Isn’t How I Remember
by Troy Kingi featuring SWIDT
It seems Night Lords, the ninth in Troy Kingi’s ongoing project to record ten albums in a different genre over a decade will be a hip-hop one with this track with Onehunga crew SWIDT, the first of a collaboration-heavy record that will also have Diggy Dupé, Tom Scott, Melodownz, Mokomokai, and MĀ on the guest list. But it seems Kingi hasn’t traded his versatile funk-rock backing band for turntables – there’s still plenty of guitar scorch to this debut track with has the sort of 70s psychedelic soul leanings that found its way into lots of 90s hip-hop and echoes of the likes of The Roots. He may not be rapping up front but it sounds like Kingi has earned his dilettante exemption card yet again. – Russell Baillie
All Natural
by Rita Ora
It’s produced and co-written by Joel Little, who brings a welcome, less-is-more touch to this restrained dance-pop track for Ora, normally a woman whose songs do like having the kitchen sink involved and which can tend to sound like collections of other pop hits’ best bits. It also marks a comeback by Taika Waititi, once an up-and-coming music video director last heard of directing retro-styled clips for the Phoenix Foundation in their early days. Obviously, he’s got more of a budget here and clearly, seeing Flashdance at a tender age has had a lasting influence – judging by the leg warmers, chair, and water for Ms Ora to splash about in. Should there ever be a show called “Real Housewives of Point Chevalier”, we have a theme song. – Russell Baillie
A Certain Girl
by Ron Wood featuring Chrissie Hynde
Rolling Stone Ron Wood is having a very big flashback. He’s got a double album anthology of his career, including his band co-writes and his earlier stints with the Faces, Rod Stewart, the Jeff Beck Group among others, as well as his seven solo albums. This track is one of the “new” ones, a song by New Orleans R&B godfather Allen Toussaint which a few British bands covered during the beat boom. Chrissie Hynde’s languid vocal gives it a bit of a sexual switcheroo as Wood and backers boogie happily on. You have to wonder: Do Hynde and Wood have the same hairdressers? – Russell Baillie
Shame, Shame, Shame
by the Rolling Stones
And also coming down the reissue pipeline is a super deluxe version of Black and Blue from 1976, the first Stones’ album on which Wood played and a patchy one at that. Their Shame, Shame, Shame was left off the original, possibly because it already had one daft disco track – Hot Stuff – at the beginning. But the strange thing – other than Jagger’s vocal sounding like Eric Idle’s Monty Python housewife – is that it’s a cover of bluesman Jimmy Reed’s song from 1964. But the Stones make it sound a lot like Shame, Shame, Shame, the Shirley & Company disco hit from 1974. – Russell Baillie
Chapati
by Raiza Biza with JDRO
As a signal for a forthcoming album Pangea, this stripped-down beat, annoyingly good minimalist riff and breathless energy is an exciting, tight single from Rwandan-New Zealand rapper hooking up with Fijian-Australian JDRO. A celebration of enjoying wayward nightlife times and not that much about chapatis. Hard to shake off. – Graham Reid
Nothings Wrong
by 1Drop Nation
Just like Christmas decorations in October, 1Drop Nation get in early with a “reggae banger” for summer and flag their new album The Way We Love (November 28). Produced and engineered by Lee Prebble, the Ōtautahi Christchurch six-piece here add to the lineage of that great Kiwi attitude of “she’ll be right”, “s’all good bro” and “don’t worry bout it” with their own simmer down, chill out and don’t sweat it message. Everything’s alright, nothing’s wrong. And they casually dispense with the apostrophe too. S’ok. – Graham Reid
By Five Seconds of Summer
On the other hand, this hugely popular Australian pop-with-attitude somewhat-rap quartet are “on the edge and you make me wanna jump” and clearly aren’t ok. Rock with a dancefloor beat and an explosive “bite the apple baby, I’m not ok”, which isn’t quite “I’m a firestarter” but leans in that direction. With vocal samples and a guitar solo, it aims wide and a bit scattershot. Fair warning about their sixth album Everyone’s a Star! out November 14. – Graham Reid
Believe
by The Paper Kites
On the 20th anniversary of Australian Bernard Fanning’s award-winning Tea and Sympathy – his solo debut after Powderfinger – comes an expanded version of the album with three covers on the bonus album (along with demos and Fanning’s acoustic version). This warm, melancholy version of Fanning’s acidic song neatly takes the edge off but folk-rocks gently into alt-country with a sound which is more understanding than damning. Paper Kites’ next album not due until January but the Tea and Sympathy double out October 31 with this classy re-interpretation. – Graham Reid
Rusty Mountain
by Neko Case
Veteran (North) Americana singer-songwriter Neko Case’s career has bounced from one side of the US-Canada border to the other in her thirty or so year career. This week sees the release of Neon Grey Midnight Green, her eighth solo album, though she’s done as many with Canadian indie supergroup The New Pornographers, as well as a memorable 2016 album with kd lang and Laura Veirs. So, there’s a lot to discover. By the sounds of Rusty Mountain, with Case’s acerbic lyric over a hearty acoustic guitar strum framed by lavish strings, Neon Grey Midnight Green is as good an entry point as ever. Fans of Martha Wainwright and Reb Fountain should investigate. – Russell Baillie
Mercy, Kill Me
by Pansy
Seattle power-pop janglers resurrect mercurial guitar, big melodies, and oceanic dynamics as heirs of Big Star, Boston and Gin Blossoms on a song which also carries a subtext about someone transitioning, so subtle it could easily go past you. They seem in no hurry to release an album but check this out in the hope it gives them a nudge. – Graham Reid
Tanana/Mush
by Portugal. The Man
This Portland-based indie-rock band (with a fair dollop of comfortable pop in their pocket) have been at it for two decades now and have ticked off nine studio albums – and about as many former members – on their way to their 10th, Shish (due November 7). These simultaneously released advance tracks suggest both a psychedelic pop approach (Tanana with a touch of melancholy) and breathless plugged-in power-pop (the agitated Mush which is skate-park rock). Different but solid singles, and we haven’t heard phasing (Tanana) in a while. – Graham Reid
