SoundBites: Skux, Jesse Sheehan, Kora, Banks

Skux. Photo: Nathan Taara & Nicola Higham

Skux have released The Two Sides of She, a two-track, double A-side single.
The new project from Ayisha Jaffer, Skux is the result of a love of punk and a long-time admiration for the riot grrrl movement.

The material is co-written by Dan Walke of The Death Set. According to publicity, the track More Than 10 Things references the 90s film 10 Thing I Hate About You, while On Her Way is based on "a travelling woman in both work and in adventure".

Jaffer says: "I wanted to make something that portrayed my states of purgatory that others can relate to, I'm sure, and use my roots that lie in straight punk and are inspired by the riot grrrl movement a bit growing up."

Hear Skux here and at Soundcloud and Spotify.

Jesse Sheehan releases his Neil Finn-produced debut album Drinking With The Birds this week.

Sheehan, who has played support to Alabama Shakes and Jake Bugg, was the first solo artist to win the Smokefree Rockquest.

Finn asked him to play guitar on his world tour, and he's also played with Dave Dobbyn.

The album is out on August 12.

Whakatane rockers Kora say they have a string of new singles in the works - the first of which is Carolina.

Francis Kora says Carolina is "a metaphor for something or someone that is undeniably addictive. What that something or who that someone is, we have left open to suggestion."

Banks' second album The Altar is due at the end of next month, with a second track Gemini Feed now revealed, following the addictive F*** With Myself, which has racked up more than 2 million Spotify streams.

According to publicity the new album is "an inspiring confrontation of complicated love, longing, betrayal and self-doubt."

Gemini Feed is produced by SOHN and will be the opening track on the album.

Revisit a classic

When does a classic become a classic? Sturgill Simpson's 2016 release A Sailor's Guide To Earth already justifies that description.

Like a mad mixture of Waylon Jennings and Van Morrison, Simpson has a country soul sound that ignores genre boundaries.

His third studio album is a concept album based on a sailor's love letter to his wife and newborn son.

Opening track Welcome to Earth (Pollywog) about absentee fatherhood will bring tears, despite its festive horns.

Of course, of great interest is Simpson's amazing cover of Nirvana's In Bloom, a track which may attract listeners who would otherwise never go near country.

Those who take that leap, and go on to check out the rest of the album, are in for a treat.