Celebrating NZ music throughout May: 15 – Tadpole / Goldenhorse / Michael James Keane
After finishing with Fur Patrol last night, I got to thinking about a couple of other bands fronted by women. We already checked out Stellar, fronted by Boh Runga in this post. But today let’s have Tadpole and Goldenhorse.
Tadpole
They were a New Zealand rock band from Auckland, fronted by female vocalist Renée Brennan, who were active from 1994 to 2006. Here’s “Blind”, the first single from their 2000 debut album "Buddhafinger".
Buddhafinger was the only album I knew, but they released two more albums, “Medusa” in 2002 and “Tadpole” in 2006. Here’s “Too Hard” from the third album.
Goldenhorse
These guys are a bit more pop. They released three albums between 2002 and 2007. The first one, Riverhead, took a year but finally made it to the #1 album spot. Here’s “Golden Dawn”, my favourite from that album.
But the most well known was “Maybe Tomorrow”
In 2010, the vocalist, Kristen Morrell released a solo album “Ultraviolet”. Here’s “Friday Boy” from that album. I think I prefer her work with Goldenhorse myself.
Featured on the NZ Music Month website today
This isn’t good. We’re only half way through the month and I’m starting to get scathing about their picks. Today is “I Was Dancing” by Michael James Keane. Now I like a ballad, but to me this was tuneless droning. Think Johnny Cash, on some kind of downer that slows him down to half speed, but less melodic. I wondered if it was a joke, till I found this webpage that says:
Michael James Keane (of Wellington "canyon rock" group So Laid Back Country China) has unveiled 'I Was Dancing', the melancholic lead single from his forthcoming solo album The Cascade. The pared-back, intimate song showcases Keane's deeply rich vocals intoning poetically against gently plucked guitar and swirling washes of sound. The cinematic accompanying video by director Adam Price complements Keane's track with footage of the wild waters of Wellington's South Coast and floating particles in motion.
Maybe I was being unfair. Let’s have another listen. Though it’s so new, it’s not even on Youtube yet, so you’ll have to go the above page to hear it... Nah, still don’t care for it. If you’re feeling emotionally robust, go check it out and let me know what you think. If you’re feeling at all depressed, I wouldn’t. Next question is, dare I go check out So Laid Back Country China?
Well, frankly, it’s all a bit depressing, though this one, “Open Eyed”, is maybe the least of a downer.
Thanks for listening
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Thank you @kiwideb. Once again you prove to me on my commute back home from work that women rock in New Zealand.
Too right, mate!
Gave your picks a listen. Surprising enjoyable. Tadpole I liked, Golenhorse not as much but dig Kirsten's little girl voice. So laid back visuals had me amused. :-)
It's always fun to find someone new you like - so glad you did! My journeys through new stuff have been mixed, to say the least.
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