V/A - Powerpearls Vol.1 1998

🎸 In spring, I wowed you (and me) with another great collector series that some detectives created in the late 90s and this beauty focuses on PowerPop rather than Punk though a few goodies featured wouldn't be out of place on a Punk compilation; We're talking about the Powerpearls Explosion and each Volume has a healthy serving of the best from this genre (those were Hans Knut Hohlhand's words, an avowed four chord lover whose inspiration brought many hermits together to form great bands). Decent selection for the first part in my opinion and the eighteen time travelers shoot you into the weekend, and I'm sure that even the annoying corona virus will shrink back on this foamy wave and shut up for a while. 🎸

1.Everyday, Everyway - REALLY 3RD'S

2.One Out All Out - STRAIGHT UP

3.Feel The Pain - THE BUREAUCRATS

4.Language School - TOURS

5.Modern Time - THE GENTS

6.One Last Night - THE ATLANTICS

7.Nora's Diary - JIMMY EDWARDS

8.That Girl - TECHTONES

9.Who's Kissing You - FAMOUS PLAYERS

10.Fashion - TWEED

11.It Doesn't Bother Me - THE DISTRACTIONS

12.Playing With Fire - TV 21

13.The Kids Are Dancing - THE NEWS

14.It's Your Birthday - FASTBACKS

15.Susan's Day - THE ROUSERS

16.No Fear - THE SQUARES

17.Liberty - SMALL WORLD

18.Blast The Pop! - LOCAL HEROES

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TECHTONES - That Girl 7'' 1980 + State Of Mind 7'' 1981

More nuggets from the wanted list late in the evening and I'm thrilled. Nothing for a long time and now one rarity after the other. This time an awesome double pack from the other end of the world and as a little intro a few words from the necessary and great Audioculture site whose countless information about the New Zealand underground scene, bands and culture alyways excites me. Be sure to have a look! "Auckland’s music community was going through a major transition in 1980. Emerging from the healthy (if you could call it that) punk scene, it seemed like every week there was a band replacing their safety pins with snappy suits in the manner of England’s “new wave” of popsters. One of the more promising and high-profile at the time, but strangely forgotten since, was Techtones. Techtones was essentially a re-invention of very popular but rapidly disintegrating five-piece, Sheerlux. In early 1980, bassist Peter Solomon joined Sheerlux’s remaining members Steve Roach (guitar/vocals), Jimmy Juricevich (guitar/vocals) and Graeme Schnell (drums) for the band’s last gasp. A few weeks later Schnell had left, and Chris Burt was recruited from hard-working covers outfit Picture This. “I thought I was joining Sheerlux,” Burt recalls. “Picture This was also falling apart, so it seemed like a great offer.” That Girl is probably their well-known track and the band's first single on the legendary Propeller label, which is also featured on several compilations. A classic Powerpop goodie without question, catchy punky melody. The flip is a nice instrumental one. State Of Mind was the second slab and is considerably different, more poppy and already too much for my taste, the flip kicks a bit but both songs are miles away from the first. Egal, listen and enjoy.

- Great Thx to Reinhard -

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V/A - Doobie Do Disc 1982

Pioneering New Zealand independent label Propeller, active 1980-1983, is regarded as the first of the wave of post-punk NZ indies and lots of great records were released. Another witness is this compilation, a label retrospective and brings Propeller’s early releases and two unreleased songs from the Features into the light. This shows that at that time the original singles were hard to get (especially outside of the Kiwi region), most were published in small editions, so this slab was probably due to the high demand, and was not easy to get as well, nor cheap. Anyway, all excellent songs from great bands and a timeless sound document of the oceania underground scene, a must have!

1.City Scenes - THE FEATURES

2.Feel So Good - SPELLING MISTAKES

3.First In Line - THE MARCHING GIRLS

4.True Love - THE MARCHING GIRLS

5.Party - THE FEATURES

6.Victim - THE FEATURES

7.Police Wheels (Demo) - THE FEATURES

8.That Girl - TECHTONES

9.There Is No Depression In NZ - BLAM BLAM BLAM

10.See Me Go - SCREAMING MEEMEES

11.Doobie Do Boy - THE NEWMATICS

12.Nick The Stripper - BIRTHDAY PARTY

13.At At - SCREAMING MEEMEES

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V/A - It's Bigger Than Both Of Us 2 LP 1988

Excellent kiwi release of this essential two record compilation from 1988 covering an extremely creative and buoyant period of New Zealand alternative/punk & pop music between 1979 - 1982 where music of the more "indie" nature really made an impression on the hearts, minds and souls of legions of real music maniacs. So the thirty tracks we get great hits from the likes of The Spelling Mistakes, The Clean, Screaming Meemees, No Tag, Blam Blam Blam, Proud Scum and more other great bands and a number of lesser known but equally thrilling out fits. Lovingly compiled and basing the set purely around singles really gives the listener a feel for the time and era, and a number of these tracks genuinely shaped the sound of New Zealand underground music for many years to come. Even with the current renaissance in 'historical' New Zealand pop compilations this set stands head and shoulders above the rest simply because of its focus and the era covered. This is an essential purchase for any New Zealand music fan.

1.Rebel - TOY LOVE
2.Suicide 2 - PROUD SCUM
3.Reena - THE SPELLING MISTAKES
4.City Scenes - THE FEATURES
5.Essential Services - THE HERCO PILOTS
6.Danny Boy - ALMS FOR CHILDREN
7.The Man Inside - REBEL TRUCE
8.Feel So Good - THE SPELLING MISTAKES
9.That Girl - TECHTONES
10.Tally Ho! - THE CLEAN
11.See Me Go - THE SCREAMING MEEMEES
12.Riot Squad - THE NEWMATICS
13.One Good Reason - THE SWINGERS
14.Jumping Out A Window - POP MECHANICS
15.Taking The Weight Off - PENKNIFE GLIDES
16.There Is No Depression In New Zealand - BLAM BLAM BLAM
17.Hope She's Alright - INSTIGATORS
18.Love The Army - THE DABS
19.Sunday Boys - THE SCREAMING MEEMEES
20.Kaleidoscope World - THE CHILLS
21.Nothings Going To Happen Tall - TALL DWARFS
22.ECG - DANSE MACABRE
23.Pulsing - BODY ELECTRIC
24.Don't Fight It Marsha, It's Bigger Than Both Of Us - BLAM BLAM BLAM
25.Anything Could Happen - THE CLEAN
26.Square One - THE NEWMATICS
27.Falling - THE BONGOS
28.Legalised Dogs - NO TAG
29.Auckland Tonight - THE ANDROIDSS
30.Stars In My Eyes - THE SCREAMING MEEMEES

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