Sideroom.com » Music

Tom Lark

Shea O'Neill — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:17:56 +0000

Tom Lark got his start when his routine practice space was demolished in the aftermath of the September 2010 earthquake. Rather than be discouraged by the setback, Lark instead found inspiration in the newfound restrictions and was soon penning new songs in a fresh voice and style. Armed with only this new set of songs and whatever instruments he could immediately lay his hands on, the self titled Tom Lark EP was born. The resulting work marries ricocheting samples with folk guitar work, a plaintive voice and a deft sense of storytelling.

Download the Tom Lark EP for free

Luckless | Hummingbird Heart

Shea O'Neill — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:31:23 +0000

Luckless and Bond Street Bridge are taking themselves on a pilgrimage around the country. An expedition that will bring their sumptuous folk/rock music to audiences from Dunedin to Auckland.

Luckless are a self-described melancholic indie-rock duo, consisting of drummer Will Wood and guitarist and vocalist Ivy Rossiter. Drawing on influences as diverse as Portishead, PJ Harvey and Sparklehorse, the duo’s fiery combination of drums and distortion ebbs and swells with each carefully crafted song.

Bond Street Bridge is the solo project of Sam Prebble, using loop pedals and tape echoes to build up layers of guitar, violin, beats and vocals to produce a hypnotic, compelling and original sound.

The experience of Luckless and Bond Street Bridge together is a tug of war between light and dark, soft and serrated sounds blending into a maelstrom of auditory indulgence.

Check out the free download of Luckless’s new single ‘Humingbird’ here

The Unfaithful Ways | Free Rein

Shea O'Neill — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 05:22:57 +0000

The Unfaithful Ways, a band of brothers, Friday night in a small town, heartbreak and trouble and the open road. They release their latest offering “Free Rein” in early October 2011 on Aeroplane Music, the flagship label of Native Tongue Publishing.

Fusing songs of love, loss, protection, and the darker side of human emotion, this Christchurch four-piece has a stretch well beyond their years, owed no doubt to the fact that they have been singing in choirs together since the age of twelve. Drawing direct threads from the musical legacy of The Byrds, Townes Van Zandt and strangely enough The Eagles to weave their own beautifully tempered and widely acclaimed sound.

Staying true to age-old themes of love, loss and everything in between, the album’s mystical cartwheeling lyrics, haunting three part harmonies and honest sound speak of a grand mythology. While having a huge foot in tradition The Unfaithful Ways maintain their own path.

More about The unfaithful ways here

Wolfgang | Suego Faults

Shea O'Neill — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 09:20:46 +0000

Max moved around a lot as a child because of his historian father’s work, from Hull to Ann Arbor near Detroit in the States to St Andrews in Scotland. It was there that he joined a local pipe band where, in his kilt, he would march down the cobbled streets. “It was,” he recalls, “very rousing.”

It was perhaps inevitable that Max McElligott would one day make an ornate pop album of near-symphonic grandeur named after a utopian place that came to him in a dream.

Fly My Pretties IV | National Tour

Shea O'Neill — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:51:15 +0000

New Zealand’s most loved musical collective are set to take flight once again, with a re-imagined show, new cast and a wealth of new songs.

The fresh concept will see the 16-strong cast collaborate with celebrated contemporary visual artist, Hayley King (Flox). Audiences can expect a completely new production, from re-imagined costumes, to unique boundary-pushing visuals.

In Act I, Flox will interpret each song from the new album into iconic images, which will be uniquely brought to life both during the performance and as an exhibition of original limited edition prints in the theatre foyers.

In Act II, Fly My Pretties will deliver a set filled with a range of their classics plus a few surprises from Live at Bats, The Return Of… and A Story.

“Fly My Pretties will head in an inspiring new direction but still stay true to past shows,” says Barnaby Weir. I’m really excited about this show because we have a new cast of personalities and a highly skilled visual artist to collaborate with too.”

More info here

Kimbra

Shea O'Neill — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:02:11 +0000

Spending her early years gigging around her native New Zealand, it was only once Kimbra borrowed a small eight-track recorder from her school’s musical department that her song writing blossomed in earnest. This new tool opened up a new perspective, leading to a flurry of tracks that featured her signature layered vocals, including the inkling that became Settle Down. Discovered by Manager, Mark Richardson at the tender age of 17, who enabled her to relocate to Melbourne to follow her musical path.

Kimbra’s debut record Vows, has been three and-a-half years in the making, Vows could be seen as an ambitiously eclectic journey of joyful triumph but also darker introspection. A smoky romance one scene, a film noir the next, in a dazzling, colourful display with a multifarious soundtrack to match; travelling its conceptual groove through a diverse mix of styles. Migrating confidently from triumphant neo-pop built on stacked harmonies and joyful hooks, to moodier, reflective moments that her sophisticated vocals. A voice that centres the record as it slinks effortlessly from sly croon to emphatic wailing, layered through the record or left hangingvulnerably, warping and flexing in tone but consistently delivering the greatest character of expression: honesty.

Glass Owls | Griffin Boy

Shea O'Neill — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:32:25 +0000

Glass Owls have just released a new video for “Griffin Boy” taken from their debut EP Dead Love released last year. Watch it below and download the single for free at the Glass Owls Bandcamp page.

Midwest Konnect

Shea O'Neill — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:41:36 +0000

The Midwest Konnect sound is musically dripping with soulfulness. Vocally the flows are heartfelt yet light-hearted, reflective as well as forward-thinking, and all delivered with crisp & polished flows from two distinctive voices.

Midwest Konnect are @quatic Son & LeMons; with both members acting as lead vocalists and also handling the bulk of their own production. The Trailer is concepted as a teaser of what is to come, but equally important, it showcases how quickly and well they have grown and complimented each others style since forming just two years ago. The Trailer is a collection of works that flows cohesively, like a well put together album.

Listen to Mid West Connect here

Thunderbox

Shea O'Neill — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 01:27:47 +0000

Auckland based band Thunderbox are about to burst the banks of NZ’s Space-Punk-Glam-Electro-Rock-Theatre-Core scene.

Thunderbox are; Flash Fury – Skins and Bones, Tommy Apocalypse – Axe, Super Minx- Synthesizer, Max Volt- Vox.

Spewing forth like a mega tsunami the four horsemen of the rockapocalypse, Thunderbox are the leaders and saviors of the wild ride to oblivion and ecstasyboards.

Currently on bfm’s Top Ten list, Thunderbox are more than a band, they are an experience. Be sure to get along to a live gig if you have the chance.

In the mean time check out Thunderbox, including the new single on all your favorite websites; Facebook, Bandcamp

The Good Fun | Naughty Little Sin

Shea O'Neill — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 05:48:32 +0000

Check out this sweet music video that Max Volt productions created for Smoke Free Rock Quest winners ‘The Good Fun’.