Music News

Weekly Roundup: Friday 10th May

Friday 10th May, 2019 6:15PM

Week two of NZ Music Month was less hectic than the first one but no less exciting, as there were definitely some surprises to make us sit up and take notice amongst the fresh crop of releases and show announcements – scope out the great new local tracks featured below. Live events to look forward to include Sydney metalcore crew Polaris will be rattling our eardrums in August with their three stop tour of Aotearoa, and NZ dance-pop collective Leisure ramped up anticipation for their upcoming Twister record release nationwide tour with a freshly unveiled short film documenting last year's special collaborative event with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.

We were psyched to feature an in-depth chat between Pat Beers of San Diego garage soul titans The Schizophonics and Auckland's embodiment of the spirit of rock 'n' roll itself John Baker, ahead of the US trio's sure to be explosive tour of Aotearoa this May and June. We also had the privilege of hosting a conversation between French For Rabbits leader Brooke Singer and Christchurch songwriting figurehead Flip Grater, ahead of this weekend's long-awaited launch event for the latter's Lullabies for Anaïs EP. Our final feature for the week was a goodie – we premiered the latest single by Auckland garage pop artist Créme Jéan, aka the solo recording project of Brad Fafejta (Thousand Island, Brand New Math, TeenWolf), ahead of the earth-shattering release of his debut solo album Créme Emporium this month! We guarantee when you're kicking back in a rest home fifty years down the line, you'll be bragging to the young 'uns "I heard Créme Jéan's 'Astrology Ace' first on UTR".

Our Caught Live video for the week features Finnish folk metal maestros Korpiklaani (meaning "backwards clan"), who are bringing their accordion and violin-driven, knee-slapping numbers back to Aotearoa this month for two rousing headline events in Auckland and Wellington. Raise a goblet of mead and experience the band tearing through an electrifyingly passionate live performance of 'Lempo' from 2015's long-player Noita, at 2017's Master Of Rock festival in the Czech Republic...