Finally Some Breathing Space

Posted on April 19, 2016 by powertoolrecordsnz

Since my last post back in January, things here at Powertool Central have been insanely hectic. Three brand new Powertool Releases, two Kaleidoscopes, an international tour and a bunch of release gigs have all taken place….. in Feb/Mar 2016.

February 2016 Releases

PT165 PT166 PT167 kws31 copy kws32cd

PT165: Rough Church – Shhhh (CD Album) This album was recorded on their last tour to NZ back in 2014. It was recorded at Chick’s Hotel in Port Chalmers and features guest appearances from David Kilgour and Robert Scott. Engineering was done by Tom Bell. Rough Church toured both here and Australia in Feb/March 2016.

PT166: Joed Out – Retrospective 2001-2004 (Double CD Album) Joed Out were around in the early 2000’s and played a ton of shows in their relatively brief but highly productive career. This retrospective captures the best of their recorded material on Disc One. Disc Two features unrecorded/unreleased songs that never saw the light of day until now, in this very raw state. This is a document of one of Auckland’s finest underground bands from last decade. Joed Out played a rare one off show at UFO to celebrate the release of this fine retrospective in early March 2016.

PT167: Feyodor – The Tide Will Wear You Down (CD Album) This album is the follow up to the critically acclaimed ‘Aggressive Pedestrian’. Originally recorded in Finland at Pink Noise Studios with the legendary Mikael H. back in 2006. It sat unreleased for ten years because of the sensitive lyrical content. Ben Barrett (songwriter) wrote these songs about his first wife Sarah but could not bring himself to share such emotion with the world. His relationship had broken down and he had re-married. He has now also parted ways with his second wife and now feels that enough time has passed that he can finally make it available for all to hear. Feyodor also played a rare one off performance in early March at UFO to celebrate this release.

KW032 & KW033: Kaleidoscope World Series 31 and 32: (2x CD Albums) Kaleidoscopes are hard work. Booking ten acts, gathering songs, designing artwork and organizing a live show. They take up a lot of time planning and liaising with bands, venues, adverting people, manufacturers and soundmen. In February we did two Kaleidoscopes, one here at UFO and the other across the ditch in Melbourne at an amazing venue called The Tote. Both shows were amazing …. here are the lineups … Kaleidoscope 31 – Two Of Hearts, This Flight Tonight, Rivers Edge, Slumbug, Poppycock, Super Narco Man, My Civilian, Napier Avalon Jones, Wu Kong The Monkey King and Shady Brain Farm. …. Kaleidoscope 32 featured …. Vorn, Gold Medal Famous, Shrimpwitch, Dusty Springclean & the Pops, Fraudband, Mandek Penha, Rough Church, Mucus Kids, Mia Schoen and The Curse.

All these fine releases are available from the Powertool website or from our Bandcamp site….. except the Kaleidoscopes. They only place you can get those from is directly from Powertool via the website, Alien Shop or UFO

Cheers

Andrew Maitai

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 4, 2016 by powertoolrecordsnz

Well here we are at the beginning of 2016. Our latest release is the new album from Cambridge troubadour River’s Edge. It’s called Lul-Her-By and as the title suggests, it is a laid back affair. Acoustic, soft melodies, tunes to get you ready for bed. After a long hard day, something to relax to, wind down and mellow out. You’re girlfriends gonna love it, another great reason to add it to your music collection.

Also just out this month is the new album from the Earl Of Seacliff’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It’s called “Livin’ Ina Aucklan'” This is a collection of songs penned by Michael O’Leary and performed and recorded by local musicians in his home town of Paekakariki. All the songs are about different suburbs in Auckland, written from Michael’s experiences of living in Auckland in the 1980’s.

Enter The Anti-Claus

Posted on December 3, 2015 by powertoolrecordsnz

Tired of the same old Christmas songs year after year. Need something fresh, exciting and dare I say it….. Good. Songs you can sing along to, songs that will make you laugh and cry, songs that are political or just plain creepy. Yes, this album has it all.

The Anti-Claus has compiled tracks from all over the world…. New Zealand, Germany, England and the USA.

Here is the tracklisting…

Great Dynamo – Timeshed (Germany)
Mary – Big Boy (New Zealand
Factory Kids – Father Christmas Still
Doubtful Sounds – All The Angels Sang (New Zealand)
Gold Medal Famous – Red Pill Christmas (New Zealand)
Fatal Elf – I Wanna Be Your Elf (England)
Andrew Deadman – Silent Night (USA)
Jordan Reyne – Song For Winter Soltice (England)
Rough Church – PJ vs. The Mouse (USA)
Joed Out – Reindeers (New Zealand)
Anti-Claus – Little Baby Jesus (New Zealand)
Mucus Kids – Satan’s Claws (New Zealand)
Mark Airlie – A Day Like Today (New Zealand)
River’s Edge – Christmas Is Hell (New Zealand)
Brother Love with Boss Christ – No Christmas For John Key (New Zealand)
One Man Bannister – Silent Night (New Zealand)

New Music To Add To Your Playlist!

Posted on November 10, 2015 by powertoolrecordsnz

LoveyDove – Showstopper

Each month, we will present you with new music from Powertool Records that we think you should add to your playlist. Most songs will be from our latest releases, our distro partners and occasionally a track from our back catalogue. Listen on Bandcamp

LoveyDove – I See The Light

This classic track originally released by Todd Rungren has had the LoveyDove makeover. They are currently making big waves on their European tour. The first single from their brand new album ‘Showstopper’.

Brother Love – A Little Bit Of Everything

Brother Love

Brother Love show their versatility here with this wonderful country/rock number. Recently returned from wowing audiences in Melbourne, Australia. This song features

on their latest album “Delicacy’.

Gold Medal Famous – Strike The Match

First single lifted from their new album ‘Deep In The Heart Of Saturday Night’. Gold Medal Famous continue to mix up genres , at the same time sounding distinctly unique.

Rough Church – Grandeur

Rough Church

Beautiful single written by Kaitlin Wolfberg, the violinist in Rough Church. ‘Fiction / Reflection’ is their latest album and most accessible to date.

Mucus Kids – I Stand With A Fist

The debut single from the Mucus Kids. With an average age of 17, and a devastating live act. This anthem needs to be on everyone’s playlist.

Jordan Reyne – Birth Ritual

Jordan’s latest single from ‘Maiden’, the third in a trilogy of EP’s. Stunning, haunting and beautiful are all words used to describe Jordan Reyne’s work.

King Missile IV – Closet

King Missile IV

The single that revived cult heroes King Missile. Opening track on the infamous “This Fuckin’ Guy’ EP that was released earlier this year.

Doubtful Sounds – Throwing Stones

Jangly pop in the same vein as the early Dunedin Sound of the Chills and Sneaky Feelings. This track comes from their latest album “A Stones Throw From Happiness”.

Darryl Baser – The Whiff Of A Great Deed Lingers

Darryl from Dunedin presents his latest single from his upcoming album “Raw Selfie”.

Dan West – Does It Suit You?

The title track from his latest album. Dan West’s quirky pop songs will have you singing along long after the song concludes. The art of a true songsmith.

LoveyDove Tour Europe!

Posted on October 14, 2015 by powertoolrecordsnz

Everyone’s favourite couple Azalia Snail and Dan West (LoveyDove) hit the road in Oct/Nov 2015 armed with their brand new sparkling album “Show Stopper” Here’s a list of upcoming dates, there’s bound to be a show near you.

Fear not New Zealand and Australian fans, they are planning to come to your shores in April 2016.

Powertool’s Melbourne Invasion begins this week

Posted on July 5, 2015 by powertoolrecordsnz

Melbourne is about to experience an invasion of New Zealand musicians later this week, as Powertool Records are bringing three of their finest acts to Melbourne this July. From July 9^th to 18^th, venues across Melbourne will reverberate to an eclectic mix of New Zealand music, from the psychedelic swamp rock of Brother Love, to a unique brand of avant garde pop and “eclectotronica” courtesy of Gold Medal Famous, and the alternative pop genius of Vorn. Levitating Churches, Miniatures, Eli and Bev, Ninety Nine and Kakariko round out the Australian supports. However we must note that Levitating Churches features erstwhile ex-pat New Zealander Matt Alien (Slavetrader). Artist/musician Mia Schoen will also be doing a rare live performance, as will Matt Middleton (originally from New Zealand as well) under his legendary Crude moniker.

Photo by Hayley Thayers

Brother Love shows
Thursday 9^th July 2015: Brother Love + Levitating Churches + special guests @ The Old Bar, Melbourne, Australia.

Friday 10^th July 2015: Brother Love + Levitating Churches + Miniatures @ Bar Open, Melbourne, Australia.

Saturday 11^th July 2015: Brother Love + Crude + Mia Schoen @ Vice Bar, Melbourne, Australia.

Gold Medal Famous and Vorn
Thursday 16^th July 2015: Gold Medal Famous + Vorn + Kakariko @The Public Bar, Melbourne, Australia.

Friday 17^th July 2015: Gold Medal Famous + Vorn + Ninety Nine + special guests @ Bar Open, Melbourne, Australia

Saturday 18^th July 2015: Gold Medal Famous + Vorn + Vowel Movement + Bono Ono @ Grace Darling, Melbourne, Australia.

Jordan Reyne releases the third chapter of the [MAIDEN], Mother, Crone EP trilogy

Posted on May 12, 2015 by powertoolrecordsnz

“Maiden” is the final EP in Jordan Reyne’s “[MAIDEN], Mother, Crone” trilogy and is out this week – you can listen to the EP here.

Described by New Zealand’s National Radio as the pioneer of a new sound, Jordan’s music is a blend of Celtic rock, steam-era machine noise, and Grimms’ fairytale-esque lyrics. Imagine PJ Harvey trapped in the workhouses of Industrial Revolution era England, with only Nine Inch Nails for company.

Now resident in the UK, Reyne Jordan’s wide appeal and uncategorisable style has led to supports for bands as diverse as Karl Bartos (of Kraftwerk), Laibach, Feilds of the Nephilim, New Model Army, White Zombie and the Eden House.

Over the weekend just past, Jordan played the Whitby Gothic Weekend, alongside acts such as Sigue Sigue Sputnik Electronic, Andi Sex Gang, The Damned, and Doctor And The Medics. Previous WGW headliners include Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Gene Loves Jezebel, Dead Eyes Opened, Alien Sex Fiend, Clan Of Xymox, Toyah, New Model Army, Heaven 17, Visage, and Hugh Cornwell.

Prior to WGW, Jordan had just completed a European tour – which included support slots with Laibach – to celebrate the completion of the Maiden, Mother, Crone trilogy – a year-long project of a trilogy of EPs. As part of the tour, Jordan posted short audio interviews after each show; here is episode one: with outstanding looper and musician Mark Howden. It’s worth following her fantastic blog too, which gives some historical insight into each city she plays in.

She has also just been booked to play Wave-Gotik-Treffen, the biggest Gothic festival in Europe, which runs from May 22 – 25 in Leipzig, Germany.

The “[MAIDEN], Mother, Crone” trilogy explores female archetypes – both in mythology, and how they affect women in the real world. The Maiden is an emergent character – she is only allowed to “be” in a context of innocence and naivity. Her battle is to become her true self, in the face of potentially negative judgements of what are considered transgressions from the archetype (naivity, innocence, nascent sexuality).

A video has been released for ‘Birth Ritual’, the first track from the EP trilogy “[MAIDEN], Mother, Crone” – it’s a tale about the rituals surrounding the gender construct – how we learn to perform the dances required of us based on our physicality at birth.

[MAIDEN] on Bandcamp.

Powertool Records

A discerning New Zealand record label