Galloway.
The Closer You Get The Better I Look.
Galloway is a two piece side project of singer/songwriter/guitarist Alan Galloway. Alan is a founding member of Wellingtons long standing group Lets Planet, who have supported international artists such as REM Crowded House, Throwing Muses and Paul Kelly. Alan has embarked on a solo album based around the acoustic guitar, teaming up with singer and percussionist Mo Blishen. Strong on melody and interstingly lyrical the Galloway sound centres on an intertwining of male/female vocals with a strong acoustic acompaniment. Galloway are primarily an originals band but they also include a few interesting covers.

Catalogue no.
GALL-CD1

NZ$16.99
[$15.00 NZ residents]

Beach.
Beach.
A warm breeze blows through this debut album by Beach. Beautiful melodies through 11 finely crafted songs supported by stellar musicianship. The sound of our South Pacific.
Beach is fronted by beautiful vocalist and songwriter Jessie Coutts. Formed by Jessie and Guitarist/Songwriter Mathurin Molgat in 1998, Beach have performed around the globe and were featured artists at the NXNE Festival in Toronto, Canada, playing to sold out audiences. Jessie's writing style is personal, full of imagery and is carried by her soothing, floating melodies. Joining Jessie and Mathurin are Iain McNally - guitar/keys, Paul Pasmore - bass and Randy Cooke - drums.percussions. Don Rooke is featured on several tracks playing Kona. This album was recorded and mixed by L.Stu Young (Prince/Musicology) in New Zealand and Canada.

Catalogue no.
BACH-CD1

NZ$23.00
[$25.95 NZ residents]

Shona Laing.
Pass The Whisper.
There are a small number of New Zealand singers whose every album is an important musical occasion, in that it promises a fresh collection of songs from someone who is indelibly part of the country's musical psyche: the likes of Neil Finn, Dave Dobbin, Don McGlashan and, without a doubt, Shona Laing. Shona Laing's songs (1905, Show Your Love, Neutral & Nuclear Free, (Glad I'm) Not A Kennedy, Soviet Snow, etc) have captured the popular imagination of the times as well as achieving Top 10 Singles success and radio airplay across NZ, America, Australia and the UK, while stubbornly refusing to compromise their intelligence and lyrical integrity. "Pass The Whisper" is a return to Shona's folk roots. It is all played, acoustic guitar-based, with Celtic colours of pipes, flutes and bhodran (courtesy of Rua's Jimmy Young), the amazing textures of James Wilkinson's guitars, the stand-up bass of Nigel Masters and the drums of Ian Gilpin. Mahinarangi Tocker, Denny Stanway and James Wilkinson join Shona on backing vocals. "Pass The Whisper" includes seven new songs as well radical reworkings of Soviet Snow, (Glad I'm) Not A Kennedy, Caught and Shoulda Bin For You. There is also a "poppy" bonus / ghost track (Happy Song) from the 70's that features the crazy drumming of Bruno Lawrence. Of the new songs Taihoa and Fact are obvious stand-outs as radio airplay singles. Waitakere Rain and Windmills both combine global impressions with a unique sense of New Zealand. Shona shows that she has lost none of her acerbic wit as evidenced in the blues romp Comfort Song (Not), a swipe at American foreign policy. The only song on the album not written by Shona is Mahinarangi Tocker's beautiful and bilingual My Love Be Still.

Catalogue no.
LANG-CD1

NZ$25.65
[$28.95 NZ residents]

Sue Dunlop.
Random Deviations.
Random Deviationswill amuse, move, rock and provoke, includes the beautifully haunting Old Lovers New Friends; the Celtic rock number Look Past The Fool; the very silly Country & Western song The Final Sequel; the anthemic and uplifting (ideal for Civil Unions) song Better Than Norma/; the angry loungy jazz song Coping, and several shades of rock including cathedral rock (So Clever), haunting rock (Your Future’s in the Wings), funky rock (I’m Not Her) and rocky rock (To Hell With Heaven). Musical Producer Michael Nicholas Williams has written some stunning arrangements and assembled a talented group of musicians to perform on the album including Rowan Clark (bass guitar), Tim Solly (keyboards), Richie Wise (drums & percussion) and Lance Su’a (electric guitar) who all have extensive professional music careers, plus guitarist / singer Caleb Ross (better known as an actor for his role as Lex in The Tribe), cellist Martin Rothbaum and uillean piper Kirby MacLeod. Michael also appears on the album playing keyboards and piano accordion, and singing some backing vocals. Other backing vocalists include future stars in the making Jason Chasland, Pearly McGrath and Laura White plus a number of other students from the Wellington Performing Arts Centre, Fran Hoover, Andy Duncan, and Barnaby and Claire Kinane Williams. Random Deviations was recorded, mixed and mastered by Gil Eva Craig of Flying Saucer Audio, Wellington.

Catalogue no.
DEVI-CD1

NZ$31.00
[$33.95 NZ residents]

Trinity Roots.
Home, Land and Sea.
Recorded at The Surgery in Wellington, "Home, Land and Sea" stands strong as a fine testament to the unabashed honesty found in this group. It's an album that takes you by the hand and leads you on a very personal journey, from its opening track "Aotearoa" to its final offering "Home, Land and Sea". The evocative rhythms and harmonies contained within are steeped in a lineage of soul, reggae and roots that transcend the boundaries defined by genre.

Catalogue no.
TRIN-CD1

NZ$30.00
[$33.75 NZ residents]

The Ponsonby DC's.
The Ponsonby DC's.
Dancing, prancing. happily syncopated and always with a joyful and intelligent humour bubbling under what they do, the Ponsoby DC's are a band with a social message to share. They range from Caribbean ska/reggae, happy dance tunes as in "Go Go Bananas" to the gentle and lulling in "Heaven" where Janelle Aston's high, sweet harmonies wrap themselves around Gavin Buxton's alter-boy lead. These recordings were made between 1984 and 1988 at Last Laugh, Mascot and Montage studios in Auckland, New Zealand. The Ponsonby DC's are Gavin Buxton, Keith Dion, Chris Watts, Jay Foulkes, Janell Aston, David Major and Sue Thorby. A slice of New Zealand pop history.

Catalogue no.
PONS-CD1

NZ$23.00
[$25.95 NZ residents]

Tommy.
4000 Years.
While maintaining the familiar flavour of previous LOOP releases, the arrival of Tommy to LOOP sign-posts the label's broadening scope to the adult contemporary audience. Tommy leads the label in the new direction, while preserving the NZ identity & unique sound which is the essence of LOOP. Tommy brings together the moods of reggae, rock, soul and a dash of pop in a melodic melting pot to form their 'folk roots' sound. Comfortably sitting alongside the adult contemporary music of Jack Johnson and the John Butler Trio, Tommy's sound is rooted in soothing melodies and flowing piano lines which meld in an organic blend that is unmistakably from Aotearoa. The album 4000 Years from Tommy is a collection of works which traverse mood and thought as the music unfolds and the stories of Tommy are revealed. Tommy is here and LOOP is proud to present them to you. Let Tommy engage you with their presence.

Catalogue no.
TOMM-CD1

NZ$30.00
[$33.75 NZ residents]

Larry Killip.
Good To Get Away.
Larry Killip is a seasoned performer and songwriter. 'Good To Getaway', Larry's second album is a pop/rock contemporary mix with retro undertones. Well crafted, listenable songs just like they used to make em! Killip's unique voice stands out, smooth, melodic, but with that little bit of edge keeping it just over the line. This album is unashamedly accessible, relaxed, non political, and immune from pressures of trend.

Catalogue no.
KILL-CD1

NZ$24.00
[$27.00 NZ residents]

Robert Scott.
Tudor Gates.
Robert Scott was previously on the world famous NZ Flying Nun label in a band called 'The Bats'. This is a great 5 track EP offering of melodic poppy tunes that was originally released as a German Tour CD in 2002.

Catalogue no.
GATE-CD1

NZ$14.00
[$15.75 NZ residents]

Video Kid.
Prototype.
Prototype is the dynamic debut album from The Video Kid, aka Bret McKenzie of Flight of the Concords and The Black Seeds. Even if you haven't witnessed any of Bret's musical projects you will have seen him somewhere on stage or screen. Prototype features performances by Twinset, Age Pryor and various Black Seeds.

Catalogue no.
VIDK-CD1

NZ$30.00
[$33.75 NZ residents]

Graham Brazier
East Of Eden.
Graham Brazier is best known as the singer in Hello Sailor. He is known as one of New Zealand's finest songwriters and one of our most eloquent storytellers. Each song on the album has different backing from near acoustic or piano based to a full rock band. This is his third solo album, produced by Rikki Morris.

Catalogue no.
BRAZ-CD1

NZ$27.00
[$30.38 NZ residents]

Age Pryor.
City Chorus.
City Chorus is the amazing new project from Wellington based musician Age Pryor. Returning to his hometown after a prolonged absence, Pryor has set about crafting a beautifully sophisticated album, with the help of musicians from established bands Fat Freddy’s Drop, Trinity Roots, & The Black Seeds. City Chorus is an honest & insightful album that is both intimate & unique but with undeniable pop sensibilities. An insightful journey of many colours, City Chorus is sure to satisfy your soul.

Catalogue no.
CITY-CD1

NZ$30.00
[$33.75 NZ residents]

Here Come The Bulletholes
Powertool Records Compilation.
From New Zealand's Powertool Records arrives this 18 track label sampler that has some of the best, and some of the catchiest damn pop on either side of the equator. If the bands and music presented here on this CD are any indication of the co.nz scene, then it's yet another reason to pack the bags and make an exodus for the welcoming climes of NZ. It begins with " Bulletholes" by the all-female fourtet, Mary. Silky vocals and an invitingly whimsy bass line baits the hook, and before ten seconds have whirred by on the track ticker, they've reeled you in - pop hook, line and sinker. The pop vein continues throughout, making some lovely deviations in the form of Shaft's "Livin' Pumpin' Heart", with it's Mowtown groove, and "I Should Have Known When She Said She Didn't Like Feedback", by Edward Gains, which quietly drifts like and afternoon daydream before closing the album out in a soft wash of feedback. In between are some tasty numbers that teeter from one side of the indie pop spectrum [Secretboyfriend's purring "Beenstung"] to the other [alt king Chris Knox's Sonic Youth inspired "The Ice In Yr Head']. All up 18 great songs that invite you to dip your toe in, test the waters and discover.

Catalogue no.
HERE-CD1

NZ$26.00
[$29.25 NZ residents]