Choice Kiwi Cuts 2020: Nadia Reid - Get the Devil Out of Me

Nadia Reid’s Out of my Province was another album that got multiple plays during my autumn lockdown. An album that needed time before revealing all of its hidden gems, one of which was the Silver Scroll-nominated ‘Get the Devil Out of Me’, which addressed mental health, self-harm, and other existential dilemmas ... 

Choice Kiwi Cuts 2019: Aldous Harding - The Barrel

As we approach the end of every year and our lives are propelled into the chaos that tends to align itself with the festive season, everythingsgonegreen likes to reflect on the year that was. Before things get too mad and overwhelming to the extent that blogging becomes a mere afterthought. For a few years there was a countdown of the tracks which enjoyed the most pod-time on your blogger’s device, regardless of origin or genre, but last year I narrowed the scope to include only clips or tracks from artists based in New Zealand or those at least, who identified as “Kiwi” artists. That seemed to work quite well, so I’ll stick with that for 2019’s countdown. I’ll try to post ten favourites between now and the end of the year. 

Therefore, it makes absolute sense to start this year’s set with the tune that won the 2019 APRA Silver Scroll award; Aldous Harding’s weird and wonderful ‘The Barrel’, one of those tunes that tended to grow in stature the more I listened to it. A bit of a creeper, if you like ...

Consent, the Scrolls, and Counting The Beat ...

One of the best things about the Silver Scroll Awards in Auckland last Thursday night (for me) was the recognition given to hardworking ex-Palmy musician Grayson Gilmour, who was honoured for his work on Consent, the tele-movie which told the true story of rape survivor Louise Nicholas.

Gilmour’s dramatic and tension-packed score won the Scroll for Best Original Music in a Feature Film, and the work is available over at the now Wellington-based composer's Bandcamp page on a name-your-price basis (click here). But be generous, as all proceeds go direct to Rape Crisis NZ.

The 2015 edition of the Scrolls was especially significant for greybeard music fans, with the debate about the “lost” 1981 Song of the Year scroll (which was retrospectively awarded) finally laid to rest, and the gong going to The Swingers for ‘Counting The Beat’ (clip below). That was not unexpected, and it was even less surprising to see the 2015 version of the same award go to Ruban Nielson, for Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s ‘Multi-Love’.

 

There were also awards acknowledging airplay and chart success for the likes of Six60 (locally) and Lorde (globally). Well done to all nominees and winners.

 

Here's The Swingers with three minutes of pure retro magic: