KENINGTON 'GOING NOWHERE (FASTER THAN YOU)'

UK born, Auckland based indie musician Kenington (Mark Kenington) is pleased to release his debut album Going Nowhere (Faster Than You).
 
Mark writes honest, reflective songs of a timeless nature wrapped in lush, catchy melodies. Songs that often mix a positive vibe with a darker and deeper lyrical message.
 
Moving to NZ in 2004, Kenington adopted the kiwi ‘give it a go’ attitude and took up singing, guitar and piano lessons. He honed his songwriting skills and began frequenting open mic evenings.
 
A chance meeting with Mike Chunn put Mark in touch with award winning producer and engineer Andrew Buckton. What started as a vague idea of making an EP turned into a full album project and well and truly planted the music making seed.
 
Says Kenington, “This collection of songs are reflections about dreams morphing into an energetic reality that fails to meet our expectations. We think what we’re working towards is going to be the answer but often it’s not what we are really looking for or need.”
 
Lead single ‘Dollar For My Daydream’ is a track inspired by the exchange between Mark and a café waitress and the fantasy that ensued. Punchy electric guitar and memorable melodies punctuated by Mark’s distinctive voice evoke the likes of Brit pop/ indie rock bands such as Supergrass and Blur.
 
With the help of Andrew Buckton at the helm (Midnight Youth,The D4, Sommerest, Ekko Park), the result is a body of highly crafted, insightful catchy songs translated into beautifully sonic guitar pop soundscapes.
 
Going Nowhere will be available for purchase from iTunes, Bandcamp and all good digital service providers, plus physical CDs will be purchasable from Bandcamp and live shows.
 
Kenington performs on Friday the 28th April at The Thirsty Dog from 8PM.

HOPETOUN BROWN 'LOOK SO GOOD'

Just 12 months after the success of their first album “Burning Fuse”, Tim Stewart and Nick Atkinson have come up with something special for their second Hopetoun Brown album. They've pulled in dynamite guests and they've splashed more time in the studio than ever before. 

You might nod to the fat swing of Lawrence Arabia drummer Al Deverick or you can sigh hearing the soaring backing vocals of Marlon Williams. This album is peppered with star turns from some of Hopetouns closest collaborators. Tami Neilson and Tim Stewart co-wrote the first single Hate I Don't Love You and the two hottest brass players in the country, Finn Scholes and Kingsley Melhuish, have added new depths to the already stonking arrangements. Delaney Davidson's drummer Joe McCallum brings his sizzling high-hats and bouncing cowbells while Aldous Harding joins the party for a few shouts on one of the tracks expertly engineered by Lyttelton recording prodigy Ben Edwards. You'll hear Atkinson on the piano and Scholes on the Vibes and the organ. Stewart's tonsils are now highly polished after hundreds of gigs up and down the nation and the glue that holds this act together, a bass clarinet, of all instruments, beguiles with it's unique tone. Funk to the hip hop influences, bathe in the harmony of trumpets, have your ears pinned back by huge trombones and tubas and bounce all night as three different drummers vie for your shake time on this brand new record Look So Good.

Look So Good tour dates:

OCT 28th Auckland - Wine Cellar with special guests: Tami Neilson, Finn Scholes, Dave Khan and Darryn Harkness

OCT 29th Auckland - Wine Cellar with special guests: Priya Sami, Reb Fountain, Kingsley Melhuish, Dave Khan, Darryn Harkness and Callum Passells

NOV 4th Paeroa - The Refinery 

NOV 5th Coromandel - Hauraki House Theatre

NOV 9th Golden Bay - Mussel Inn

NOV 10th Hokitika - The Fire House

NOV 11th Wairau Valley - Dharma Bums Club

NOV 12th Wellington - Caroline

NOV 13th Hastings - City Art Gallery - Sunday afternoon Nov 13th

NOV 13th Napier - private house concert - Sunday evening Nov 13th

NOV 18th Hamilton - Nivara Lounge

NOV 19th Rotorua - Rotorua Museum

NOV 20th Martinborough - Toast Martinborough

Go to Hopetoun Brown's facebook for ticketing info and playing times

DEVILSKIN 'BE LIKE THE RIVER'

Devilskin (James Southgate) are amped to announce their second studio album, Be Like The River will release on Friday November 11, 2016.

Be Like The River features the smash singles MOUNTAINS and recently released PRAY.  Video by Tim Van Dammen.

The band comment "we are beyond excited to be releasing our new studio album Be Like The River on November 11th. The title comes from a lyric of ours 'Be like the river and cut through the stone', the message is about reaching your goals through perseverance and unwavering determination. It’s been an incredible journey so far for Devilskin and we feel this album really encapsulates and represents our evolution as a band, as songwriters and as people.”

Be Like The River will be available as an 11 track album, 13 track deluxe pack and Gatefold LP vinyl edition. Pre Sales are available now from iTunes.

The album was recorded at Modern World Studio’s Tetbury in the United Kingdom after Devilkin’s European Tour. After the success of We Rise the band maintained their strong working relationships, continuing the very successful and creative association with Producer Clint Murphy, Murphy produced and mixed the album, and working alongside Ryan Smith from Sterling Sound New York who mastered both albums.

Barny Bewick from Indium Design created the artwork for the album. Devilskin say “we are incredibly proud of these songs and it was crucial to have the right visuals for the album so we again utilised the talents of Barny to create artwork that is as stunning and evocative as the music on the album.”

Devilkin’s debut album We Rise released on July 11, 2014 and went straight to the top of the charts remaining as the Number 1 Album and Number 1 Kiwi Artist Album for 3 weeks and achieving Gold Sales after only 2 weeks. The album was certified Platinum in February 2015 with sales exceeding 15,000 albums.

Devilskin have established themselves as a household name in their native New Zealand. Formed in Hamilton in 2010 this four piece rock band are bonded by blood. Paul (bass) and Nic (drums) are father and son, Jennie (vocals) is Nics’ Aunt and Pauls’ sister in law, Nail (guitar) is Pauls evil twin.

Fans won’t be kept waiting, Devilskin’s blistering on stage antics will be seen on stage over summer. Tour details to come.

Be Like The River Pre Sales are available here.

DELUXE EDITION

STANDARD EDITION

Armed in Advance 'Change/Evolve'

Armed In Advance (John Carroll) are very excited to announce the release of their debut, full length album 'Change/Evolve' on October 7, 2016. 

To celebrate the announcement, the band are releasing a new single. Check out the lyric video for 'Running You Down' which is also out on iTunes and Spotify. 

Change/Evolve is 10 tracks - including their most recent singles ‘Stay’, ‘Same Old Story’ and the brand new track ‘Running You Down’ - that have been painstakingly crafted with one goal in mind; to create and showcase the absolute pinnacle of what this band has to offer.

Set for release on 07/10/2016 These songs are the best from over 80 ideas, created and moulded in the two years since the release of  the Stitches EP in 2014; and the end result is a devastating combination of thunderous grooves and churning rock riffs, anthemic choruses and energy to burn."

PRE ORDER HERE

Dave Weir 'Food For Thought'

Dave Weir (Reuben Bonner) - New Gum Sarn, The Nightshades, Te Huhu, Space Creeps - releases his debut solo EP 'Food For Thought' on August 18th. 

Psychedelic Pop that blows through the house like a warm wind from the 1960s. Dave Weir's first singles 'Sweet Lily White' and 'She Of The Countryside' show a glimpse of the EP to come. 

'Food For Thought' was recorded in the bedroom of Tim Shann (The Eversons) and co-produced with Jacob Moore (The Checks, The Eversons). It nods to Dave Weir's first loves The Kinks, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles and David Bowie with a breezy and cheerful stomp.

He will be also be doing two release shows with support from Oscar Dowling. 
Aug 18th, Wine Cellar, Auckland
Aug 20th Moon, Wellington