Originally released as a four-song EP on Flying Nun in 1989, 'Time Flowing Backwards' was reissued by Homestead Records in 1991 with six additional tracks. 'Time Flowing Backwards' has a bigger, crunchier sound than its predecessor, Jefferies' 'Messages for the Cakekitchen,' though it shares that album's sense of droning urgency. Enjoy this and 'World of Sand.' - Ariel
'World of Sand' succeeded 1989's 'Time Flowing Backwards' EP, which was the official debut of Graeme Jefferies' recordings under the Cakekitchen moniker. It may be argued, however, that Jefferies' Messages for the Cakekitchen, released under his own name in 1988, was the true birth of Cakekitchen. The tightly crafted tension and claustrophobic nature of 'Messages...' is less apparent but not lost entirely in 'World of Sand.' A more polished affair, it is still unmistakably Jefferies, whose rich, guttural vocals appear alternatively menacing and tender. The revolving cast of musicians that have appeared in Cakekitchen over the years includes Alastair Galbraith, represented on this album in the haunting, gentle lilt of the title track, and the Clean's Hamish Kilgour. Enjoy. - Ariel
'Messages for the Cakekitchen' was the first and last Graeme Jefferies album to be released under his own name. With songs reminiscent of his work in This Kind of Punishment, 'Cakekitchen' announces itself with quiet urgency, but the facade is transparent; under the surface of its baroquely textured beauty lies a palpable menace. On those few occasions that Jefferies invites this ferocity to the forefront, the result is a cacophonous transcendence. Jefferies' baritone, subdued and emotionally evocative, propels the album forward to an unknown end; subject to the hypnotic intensity of its droning lull, the listener has no choice but to continue on. "All the Colours Run Dry," "The Cardhouse," and "Is the Timing Wrong?" are all among this listener's favorites, and I feel that this album, along with Peter's 'The Last Great Challenge in a Dull World,' evokes and equals the brothers' time spent in This Kind of Punishment; the same peculiar sense of humanistic surrealism permeates each. Don't miss this one. - Ariel
This final (cassette!) artifact from This Kind of Punishment comes courtesy of the Xpressway imprint; it was the legendary label's second release and showcases the sheer force of Graeme and Peter Jefferies' creation live. Some of my favorites are represented here, including "After the Fact," "The Sleepwalker," and "Two Minutes Drowning." I love this band, and you shouldtoo. Enjoy! - Ariel
As the abrasive, uncompromising chords of "Immigration Song" fade to reveal the subdued, meditative textures of "Overground in China," it becomes clear to the listener that the final release from This Kind of Punishment will be a jarring listening experience; it is an album not content to sit still. This particular release from 1993 combines 1987's 'In the Same Room' with 1985's '5 By Four' EP; the latter's rough-hewnexperimentalism compliments the more fully-developed sounds of the main album while recalling the quiet harshness of This Kind of Punishment's debut. Lyrically, the album is characteristically vague and composed of fragmentary, impressionistic narratives; despite the inherent disconnect of the album's stylistic meanderings, the album ultimately assumes closure with the decidedly Nocturnal Projections-esque "Words Fail Me." Along with the aforementioned tracks, "Don't Go," "The Men By the Pool," and the unusually anthemic "Holding," are among This Kind of Punishment's finest efforts; this is an excellent album from one of New Zealand's most rightfully exalted bands, and you would be truly remiss to pass up 'In the Same Room' or 'A Beard of Bees.' - Ariel
'A Beard of Bees,' an album recorded in various bedrooms, lounges, and halls, belies its four-track origins more fully than its predecessor, the Jefferies brothers' hauntingly stark self-titled debut. Self-released in 1984 on vinyl, reissued on cassette in 1990 by the Xpressway imprint, and finally re-released on CD by the Ajax label in 1993, 'A Beard of Bees' is, in this listener's highly subjective opinion, the finest encapsulation of the quietly transcendent, somber majesty of This Kind of Punishment. A feast of minimalist instrumentation punctuated by the piercing tones of Peter Jefferies' piano, it is an album that enlarges on the artistic scope of its predecessor whilst retaining that album's contained, claustrophobic paranoia; This Kind of Punishment is the sense of desolate beauty that accompanies the passing of a storm. "Trepidation," "Turning to Stone," Chris Matthews' "The Sleepwalker," and "An Open Denial" are all pieces of an exquisitely fractured puzzle; the Jefferies brothers' existential meditations, delivered in Peter Jefferies' subdued, austere vocals, never trade pathos in for sentimentality. It is a cathartic, powerful listening experience and truly a record ahead of its time; this is Graeme and Peter Jefferies' unquestioned masterpiece. - Ariel
This Kind of Punishment's first album opens with the spine-tingling minimalism of "After the Fact," one of my favorites from the Jefferies brothers; the instrumental build-up and cathartic release are nothing short of revelatory to these ears. That's one of the more accessible numbers from This Kind of Punishment, but the songs on their debut offer a wide range of stylistic arrays; from the desperately frantic piano on "Two Minutes Drowning" to the gentle folk harmonies of "An Axe is an Arm," every song was recorded on Chris Knox's four-track to brilliant effect. There's a sense of mystery to Graeme and Peter's work in This Kind of Punishment, and this album is no exception; a quiet unease is present throughout, unsettling and transfixing the listener in its hypnotic darkness. Look out for 'A Beard of Bees' and 'In the Same Room' soon. - Ariel
Capturing the nascent recordings of Graeme and Peter Jefferies, 'Nerve Ends in Power Lines' collects the best of the Nocturnal Projections' recorded output; the moody, post-punk outfit was formed in 1981 and disbanded in 1983 after releasing two albums--one a cassette release limited to 100 copies--two EPs, and one single. You may remember "Walk in a Straight Line" from the Xpressway Pile=Up compilation. From aggressive, jerky rhythms to plaintive folk-inflected ballads slightly reminiscent of the Axemen's quieter moments--now that was a fun band--the Nocturnal Projections' songs offer a taste of the hypnotic darkness later perfected by the legendary This Kind of Punishment, the brothers Jefferies' next and most widely-known musical venture.
NOTE: Following "Restoration," the final four unlisted tracks of the compilation--collected from self-released cassettes-are ordered as follows:
12.1 - The Down Song 12.2 - Alone in the Corner 12.3 - Obsessions 12.4 - Inmates in Images
If this is wrong, please let me know. Like most of the albums I feature, this is not a personal rip; I'm going by what information I can gather online, and I have made errors before. Thanks!
Originally released as a four-song EP on Flying Nun in 1989, 'Time Flowing Backwards' was reissued by Homestead Records in 1991 with six additional tracks. 'Time Flowing Backwards' has a bigger, crunchier sound than its predecessor, Jefferies' 'Messages for the Cakekitchen,' though it shares that album's sense of droning urgency. Enjoy this and 'World of Sand.' - Ariel
'World of Sand' succeeded 1989's 'Time Flowing Backwards' EP, which was the official debut of Graeme Jefferies' recordings under the Cakekitchen moniker. It may be argued, however, that Jefferies' Messages for the Cakekitchen, released under his own name in 1988, was the true birth of Cakekitchen. The tightly crafted tension and claustrophobic nature of 'Messages...' is less apparent but not lost entirely in 'World of Sand.' A more polished affair, it is still unmistakably Jefferies, whose rich, guttural vocals appear alternatively menacing and tender. The revolving cast of musicians that have appeared in Cakekitchen over the years includes Alastair Galbraith, represented on this album in the haunting, gentle lilt of the title track, and the Clean's Hamish Kilgour. Enjoy. - Ariel
'Messages for the Cakekitchen' was the first and last Graeme Jefferies album to be released under his own name. With songs reminiscent of his work in This Kind of Punishment, 'Cakekitchen' announces itself with quiet urgency, but the facade is transparent; under the surface of its baroquely textured beauty lies a palpable menace. On those few occasions that Jefferies invites this ferocity to the forefront, the result is a cacophonous transcendence. Jefferies' baritone, subdued and emotionally evocative, propels the album forward to an unknown end; subject to the hypnotic intensity of its droning lull, the listener has no choice but to continue on. "All the Colours Run Dry," "The Cardhouse," and "Is the Timing Wrong?" are all among this listener's favorites, and I feel that this album, along with Peter's 'The Last Great Challenge in a Dull World,' evokes and equals the brothers' time spent in This Kind of Punishment; the same peculiar sense of humanistic surrealism permeates each. Don't miss this one. - Ariel
This final (cassette!) artifact from This Kind of Punishment comes courtesy of the Xpressway imprint; it was the legendary label's second release and showcases the sheer force of Graeme and Peter Jefferies' creation live. Some of my favorites are represented here, including "After the Fact," "The Sleepwalker," and "Two Minutes Drowning." I love this band, and you should too. Enjoy! - Ariel
As the abrasive, uncompromising chords of "Immigration Song" fade to reveal the subdued, meditative textures of "Overground in China," it becomes clear to the listener that the final release from This Kind of Punishment will be a jarring listening experience; it is an album not content to sit still. This particular release from 1993 combines 1987's 'In the Same Room' with 1985's '5 By Four' EP; the latter's rough-hewn experimentalism compliments the more fully-developed sounds of the main album while recalling the quiet harshness of This Kind of Punishment's debut. Lyrically, the album is characteristically vague and composed of fragmentary, impressionistic narratives; despite the inherent disconnect of the album's stylistic meanderings, the album ultimately assumes closure with the decidedly Nocturnal Projections-esque "Words Fail Me." Along with the aforementioned tracks, "Don't Go," "The Men By the Pool," and the unusually anthemic "Holding," are among This Kind of Punishment's finest efforts; this is an excellent album from one of New Zealand's most rightfully exalted bands, and you would be truly remiss to pass up 'In the Same Room' or 'A Beard of Bees.' - Ariel 
'A Beard of Bees,' an album recorded in various bedrooms, lounges, and halls, belies its four-track origins more fully than its predecessor, the Jefferies brothers' hauntingly stark self-titled debut. Self-released in 1984 on vinyl, reissued on cassette in 1990 by the Xpressway imprint, and finally re-released on CD by the Ajax label in 1993, 'A Beard of Bees' is, in this listener's highly subjective opinion, the finest encapsulation of the quietly transcendent, somber majesty of This Kind of Punishment. A feast of minimalist instrumentation punctuated by the piercing tones of Peter Jefferies' piano, it is an album that enlarges on the artistic scope of its predecessor whilst retaining that album's contained, claustrophobic paranoia; This Kind of Punishment is the sense of desolate beauty that accompanies the passing of a storm. "Trepidation," "Turning to Stone," Chris Matthews' "The Sleepwalker," and "An Open Denial" are all pieces of an exquisitely fractured puzzle; the Jefferies brothers' existential meditations, delivered in Peter Jefferies' subdued, austere vocals, never trade pathos in for sentimentality. It is a cathartic, powerful listening experience and truly a record ahead of its time; this is Graeme and Peter Jefferies' unquestioned masterpiece. - Ariel 
This Kind of Punishment's first album opens with the spine-tingling minimalism of "After the Fact," one of my favorites from the Jefferies brothers; the instrumental build-up and cathartic release are nothing short of revelatory to these ears. That's one of the more accessible numbers from This Kind of Punishment, but the songs on their debut offer a wide range of stylistic arrays; from the desperately frantic piano on "Two Minutes Drowning" to the gentle folk harmonies of "An Axe is an Arm," every song was recorded on Chris Knox's four-track to brilliant effect. There's a sense of mystery to Graeme and Peter's work in This Kind of Punishment, and this album is no exception; a quiet unease is present throughout, unsettling and transfixing the listener in its hypnotic darkness. Look out for 'A Beard of Bees' and 'In the Same Room' soon. - Ariel
Capturing the nascent recordings of Graeme and Peter Jefferies, 'Nerve Ends in Power Lines' collects the best of the Nocturnal Projections' recorded output; the moody, post-punk outfit was formed in 1981 and disbanded in 1983 after releasing two albums--one a cassette release limited to 100 copies--two EPs, and one single. You may remember "Walk in a Straight Line" from the Xpressway Pile=Up compilation. From aggressive, jerky rhythms to plaintive folk-inflected ballads slightly reminiscent of the Axemen's quieter moments--now that was a fun band--the Nocturnal Projections' songs offer a taste of the hypnotic darkness later perfected by the legendary This Kind of Punishment, the brothers Jefferies' next and most widely-known musical venture.
