddy's Drop, the Black Seeds, Paseload and Age Pryor's band. The shows were recorded for this CD.
The show gets another run through at Indigo in Wellington for the CD launch on Saturday 6 November - and a DVD featuring a documentary, clips and footage from the show should be out before Christmas.
Nothing about this on the Loop website yet but there's bound to be at some stage -
http://www.loop.co.nz/releases.htm
4. Broken Heartbreakers Sweet Precious Love (Hum
Performance)
(from "Everyone's Waiting For Their Darlin'") (CD) (self
released)
The Broken Heartbreakers are Rachel Bailey and John Guy Howell (vocals/guitar), Ben "Rodeo" Furniss (bass), Rick McShane (drums) and John Segovia (pedal steel). Formed in the winter of 2002, the Heatbreakers came together to share their love of country music. While they have their own story to tell, the themes of love, loss and lonesome nights are universal.
The Broken Heartbreakers have performed at Auckland's Dogs Bollix, The Kings Arms Tavern and the Pinnacle Club. Their music was used in the Silo Theatre Production, "Boney" and last year they completed a monthly winter residency at Raglan's legendary Aqua Velvet Ballroom. This year they have organised a series of highly successful gigs at The Dog's Bollix featuring local original country music under the show name "When Country Came To Town". More gigs with changing band line-ups will continue through the year.
The Broken Heartbreakers have just released their debut album, "Everyone's Waiting For Their Darling". It can be purchased by contacting the band directly at -
thebrokenheartbreakers@hotmail.com.
5. Brunettes Polyester Meets Acetate
(from "Mars Loves Venus") (CD) (Lil
Chief/EMI)
Claim to be New Zealand's "undisputed number one bubblegumpop
band&loved by art school girls, drug casualties and ex-Beach
Boys" - and who could argue with that?
A track from their second album. They've been playing shows lately
as the Lil Chief Orchestrette - a ten piece with the additional
members coming from other Lil Chief acts the Nudie Suits, the Tokey
Tones (and Ed Cake pops up as well)
They'll be at Auckland's Grey Lynn Festival on November 20th but
read all about them at -
http://www.lilchiefrecords.com/brunettes/
6. New Pornographers The Laws Have Changed
(from "Electric Version") (CD) (Matador/Rhythm
Method)
Canadian power pop band with the second video from their second
album. Key members are A.C. Newman (who has his own very well
reviewed album out at the moment)
http://www.matadorrecords.com/a_c_newman/
http://www.acnewman.net/
and alt-country queen Neko Case. Her new CD should be here in November. Read about it and the divine Ms. Case here -
http://www.bloodshotrecords.com/bands.php3?bandid=24
More information about the New Pornographers is on their site (but no information about why they never appear in their videos)
http://www.thenewpornographers.com/
7. Pitch Black Lost In Translation
(from "Ape To Angel") (CD) (Kog)
The voice sample on this one is Russian - and may have come from a satellite. If anyone speaks Russian out there and can translate they'd love to hear from you.
Auckland based dance-electronica duo currently in England (and will be playing in Europe, the USA and Australia before they return home in December).
Graham Reid from the NZ Herald caught their last show before they headed off overseas and had this to say about it -
And the official site is at -
http://www.pitchblack.co.nz/black.htm
This Week's Giveaway
"Ape to Angel" is it and we've got five copies to give away. Nothing too stressful this week. Just put Pitch Black in the subject line and e-mail hum@tvnz.co.nz. Entries close at midday on Thursday (Nov 4th) - and one entry per person please.
8. Basement Jaxx Cish Cash
(from "Kish Kash") (CD) (Shock)
With guest vocals from Siouxsie Sioux because - "Simon had been a fan ever since he was nine, when he bought Siouxsie & The Banshee's Happy House single and found, to his prepubescent delight, that Siouxsie sang "*?$% off" on the B-side. "She has an individuality that's sorely lacking in these days of blandness," says Felix.
The official site is at -
http://www.basementjaxx.co.uk/
9. Look Blue Go Purple Circumspect Penelope
(on "Compilation") (CD) (Flying Nun/FMR)
Look Blue Go Purple made three EPs for Flying Nun in the
mid-eighties. Read about the band here -
http://www.flyingnun.co.nz/archive_site/bands/lookblue/lbgp.html
And find a track listing for the "Second Season" DVD compilation
of music videos here-
http://www.flyingnun.co.nz/viewartist.cfm?artistID=583
10. Joy Division Atmosphere
(on "Substance") (CD) (Warner Music)
One of the great Joy Division songs. We were going to play it anyway - but with the death of John Peel it takes on an added significance. It was never far from the top of his annual listener's Festive Fifty lists - and it was top of the All Time List in 2000.
Read about the John Peel Festive Fifty at -
http://www.rocklist.net/festive50.htm
Coverage of his death and tributes to him can be found at -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/alt/index.shtml
The "Atmosphere" video was a posthumous one - made by Anton Corbijn for the re-release of the song in 1988. It was originally released in 1980 - the year that vocalist Ian Curtis committed suicide. No shortage of Joy Division info on the internet but this is one of the more comprehensive sites -
http://www.enkiri.com/joy/joy_division.html
(and it's worth noting that Richard Bell who know makes music videos in Christchurch produced the Atmosphere clip - and included it on a list he gave us of videos he was glad he'd worked on.
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/tvone_story_skin/445625%3fformat=html
