Live at the Hollywood by Dimmer and Kaleidoscope World and Brave Words, Spoken Bravely: The Remix by the Chills. Photos / Supplied
Live at the Hollywood by Dimmer and Kaleidoscope World and Brave Words, Spoken Bravely: The Remix by the Chills. Photos / Supplied
Live at the Hollywood
by Dimmer
After the demise of Straitjacket Fits in 1994, Shayne Carter – staring at 30 and having spent half his life doing hard graft in post-punk rock – considered his options.
His musical interests had broadened and his next project, Dimmer, launched itself with 2001′sI Believe You Are A Star, a courageously innovative album he described as influenced by “the drift and throb of ambient music, Krautrock, electronica, outsider pop and the dark funk of Sly Stone, James Brown and Funkadelic”.
It was unlike anything in our musical landscape, the songs were surreptitious and slipped into the subconscious: “It’s all evolution,” he sang.
Last year, Carter brought together an ensemble for a Covid-delayed 20th anniversary tour of Star, shows received in reverential silence then huge applause.
The Live at the Hollywood double vinyl is drawn from performances at Auckland’s Hollywood cinema where they extended the material, and pieces like the spellbinding What’s a Few Tears to the Ocean from There My Dear (2006).
Here’s Curtis Mayfield-likesoul (Getting What You Give from 2004′s You’ve Got to Hear the Music), wah-wah grooves (the free-floating Drift, the embittered funk-rock of I Believe You Are A Star) and moody electro-psychedelic rock (Drop You Off, Seed, the shimmering Under the Light).
A classic album reshaped: I Believe You Are A Star and Carter evolving still.
Kaleidoscope World and Brave Words, Spoken Bravely: The Remix
by the Chills
Expanded and remastered versions of the Chills’ compilation Kaleidoscope World (1986) and debut album Brave Words (1987) remind us of another gifted Flying Nun alumnus, Martin Phillipps.
Kaleidoscope World was indicative of Phillipps’ vision: the title track’s psychedelic dream pop; the joyous jangle of Rolling Moon; the psychic darkland of Pink Frost and cathartic I Love My Leather Jacket; an excitable version of Oncoming Day. All here,plus demos, B sides and live tracks.
Brave Words, although praised, sprung no hits. The sound was muddy and undistinguished.
Now remastered to Phillipps’ satisfaction, Rain and Look For the Good appear in more explosive form and lost gems (Night of Chill Blue, the jangling Wet Blanket, the Celtic sway of the intense Ghost) are given polish.
As with Kaleidoscope World, this – in a new cover by Phillipps referencing the original – is expanded with other songs. The early Chills, from back when they were evolving.
These albums are on double vinyl; the Chills album is also available digitally.
Dimmer tour: Hanover Hall, Dunedin, November 17 &18; James Hay Theatre, Christchurch, November 24; Old St Paul’s, Wellington, November 30 & December 1; Powerstation Auckland, December 2.
