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Bailey Wiley, A Girl Named Mo, Ills Winter

Busker turned studio artist Graeme James has just released his debut album, News From Nowhere, consisting of a gorgeous collection of upbeat and string-focused folk. Having recently been in Auckland filming for TV show 7 Days, Graeme will be back in the smoke soon and is booked to perform at The Wine Cellar on the 22nd of October.

What have you been up to lately on the music front? Well, I have just released my debut original album, News From Nowhere! Excitingly, it entered the NZ Album Charts at number 5, and we are currently touring it around New Zealand and Australia.

How did you get into music? What was your first record purchase? My first record purchase was a cassette copy of ‘Californication’ by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers which I rocked on a prehistoric Sony Walkman when I was about 11. I first started playing the violin when I was 7 years old. It’s a terribly unforgiving instrument when you are starting out so my parents had to put up with a lot of terrible practice noises for years!

Did you ever imagine yourself being a musician? Yes and no— as soon as I first picked up the violin I wanted to play professionally as a classical musician. I practiced for 1-2 hours a day for a long time but gave that dream up when I left highschool due to some shoulder issues. I can honestly say that I never thought I’d end up coming back to music as a career, in fact I tried a whole bunch of other things before I ended up right back where I started.

What musicians do you admire? Why? There's a few musicians whose work consistently amazes me— Sufjan Stevens, Jeff Tweedy (from the band Wilco) and Josh Garrels stand out in particular for their ability to create album after album of incredibly clever, thoughtful songs. I think in general I’m inspired by music that has a real visual element to the songwriting— a good lyricist will write music that you can ‘see’ if you close your eyes.

What are you main inspirations and why? What feelings/experiences inspired the lyrics? I try to take inspiration for songwriting from a wide spectrum of life experiences. My favourite albums are ones that have a whole variety of themes and emotions running throughout them. The trouble as a songwriter is that you often feel like songwriting when you are experiencing intense negative emotions and it can be a genuinely cathartic experience. It’s a bit different when you’re feeling happy— you tend to want to go and hang with people and pat some dogs. But if you only write songs when you’re feeling down then when it comes to releasing an album it can end up being a whinge-fest. So I try to make sure I’m taking inspiration from all sorts of life experiences. I'm also pretty interested in philosophy, sociology, theology, history -basically the ways in which we frame our reasonably short existence— so I those themes sneak through every now and then as well.

What was the experience of busking like? Did you ever imagine you’d end up doing that?

My dad actually took us out busking when were pretty young, and initially I was petrified— how terrible would it be if someone I knew saw me! In the end that experience was incredibly helpful- it got me out there and giving things ago. The good thing about busking is that you don’t really need a lot of things together to start and there’s not a whole lot of planning to do— you just get out there! So in that way it was a great entry into the musical world as a solo artist who was just working it all out. I do still do a spot of it, and it is still one of my favourite ways to perform. It is entirely unpredictable— no two days are the same, and you meet some amazing people. A real highlight was the street parties that developed over summers in Queenstown, playing under a lamp down by the lake— they were absolutely magical.

What do you find most rewarding about performing/making music? By nature I’m a performer so it’s really helpful to have a legitimate outlet for that. I
I also find it especially rewarding having the opportunity to meet great people and make genuine connections all around the world.

What’s your writing process like? A lot of the album was actually written on the street— I’d come up with a jam on the loop pedal while busking and then record it on my phone. That worked well for me because I tend to start with the music and then slowly develop the lyrics over time. The street is also a great place to test ideas— people’s reactions to songs are always pretty clear— they either hang around or keep walking!

What advice would you give to your 18 year old self? Think more about other people— you are not the centre of the universe.

What musical advice would you give to anyone interested in pursuing music? I'd say that having the right expectations helps. Shows like the X-Factor make people think that if you stand up and make a noise all the world is going to fall at your feet in adoration. The truth is that there are so many genuinely amazing albums produced every year that get little to no attention. So if you do manage to build a following- no matter how small, don’t take that for granted. Also do your best to try and treat people nicely— obviously your fans but especially other musicians— the music industry in NZ is far too small to be sowing a lot of bad seed.

What future plans do you have? As I mentioned earlier, I am currently on tour around New Zealand and Australia which is really fun. I will be playing in Auckland on October 22nd at The Wine Cellar with Albi and the Wolves. Over the summer I will be playing at a number of festivals around NZ and Aus including Rhythm and Alps, and all going well, we will head over to Europe next year for a few shows!

Odyssey is the debut release of up and coming act After ‘Ours, the project of duo Michal Martyniuk and Nick Williams. Both established musicians in their own right, After ‘Ours was a fun and carefree venture for the pair. To learn a bit more about the guys, check out Craccum’s interview with the guys in this issue.

The duo incorporates into their work a diverse range of sound with artistic flair. Consisting of a finely-tuned fusion of jazz and hip hop, at times with a hint of an electronic undertone, there is a track for every mood here. From the groovy synth and pulsing percussion of ‘Spiryt’, to the mellow, yet rich, saxophone solo of ‘Gordon Blues’, every song has something unique and special to offer. The work feels cohesive with its consistent, yet never monotonous, sound running throughout, with each track flowing from one to another. The work feels collaborative to its core, with a range of vocalists each showcasing their unique talents.

Fresh and exciting new act on the scene After ‘Ours have accomplished much in their short time in the spotlight. Their premier album Odyssey, which fuses an eclectic mix of hip hop and jazz, was quietly released to overwhelmingly positive reviews in mid September and since then have their music video for their single ‘Be Around’ featured on MTV Australia. A couple of days before Odyssey was released, the guys had a yarn one sunny afternoon over some coffee and beer about the album.

Nick Williams and Michal Martyniuk form the core of the band and are both talented musicians who had their passion for music cultivated from a young age. Nick’s forte is drums, something he showed a natural talent for. “My parents were into music, and it was all around me,” Nick says, “I got a drum kit and started smashing that.” Michal, whose grandfather is a classical piano player, started playing piano and listening to music at a young age. “I remember my dad gave me my first record, and I chucked it on CD where I left it there and listened to the same album for four years.”

Both mention Steely Dan as a significant influence, with Nick highlighting acts such as J Dilla, Robert Galsper, and A Tribe Called Quest as sources of inspiration for the album. “We weren’t trying to sound like anyone but I wouldn’t say our stuff is completely new or original,” Nick explains, “The way I see it is modern old-school. So kinda doing the stuff we love which is an older style of music, but it’s got a little bit of a modern touch on it.” As evident in the range of sound offered on the album, Michal tried to include a mixture of genres in the album – “Sometimes you can get bored of jazz or pop album so we wanted to mix it up. From classical to techno, I’ve tried to find good things in every genre of music, and we mix it all together into different songs.”

The album is refreshingly collaborative in nature and includes creative input from multiple other vocalists and musicians. These artists bought their own influences to the work as well, with Nick and Michal giving few specific instructions on what the two wanted. “There was a common feeling and positive vibe towards the album,” Nick says. Some of the lyrics were penned these featuring artists, such as on the leading single on the album “See The Light.” Written by vocalist Kevin Mark Trail, Michal adds, “Kevin wrote lyrics about being positive, and about how the song felt at the time.”

Odyssey did take five years to complete, but it never felt like slogging away. “It was a musical journey. It wasn’t that we had an album that took five years to record, its that it evolved along the way,” Nick reveals, “It happed naturally and we didn’t force it.” With no time frame set to finish the album, they never felt pressured to rush it. “It was always fun and kind of an escape from other work,” says Michal “It was something we could do for fun, not money.”

Adding to this, Michal says they wanted a record “that we would be happy with it in ten years.” While the recording process was relaxed and exceptionally enjoyable, the two are serious about their craft and are self-confessed perfectionists. “We were aiming for everything sounding like it belonged and didn’t want to let it go before it was one hundred per cent,” Nick says. The pair took advantage of the self-directed recording process by taking the time to meticulously craft their album. “Sometimes we’d record a piano part then replace it with guitar part because it added to it, just little things like that,” adds Michal.

The pair has garnered much wisdom along their way, offering plenty of advice to anyone wanting to give music a go. “Learn as much as you can from other people,” Nick recommends, “and ask yourself: what’s your intention? What are you trying to say in your music?” They believe having some focus in your work is a good idea, with Michal saying its good to have a message or intent in mind “I think you have to believe in it to feel it in the music as well.”  Michal recommends working hard as the this dedication will pay off – “Not just working, but know what you’re doing and working towards a goal. And party hard.”

So where from here for After ‘Ours? Michal says its up to how the album is received; “We’ll leave it up to people. If we get a good response we’ll get a band and start touring, and if not we’ll try to record another album to follow up and see what happens. We’re already writing stuff and will always be doing music, but we’ll see what people want us to do…perhaps a punk rock After ‘Ours?”  

The kiwi rockers have just wrapped up a nation-wide tour spanning the length of the country to herald the release of their first single in two years, ‘Help Me’. This new single shows the undisputed masters of energetic and lively indie-rock effortlessly incorporating a fresh blusey sound into their work. The hard working bunch of lads released their sophomore album Nobody / Everybody in early 2014 and whizzed around New Zealand on tour before popping over the ditch to grace Australia with some shows. Since then, they’ve set to work and continued to work on new material for their album.

Before the group headed off on their recent national tour, Craccum had a quick chat to guitarist Dave Rowland.

Originally known as Band Theft Auto, the band was formed by three high school mates in Christchurch. Dave recalls CCR’s first gig as having the potential to go either way; “Steve our singer was a real quiet guy and we had no idea what he’d be like when he got on stage. But when we hit the first chord it was great, a pleasant surprise.”

While their lives now revolve around music, the guys wouldn’t have thought they would end up in music; “None of us took music at school,” says Dave, “we kind of fell into it. We decided to play some live shows which went really well and decided to make the most of it.”

CCR’s upbeat and carefree sound makes sense when Dave names acts like John Lennon and The Kinks as some of the influences of the band; “We like their style of writing – short, snappy songs and really catchy lyrics.” Compared to their indie-rock orientated earlier work, new single ‘Help Me’ really shows this Lennon vibe. “We never want to try and pigeon hole ourselves by churning out the same stuff over and over again,” Dave says, “You learn a lot more as you go along, learn how other people write. The best way to write is to learn lots of different ways to approach things, so if you get stuck doing one thing you can approach it in a different manner.”

The band shares lyric writing duties, with Dave having a hand in the lyrics to their new single ‘Help Me’. He describes the song as being about isolation, a place where “most people end up at that point and that’s what inspired the lyrics.”  The band is dedicated to delivering a genuine performance;  “Steve will be quite particular with performing my lyrics, I understand that because he’s the one who has to deliver it. If he doesn’t get something he has to get it before singing the lyrics”

Playing gigs has been an interesting experience, with Dave recalling how the band “did a small show in Hamilton and a sixty year old man up the front did the splits in a pair of jeans….and old man jeans don’t have stretch in them.” Despite their riotous (puns, anyone?) live shows, the guys behind the instruments are proper gentlemen –  “we signed a boob once in Christchurch. It’s the kind of thing you don’t really want to do it, but its kind of a bucket list thing. It wasn’t a pleasant experience and I wouldn’t do it again. I think that when you envisage it as a teenager you think it’s going to be the most awesome thing.”

For any of y’all toying with the idea of pursuing a musical career, Dave suggests you do it for the right reasons; “do it because you love doing it, not in the context of being rich and famous.” As with any career, there are ups and downs, but definitely lasting highlights; “It’s awesome as well when you see people who are inspired by what you do.”

Violent Femmes have been around for a fair while, with their debut album released in 1983. If the band’s name rings a bell this is probably the album you will know: it boasts classic tracks such as Blister In The Sun, Kiss Off and Add It Up. Lead singer Gordan Gano commands each song with his drawling vocals, delivering angsty lyrics that personify the group’s distinctive folk-punk sound. An excellent album both in its time and of its own right, I was curious to see how We Can Do Anything would compare.

It has been 16 years since the band released a full studio album and they stick true to their trademark sound on We Can Do Anything. A range of guitars, an acoustic bass and stripped down drumming are a given on each track, and the group demonstrates their talent for producing jaunty tunes using this simple array of instruments, a prime example being the track Holy Ghost. The group broadens their instrument use to include a tasteful amount of accordion in tracks such as Travelling Solves Everything and the inclusion of some saxophone in Issues really tops off the punchy kick of the song.

While the album was an enjoyable listen, it wasn’t a particularly memorable one nor really merits a repeat. While old-time fans swill understandably be stoked on the Femmes being in the studio again, the album lacks the freshness and youthful vigour of their earlier work: the exact qualities that made the band so great. For any new-comers to the VF game, sticking with the classics is the definite way to go.

5/10 rating