Party Like it's 2009 - one day sale
30.09.10
Bored with GST stories?
Tired of tax breaks and political grandstanding?
Sick of credit limits and crippling debt?
Kids got you down?
Holidays too short?
Car stuck in traffic?
Pants too tight?
We are to... so on this last day of September we've decided to cut off our hands, deduct our margin and reduce our favourite three albums of 2009 for the day:
All three albums are reduced to $16.00 + P&P on CD (GST included) until 5pm.
1. Lawrence Arabia - Chant Darling
Chant Darling features the musical contributions of James Dansey and Daniel Ward (The Sneaks), Matt Eccles (Betchadupa), Liam Finn, Luke Buda and Sam Scott (The Phoenix Foundation), Tom Watson (Cassette), Andy Watts (Hot Grits), John White (Mestar) and various other friends. It was recorded between Nov 2007 and Jan 2009, in Stockholm, London, Auckland, Wellington and Port Chalmers, and was produced by Milne himself.
The songs for the album were penned half and half between NZ and London, where Lawrence has been based for the past two years. The subject matter varies from the NZ space programme to naughty liaisons on Quay Street, from laziness and drinking problems amongst the shy, to sexually frustrated hipsters, drug-induced death visions, lust for teacher and a theme-in-waiting for the National Government's soon to be announced war on drugs.
Amplifier says: From the moment Chant Darling arrived in the Amplifier offices we knew we had a solid contender for album of the year... ten months later and after countless listens we're convinced this album is simply brilliant.
Listen to: The Beautiful Young Crew
2. Tourettes - Who Said You Can't Dance to Misery
"Hello, my name is Tourettes. I like rapping, poetry and playing the drums. I write about politics, love and diseases. I'm in a crew called Breakin Wreckwordz. We're pretty good. At the moment I'm waiting to release my new album Who Said You Can't Dance To Misery, in an effort to get the voices out of my head and into yours."
Who Said You Can't Dance To Misery was mixed by Karl Steven (Supergroove) and mastered by Angus McNaughton.
Amplifier says: Tourettes has a way with words. As he should, being a poet. But if you approached this album thinking you were going to get poetry of the Wordsworth "I Wandered Lonely As a Cloud" type then you're going to be in for a rude shock. Who Said You Can't Dance to Misery is a challenge. It has an edge that's so sharp you could shave with it. It gives voice to the inner-city streets of Auckland rather than trying to sound like it came from Compton. This is vital listening and more people need to hear it.
Listen to: Almost Out Of Water feat. Anna Coddington
3. Bachelorette - My Electric Family
In early 2008, Annabel Alpers, aka Bachelorette, funded her first, and ultimately groundbreaking, US tour. Along the way, she sold some records to an eager Ryan Adams at a small club in New York City and made fans out of execs from Chicago's Drag City Records. Between shows, she camped out in Portland, Oregon: 'Inspired' by that region's infamous and constant rain, she found herself intently working on songs for her new album.
Soundly back in NZ, Annabel secluded herself in Otaki Beach, where much of the tracking for My Electric Family took place. Intent and focused on realising her musical vision, Annabel enlisted MAINZ' Roy Martin (The Nothing, Trans Am) and trekked up to Whenuapai to record the Royal NZ Air Force Brass Band for backing instrumentals on one track. Finally, after over a year of hard work, Annabel was approached enthusiastically by Chicago's legendary Drag City Records to put out her new album, My Electric Family. The catch was that she hadn't finished mixing it.
After a muddled attempt at mixing via phone to the USA, Annabel flew down to Dunedin to work with Dale Cotton (HDU, Die!Die!Die!) before jetting off to work as a massage therapist at a gambling tournament in Melbourne.
My Electric Family features a broader instrumentation than Bachelorette's previous releases. The electronic pulses, synthesizers and gorgeous vocal harmonies that characterise Bachelorette's sound remain, but are enhanced by extensive live drumming as well as brass, guitar, bass and pedal steel (played by Dino Karlis, Tom Watson, Craig Terris, Andrew Bain and Lee Prebble). This album flows seamlessly from psychedelic pop to dance grooves to the sci-folk lullaby you thought you could only dream of.
Amplifier says: Bachelorette concocts a deeply layered landscape of looping, pulsing rhythms. Arpeggio's abound, synthesizers bounce and respond to her every touch. She weaves this machine with many colours. This is the work of a confident and assured artist.
Listen to: Where To Begin
