STACK #141 Jul 2016

MUSIC REVIEWS

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RAMONES

Ngaiire Blastoma

Opening with a thickening roar which flays out into an industrial, Bjork-ish beat, Blastoma instantly provides a dramatic backdrop for the power and grace of Ngaiire’s dynamic voice. These are fascinating arrangements from producers Paul Mac and Jack Grace, with a ton

Hey! Ho! Let's go! Here are the key albums by the band that wasThe Beatles for brats – NewYork's classic punk- pop group known for their “1-2-3-4” no-mucking-about performances and memorable, economic songs.

of radiant ideas: Smooth, warm synths provide a canvas for the more intricate sonic details of percussion and electronic melody, as well as the fine care Ngaiire puts into her vocal tone. Her delicate, high harmonies shine over the robust curls of the primary melodies, and she occasionally includes aching burrs at the tail-ends of notes. Ngaiire’s voice is full of languid beauty but there’s so much energy brewing underneath that she never sounds lazy. She’s sung back-up for Chet Faker and Blue King Brown, and then went on to support John Legend and Alicia Keys; Blastoma shows us this personification of feminine strength and vulnerability has more than enough belief and skill to hold her own as a solo artist. (Sony) Zoë Radas

Ramones (1976) In an iconic street-punk cover (get it on vinyl so you can frame it) the group delivered a classic debut which in places sounded like The Beach Boys on speed – 14 songs in less than 30 minutes – and forged their love of '60s girl groups, flat-tack rock'n'roll and a view from the glue-sniffin' corners of NewYork in the damaged and dangerous '70s. Bottled electrotherapy punk-pop... and the just-released 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition comes as three CDs (remastered stereo and mono mixes, outtakes, demos and live material) and the vinyl. Leave Home (1976) Again chock-full of classic songs and riffs ( Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment , I Remember You , Carbona Not Glue , Suzy Is A Headbanger , California Sun ) but again it didn't do as well as it should have. That became the Ramones story: Third essential album in a row ( Rockaway Beach , Sheena is a Punk Rocker , Teenage Lobotomy , I Can't Give You Anything alongside '50s covers Do You Wanna Dance? and Surfin' Bird ) but again, disappointing sales. It looked like their career might be as short as their songs, but they soldiered on for almost two decades, mostly to diminishing sales and song quality returns. It's Alive (1979) Recorded live in London on December 31, 1977, this release captured them at their peak. The setlist drew on cornerstone songs from those first three albums, and they set a land-speed record delivering them: 28 songs in 54 minutes. One of the classic live albums. critical acclaim but no chart gain. Rocket To Russia (1977)

MUSIC

Garbage Strange Little Birds

Hey Geronimo Crashing Into The Sun

Shirley Manson told us 20 years ago she's only happy when it rains. But oh dear. When the storm breaks, pitter-patter, at the start of Night Drive Loneliness , it's her cue to slip on high heels, lipstick and blue velvet dress to go do something unspeakable. In Sometimes she's the woman scorned, hammering at your cellar door and singing just a little too softly for comfort. Between the metallic shears of Blackout her frustration rises to a seething pitch that would spook Chrissie Amphlett. The band's razor- sharp cut-and-paste aesthetic is distinctive as ever, as belching guitars and crisp, mechanical drums interweave with ripping Velcro and oxygen tank rasps. (Liberator) Michael Dwyer

Rarely does psychedelic guitar-pop sound so downright excitable. Hey Geronimo already marked their humour with the TISM homage Boredom featuring lions of the Brisbane music scene, and that sense of irreverence and cheek bears out across Crashing Into The Sun . With all the fun of, well, the band fun. and cosmic-sized arrangements which evoke Martian marching bands and rocketing riffs, Hey Geronimo take the blueprints of your Pink Floyds and Bowies and Sgts Pepper and make confetti, pushing odes to making the best of life’s constant struggle. If you found comfort in Mika or the aforementioned fun. or even the diverse rhythms of Vampire Weekend or Animal Collective, you’ll find a lot to like here. (Chugg/Inertia) Jake Cleland

And also... Yes, you can cheat because the 99 double-CD set Hey! Ho! Let's Go: The Anthology scooped up 58 songs (all their classics) from right across their career. It confirmed the band were smarter than they looked and deserved better in their era than they got. One of the truly great rock'n'roll bands, and – just like the young Beatles – they had a band uniform. How could they not succeed?

For more interviews, reviews and overviews from Graham Reid visit www.elsewhere.co.nz

JULY 2016

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