Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times / Lifestyle

Music Review: James Bay, Hold Back The River EP

Kim Gillespie
By Kim Gillespie
Editor: NZME Community Publications Network·NZME. regionals·
5 Feb, 2015 04:00 PMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
James Bay

James Bay

It's not surprising to find that James Bay has toured with Hozier.

The British singer-songwriter has a similarly pained, soulful sound that oozes feeling, though he could also be described as Jake Bugg meets Ed Sheeran.

Touted as one to watch, Bay won the Brit Awards Critics' Choice Award, and his title track here is in the New Zealand iTunes top 10.

It's a catchy tune, not quite up there with Hozier's Take Me to Church, but still worthy of repeat listening.

Starting quietly, it builds with a driving rhythm to a more excited pace, its river imagery and backing vocals upping the gospel feel.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Sparks sizzles with energy, if not also a little early 80s' FM vibe, while Wait in Line is a little more forgettable.

The EP, Bay's third, also includes a live version of Hold Back the River.

But wait, there's more. Bay's debut album is expected out next month.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Listen to Hold Back the River here:

Discover more

Music Review: Fall Out Boy, American Beauty/American Psycho

12 Feb 04:00 PM

Music Review: Bob Dylan, Shadows in the Night

19 Feb 04:00 PM

Music Review: Imagine Dragons, Smoke + Mirrors

26 Feb 04:00 PM
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Bay of Plenty Times

'It's been a lot of fun': Simon Bridges on life after politics

Bay of Plenty Times

Organic honey - from bush to boutique in Coromandel

Bay of Plenty Times

Stan Walker, L.A.B. gear up for epic summer shows in NZ, Australia


Sponsored

Revealed: The night driving ‘red flag’

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

'It's been a lot of fun': Simon Bridges on life after politics
Bay of Plenty Times

'It's been a lot of fun': Simon Bridges on life after politics

The former politician shares how dramatically their family life has changed.

08 Aug 05:00 PM
Organic honey - from bush to boutique in Coromandel
Bay of Plenty Times

Organic honey - from bush to boutique in Coromandel

28 Jul 09:47 PM
Stan Walker, L.A.B. gear up for epic summer shows in NZ, Australia
Bay of Plenty Times

Stan Walker, L.A.B. gear up for epic summer shows in NZ, Australia

27 Jul 09:15 PM


Revealed: The night driving ‘red flag’
Sponsored

Revealed: The night driving ‘red flag’

04 Aug 11:37 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP